C5 Corvette Shape

[Charlie882]

I had a question for the LEO's on the board or anyone that knows about radar/laser guns that the police use.

Everytime I am out driving and see one of those police units that radar/laser you and post your speed up so you can see how fast you are going in a posted zone, it always seems like they have trouble locking my speed until I am right in front of them. Other vehicles it seems to pick up quite a ways back. Do you think this is my imagination or do these devices have a harder time picking up Corvettes because of their slippery shape? I noticed it has happened with a few of these devices in different locations and it had me wondering.

On that same note, do the LEO's on here that use radar/laser have trouble locking in Corvette speeds versus other boxier cars like a Dodge Charger or Ford Expedition?

[01 MAG RED]

I was told the a radar/laser beam bounces off of a metal object and returns to the sending unit. In the case of the majority of vehicles that metal object is positioned straight up and down (e.g. grille, radiator, fender) allowing the beam to return in a straight path. In a Corvette the metal object would be the radiator. The radiator is angled and when the beam hits it it's deflected.The farther from the sending unit, the more deflection.
I've never seen anything to prove this is correct and I'm not a LEO.

[Shadow]

Never had a problem clocking one

[ynkedad]

prior to buying and learned that they have a harder time detecting a Vette, for the exct reasons you've mentioned.
The bigger the vehicle, the more flat surfaces, the easier the detection. Also, the darker the vehicle, the harder it is to detect.
From what I've read, the operator aims for the best reflective surface Ie. license plates, bumpers, head lights etc, from the front as well as the rear. This is why I chuckle everytime I see people adding shiney metal products to their vehicles (it makes them a beter target).
Also, from what I've read, it's nearly if not totally impossible to detect the speed of your vehicle from the sides.
*Again, this is what i've read, when doing my research prior to buying a detector.

Regarding the portable detectors you've mentioned, i've noticed that it does wait till i'm pretty close to post my speed, whether i'm in the Vette, Mustang or the Armada. The cool thing is, my Val 1 picks'em up LONG before hand!
Why is that cool? Well, because the cops around here usually have a speed trap waiting for you. You'll be toodling along, see the portable detector, figure it's safe once you've past it, speed up and BINGO you're busted!
long winded I know, Sorry!
~RAy

[CREWZIN]

I'm with a local city police (Crystal River). Whenever we get calls from citizens complaining of speeders, the chief asks me to run radar in that area for about 45 minutes at different times of the day. I don't pull over anyone (don't have the authority), but if a large number of cars are over the limit on my report, units are dispatched that will ticket offenders. I never have trouble locking onto anything that moves including Vettes. Never tried shooting from the side so can't answer that, but I do take several trips up north to see the grandkids. 770 miles one way and I'm on Route #95 (major highway) 90% of the time. North/South Carolina and Virginia all have State Troopers in the medium mostly hidden in the cut-overs and bridge clearways. The cars (including myself) are hit with the radar/lazer at almost a 90 degree angle and they do register the speed, so it must work from that angle.

[Hot Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Charlie882

I had a question for the LEO's on the board or anyone that knows about radar/laser guns that the police use.

Everytime I am out driving and see one of those police units that radar/laser you and post your speed up so you can see how fast you are going in a posted zone, it always seems like they have trouble locking my speed until I am right in front of them. Other vehicles it seems to pick up quite a ways back. Do you think this is my imagination or do these devices have a harder time picking up Corvettes because of their slippery shape? I noticed it has happened with a few of these devices in different locations and it had me wondering.

On that same note, do the LEO's on here that use radar/laser have trouble locking in Corvette speeds versus other boxier cars like a Dodge Charger or Ford Expedition?

Nope no trouble. I worked an off duty speed enforcement detail yesterday where complaints of speeders in a neighborhood got an extra enforcement. I clocked a C3 C5 and C6 with no problem. Luckily they weren't speeding (because I try not to write Vettes a ticket). I was using a Laser. It's an older model and not so fancy, but I works like a champ. No problem clocking other cars like a Nissan 350Z, sporty Mazda (unk model) or a Lotus Elise that passed me. I find it just as easy to clock a Big truck or boxy car as a sports car.

Radar is a liiiiitle bit different. Sometimes it's easier with radar for the boxier or larger vehicles for the obvious reason that the radar signal is bounced back in greater magnitude on a more flat surface, but I still get the readings pretty quick.

Originally Posted by ynkedad

From what I've read, the operator aims for the best reflective surface Ie. license plates, bumpers, head lights etc, from the front as well as the rear. This is why I chuckle everytime I see people adding shiney metal products to their vehicles (it makes them a beter target).

Sorry, not true. I point right at the front of the car in the center. No headlight shots. No shiny objects. I can clock a dull primer car (such as some of the '50's hotrods around here) as easily as a 2006 vehicle thats all shined up or a kids car with bling-bling on it.

Originally Posted by ynkedad

Also, from what I've read, it's nearly if not totally impossible to detect the speed of your vehicle from the sides.

True. The device measures how fast the beam (laser) or wave (radar) sends out then comes back, it does this several times almost instantly to compare the two or three responses and does the math to determine the distance difference or "closing" speed, (works going away too obviously). When the device is used to measure from the side (90 degrees) the distance does not change from the car to the device as the car drives by. The prime angle is 0 of course but that would be directly towards the device. When we sit by the road we have a 2-10 degree angle to avoid being "in traffic". The greater the angle the better it is for the person being clocked. The angle reduces the amount of distance covered between the car and the device so it reads slightly slower on the device (your doing 55 and the device may read the calculation as 53 or 52 mph). It works in the defendants favor so it is never brought up in court. The judge may bang the defendant a little harder if we say "he was clocked at "71 in a 45" but the subject is brought up and the judge thinks "71,,, thats like 74 or 75 mph".

There are devices that could tell your speed from 90 degrees (above or from the side), but it's not radar or laser. It's basically a measured distance (usually with lines on the road) and a fancy stopwatch. The watch is programmed with the distance of the marks, then the operator starts it when you hit the first line and stops it when you hit the second line. The computer (stopwatch) then computes the speed over a known distance and spits it out in a fraction of a second so the officer can see it. This is how we do enforcement from the air in planes and helicopters. The pilot radios down "red pick up in right lane, 75 mph. yep you are behind the right car (as a ground chase car falls in behind the truck).

Originally Posted by ynkedad

Regarding the portable detectors you've mentioned, i've noticed that it does wait till i'm pretty close to post my speed, whether i'm in the Vette, Mustang or the Armada. The cool thing is, my Val 1 picks'em up LONG before hand!

That only works if you are lucky enough to be in traffic when they try clocking someone in front of you or when they are too lazy and leave it on. If they turn it off, or "pause it" then no signal is let out so theres nothing to pick up. I pause mine if traffic looks slow (we can estimate the speed prior to the clock). Then I turn it on (or activate the laser like pulling the trigger on a gun) and the beep you hear is only an early warning that a stop is about to happen.

Detectors are ok, but drive carefully and they won't be all you lean on to avoid a ticket.

Drive careful out there, and save the wave!

[ynkedad]

Wow, a lot of great info there!

What you described towards the end, seems to be what happened to me in Neveda. This LEO in an SUV (couldn't tell it was a Leo till he was next to me)was coming at me nothing! All of a sudden I was hit with a radar,? my V1 went ape $hit. I wasn't speeding Thank Goodness! That happened to me twice in Nevada on Hwy 50.

Again, what I mentioned before, is what I read on different Forums, Web pages (selling radar),etc. I do know my V1 saved my A$$ countless time on my LONG road trip! and definately paid for itself within the first month.
Not that i'm hauling butt everywhere I go, but I do tend to do a smidge over the "recommended" speed limit at times.

~Ray

[Shadow]

Ray,

What you are referring to and HP is talking about (for RADAR) is the instant on feature. Been using it for years. Your V1 picks up the fringe radar prior to the point where a good solid clock is likely. Thats the reason you buy an expensive piece rather than a POS. Otherwise, just like HP said, it will only tell you you've been caught

The instant on feature basically allows us to "hide" if you will, from your V1 until you're in that "cone of death"

ya'll be careful out there, ya hear?

Gordon

[ynkedad]