[s-cars] Speeding ticket technicality

[Bob Frizzell]

Kirby,
The cosine effect is used because the radar measures the longer (hypotenuse)
vector.  A change in this vector results in a smaller change in the adjacent
vector, which represents the vehicle's velocity along the road.  So the true
speed is the measured speed times the cosine of the angle between the line
of sight and the velocity vector. Apparently radar that is stationary at the
side of the road is generally aimed at 30 degrees to the roadway and the
registered speed on the police radar is adjusted accordingly.  I tried the
cosine law defense without realizing the radar was calibrated to account for
it, only to find out later that it was. The judge, although not perfectly
clear on it, said that the radar must be adjusted for it otherwise none of
the speeding tickets from roadside radar would be valid.  It was interesting
when I showed some simple right triangle trigonometry to the prosecutor and
he said, "this is way beyond me"!
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kirby Smith" <kirby.a.smith at verizon.net>
To: "Varon H. Fugman" <vfugman at globaldialog.com>
Cc: <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 6:29 AM
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Speeding ticket technicality


> I wouldn't invoke the cosine effect if I were you.  The measured speed
> is the true speed times the cosine of the angle between the measurement
> line of sight and your velocity vector.  In other words, you are going
> faster than measured.
>
> kirby
>
>
> "Varon H. Fugman" wrote:
> >
> > I would concur with the advice to consult an attorney.
> >
> > I once had a ticket where the officer circled "pm" instead of "am"
making it
> > 12 hours off.  However, I was unable to leverage this sufficiently
defending
> > myself, although I did get the officer to (very reluctantly) admit that
he
> > had made a mistake and the ticket was wrong.  But I couldn't get him to
> > admit that the speed on the ticket might also be wrong!  Or that he
might
> > have made another mistake.
> >
> > My questioning of the officer did elicit some laughter from the
courtroom,
> > but I don't think that improved my case in the judges eyes.
> >
> > One other option you might consider if your state permits it is to sign
up
> > for defensive driving.  That what I did for my last ticket rather than
try
> > to fight it.  Of course, gotta keep my record clean for a whole year
now!
> >
> > However, with a good attorney you might have at least 50/50 odds getting
it
> > dismissed because of the error... especially if your attorney frequently
has
> > lunch with the DA!
> >
> > Start lining up your witnesses to testify where you were on that date
and
> > time!
> >
> > Varon
> > '95 urS6 keeping is close to the limit... most of the time!
> >
> > P.S. If he clocked you while you were coming around a corner, depending
on
> > where he was relative to you, there's always the possibility of the
cosine
> > effect.  This is where the straight-line closing speed between you and
the
> > oncoming police car is higher than your actual speed along the curve.
> >
> > P.P.S. And with moving radar one should also rule out shadowing...
Could
> > there have been a large truck or train moving slowly that the radar
could
> > have mistaken for the ground?  This too can result in a higher than
actual
> > speed reading.  The officer is supposed to verify that the "ground
speed"
> > displayed on his moving radar unit matches his speedometer, but in their
> > hurry to make a U-turn and pull someone over they frequently omit this
step.
> > Of course, that doesn't mean they will admit it in court!
> >
> > P.P.P.S. And of course we need to make sure both the radar unit and
> > speedometer in the patrol car were both recently calibrated.  If it has
been
> > too long, they really aren't trustworthy, are they?
> >
> > P.P.P.P.S. Based on my experience, none of the above information will
help
> > trying to defend yourself in traffic court!
> >
> > P.P.P.P.P.S Isn't it funny how they police never want to admit that
there
> > are serious shortcoming with radar... until they need the justification
to
> > purchase expensive laser guns!
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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