Re: Valentine 1

[Robert Houk - SMCC WorkGroup Server Firmware <Robert.Houk@East.Sun.COM>]

   > As with "triggered" (aka "instant on") radar [and notwithstanding the
   > allegations that you *can* outbrake triggered radar], yeah, if you're
   > shot, you're shot.

   By the tone of your post, I feel like this has been discussed before.

   However, I missed it.  Do some people believe/know it's possible to slam 
   on the brakes when hit with radar, and be able to change your speed before 
   it registers?

   Please elaborate.  I'm only looking for theory, not facts, so I hope this 
   doesn't start a big ole' thread from hell.

It is possible to "outbrake" triggered radar. All units require a finite
amount of time to "lock-on" to the signal reflected from a vehicle, and
from that to determine your speed. If the speed is changing (presumably
in the decel direction) rapidly enough, the radar receiver won't view
it as a "real" signal (it won't "lock on" to your speed).

*However* you have to be *immediate* and *agressive* with the brakes to
effect this; to the point that I at least consider it dangerous to at-
tempt to practice in traffic (consider how long the car behind you is
going to take to decide that you are no longer doing 75 but rather 55!)

I also believe that the latest triggered radar units are fast enough
to effectively make this impossible in realistic scenarios; older units
can be quite a bit slower in acquisition.

My practice is to depend on "scatter" warning (as well as watching the
road ahead, watching for "unusual" brake light activity of cars ahead
of me, especially as they crest hills, etc., and so forth), and gen-
erally use the handbrake to slow down (no tell-tail tail-lights!) in
a more relaxed manner.

					-RDH