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The secret they don’t want you to know: When traffic radar shows a speed reading, it does not indicate which vehicle is being clocked.

The Truth about Speed Enforcement

How radar and laser guns measure your speed • Why they make mistakes
How they are used unfairly • How to protect yourself

Radar
How traffic radar works How far away can radar clock you? If all vehicles were identical, the
strongest reflection would be from the
Traffic radar units send out a wide Radar range depends on the size and closest car. But different vehicles reflect
radar beam that’s similar to an invisible shape of the vehicle. Radar can track a different amounts of the radar signal.
spotlight. The radar beam widens as it large truck from over one mile away, even
travels, and measures several hundred too far to be seen by eye. But some sports Radar’s most common error:
feet wide at a distance of one-half mile. So cars bounce back such a weak signal that mistaken identity
a traffic radar unit simultaneously “sees” they must be within 500 feet to be clocked.
virtually all cars in sight. The radar beam Because of this inherent flaw of
hits oncoming cars, and is reflected back traffic radar, an officer could be
to the radar unit, which can calculate looking at your car while his radar
speeds from those reflections. unit is actually clocking the
speed of a large truck far down
Radar can be used from a police car the road—perhaps even out of
that’s either stationary or moving, since sight. And since his radar doesn’t
it does not require precise aiming to tell him which vehicle it is reading,
clock traffic speeds. There are also hand- the police officer might mistakenly
held units that can be operated from a think that you are responsible for the
car, motorcycle, or an officer standing at Radar speed readings caused by distant trucks speed displayed. And give a ticket to
the side of the road. are a common source of undeserved tickets. you instead of the truck driver.

How radar makes mistakes More than a dozen technical

errors for traffic radar have also
Although traffic radar receives been documented, but mistaken identity
reflected signals from all cars within (technically called a “target identification
range, it has no way to display all the error”) is by far the most common.
different speeds, and no way to even
decide which car is traveling which The bottom line
speed. In fact, traffic radar displays only
Since radar does not require precise aiming, a single number, usually the speed of the Tickets can be given anywhere, for
it is even used by unmanned speed trailers. strongest reflected signal. any reason, at any time.
 Laser
How laser works at a specific vehicle, and pulls the trigger, can reflections of laser light from
sending out a beam of light. When highway structures and other vehicles.
Laser works very differently from this beam is reflected back to the laser
radar. The laser gun sends out a beam of unit, the unit provides a speed reading. As with any complex electronic
laser light that is so narrow and precise Because of the narrow beams, laser device, there can be technical
it must be aimed with an optical sight, units are hand-held, and can only be malfunctions and miscalibrations. It’s
like those used by sharpshooters. The used from a stationary position. even possible for the optical sight to be
operator looks through the sight, aims misaligned, so the operator aims at one
Common laser errors vehicle, and clocks another.

Both human error and the nature of Laser is inherently more difficult
laser light contribute to errors. For to use and sensitive to environmental
example, laser can only be used at a conditions. In fact, because of
distance of a thousand feet. This does inaccuracies, some jurisdictions have
not give much time for aiming or vehicle refused to give laser judicial notice,
identification. Environmental and usage which is required before a device is
conditions also affect laser. Rain, fog, authorized to be used for measuring
Laser guns are aimed with a sight, like a rifle. and snow can lead to false readings, as speed by law enforcement agencies.

Radar and Laser: Fair or unfair?

Why radar and laser are used: The fact is, radar and laser speed of radar and laser clocked tickets has
it’s not always about safety measurement are used to make it easier balanced more than one town’s budget.
to give traffic tickets. They are often set One town in West Virginia with a
When a driver is blatantly ignoring up in areas where there are no safety population of only 3,200 issued more
safe driving techniques (i.e., speeding or traffic problems, simply high traffic than 18,000 tickets in a single year,
through school zones or weaving in volume. Many times they are set up to booking almost $4 million in revenue.
and out of traffic) police are rightfully monitor the speed of every vehicle that
enforcing traffic safety laws. But more passes. The high cost to the motorist
often than not, traffic radar is not about
safety. It’s about revenue. And enforcement is often highly The cost of a single ticket can add
selective, with almost all vehicles up to thousands of dollars. The fine
exceeding an often unreasonably-low itself can range from $200 to $400 or
posted speed limit, but only a few more, with insurance increases that
vehicles stopped. can add as much as $1,000 to $1,500 in
additional premiums. Many people pay
Safety, or revenue? traffic fines out of convenience, never
realizing that insurance companies
Many times, speed enforcement treat payment of fines as a reason to
is motivated by revenue, not safety. increase your premiums, regardless of
The virtually perfect conviction rate whether you were guilty or not.

One town in West Virginia with a population of

only 3,200 issued more than 18,000 tickets in a
single year, booking almost $4 million in revenue
 How to protect yourself with a radar and laser detector
Fortunately, there is help. Modern How detectors provide beam to hit your car and bounce back.
radar and laser detectors are effective advanced warning But your radar detector can pick up
tools to defend against unfair tickets. reflections from the microwave beam
Can a radar detector find police radar well before it hits you directly. You can
Today’s radar detectors are high- before it finds you? The answer is yes. “see” it before it “sees” you.
performance, high-technology devices. Suppose you’re heading right into the
In the last decade, advances in beam of a radar trap. To measure your “Instant-on” radar and laser
microcircuitry, signal processing and speed, the radar beam has to hit you
chip design have led to the design of and be reflected back to the radar unit, One technique can be hard to defend
premium radar detectors which virtually returning with enough strength to be against, the so-called “Instant- on.” Here,
eliminate false alarms and provide sensed by the calculating circuitry. the radar or laser unit is in a stand-by
longer range warning of radar and laser mode until a vehicle approaches. It is not
with great accuracy. Your radar detector, however, has a emitting a beam–so your detector can’t
job that’s considerably easier, since the find it. Then, when you are within range,
How a radar detector works signal only has to travel one way to reach the operator switches the unit on and it
you. As a result, you’ll be able to detect calculates your speed within one second.
A radar detector is simply a receiver radar before it can detect you.
tuned to detect the presence of the radar A good radar detector protects you
and laser frequencies used by traffic Radar can’t work around curves. by warning you when the operator “zaps”
monitors. When it picks up one of these But radar detectors can. one of the cars up ahead. The detector
signals, the detector warns you. There has to be sensitive enough to pick up
are three different radar bands approved A radar beam acts like the beam these brief, weak signals. And reliable
by the FCC in use by traffic monitoring from a flashlight on a foggy night. The enough so you don’t interpret them as
units: X, K, and Ka band. person holding the flashlight can’t see random false alarms and ignore them.
you until the beam makes a direct hit.
But you can see the beam through the Photo radar
X-band K-band fog-as it reflects off moisture and dust in
the air—long before it falls on you. Approximately 200 short-range
stationary photo radar units are in use
In much the same way, police radar around the country. Fortunately, a good
Ka-band Laser can’t “see” you over a hill or around a radar detector can provide advanced
corner, because there’s no way for the warning of these new systems.

Types of radar and laser detectors

Conventional, Windshield-mounted Cordless, Windshield-mounted Custom-installed

Most radar detectors are portable, Cordless detectors are powered by A custom-installed radar and laser
and mount in seconds to your car’s batteries instead of a car cord, and are detector is a multi-piece system that can
windshield with a suction cup mount. A a great choice for drivers who move be mounted in your car’s dashboard. It
power cord plugs into your car’s lighter the detector from car to car, and for is discreet, remarkably effective and
socket to provide power for the unit. business travelers. very easy to use.

Escort Passport 8500 radar and laser detector. Escort Solo S2 cordless radar and laser detector. PassportSRXcustom-installedradar-laserdetector.
 How to select a radar and laser detector
When choosing a radar detector, Beware of false and misleading How to choose the right
you should focus on . . . claims and advertising radar detector

• High Sensitivity: A good detector Inexpensive detectors use design Before purchasing any radar detector,
is very “sensitive.” This means the unit is shortcuts to meet lower price points, do your homework. Independent tests
able to pick up weak and distant signals. but at a high cost to the user. Inferior compare radar detectors, including auto
performance and frequent false alarms enthusiast magazines such as Motor
• Excellent Selectivity: A good make these radar detectors ineffective Trend and AutoWeek, and websites such
detector is also very “selective.” This and distracting. as RadarTest.com and SpeedZones.com
means that the unit has the ability to pick Escort radar and laser detectors stand
out the right signals and reject the rest. out in performance, reliability, accuracy,

• Superior Alert System: A good

Get the facts design, and value.

detector has warning systems that are “The Passport 8500 might be the
easy to use and easy to understand. Some makers of low-end detectors make best radar detector ever made.”
deceptive and misleading claims about Forbes.com
• Full Coverage of Radar and Laser: features and performance. You’ll see:
A good detector covers laser plus all three “One unit emerged as the staff’s
radar bands (X, K, and Ka), detecting • Misleading claims of 9-band, 10- favorite: Escort’s Solo S2.”
conventional as well as “instant-on” and band, or 11 band coverage. Only three AutoWeek Magazine
“POP” signals. FCC-approved radar bands are in use.
“The Passport SRX is the most
• Quality and ease of use: A good • Offers of reimbursing speeding advanced remote radar detector
detector has high-quality construction fines. If you read the fine print, you’ll available, offering unequalled
with a clearly visible display, intuitive see the exclusions and limitations that features and performance.”
controls, and durable mounts and cords. make these virtually useless. SpeedZones.com

Radar and laser detector users and legality

Who uses radar detectors? • The Car Enthusiast chooses the Are radar detectors legal?
ultra-performance Escort Passport
Radar detectors are used by millions 8500 X50 for his sedan, and the custom- Yes! Radar and laser detectors
of motorists. Far from being dangerous installed Passport SRX for his sports car. are legal in non-commercial vehicles
drivers, a national research study found in 49 states (all except Virginia and
that detector users were safer than other • The Soccer Mom keeps her Escort Washington D.C.).
drivers, driving on average an additional Passport Solo S2 in her SUV. It provides You have the right to use a radar
five years between accidents. peace of mind when she is transporting and laser detector. In fact, in a ruling
the kids on secondary roads where defending the right of motorists to
And although you may associate the speed limits often change frequently. use radar detectors, a Superior Court
use of a radar detector with highway judge wrote, “If government seeks to
driving, in fact most tickets are given • The Commuter uses his Escort use clandestine and furtive methods to
on secondary roads, and most veteran Passport 8500 X50 every day, knowing monitor citizen actions, it can ill afford
detector users never drive without one. that speed traps can appear on back to complain should the citizen insist on
roads as well as on the freeway. a method to effect his right to know he is
Different drivers, same protection under such surveillance.”
• The Business Traveler carries his In other words, if the government is
No matter what kind of driver you are, cordless Escort Solo S2 in his briefcase, to going to monitor you with radar, you
no matter where you drive, there is a protect him from different speed limits have the right to use a radar detector to
premium detector that is right for you: and enforcement used by different cities. know when they are monitoring you.

For more information or to order your ESCORT radar

and laser detector, call us toll-free at 1-888-8 ESCORT
©2005 Escort Inc. 40-000021-01, 11/05
www.EscortRadar.com  Department TR901