Laser
Laser and radar serve the same purpose but they are really
different entities, which are achieving a common goal. Radar uses a radio
beam and measures at the speed of sound while laser uses a light beam
and takes measurement based on the speed of light. A typical radar beam
is between 15 and 18 degrees wide. Laser is considerably more precise
with a beam width of one sixth of one degree. At a distance of 1 mile
a radar beam can expand to over 500 feet wide. A laser beam will only
expand to 19 feet wide. At a more common distance of 1000 feet radar will
expand to over 100 feet wide, while laser expands to only 3 feet wide.
Despite its accuracy, laser is not unbeatable. It is affected by weather
conditions. Fog, clouds and rain can significantly reduce the operating
range. You may not use it through a windshield, and it must be used as
a stationary set up. Calibration and maintenance may only be done by a
factory trained specialist at an authorized repair facility. Laser beams
usually target a vehicles license plate. In order to work properly, light
must reflect off the surface of the vehicle and the license plate is designed
to be highly reflective for that purpose. If you have a low vehicle with
little or no chrome, it is difficult for a laser to detect you. In order
to avoid a laser, you should coat your license plate with a high gloss
clear coat so as to deflect the beam.
Before using a laser beam, it should be calibrated by using all three
of the following methods:
- The self test button should be used and the resultant should be 8.8.8.8
- Pointing the unit at a stationery target should result in a reading
of 0 mph. The audio and sight tones should be tested by sweeping across
a telephone pole
In this country, the most commonly used laser detector is the Marksman
LTI 20.20. The manufacturer says that they will have a beam width of two
feet at a distance of 1300 feet. The accuracy is claimed to be precise
within 1 mph up to 60 mph and within 3 % for speeds over 60 mph. This
unit does have some downfalls. The Marksman has an unusual distribution
of beam intensity which gives you changes in the aiming point. The Marksman
can actually detect another vehicle within five feet of the target vehicle.
In order to prepare against a laser defense you have to know what the
jurisdiction for laser cases is in the area that your citation was issued.
There are only a few states that have given laser judicial notice, which
basically is a legal ruling that establishes specific evidence as beyond
dispute. Radar has judicial notice in every state. If there is no judicial
notice entered in the state in which you are appealing your ticket, the
prosecutor needs to have an expert witness testifying to the accuracy
and reliability of the unit. If that witness is the manufacturers representative
you can have him disqualified since his company has a financial interest
of that particular case, and he may be impartial. New Jersey Superior
Court Judge Reginald Stanton stated in his June 13, 1996 ruling that he
was not convinced of the accuracy of the LTI Marksman. He ruled that any
readings taken with that unit would not be accepted as evidence in any
pending or speeding ticket cases. If the state in which you are appealing
your ticket has been awarded judicial notice you might want to review
the New Jersey case when you prepare. The rest of the case is very similar
in how you would handle a radar defense. Concentrate on the training of
the officer, the self test methods and the calibrations of the unit, what
the weather conditions were, and the amount of traffic that was traveling
at the time the citation was issued. Your best bet still is that the officer
does not show up in court. You should however, be properly prepared in
case he does.
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RADAR
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