Airplane used for speed enforcement. | FerrariChat

Airplane used for speed enforcement.

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by Ike, Jul 12, 2004.

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  1. Ike

    Ike F1 Rookie

    Nov 4, 2003
    3,543
    I am trying to find information on how this is done. Any links would be appreciated. I know they time you with a stop watch but thats about it.

    Thanks
     
  2. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    Ask in the California Section, I noticed many signs thru Death Valley noting aircraft in use.
     
  3. tifosi

    tifosi F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa

    Sep 5, 2001
    5,382
    texas
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    Tom D
    in some places there are large white lines accross the interstate which they time you against - other just use the mile post signs.
     
  4. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,386
    Texas!
    In the "when will they ever learn department:"

    When I lived in Sacra-tomato, I used to hear SF car guys tell stories about trying to race from Lake Tahoe back to the bay area after a day of skiing.

    At that time, the Chippies were not allowed to use radar because the Speaker of the House was Willie Brown, who had a TR, lived in SF, but had to drive back and forth to the Capital. Ole Willie wanted this to be a fair game.

    But what Willie and the rest of dem boys never counted on was that damn spy in the sky. They would put a plane in the sky that would loaf over 1-80 and count how fast you were going by clocking you compared to the white strips that they had painted on the side of the freeway.

    If the left one doesn't git ya, the right one will...
     
  5. UroTrash

    UroTrash Three Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Jan 20, 2004
    38,863
    Purgatory
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    Clifford Gunboat
    I got tagged by a helicopter near Deal's Gap passing on the double yellow (on a scooter). video taped....
     
  6. milstanselnino

    milstanselnino Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2004
    573
    MN
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    Jon P.
    I think that's true. Rumor had it some time ago that Porsche drivers had a skyward-aimed mirror to watch for aircraft. Not sure it that's true or not.
     
  7. hwyengr

    hwyengr Formula Junior

    Apr 9, 2004
    640
    Chicago, IL
    Full Name:
    Jeremy
    Bingo. I had to go digging through my Highway Standards book, but in Illinois there are 3 lines, each spaced "exactly 660 feet" apart. A representative of the State Police needs to be on site when the markings are applied so that they can be used in court.

    Speaking of court, when you get an aerial-referenced ticket, both the officer who writes the ticket and the officer running the equipment in the plane must show up to your hearing. If you pull the old "getting a continuance" trick, you'll have better odds that one of the two won't show up for your new hearing date.

    Always fight those tickets!

    Jeremy
     
  8. richard_wallace

    richard_wallace Formula 3

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,956
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Richard Wallace
    Jeremy is dead on - on his statement... And even if they do show - knowing that angle that they plane is at and accuracy of a stop watch measurement is to some degree or a lot of degree not accurate... You can contest... If I remember from my challenge several years back - the judge will give you up to 10mph variance due to angle and innaccuracy of the "method"...
     
  9. coolestkidever

    coolestkidever F1 Veteran

    Feb 28, 2004
    5,538
    NJ
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    Patrick
    I always thought those signs were just there to say really that there were no cops in the area to watch the streets. Guess i was wrong, glad i didnt go above the limit anyway.
     
  10. Ike

    Ike F1 Rookie

    Nov 4, 2003
    3,543
    Thanks for the info. The state police have been doing this where I live. They were out today and a couple of days last week.

    The plane flies over the trees along side the interstate so you really can't see it while you are driving. I guess the guy looks out the side of the plane to see the cars.

    The plane seemed to be flying a few miles from where the police cars are waiting. They do this all in about a 10-15 mile stretch where there are no exits.

    Thanks again for the info.
     
  11. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
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    Nov 2, 2003
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    Gabe V.
  12. TimN88

    TimN88 F1 Veteran

    Jun 12, 2001
    5,045
    Northeast
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    Tim
    I hear that even though there are signs there are rarely, if ever, aircraft actually checking speed. The revenue from the tickets usually doesnt justify the operating costs. Its alot cheaper to hide a police car behind a bush than it is to have a plane in the sky.
     
  13. Dr C

    Dr C Formula Junior

    Dec 1, 2002
    480
    Kansas City
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Three of us were stopped by a highway patrol car not far from Topeka, KS. The officer said that I we had been clocked by air. I asked him to point out the airplane. By law, the airplane must keep visual contact with the alleged speeder until the highway patrol stops you and they verify by radio that they have stopped the correct vehicle. No trees around. Nothing. Yet no plane in the sky in any of 360 degrees. He gave me a warning ticket (no points, nothing reported, nothing). the other two drivers got regular tickets.

    Absent the plane maintaining visual contact, there's no way to verify that they have stopped the correct vehicle.
     
  14. Ike

    Ike F1 Rookie

    Nov 4, 2003
    3,543

    I wonder if this is law here. While the airplane could be seen from where the cars were being stopped it was so far away that it looked like a dot in the sky.

    I am going to be looking up the laws in Louisiana concerning this in the next few days. Thanks for the info.
     
  15. Dr C

    Dr C Formula Junior

    Dec 1, 2002
    480
    Kansas City
    Full Name:
    Ed
    I'll be interested in what you find out.
     

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