Cruiser with radar in a group of cars

[Deanmac]

Odd title, let me explain. How accurate is an officer's radar if he/she is driving in the middle of a group of cars and you are on-coming toward the group on a two lane highway, i.e. one lane each way, 80 kph zone?

 

[J_F]

device is accurate
officers are trained to understand what the device is indicating
as it pertains to the traffic on the road
are you thinking about a defense based on this argument?

 

[Brian P]

The only way the circumstance described can happen is if the police car was following another car in the same direction, and perhaps it had another car behind it but that's irrelevant.

The radar is fully capable of distinguishing signals from oncoming traffic from those from same-direction (and almost same-speed) traffic.

 

[Deanmac]

device is accurate
officers are trained to understand what the device is indicating
as it pertains to the traffic on the road
are you thinking about a defense based on this argument?

That was my thinking. The officer's notes were quite extensive including testing before and after his shift. Thank you and Brian P for your confirmation.

 

[GreyGhost]

As usual, Brian has it correct.

In the past, most patrol cars had a display similar to the above (haven't looked recently to see if they have changed systems)

You can see that it gives speed and vehicle direction (in this case oncoming traffic at 78 ). The vehicle tagged by the rear antenna at 158 is moving in the same direction as the patrol car.

 

[Deanmac]

As usual, Brian has it correct.

In the past, most patrol cars had a display similar to the above (haven't looked recently to see if they have changed systems)

You can see that it gives speed and vehicle direction (in this case oncoming traffic at 78 ). The vehicle tagged by the rear antenna at 158 is moving in the same direction as the patrol car.

That's interesting. Great insight, thank you.