Your wish come true! (in the UK)


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TheeBadOne
October 24, 2003, 12:19 PM
BE YOUR OWN SPEED COP

EXCLUSIVE: Police dish out radar guns

POLICE are handing out radar guns to members of the public so they can nail speeding drivers.

If a pilot scheme proves successful, there could soon be an army of volunteers gunning for motorists across Scotland.

But last night, human rights groups warned that the system was open to abuse by over-zealous vigilantes.

And legal experts said evidence gathered by the amateur enforcers might not stand up in court.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/content_objectid=13548682_method=full_siteid=89488_headline=-BE-YOUR-OWN-SPEED-COP-name_page.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll bet there'll be no shortage of those eager to get a radar gun.....but how would those same people feel about getting cited by a civillian? :confused:

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cordex
October 24, 2003, 12:26 PM
I'll bet there'll be no shortage of those eager to get a radar gun.....but how would those same people feel about getting cited by a civillian?
LEO's aren't civilians?
I wouldn't like being cited by an untrained wannabe cop.
I wonder how off duty police would feel ...

If a plan like that were enacted here, I'd be the first in line to get one of the radar guns. Then I'd find out whose idea it was and follow them around with it.

Do they pull people over too?

El Tejon
October 24, 2003, 12:29 PM
We have the same thing here except we call them cell phones.:uhoh:

TheeBadOne
October 24, 2003, 12:29 PM
If a plan like that were enacted here, I'd be the first in line to get one of the radar guns. Then I'd find out whose idea it was and follow them around with it.
I like how you think! :D

Hazwaste
October 24, 2003, 12:41 PM
It would be a dangerous thing for a non-LEO to stand by the side of the road where I live, and point a gun-like object at passing traffic.

Also, is the non-LEO allowed to give chase when the speeder doesn't stop?

geekWithA.45
October 24, 2003, 01:25 PM
The authorities:

Let's get the civvies to help us with our revenue scheme! Yay!

The sheeple:

Ooh! Ooh! Count me in!


Yawn.

If they were serious about crime, they'd pass out handguns so as to deal with home invasions, and leave the speeders be.

Futo Inu
October 24, 2003, 04:09 PM
Yeah, that will work like a charm.

Don't like your neighbor, or boss? No problem. Just give him hell by telling the gov't that he went 80 in a 25, and you clocked him doing it.

Not stand up in court is the understatement of the year - unless they've gone totally mad over there (which maybe they have...).

Cosmoline
October 24, 2003, 04:40 PM
Sometimes I wish our cops took bribes. In many ways it would be more honest that the revenue plans our traffic laws have degerated into. And I'd be helping the cop directly, which I'd rather do that give my $$$ to politico dogs.

CGofMP
October 24, 2003, 04:48 PM
1984 George Orwell was off by 20 years

Jim March
October 24, 2003, 05:40 PM
I heard of a California lady who got sick'n'tired of residential speeders, so she stood out on her corner and did this for a while. Had a little clipboard and everything.

And a hairdryer :D.

GM7RQK
October 24, 2003, 06:36 PM
I live about 5 miles from this village and could not belive when I read this but I'm not overly surprised, the cops over here are obsessed with getting revenue from drivers. Speed cameras are their tool of choice but this is a new one.

what's next???

Unbelivable. :uhoh:

Edited to add - Just wish they would use the same zeal catching 'real' criminals.

Sorry if it's a bit disjointed but I'm dazed by this.

KC
October 24, 2003, 06:40 PM
"what's next???"

radar jammers

GM7RQK
October 24, 2003, 06:48 PM
KC belive it our not it's legal to own one of these here :)

Mind you it's illegal to use it :confused:

The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. I guess the name tells you how up to date that law is.

Stephen.

cracked butt
October 24, 2003, 06:50 PM
Its nothing but a source of revenue.
I'm suprised they go through the trouble and expense of using radar guns. In my area, they just put parking tickets on your vehicle whether or not you are in violation- the idea is that it costs you more to take off work to fight the ticket in court than to just pay it.:cuss: :fire:

KC
October 24, 2003, 06:57 PM
Here in the the sunny People's Republic of California, I dont think that it's legal own a radar jammer or any device intended for such use; certainly it is against the rules to use one. There may be exceptions for radio engineers or similiar.

In any event, it doesnt really matter. Most so-called radar guns (in Ca at least) are really infrared lasers that measuer the doppler effect on moving targets. Radar got dropped after a few cops gave themselves interesting forms of cancer after extended, incorrect, use. (One that comes to mind was the guy who discovered that there was a convient mounting spot in his squad car that only infrequently he put his head in front of...) You cant really jam lasers, unless you emit a rather obvious cloud. Maybe integrate some sort of scattering component in the paint?

Tamara
October 24, 2003, 10:23 PM
You cant really jam lasers, unless you emit a rather obvious cloud.

Flat, dark-coloured paint.

Use a powerful driving light with an IR filter over it, or pick up a milsurp IR spotlight and mount it as a driving light.

MPFreeman
October 24, 2003, 10:30 PM
Do they also pass out brown shirts with the radar guns?

CGofMP
October 24, 2003, 10:32 PM
No they pass out HEIM INS REICH pins.

TheeBadOne
October 24, 2003, 11:01 PM
Radar jammers are illegal, and in fact are a federal violation! :eek:

KC
October 25, 2003, 03:01 AM
"Use a powerful driving light with an IR filter over it, or pick up a milsurp IR spotlight and mount it as a driving light."

Oh certainly that would work, but it's directional as heck. Good if you have night vision goggles for night driving.


"Radar jammers are illegal, and in fact are a federal violation!"

Illegal is such a harsh word, especially since the airwaves allegedly belong to the people. It's in fact not so much that you are *jamming* a radar signal, but that you are operating an unlicensed radio transmitter. (I think, at least, thats what you would get charged with.)

LawDog
October 25, 2003, 03:52 AM
FCC uses Title 47 of the US Code, section 302 as far as radar jammers goes: "...devices which in their operation are capable of emitting radio frequency energy by radiation, conduction, or other means in sufficient degree to cause harmful interference to radio communications."

This interpetation was upheld by the 10th circuit Court of Appeals in Rocky Mountain Radar vs. FCC.

LawDog

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