Everything you need to know about police radar, laser and speed cameras in Victoria

1) What are the different types of police radar / laser & speed cameras used in Vic?

a) What is the respective the tolerance / accuracy of each device?

 

b) What are the guidelines for use of this equipment?

 

c) How do these devices make mistakes?

i) Moving Radar errors and mistakes

 

ii) Laser (LIDAR) errors and mistakes

 

iii) Speed camera errors and mistakes

2) What products offer the best protection against these types of police radar / laser / cameras?

a) What are the laws governing the use of radar / laser detectors in Vic?

 

b) Can the police determine if you are using a radar detector?

3) What are the penalties / demerit points and speeding fines for Vic?

a) If I know I wasn't speeding, how can I challenge / beat a speeding fine

4) What are the road fatality statistics for Victoria?

5) Summary for police radar, laser and speed cameras in Victoria

What Radar / Laser speed measuring devices are used in Vic?

Firstly, it needs to be explained that there are four different RADAR bands (frequencies) used throughout the world as well as LASER (which is completely different to radar).

The four radar bands include:

X-Band (10.275GHz up to 10.775GHz) - not used anywhere in Australia

K-Band (24.050GHz up to 24.250GHz)

Ka-Band (33.400GHz up to 36.000GHz) - Australia is licensed for 34.2 - 35.2GHz only

Ku-Band (13.175GHz to 13.675GHz) - not used anywhere in Australia

Radar (short for radio and ranging) works by transmitting a pulse of electromagnetic (EM) energy, also referred to as RF energy at a moving object.  Using the Doppler principle the radar gun ‘listens’ to the change in pitch of the radio waves as they reflect off the moving vehicle and thus determines the speed.  Similarly when a train blows its whistle as it passes you – you can hear the change in pitch of the whistle, as the train moves past. 

The radar beam starts out as a small diameter pulse when it leaves the radar gun, but grows quite rapidly as the distance increases from the gun.  At a distance of 300 metres, the radar beam is now 100 metres tall and 200 metres wide! If 6 cars were simultaneously hit by a radar beam (six vehicles driving down the freeway), 6 pulses would come back to the radar gun, and the radar gun would detect (and report the speed of) the largest signal of the 6 signals present.  To overcome this shortfall, the latest radar units with Digital Signal Processing (DSP) can identify the strongest and the fastest targets to try and help the police officer identify which vehicle's speed is being displayed on the radar gun.

Because the radar beam is so large when traveling down the road, a radar detector can be located almost anywhere in or on the vehicle, and it will detect the radar signal.  Radar will penetrate glass, plastic, even people, but is reflected by metal and metallic objects.  Radio waves will only travel in a straight line, so you are relying on reflections of other objects to give you advanced warning if you do not have a line of site with the radar gun.

Traffic radar uses a radar beam to measure speed. Think of the beam as a searchlight. It’s invisible because it’s made of microwaves instead of light, but otherwise it acts very much like a light beam. It travels in straight lines. It’s easily reflected. It scatters as it is passed through dust and moisture in the air. And — this is essential — it has to hit your car before it can determine your speed. Radar can’t see around corners or through hills. It can’t see you when you are behind another vehicle. When in the clear, how strongly your vehicle reflects determines at what distance the radar can detect your speed. Generally, larger vehicles reflect more strongly than smaller vehicles. Trucks are more “visible” at further distances than cars. The principle on which radar operates is absolutely reliable. Radar equipment, on the other hand, is only as good as the quality of its design and manufacture. Traffic radars tend to be unreliable. They’re cheaply made and therefore vulnerable to many interferences that cause false readings. And, compared to the military and weather radar which have rotating antennas, traffic radars are vastly simplified. This simplification means that traffic radar cannot tell one car from another. The operator has to do that, and since the operator can’t see an invisible beam any better than you can, he frequently doesn’t know which vehicle’s speed is being read. This is a source of many undeserved tickets.

As a defense against radar detectors, many police radar units can be operated in the Instant-on mode, also called the Pulse mode. This means the radar is in position, but it is not transmitting a beam. So it cannot be detected. When the target is within range, the radar operator switches on the beam and the radar calculates the speed, usually in less than a second. This calculation happens too quickly for the target (you) to respond in time.  Still, you can defend against Instant-on by recognizing it when the operator zaps traffic ahead of you.

As well as radar, there is also LASER (also known as LIDAR, - LIght Detection And Ranging), which operates at a frequency of 904nm ± 33MHz. A police laser (LIDAR) gun emits a highly focused beam of invisible light, in the near infrared region of light, at 904nm of wavelength, with the beam being around 50cm in diameter at a distance of 300m from the laser gun. Unlike RADAR which determines a vehicle's speed by measuring its Doppler shift, police laser (lidar) calculates speed by observing the changing amount of time is takes to "see" reflected pulses of light over a discreet amount of time.

Because the laser beam's diameter is so narrow, if a laser gun is aimed at the license plate, the beam is so small, that most times, none of the laser signal would actually “spill over” up to the windshield, where your detector is mounted.  Thus, a radar detector with laser detector mounted on the windscreen would not even detect the laser beam targeted on the license plate (or headlights or bumper for that matter). This means the beam of a laser gun is accurate enough to target a single vehicle out of, let’s say, six vehicles driving down the freeway. The laser gun can target and detect that single vehicle in less than ½ second after the trigger is pulled, while the surrounding vehicles would not detect the laser beam as it passed right beside their vehicle! 

Other than radar and laser, there are other ways of calculating a vehicle's speed being:

• Vascar - This is not a radar or laser, system; rather it is a glorified stopwatch that relies on the policeman's honesty and accuracy. They are mounted in the police car and are often used when following the target. When the target car goes past a landmark (usually a white marking across the road), the timer is started and when the car goes past the second landmark, the timer is stopped. It is hooked up to the patrol car's speedometer to give a target speed reading. It relies on the button being pushed at the right time and the pacing distance to be long enough to overcome any timing errors. The only countermeasure is careful observation, or a GPS unit if it's a regularly used Vascar area.

• Piezo-electric strips - pressure-sensitive strips embedded in the roadway (a set distance apart if speed is to be measured - typically 1-3 metres).

• Inductive Loops - embedded in the roadway detect the presence of vehicles, and with two loops a set distance apart vehicle speed can be measured.

• Arial Speed checks (similar to Vascar)

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In Victoria, the police use the following speed measurement devices:

Dash Mounted radar (aka moving radar) set up in police cars:

The early dash-mounted radars used in Vic were the KR10-SP manufactured by Kustom Signals Inc in the USA.  These units can be used in stationary and moving mode, and can be used in "instant on" mode or "constant on" mode.  One antenna for front only or two antennas for front / rear.

The current dash-mounted radars used in Victoria are the Silver Eagle  radars also manufactured by Kustom Signals Inc of USA.  The Silver Eagle radar also operates on K-band radar around 24.150GHz.  There has also been unconfirmed reports that in Early 2007, a Ka-band radar will be used in Vic patrol cars.  The Ka-band has a smaller antenna head and operates around 35GHz

Hand-held laser (aka lidar):

The Victorian police first used the Prolaser 2 and more recently, now the Prolaser 3 as their choice of hand-held laser.  The Pro laser hand-held Lidar guns operates at a frequency of 904nm, and as per all speed lidar guns, have an extremely narrow divergence compared to a  radar beam, as well as being able to acquire a vehicle's speed in less than one second.  The Kustom Prolaser does not utilize jamming codes, and thus will not alert to a laser jammer being operated (at) the laser gun, as well as being one of the easiest laser guns to jam.

Mobile Speed Cameras:

Victoria has been dubbed the Speed camera capital of Australia, and certainly been the speed camera scandal capital of Australia.   In September 1989 the Victorian Government announced a new road safety strategy to help combat a rising road toll. This included the introduction of 54 new mobile speed cameras. Police were already using cameras to enforce road safety at some high-accident intersections. These cameras took a photograph of vehicles which did not stop at a red light. With the new mobile speed cameras there came an additional 20 red light cameras - bringing the total to 35.  An integral component of this road safety package was the establishment of the Traffic Camera Office in June 1990. The Traffic Camera Office (a division of the police), became responsible for the administration and management of the speed, red light and bus lane cameras throughout Victoria.  In 1998, the operation of the traffic camera equipment was handed over to a private company, Tenix Solutions. This decision meant that police resources could be used in other areas, rather than operating cameras - a job better suited for technicians, rather than law enforcement officers. 

Download the Victorian Mobile Speed Camera Site Selection Guidelines

While the administrative functions were being handled by a private company, the police's Traffic Camera Office retained all their core functions – including the power to prosecute infringements. For example, mobile camera operators are trained and certified to operate under the delegation of the Chief Commissioner of Police.

Victoria Police also make all decisions about the rostering of times and locations of all safety cameras.  The company who operates the cameras does not receive bonuses for catching more motorists. Instead, a bonus is paid (or penalty applied) to encourage high levels of quality images taken by the cameras so that infringements are possible.

The mobile cameras in Victoria use the Gatsometer MRC system, referred to as the "Gatso Type 24 MRC Slant Radar".  The mobile Gatso speed cameras operate on low powered K-band radar at 24.125GHz and will only give a couple of hundred meters warning to the best radar detectors. Gatsometer is a Dutch company that provides many types of speed and red light cameras (watch a flash demo of a Gasto speed camera in action.  The mobile Gatso measures the speed of a vehicle travelling in either or both directions, and takes a photograph of anyone going faster than the speed limit. The camera and speed measurement device is mounted inside an unmarked car, which is often parked on the side of the road. Sometimes, the camera is mounted on a tripod. An operator sits in the vehicle to monitor the camera while it is operating.

Tenix Solutions is the company who has been given the contract to operate mobile cameras in Victoria. Victoria Police, through their Traffic Camera Office, retain all the core functions including the power to prosecute infringements.

Before operating the cameras, the staff must complete a special training course. Operators sit an exam set by police and are tested in both theory and practical aspects of speed camera operation.

Set-up of cameras

The radar unit may be set up on a tripod or mounted in a vehicle parked on the side of the road. The radar beam is transmitted at an angle of 20 degrees across the road.

Each time the camera is positioned somewhere, the control unit is programmed with specific information. This includes the time, date, film magazine number, speed zone, film type, the direction of the traffic to be covered, as well as the threshold speed.

The control unit is then connected to the camera.

The camera is just like an ordinary 35mm film-based camera. Instead of the operator pushing the shutter to take a photo, the radar control unit checks the speed of the passing vehicle, and tells the camera when to capture the image.

The camera can photograph two speeding vehicles every second.

How your speed is checked

Once properly set up, the control unit transmits an invisible radar beam across the road.

As a vehicle travels through the beam, the radar frequency is changed (Doppler effect) and the beam is reflected back to the radar antenna.

The antenna receives any signals which arrive from the same 5 degrees by 20 degrees and converts this into the speed of the vehicle. If the vehicle's speed is greater than detection speed set by the operator, a photograph is automatically taken.

Location of cameras

Cameras are only operated in areas which have been identified as having speed-related problems. These may be identified as "high risk" roads, based on complaints from members of the public. Mobile cameras are also placed in accident black spots.

Mobile cameras can be used anywhere throughout Victoria at any time of the day or night.

The camera operator is not allowed to disguise their vehicle in any way. Placing a "For Sale" sign on the camera car, or opening the bonnet to give the impression of a vehicle that has broken down is forbidden.

Download a fact sheet that explains the mathematic and physics principles behind how mobile cameras work.

Fixed Speed Cameras:

Finally, Victoria hare incorporated a fixed point to point speed camera system. The system comprises of two linked cameras, many km apart.  The first camera will digitally record the number plate of a vehicle as it passes. The second camera will take another, time-recorded, snapshot when the vehicle passes it. The cameras know how long it takes to legally cover the distance between the two points, so If the vehicle has reached the second camera too soon, it must have travelled above the speed limit for some of the way. Five cameras will monitor a stretch of the Hume Freeway between the Western Ring Road to about 80 kilometers outside Melbourne. Large flashing signs will mark all cameras.
 

"They're highly visible," said Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby. "They're
mainly situated in the median strip area and there's nothing at all covert about them. They're quite substantial structures."
 

The cameras will be introduced in conjunction with parabolic cameras on the Western Ring Road. Police hope the new cameras will reduce the Easter holidays road toll.
 

"The difference with the point to point (cameras) is that it's a simple mathematical equation," said Mr Ashby. "It will catch those motorists that slow down for the single site cameras and speed up in the areas between."
 

Mr Ashby said police had consulted widely before deciding to introduce the cameras, and would publicise their introduction.
 

As with existing mobile and fixed cameras, the new cameras will include a "legislative tolerance" for motorists who have exceeded the speed limit by
a small amount.
 

A multiple infringement policy means motorists will not be booked several times over the same stretch of road.
 

RACV general manager for public policy Ken Ogden said he supported the new cameras but called on police and the State Government to ensure the public
knew about their benefits.
 

"We don't object to automated enforcement where there is a clear road safety benefit," Dr Ogden said. "I think it is absolutely essential that the
 

Government explains to the public what the road safety benefit is of this technology." 

Is a statewide program that is not focused on a single community.  The photo enforcement operation is on a much larger scale of operation than in Edmonton. Victoria is considered a leader in photo enforcement and employs mobile photo radar vans, fixed photo radar cameras and intersection safety cameras that include "speed on green" violations.  Another type of photo enforcement uses point-to-point cameras on rural roads to photograph a vehicle passing a stationary camera at one point on the road and 60 km down the road a second photograph is taken. The time needed to travel from the first camera to the second camera at the speed limit is calculated and if the vehicle passes the second camera before the calculated time elapses a photograph is taken for a speeding offence. This type of photo enforcement is used to decrease the point in time measurement of a vehicles speed and to mitigate against drivers increasing and decreasing their speed along rural roads. As long as the average speed of the vehicle across the 60 km is equal to the speed limit a second photograph will not be taken. If a second photograph is not taken the first is automatically deleted from the memory card to protect the individual’s identity. The State of Victoria currently has identified almost 3,000 photo radar locations as well as eighty intersection camera locations that monitor speed through the intersection and red light infractions. Currently, the total number of hours of operation of all cameras is 7,500 hours/month with a predominant distribution of cameras in urban rather than rural areas. The population covered by photo enforcement in the State of Victoria is approximately 5 million people. Victoria’s operation is much more "covert" than Edmonton’s. The presence of photo enforcement is not indicated by signage and units are hidden from the sight of drivers. The following is a description of photo enforcement in the State of Victoria, broken into the processes outlined by the value chain.

Deployment is under the control of the Victoria Police Service (VPS). The VPS has created operational policy guidelines, similar to Alberta’s guidelines, which are used to determine locations for photo enforcement. These guidelines include:

• Trauma history.

• Risk of road trauma

• Consideration of local conditions relating to technical operational feasibility.

• History and risk of motorists breaking the law at a particular location.

• A documented history of serious and major injury collisions within the previous 12 months.

• The subject of a validated written complaint of excessive speeds, resulting in a written assessment by a Victoria Police Traffic Management Unit officer indicating that driver behavior demonstrates a significant risk of speed related collisions.

• Assessed by a Victoria Police Traffic Management Unit officer as posing a significant risk of speed related collisions.

• Confirmed high incidence of speeding.

• High traffic volume.

• The number of cars passing a given camera;

• The percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit by

  • 7km/h

  • 10km/h

  • over 10km/h

• Graphs of the percentage of offenders in an area over time;

• The number of hours of camera use in a zone; and

• Spider graphs are used to analyze crash rates and the number of hours cameras are used in an area. Spider graphs plot aggregate data over a 24-hour period for a single day. The graph displays concentric circles indicating the number of hours of camera use against the crash rate in a zone. A mismatch in the number of camera hours and the crash rates in the area indicate the need for increased enforcement in the area.

How accurate are these devices?

The assumption being made here, is that the speed measuring equipment is being used according to the manufacturer's guidelines (see below).

What are the guidelines for use of this equipment?

Contrary to what the government or police would have you believe, the accuracy of these "speed measurement devices" can be somewhat doubtful, particularly if the manufacturer's guidelines for use are not strictly followed.  Police officers, and mobile speed camera operators are trained in the proper use of these devices, but that isn't to say these guidelines are always followed.  It is estimated that 10% of all LIDAR infringements are incorrect and up to 30% of all moving radar speed readings are also incorrect!

The Australian standards AS 2898.2-2003:

"Radar speed detection - Operational procedures" - can be purchased HERE

The Australian standards AS 4691.2-2003:

"Laser-based speed detection devices - Operational procedures"

- can be purchased HERE

Download the Victorian Mobile Speed Camera Policy Manual

What does all this mean? It means that there are requirements for the correct placement and setup of speed camera devices as well as guidelines for the use of radar devices.  Rules that must be followed for setup, placement and testing! But are they?

How do Police Radar, Laser & Speed Cameras make mistakes?

Moving Radar mistakes:

The Texas Department of Public Safety produced a comprehensive manual based on the Federal tests. It cautions operators, "...the radar does not generate 'false' readings. Anytime a reading appears, the radar has sensed a signal. The radar operator must be familiar with situations that can produce 'error' readings." If the operator does not detect the error, a ticket will be wrongfully issued. Here are the radar "errors" detailed by the Texas manual:



 

1. Antenna Positioning Error
The radar beam travels in a straight line, neither bending around curves nor following the contour of hilly terrain. If the antenna is not properly positioned, it may seem to clock an approaching car when, in fact, it's clocking another car in the background.



2. Look-Past Error
Even if the operator aims his antenna properly, radar is still subject to "look-past" error. This is caused by the radar looking past a small reflection in the foreground to read a larger reflection behind. This error is all the more insidious because poorly-trained operators assume it can't happen.

 

Texas instructors warn, "It is a widely-held misconception that the reflected target signal received by the radar antenna will always be that of the closest vehicle to the antenna. There are times, due to traffic conditions, that the closest vehicle is not returning the strongest signal."

The Texas instructors confirm this problem with radar, saying "It is not unfair to say that the reading you register could be a larger, better target three-quarters of a mile down the road."



 

3. Vehicle Interference Error

Texas tells its radar operators that this "...situation becomes more critical if difference in patrol speed and interference-vehicle speed is five to ten mph. A target vehicle moving 61 mph may be recorded at 66-71. These borderline speeds are more difficult to detect with the eye."






 

4. Cosine Error
Cosine error produces a result similar to Interference error except no moving traffic need be present. A stationary object adjacent to the road, such as a building, or road machinery, or even a sign, makes a more efficient reflector than horizontal pavement. Therefore the radar uses that reflection as the basis of patrol speed.

 

If this reflector were positioned straight ahead on a collision path, the patrol speed estimate would be close enough. But the further the object is located off a direct line to the target, the lower will be the estimate of patrol speed. This is a simple trigonometry problem relating to the cosine of the angle between the target and the ground reflector, hence the name Cosine error. Since Cosine error always makes patrol speed seem smaller than it actually is, it always acts to raise the reading of target speed.

 



 

5. Double-Bounce Error
Microwaves are easily reflected. That's what makes radar possible. But the operator must be aware of the difference between an ordinary reflection and a bad bounce. Big objects such as trucks are very efficient reflectors, and it's possible for the radar beam to bounce off several moving trucks at once, always producing erroneous readings.






 

6. Beam-Reflection error
Because microwaves are so readily reflected, Texas instructors recommend caution, even in mounting the antenna within the patrol car. They say it's possible that a reflective path can be set up through the rearview mirror that will produce radar readings on vehicles behind the patrol car when the radar is aimed forward. And those vehicles behind can be either coming or going, since radar does not distinguish directions.

 



 

7. Road-sign error
The ready reflectability of microwaves means that road signs are also source of errors.

 

8. Radio-Interference Error
According to the Texas course, "UHF radio now in use can force radar to read various numbers when you transmit, or just key the mike. Citizens band radio transmissions from within the patrol vehicle can cause ghosting (false readings)." It recommends that no radio transmissions be made while clocking target vehicles.

 

9. Fan-Interference error
When the antenna is mounted inside the patrol car, the Texas course says, "Radar will have a tendency to read the pulse of the fan motor (air conditioner, heater, or defroster)." The instructors go on to say, however, that the fan reading will disappear when a target comes into range, and that the fan will not distort the speed reading of the target car.

 

However, in the case of moving radar, they say, "Sometimes a steady fan speed will override patrol car speed reflected from the roadway." When this happens, the false speed reading produced by the fan will be substituted for patrol speed in the moving radar's calculation of target speed. Since the calculation consists of subtracting patrol speed from closing speed, if the fan reading is less than patrol speed, then the speed displayed for the target will be incorrectly high.

 

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Speed Laser (Lidar) mistakes

Police LIDAR can also make errors if not operated according to the manufacturer's guidelines.

 

1. Stationary - Laser cannot be used in moving mode, they must be used whilst stationary.  Similar to radar, laser cannot be used in the rain, snow, or high dust environments.

 

2. Interference - If for any reasons intended signal returns are interrupted, it may not be able to determine target velocity. Bright lights (such as Halogens) beaming directly into a laser aperture may desensitize or entirely masks target's echoes. The brighter and closer the light source the greater the chance of interference.

 

3. Cosine Error - Is the angle from 0* perpendicular to the target vehicle. The greater the cosine angle the greater the error. However, cosine error is always in favor of the motorist, one of the speed readings will be will be proportionally less than the actual speed of the target vehicle.

 

4. Sweep Error (also known as pan or slip error) - Is manifested when the laser is aimed at one part of the vehicle, say the license plate, and due to the motion of the operator, the laser also targets a side mirror during the same trigger pull. Sweep Error adds to the real speed of the target vehicle. See videos below.

 

5. Reflection Error - On very hot days with low humidity a visible mirage/reflection of the target vehicle is created. In many cases, when the laser is aimed at the target vehicle the infrared beam also receives readings from both the target vehicle and the mirage causing a Sweep Error.

 

6. Overexposure Error - When a laser gun receives an extremely powerful reflective signal, such as a sun flare off a vehicle, the computer's timer can't see return of the 904 nanometer signal it sent. It can't compute a speed reading. In general, the laser gun is looking for the strongest return reflection of its own emitted beam for speed computation.

 

LTI 20.20 exposed as unreliable (source)

Daily Mail, 15th October 2005.

 

Experts and two investigations by the BBC's Inside Out program and The Daily Mail have revealed that the police's favourite speed gun, the LTI 20.20, is flawed and can produce incorrect and unreliable speed readings. The device is used in some 3500 speed traps around the UK, but motorists have been prosecuted for speeding when they're adamant that they weren't over the limit. However, the main expert witness called by the CPS to defend the equipment in court is the boss of the UK importer, Frank Garratt, a former police officer and now a millionaire.

 

In tests the speed gun recorded a wall speeding at 44mph. (Yes, a brick wall, that's not a misprint) Other tests showed a bicycle doing 66mph and a parked car doing 22mph. The Daily Mail reports that even when the camera is set up following the police's own guidelines and the manufacturer's handbook some of the readings were wildly off the mark.

 

The newspaper wrote "The Mail can expose the scandal of a speed enforcement industry in which the collection of fines is considered paramount - whatever the consequences for innocent drivers caught in police traps by faulty readings." Lawyers told the paper that motorists are now rebelling by refusing to pay fines and fighting their cases through the courts. One solicitor, Barry Culshaw from Southampton, is representing 15 clients who all claim to have been a victim of faulty LTI 20.20 readings.

 

Another discovery, writes The Daily Mail, is that vital video film, often taken as secondary evidence, is often mysteriously withheld from accused motorists by the CPS. On at least 10 occasions the CPS has suddenly dropped the case against a motorist when ordered by a judge to hand over the revealing footage. 

 

Dr Michael Clark is Europe's leading expert on laser technology and a former directory of a company making laser detection equipment for traffic lights and car parks. He's also a fierce critic of the speed gun and has acted as an expert witness on behalf of many motorists since he defended himself after being caught for alleged speeding.

 

Dr Clark says the gun is defective because its wide beam can easily pick up the wrong vehicle and if not held firmly on the target (which is a difficult task itself) it can produce an erroneous speed result because of "slippage".

 

Reflections from road signs and from other cars, even stationary ones, can also make the laser device misinterpret the true speed of the vehicle. The LTI 20.20 works by sending out a beam to measure the distance of the target from the officer operating it and also how long it takes for the beam to reflect off the target and bounce back. The operator looks through the sights and sees a red dot which he aims onto the target and presses a trigger. Critically the beam must be held firmly at the same point on the moving vehicle. But if slippage occurs and the beam moves up, down, or along the vehicle the gun will measure an inaccurate reading.

 

In tests in the USA it was shown that if the beam slips from the windscreen of a car down to its grille on the bonnet it can add 8mph onto the vehicle's measured speed. If it slips along the length of the car - which is possible when a vehicle comes around a corner into the speed gun's sights - a whopping 30mph can be added on to the reading.

 

The BBC's experiments with the LTI 20.20 were dismissed by both the UK importers and ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) saying it was impossible for the gun to make any errors and that the BBC used an American version of the gun which they claim has less reliable software.

 

However, that claim was been rejected by the Daily Mail who obtained a UK version of the gun - a LTI 20.20 Ultralyte certified by Tele-Traffic, the UK importers based in Warwick.

 

Dr Clark points out during the experiments that the gun uses a multi-mode laser which uses 3 beams, not one. Over a long distance the beams widen so if it's targeted onto one vehicle it can unintentionally hit another vehicle nearby by mistake. Dr Clark said "A policeman can't tell from 400 meters away - or even at a longer distance in many cases - exactly which car he is marking." To demonstrate his point they parked a car at the side of the road and drove a white van past it at just 3mph. The laser gun was pointed at the car from 371 meters away which, according to the handbook, is easily within its capabilities.

 

As soon as the van drove past the parked car the laser gun picked up the moving van. It was impossible to target just the parked car along and as a result the car was recorded as travelling at 3mph, even though it was really stationary. The experiment was repeated with the van doing 26mph and the gun clocked the parked car at 26mph.

 

Another problem is reflection from other vehicles. They pointed the gun at a different parked car and slowly drove the white van past. It recorded the parked car doing 22mph. Dr Clark explains "The beam sometimes catches the reflection of a nearby car. It zig-zags to this car before carrying on to the target vehicle and returns by the same route."

 

In their final experiment they pointed the gun at a brick wall with no moving vehicles in the area. They moved the beam along the wall instead of keeping it perfectly still on a single point to create the slippage effect. The gun was confused and showed a speed of 44mph. Dr Clark said "This shows how a traffic officer can mistakenly pick up a reading from a wall by the side of a motorway or even an empty road if he doesn't target a vehicle properly. Of course there's no record to prove if an officer had targeting the vehicle properly or not. Assumption of accuracy is always taken for granted even if the officer had unwittingly made a mistake.

 

ACPO state that the gun shouldn't be used at distances more than 500 meters, but Dr Clark says that it's being used in some cases at double that distance.

 

Despite the recent media interest in these issue the shortcomings of the gun was discovered nearly a decade ago in 1996 in the US state of New Jersey. The state temporarily banned the gun after a court witnessed someone targeting the gun on a wall of the courtroom and it measured 4mph. The lawyer, Joe Maccarone, defending a motorist accused of speeding called on an expert from NASA. The expert said that at just over 300 metres there was only a 60% chance of a human operator hitting a 12 foot wide target with a laser gun. Cars are only 6 foot wide so the chances of hitting something other than the target are very high indeed.

 

Even though this story relates directly to the LTi laser gun, the Kustom Prolaser 3 used in Vic operates on the same principles (as all lidar guns) therefore we see this information as relevant.

 

Hand-held laser mistakes videos

If you have been given a ticket from a laser gun when you were positive you weren't doing the alleged speed, then

YOU MUST WATCH THIS VIDEO!

 

A pop-up window will appear so please make sure your pop-up blocker doesn't prevent it from opening and playing in a new window.

 

 

Part Two

This video also shows how "reflection" can also create errors in speed readings, as well as the slip error as featured in the first video

 

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Speed camera mistakes:

 

The police and the government would like to have us believe in their "utmost confidence in the accuracy of speed cameras".  Of course they would, as a proven fault could cost them millions of dollars in repaid fines and loss of revenue, not to mention a loss of confidence.  Victoria was the first state to set a precedence with the Government having to repay 26 million dollars in unjust fines from faulty speed cameras.

 

Victorian Government in Damage Control (source)

VICTORIAN Police Minister Tim Holding has overturned the Government's longstanding resistance to revealing the locations of speed cameras, listing 2593 potential mobile camera sites statewide.

 

Despite his predecessor's claim that divulging the locations of mobile speed cameras would undermine their deterrent effect, Mr Holding said yesterday he wanted to reassure motorists the cameras were deployed properly.

 

But the locations of cameras on a daily basis would not be revealed because motorists should not be encouraged to slow down only at specific locations.

 

"We believe it's time to move on from the debate about where potential speed cameras can be located and instead focus the debate on the things that we can do as a community to get motorists to slow down," Mr Holding said.

 

He said more than 30 per cent of serious crashes in Victoria were related to speeding, and the Opposition's policy of encouraging greater tolerance of speeding would lead to more accidents.

 

Releasing the Victoria Police speed camera manual, which sets out where mobile cameras may be located, Mr Holding said he wanted a "transparent,