Can a cop clock 2 cars at the same time,for the same exact speed,while he is moving in the opposite direction?

Question

I was behind another car on a bridge. A State Trooper passed us heading in the other direction .... on the bridge running parallel to ours. He got off of his bridge, sped down ours, passed me and pulled behind the car in front of me. He followed this car off the bridge, hit his lights and pulled that car over. As I was coming off the bridge, he stood in my lane for me to slow down and told me to pull over. He gave us both tickets for 68 in a 55. I had my window down so I heard him tell the guy in front of me that he clocked him at 68, which is exactly what he told me as well.

Now, if I really was going 68, that's one thing, but as I pulled onto that bridge, I turned my cruise control on and had it set at 60.

SO ... my question is .... can he accurately clock me AND the car in front of me for the same exact speeds when he was on a separate bridge, headed in the opposite direction?

Answer 1

sure those b$$^(*&tards can do whatever they like

Answer 2

Yes, he can do that. The radar unit will display the speed of one vehicle but if he can observe that you maintained the same following distance then he knows you were both travelling at the same speed. The two target vehicles would have to be fairly close together for this to work. Your description makes it sound like you were too far apart in this case so I'd go to court. You might be able to plea bargain for a lower violation like 60 in a 55.

I'd also get your cruise control and your speedometer checked. We usually give you the first 5-10mph over the limit not because we think the limits are too low but because the factory considers the speedo accurate enough if its within 7 or 8 mph of you actual speed. Your speedo could say 60 when you are actually doing 65 to 68 and the vehicle manufacturers think that is fine. I checked my current car against my radar unit and found that it reads 3-4mph higher than it should (I'm doing 30 and it says 34). Find out what the error on yours is and make allowances for it. .

In other cases, the radar receiver may flip back and forth between two vehicles that are close together. If you were in the lane next to another vehicle and were close to the same speed I might see the screen flip back and forth from 58 to 60 several times. In that case, if I see one car passing the other, the one doing the passing gets the summons for 60. If I can't tell which is the faster one, if they both look like they're at the same speed, both summonses are written for 58. The benefit of the doubt always goes to the violator.

I have an older radar unit that only clocks targets going in the opposite direction. Newer units can clock targets moving in the same direction, like the guy who came flying up behind me today but slowed down and didn't pass me when he saw my car. I saw him approach in my mirrors and I know he was doing at least 70 (in a 40) but my unit can't track that type of target, the newer ones can.

Answer 3

Sounds like BS to me.  Fight the ticket.  I fought my last two (I was guilty), and the copy didn't show up to either one.  I won by default.

Answer 4

What was writen on the ticket? 68?  if so you have cause to fight it.

Answer 5

The radar will clock the largest (physically) vehicle in its view and often the closest will appear larger to it.  The trooper judged your speed by visual reference...You appeared to be going the same speed as the car he targeted.  You can beat this with a well-prepared argument in court.

Answer 6

No. That's BS. Go to court, don't pay for the ticket.

Answer 7

No.

Radar is like a flashlight, it sends out a beam that spreads wider the further away you are. The beam will lock onto the largest or closest object. Police radar systems are not good, expensive, multi-target systems. They are cheap units.

Because of this, police have certain procedures they must follow, such as they must choose the largest or closest object, etc. The State Trooper did not follow correct radar procedure, as he did not have a certain and reliable target, therefore the ticket is invalid for both cars.

Now, all you have to do is prove that error in court...which is almost impossible. Court systems make mega-bucks from tickets, and they will always take the cop's story.

But it can be done, because I've done it.

The link below is what I used, it worked for me, but didn't for my brother in-law. So, 50-50 chance.

If I have to pay for a ticket, I'm not just going to GIVE them my money, I go to court and make them WORK for my money.

Answer 8

well really was you keeping up with the car in front of you then you was speeding also he doesnt need a radar for that... and the answer is no but he dont have to he can guess... just like they did before radar guns..... if you was keeping up with the car you was speeding also sorry

Answer 9

Doc and Vic J have it right.

What the cop and courts can do is another issue.

When a cop is traveling in the opposite direction, it's not a problem, the computer compensates for his speed.

Next the two cars. This isn't some hi tech radar gun in a 100 million dollar jet.

It is going to pick the strongest reflection, period, not two cars. The signal can even change from one car to another very quickly. Getting a signal from two cars will only result in an error as the chances that two cars moving EXACTLY at the same speed is rare and unlikely.

This is more about his word and the court taking it over yours or not. Without video on your side to prove that he had a better shot of another car over yours, you are out of luck.

he locked onto the car in front, which makes sense, and just figuring that you were behind doing the same speed. Make that arguement, worth a try. Radar guns lock on the strongest signal, in this case it would be the car in front of you.

Best of luck

Answer 10

Sounds to me like he decided to get two for the price of one, increasing his performance evaluation by writing additional tickets.  No doubt he figured you were both speeding and both deserved the ticket, but to say that the radar clocked two vehicles simultaneously sounds like a crock.  Either the officer figures you will just pay the fine, or that you will lose in court because you won't know how to defend yourself.  He figures the odds are in his favor, and if he loses, he still gets paid for the day.  With the cost of the fine, points for a moving violation, and a potential increase in your insurance premiums for the next three years, it's worth your while to take a shot at fighting it in court.  Then, SLOW DOWN!

Answer 11

did he stop all traffic in the  bunch of cars  that usually travel together or was it just you 2 cars ? if there were more you might get it thrown out of coart

Answer 12

Id ask a police officer to show you if it can be done.

Answer 13

he could have mixed you guys up but going the opposite direction makes it more likely for him to get you and could have assumed you were doing the same.

Answer 14

nope he can't....there are 2 flaws to the science behind what you have described. 1) radar that cops have doesnt work if the cop is moving and he targets another moving vehicle unless the cop and the target are moving the exact same speed and direction. 2) he can't clock (target) 2 separate vehicles simultaneously, but he can target one and see its speed, then have targeted you and seen yours.

Answer 15

I'm not an expert but wish to say something very valid.

First, the officer can not clock 2 cars at the same time, it's one or the other, if the radar locked at 68 on the previous car, he'd have to cancel that and give up his evidence, reset for you.

I am a scientist as well as psychologist, have worked with law enforcement agencies in accident and death investigations, and I can tell you that he was making an assumption,and thought he would bamboozle and nail you, intimidate with his authority, and make it stick.

You have a good case to fight it, if you can spend the money.

BTW, when it happened to me, I was stopped as being the easier target, while nevertheless speeding and being passed by a faster car at the same time.  I explained onsite, that I was being passed and that the officer must have read the speed of the faster car, it was more than I was doing.

Well, he said, my radar automatically locks on the fastest car and that was you - I saw you!  Oh, he didn't see the other car?  Familiar  Yes, THEY think it sounds familiar.  I was just unlucky.  I went to court, he said there was no other car, and everyone including the judge had a good laugh, while he said who's next!

Answer 16

Believe it or not YES he can clock two cars at the same speed and they are accurate..

If you ever go past a radar check sign that shows you how fast your going you will see what I am talking about.

Sorry, I feel for you I just got my first speeding ticket in the

20+ years I have been driving ( 87 in a 65)

Answer 17

The answer is no they cannot clock two different bikes, cars or anything at one time.........

Answer 18

Yes, he can. I've done it myself. There's no big trick in clocking two vehicles.

Answer 19

Time to play Perry Mason.

Tell me Officer, what was your speed moments before you "clocked" my client?

What kind of "clocking machine" do you have in your patrol car?

How many vehicles can you "clock" at one time with this machine?

How long have you had training in this type of machine?

May I see your up to date certification?

When was the last time you calibrated the machine for accuracy?

Can you tell me the ratio of someone speeding at an angle of 45 degrees?

How quickly does the machine clear and calibrate itself to obtain another accurate reading?

Does interference play a factor in false readings?

How much distance was there between my client and the 1st car?

Wouldn't you say that the 1st car's alleged reading speed interfered with the speed of my client's car?

Did you allow my client to see the alleged speed you "clocked" him on the machine?

No?

Then how are we to know if you indeed "clocked" my client's speed which is the speed of the 1st car and say that my client's speed is the same?

If the cop cannot provide the specifics of the questions asked in this scenario, your case is dismissed, though I doubt the cop will appear for traffic court in which case your ticket is dismissed anyway.

Answer 20

That is some retarded c**p ure in... if u go to court u may not win though unless u have some visual proof... try to contact the other driver that was in trouble,=.

Answer 21

Head over to the State Police station ask them what unit there using and can they clock mulitable cars>