SDPD using laser

[kurquhart]

The topic of radar detectors has not come up for while, but I just found my Valentine to be pretty useless today.

I was driving on Governor Drive towards I-805 when my Valentine chirped the signal for laser. Before I could realize what this meant I was being waved to the curb by two SDPD motorcycle officers holding a laser-based speed measuring device.

The first officer was nice enough to only give me a warning for 48 in a 35. While I was sitting there I watched the other officer look through the sights and nail another car. My valentine chirped again, but only for about one second; hardly enough time to slow down.

Be careful out there!

[Tawfik]

[Kim Crosser]

There is also a motorcycle patrolman that likes to hide under the 805/52 overpass and "paint" cars coming East on SR-52 in the mornings (maybe one of the same guys?).
So - right after the traffic thins out with cars splitting off onto 805, and everybody starts getting back up to speed , "ping"...
Luckily, I was being blocked by another car the first time I saw him, and since then I have stayed cautious until I can see the underpass completely.

[martinreinhardt]

Good to hear that they let you go with a warning. I did notice more cops out on the road recently.

But, instead of hunting down nice cars and grandmothers, I would like see the donut eaters pulling over the idiots with the ridiculous lifted pickup trucks.

[Dan Chambers]

The topic of radar detectors has not come up for while, but I just found my Valentine to be pretty useless today.

I was driving on Governor Drive towards I-805 when my Valentine chirped the signal for laser. Before I could realize what this meant I was being waved to the curb by two SDPD motorcycle officers holding a laser-based speed measuring device.

The first officer was nice enough to only give me a warning for 48 in a 35. While I was sitting there I watched the other officer look through the sights and nail another car. My valentine chirped again, but only for about one second; hardly enough time to slow down.

Be careful out there!

Hmm. Good Friday, Holiday weekend, Spring Break for many colleges and high schools ... and you're surprised there are a lot of cops out?

Okay, so that's a smarta$$ remark. But, seriously, you have to think like a cop. End of Easter Week and a Holiday Weekend, they're in force ... with a vengience.

I always check the calendar......

[thunderbox]

There is a motorcycle CHP that sits on 805 South just North of Phyllis Dr. in the mornings. Sometimes he is in the center and sometimes on the shoulder. But he is there about 1-2 times a week.

[Tawfik]

Here is a good place to look, quite accurate on some counts.

http://www.speedtrap.org/speedtraps/ste ... p?state=CA

[GeorgeB]

But, instead of hunting down nice cars and grandmothers, I would like see the donut eaters pulling over the idiots with the ridiculous lifted pickup trucks.

Martin, Good you chimed in since your reputation is as an expert on speeding tickets.

I will however agree. I have had more tickets in porsches than when I drove my "ridiculous lifted trucks" . But I did get pulled over lot in that truck. One time at gun point but thats another story.

Ah miss that truck. 400 chevy small block souped up. Truck done right. 4 inch spring lift, 33 inch tires, adjustable shocks. Nothing could keep up with me when I stomped it up a steep grade. Cruised at 110 on the freeway in a straight line without bouncing with plenty of top end left to be discovered.

I soon bought my first porsche after that.

George

[Dan Chambers]

Ah miss that truck. 400 chevy small block souped up. Truck done right. 4 inch spring lift, 33 inch tires, adjustable shocks. Nothing could keep up with me when I stomped it up a steep grade. Cruised at 110 on the freeway in a straight line without bouncing with plenty of top end left to be discovered.

I soon bought my first porsche after that.

George

Impressive speed and power, but what about the brakes? It's one thing to cruise in a multi-ton monster at triple digits, but what happens when you need to avoid an accident/hazard with either brakes, or evasive manuevering? That's what scares me about "big-lifters" doing 85+MPH. It's not the speed ... it's the stop/steer capabilities.

As for the Laser detection: I seem to recall my V1 manual says something in the order of ... if the Laser indicator flashes, chances are you've been hit by a speed tracker, and there's nothing you can do. It's prudent to slow down in the off-chance that another car was hit and you're picking up a relfected signal.

I don't put much prudence in that. My understanding is for the safety of other drivers, speed is often monitored in areas where there is heavy to moderate traffic, or a dangerous condition exists (twisty roads, blind corners, construction zones, etc). There's a website/forum somewhere that law-enforcement officers use. There are a couple of threads where officers talk about where and when they use ... and turn off ... their radar/laser guns. Wish I could remember where that e-address is ....

One final thing: a friend of mine has an uncle who is a CHP in Riverside County. He says his uncle "monitors speeders more effectively by blind pursuit" than using the radar.

So ... drive the legal limit (or, check your mirrors ) .

[GeorgeB]

[quote="Dan Chambers
Impressive speed and power, but what about the brakes? ) .[/quote]

Dan,
Absolutely true on being able to brake and turn. This is the car I learned to left foot brake. Actually learned two foot braking since the pedal was wide enough. I would use my bodies momentum as weight on the brake pedal as the truck began to slow, which would allow more brake pressure that would slow me down more, and so on. The truck was big on the "go" and big on the "whoa". But I drove it safely keeping its limitations in mind.

Scariest car I ever owned was a 72 plymouth fury convertible with vacuum assisted drum brakes. Car was a city block long and weighed about 6000 lbs.
You had plan a week in advance to apply the brakes.

As far as detectors go, I always thought they were a sure means to get a speeding ticket. Same principle as having 4 wheel drive. You ever get your two wheel drive vehicle stuck? Never. But how many times I have had to dig out a 4x4....

George

[martinreinhardt]

George, I can see how trucks can be fun. When I moved here, I thought trucks and Stetsons were cool just because the only truck I had ever seen was Colt Seavers's from the Fall Guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPT3rnzXT4A . I even purchased a brand new Dodge Dakota R/T, just to sell it 3 months later and get another Porsche. And yes I also got a ticket in that Wagon/Flintstone mobile.

[Dan Chambers]

You ever get your two wheel drive vehicle stuck? Never. But how many times I have had to dig out a 4x4....

George

Oh, yeah! Then there's the final insult: when I used to pull 4X4's out of sand with my 2-WD pickup equipped with a locking Dana 44 diff. and big "floaters." Talk about embarrassing.... I used to get a lot of free beer in Mexico pulling guys out of the arroyos. My rule of thumb: "if you can't walk in there, you shouldn't drive in there."