Re: Airplane enforcement

[Alan Lambert <gerard@xxxxxxx>]

As I was told, they get around this by "timing the airplane as it tracks 
the car, not the car itself"---sounds like a dodge to me. Anyone have the 
definitive word?

On Mon, 3 Aug 1998, Chris Prael wrote:

> Since the citation was issued in the state of California, it is not only
> unfair, it is illegal.  If you will take a look at the definition of a
> "Speed Trap" in the California Vehicle Code, you will find that timing a
> vehicle through a measured distance is one form of speed trap.  (Using
> radar on a piece of road on which the speed limit has not been justified
> by a traffic survey is the other form.)  
> 
> Most of the traffic court referees and judges in San Mateo County know
> and understand this law.  Take you ticket into court and tell the
> referee that you were timed from an airplane.  You would be astoundingly
> unlucky if he failed to dismiss the citation.
> 
> This is only one of a number of unlawful practices engaged in now by
> the California Highway Patrol.  They depend on your ignorance and
> laziness to get away with it.  Don't let them.
> 
> Chris Prael
> 
> > From: Alan Lambert <gerard@domain.elided>
> > Subject: Re: Airplane enforcement
> > 
> > On Sat, 1 Aug 1998 joxxer@domain.elided wrote:
> > 
> > > Is there anyone who has been caught by the airplane
> > > enforcement out in the scarcely populated regions of the state? Or even
> > > the densely populated regions? My theory is that it is just an inside
> > > joke among the state troopers.
> > 
> > You got lucky--I didn't--
> > 
> > On #280, going South,about 1/2 mile south of #92 (for the non-locals, this 
> > is about 10 miles south of San Francisco, leading down the Peninsula) I 
> > passed four or five Patrol cars parked on the right. Having seen them in 
> > plenty of time, I slowed from 80 mph to the 65 mph limit. A few moments 
> > later, a patrol car came up behind me and turned on his red lights. When 
> > I got over to the right and stopped, he came by the window and told 
> > me, " You were going at 78 mph, and tail-gateing a Honda." He then 
> > explained how the plane had clocked me. After the Officer in the plane 
> > clocks a car, he radios to the patrol cars on the ground, describing the 
> > car, it's speed etc. The patrol car then pulls up behind the suggested 
> > car and radios to the plane asking if this is the correct car. If the 
> > plane says it is, the red lights come on! IT AIN'T FAIR!!
> > ================================================================================
> > Regards,
> > Alan G. Lambert___________________________________<gerard@domain.elided>
> >            *******Los Altos, California (office)*******
> 
> 
> 
> 

================================================================================
Regards,
Alan G. Lambert___________________________________<gerard@domain.elided>
           *******Los Altos, California (office)*******

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End of alfa-digest V7 #16
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