Does anyone have any information on typical specs for police
radar MEASUREMENT TOLERANCES, i.e., what is their precision?
An answer might be something like they can read to 2MPH +/-10%,
or whatever the numbers read.  Also, anyone know how they drift
with temperature?

Sources for the information would also be appreciated.

Thanks, Jeff

What are the most effective things I can do to reduce
the likelihood of being in a serious car crash?

Like maybe drive a large steel vehicle, always have my
lights on, keep my hands on the wheel, properly inflate
my tires, don’t drive on drinking holidays or Friday /
Saturday night, etc.

I also fly, and there are tons of books, articles,
studies, and classes aimed at making you a safer pilot,
but I can’t find anything other than books on basic
driver’s ed or high-performance racing that might make a
difference as a driver.

Can people point me to books, courses, etc.?  Analyses
of traffic accidents?

– David Lubkin.

   lub…@apollo.hp.com

    I recently received a ticket wherein the speed was determined by a laser
speed detector.  I seem to recall from previous discussion here that these
devices were not necessarily accepted in court.  Does anyone have any recent
experience with these?  Is a ticket based on these a likely conviction?  FWIW,
this happened in San Diego, CA.  I believe that local PD is just starting out
with these.

    I would appreciate any advice (preferrably good .  Please direct all
comments regarding the pros and cons of (allegedly) exceeding the speed limit
elsewhere.

    Thanks in advance,
        Paul Walker

–
Paul Walker  (619) 484-4049
    UUCP:      …!{ryptyde.cts.com, crash.cts.com}!pentode!paul
    Internet:  pentode!p…@ryptyde.cts.com

When I started this thread, I asked (or suggested) for opinions
on the change from sealed beams to stylist designed headlights,
or at least I thought I had.

GE and Sylvannia, just to name two manufacturers, have spent a
lot of time and money designing headlights. Now it seems that
the stylists have handed some poor engineer (who does the
electrics) Coles Notes on Optical Design 101, and sent the
poor sod off to do the headlights. IMHO, 90% of the new
cars have headlights of such rotten design that they would
get an F if submitted as a course project in Optical Design 101.

Every night, on my 36 mile commute, I see cars coming up in the
lane to my left, who’s headlights are extremely glaring, yet
when I look at the rear of the car in front (in that same lane
to the left) there is very little illumination on its trunk.

I’ve rented recent model cars, and frankly from the drivers seat,
I am not impressed with the performance of the lights. They seem
ill-focused, scattering light every which way but ahead.

Surely, if the auto manufacturers wanted smaller, different shaped
headlights, the experts (like GE and Sylvannia) would have created
a smaller sealed beam that could have been mounted behind clear
plastic (lexan). In a post on this same subject about 7-8 months
back, asking why people don’t adjust their headlights when it is
so damn easy, I got e-mail from people who told me that had also
changed. Now what could possibly be better than the three-point
mount used for years with sealed beams? Does every so-called
improvement have to be a screw-up?

Guess that’s about $0.04

Bob

I read an interesting article in an electronics pub. the other day. It seems
that a new system involving GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers used
to locate vehicles (like buses and PATROL CARS) for the purpose of efficient
dispatching is really catching on. The system determines its position with a
GPS receiver and re-transmitts it to the dispatcher via a digital radio link.
The accuracy is supposed to pinpoint vehicles within about one hundred yards.

One can only hope that these systems become popular and that the digital
transmission is easily monitored. The reasoning that the various police
departments gave for using this system (locating an officer in trouble as
well as dispatching) would probably prevent its being turned on and off
at an officers discretion. Even if the position signal was encoded, it is
probably sufficient to detect its presence with a simple reciever.

I have seen a few Washington State Patrol cars with what appear to be GPS
antennas, so maybe we’ll get lucky in this state.

               _  !         !       /   /     /
             /   /    / /   /      /   /     /
             ___/      __  /      /   /     /
           /        /     /      /   /     /
          /        /     /      /   /     /
        __/      __/   __/    ____,’   ______/          

                Paul Hovnanian
                ==============
                hovna…@atc.boeing.com

                [Standard disclaimers apply]

For Sale: 1972 Alfa Romeo Spyder, completely restored 1 year ago.
          Has a very solid 1750cc engine with dual Weber carbs, new work includes:
          – red paint
          – black custom top
          – black leather interior
          – black carpeting
          – Pirelli P-500′s
          Has original Alfa aluminum rims, and many new engine parts.
          All bills. Never winter driven (No rust). 85,000 original documented miles.
          A real eye-catcher!          
          Hate to part with but MUST SELL! Asking $7,900 CDN ($6,200 US).

I am personally very happy that Maryland has probation before judgment.
About a year ago, I was on my way from NE Penna. to College Park, MD.
I left at 4:00 am and, around 8 am, I reached the DC beltway, and had to
take the WESTBOUND lanes to pick up US1 to go to school.  Unfortunately,
I forgot, and was on my way to work (EASTBOUND lanes, 60 mph).  Realizing
my mistake, and given that traffic was moving at 0 mph in the WEST lanes,
I ran all the way to the end, getting out of the high speed traffic, and
pulled into the shoulder.  Seeing my exit 150 feet ahead, I drove through
the shoulder, and though, "Gee, what a lousy place for a cop to be…"
about 2 seconds before he pulled me (plus 5 other people) over.

I had made an honest mistake and affected the traffic jam NIL, but was
given a ticket while doing 5 mph.  Two points, $40 fine.  I fought it
in court, pleading guilty with an explanation, and was give $50 fine and
16 hours community service.  Had I really done anything wrong?  Yes.  
Was anyone hurt or did any property damage occur?  No way.  It was a bad
move, but did it make me a bad driver?  I flash people to get in front
of me, watch five seconds ahead, leave space for errors, and am generally
courteous.  Should the insurance company make MORE money because of a
simple mistake that resulted in no harm to anyone?  

My insurance company didn’t find out about the ticket.  The state caught
me doing something illegal, and made a small profit.  The Laurel Boys
and Girls Club got 16 free hours of much needed help.  People who cause
accidents, plus those who were caught doing EXTREME things, like 95 in
a 55 zone ($500 fine, 5 points) are given no slack.  No PBJ is usually
offered.  Repeat offenders are not offered PBJ’s.

Those who are not expected to be "repeat offenders" are usually offered
PBJ’s if the crime was not too severe.  All in all, it’s a pretty good
program.

Scott

When you rent the car, you explain the situation to the agency.

Most agencies rent M+S (Mud + Snow) tires which are adequate for
R1 restrictions.  rec.skiing FAQ.

–eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eug…@orville.nas.nasa.gov
  Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers
  {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene
Second Favorite email message: Returned mail: Cannot send message for 3 days
A Ref: Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning, vol. 1, G. Polya

I just received my SCCA brochures and am about to become a member.
My goal is to race at any level I can, with whatever I can, providing
I can afford to participate. Anyone out there ever attend the driving
schools put on by SCCA? Do you know if there is one in Massachusetts?
Any chance of running a stock car at the schools, or is it mandatory
to rent an approved race vehicle?
        I am new at this and any suggestions, comments, advice, or
war stories would be welcome. I eventually would love to race my
70′ Mustang, but from what I have read initially, the classes for
this car may be very limited. I would be interested if anyone knows
of older cars running solo II.
        By the way, this is not something I am doing on a whim. I’m
35 with about 19 years of driving experience. I am finally just getting
off my duff and doing what I always wanted to do.

-Steve D’Amelio
dame…@bedford.progress.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Get the *&$%# fire extinguisher! -Richard Petty in his last carrer race.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

As I was driving to work yesterday morning, I saw a CHP cruiser based on
a Camaro rather than the usual Mustang.  It had the usual CHP color scheme,
but a fancier than usual light bar.  It was clearly marked CHP, so it wasn’t
a local police car.  It pulled someone over and a uniformed officer got out,
so it wasn’t a fake (like the Countachs you see in the posters).

So, when did the CHP started using Camaros?  For those of you in California,
I saw the car on south Hwy 85 in Mountain View.

–
———————————–+—————————————-
Alan F. Perry                      | "I took off the intellectuals; I put
esp…@netcom.com   (home)         |  on They Might Be Giants"
al…@lynx.com      (work)         |              - untitled