Speed monitored by aircraft????

In article ,
(Jim Buckridge) writes:


I saw one of these signs along I-78 in NJ. Now, I find it
***REALLY*** hard to believe that this particular sign is true. The
highway is congested and with radar guns and all, monitoring speed by
aircraft (copter maybe?) seems expensive and unnecessary.

I know I've seen these signs elsewhere - are there still places where
speed is monitored by aircraft?



They do it here in VA, and they do it very badly.

If it were only in rural areas, I wouldn't have too much problem with it, but I
have seen them doing it over a densely populated area in Virginia Beach. They
were flying a 172 in a racetrack pattern parallel to I 64 at about 500ft right
over Regent University and a neighboring subdivision. About 10-20 degrees of
flaps out and very much in slow flight. A stall-spin waiting to happen.

There were between 6 and 10 troopers waiting in cruisers to hand out the
tickets on the ground and a pilot and observer in the air.

Aside from the danger to those on the ground from flying that way over houses,
I can't help but wonder about the efficiency of the use of that much manpower
and expense to catch a few folks with unlawful radar detectors that they miight
have missed using regular methods.

Don

--
Wm. Donald (Don) Tabor Jr., DDS
PP-ASEL
Chesapeake, VA - CPK, PVG

In article ,
"Peter Duniho" wrote:

But I don't understand how the simple act of marking a section of roadway
for timing purposes could be considered somehow underhanded or otherwise
undesirable. I think *someone* must consider it undesirable for some
reason, but I don't know why. Do you (or anyone else reading this)?


A "speed trap" in common parlance more usually refers to a situation
where a community sets an artificially low speed limit on a section of
road, deliberately fails to mark the speed limit properly, and then
tickets a lot of motorists on that section for purposes of _revenue_,
not safety.

(There is such a speed trap for example on Hiway 431 in Nevada in the
section running down from the Mt. Rose and Slide Mountain areas toward
Hiway 395.)

For whatever reason, certain groups -- maybe people who believe it's
their god-given right to drive fast? -- rather than trying to attack
these abuses directly, pass laws against common-sense speed measuring
techniques, labelling them (incorrectly) as "speed traps".

[[ This message was both posted and mailed: see
the "To," "Cc," and "Newsgroups" headers for details. ]]

There is defense I have heard of but cannot vouch for the authenticity
of with regard to being ticketed on the ground when you have been
"clocked" by an aircraft.
If the officer on the ground does not actually clock you, he/she cannot
sign the ticket, as it is heresay evidence. You inquire as to whether
the officer on the ground actually clock you, request to see the
radar/lidar readout. If they inform you that the airplane clocked you
and they did not, request that the pilot land to sign the ticket.
To counter this, the law enforcement officer who actually "witnessed"
the infraction may appear in person at the court hearing.
I have never taken the time to look up the applicable Ohio laws, so I
do not know if what I have posted is true.

(Larry Dighera wrote)
all but "the law" snipped

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/wa...306+0+0+0&WAIS
action=retrieve


Your Honor.

The Highway Patrol Cessna was obviously hiding behind the Fuji Blimp.

--
Montblack

On 18 Jul 2003 16:09:35 GMT, ackatyu (Wdtabor) wrote
in Message-Id: :

There were between 6 and 10 troopers waiting in cruisers to hand out the
tickets on the ground and a pilot and observer in the air.

Imagine how much more effective in controlling speeders those cruisers
would be in sight of motorists on the road.

It's all about milking the revenue stream not about road safety.

Kansas used to have airplane shaped objects painted on the highway.
--
Gene Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.



That's what the stripes running perpindicular to the white side
stripe
are for.

Yep, sometimes they are stripes, sometimes they are just squares
painted
in the middle of the road.

If I recall correctly, they even had the stop-start button remoted
to the yoke.

Naw, signs are cheap.
--
Gene Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.


"Toks Desalu" wrote in message
news:3f172339@shknews01...
Either way, it is still expensive and unnecessary for taxpayers.
There are
far more serious issues than this. If you want to catch speeders off
guard,
go and climb up the tree and fire radar at cars.

In article , "Ron Garrison"
writes:


I agree with your comments efficiency, and flying at 500 ft over a dense
urban area would be an unpleasant place for an engine failure, but you are
off-base regards the stall-spin concerns. Stalls are not dangerous, and can
actually be fun to practice, and the spin is only a problem if you are
uncoordinated at the time.

I agree that stalls are not dangerous under controlled conditions, like
intentional practice sessions, but I remain convinced that prolonged slow
flight close to the ground which includes repeated 180 degree turns, by a pilot
who is distracted by the need to remain in a good viewing position for his
observer, are an invitation to disaster.

Sure, you can do it and get away with it if you are alert, but is it at all
wise to place yourself in such a position where a moment's inattention or
boredom could put you into a situation you will not have the time to recover
from?

I practice departure and approach stalls too, and do it without losing
significant altitude, just like everyone else who has a BFR to pass, but how
many people still manage to get killed by them when caught by surprise?

Don

--
Wm. Donald (Don) Tabor Jr., DDS
PP-ASEL
Chesapeake, VA - CPK, PVG

Toks Desalu wrote:

Either way, it is still expensive and unnecessary for taxpayers.

Hey, if the revenue from the tickets doesn't cover the costs, increase the
fines 'til it does. Taxpayers generally don't foot these bills. Speeders
do.

There are far more serious issues than this.

Tell that to my mother. Best be wearing ear plugs when you do. My younger
brother was run down and nearly killed by someone doing over 80 in a 35 mph
zone. And arguing that one shouldn't do anything about a problem because *you*
think something else is "more serious" doesn't sit well with *me* either.

George Patterson
The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
James Branch Cavel

I ave seen the nevada state police airplane, a cessna 182 or a 210, cant
rmember which, but it was a complex airplane, here at the Henderson airport
several times. I dont know how often they fly, but they do fly. I also dont
know exactly what they do, but I assumed look for speeders, accidents and what
not.

When I was flying back to vegas from kentucky about 2 weeks ago, I heard a
state police come up onthe radio and inform center he was going to be at 500
ft looking for a bank robber's car. this was around arkansas I think.


Jack wrote:

I know for a fact that here in Atlanta, speed is occasionally monitored by
helicopters along the highway. Its pretty obvious though. 50 police
cars on the entrance ramps, and 50 others with cars pulled over. Along
with everyone has they're lights on in that area.

"Jim Buckridge" wrote in message
om...
I saw one of these signs along I-78 in NJ. Now, I find it
***REALLY*** hard to believe that this particular sign is true. The
highway is congested and with radar guns and all, monitoring speed by
aircraft (copter maybe?) seems expensive and unnecessary.

I know I've seen these signs elsewhere - are there still places where
speed is monitored by aircraft?