Text 453, 114 rader
Skriven 2004-08-30 10:40:00 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
    Kommentar till text 439 av Jack Yates (1:3613/1275)
Ärende: Fido on the move via cell phone.
========================================
Hello Jack,

 > Of course, over THERE, farm tractors have front plates,
 > while over HERE, they have no plates at all.  Registration
 > is not required.

Eh, no. Over here - in The Netherlands - tractors have no plates either. That
will change in the not too distant future I understand, but up until now,
agricultural vehicles need no registration. This is different in other European
countries. In Germany they need plates if they come on public roads.

 > >> speed gun. Since the laser wavelength in both devices are
 > >> the same, LaserPro's signal is accepted by the gun. The
 > >> computation of speed is then delayed because the laser gun
 > >> receives information it considers inconsistent.

 > MV> And the cop operaing the gun will notice this and he or
 > MV> his partner will come after you...

 > Over THERE, perhaps so; but HERE, the cop has no reason to
 > come after you,

The law is different here. Here a cop does not need a formal reason to stop a
car. They can do a "routine inspection". They can set up road blocks and stop
everyone, or they can stop individial cars for no reason. of course usually the
cop will do that because his nose tells him there is something odd, but he does
not need a formal reason. He can stop you because he is bored and needs to talk
to someone...

Up until recently they could only "inspect" things related to road safety and
regulations. Such as drivers licence and insurance, if the tires and the brakes
are ok, etc etc. But now - under pressure of the terrorist alarmists - they can
also check other things, like the presence of illegal arms. They can now ask
you to open the boot.

 > even in the states where radar/laser detectors are illegal.
 > Though he might assume that his incorrect reading is the result
 > of the use of a laser-emulating device, if he can't see the
 > device,

No need to see it here. He may search the car for hidden devices. And they are
not dumb, if they suspect you have one, they will find it if there is one...

 > and if you aren't speeding at such a rate that is readily
 > detecable by the naked eye, say 10 MPH over the speed limit.
 > he has no reason to come after you.

That's different here too. Even if you go 200, he can do nothing about the
speeding without a decent measurement. But he can come after you and mke life
miserable for you...

 > Further, the time spent in court to prove that you had
 > contaminated his readings would be wasted, compared to
 > the same time spent dealiong with someone who is actually
 > speeding.  The cop will stay there with the laser gun and
 > wait for the next speeding car, a danger to the area, rather
 > than devote any time to one that has such a device.

As I explained to Raymond, the cops here have a different mission. They put a
higher priority on catching the illegal devices than catching as many speeders
as they can.

They feel that the people having such devices are a greater threat to road
safety in the long run than the average mild speeder.

 > >> i won't even mention that a driver that is properly
 > >> observant should be able to see a police car that may be
 > >> laser targeting before they get into range...

 > MV> Over here they are not in a car. They hide behind a tree or
 > MV> something. By the time you see them it is too late..

 > While over THERE, it may be quite acceptable for the police
 > to hide while "working traffic" over HERE, in MY state it
 > is prohibited.

Different country, different laws. Over here they also patrol in unmarked cars.

 > Radar/laser may not be used within a curve or bend in the road,.
 > nor on a grade that exceeds 7per cent,

We don't have that many of them in The Netherlands... ;-)

But in Germany they /do/ speed checks on the downhill stretches of the highways
as they can often catch people with caravans that way. There is a general speed
limit of 80 km/h for vehicles with trailers in most countries in Europe.

 > and the officer's car must be clearly marked with
 > appropriate signage stating that it is an enforcement
 > vehicle, and if built after 2001 must have a roof light
 > display.

If their precense is that obvious, I wonder how they manage to catch any
speeders at all...

 > MV> The aim is not to catch as many as possible, but to keep
 > MV> people from speeding. A plainly visible but non operational
 > MV> camera has that effect.

 > Our county has 3 plainly visible and operational Sheriff's
 > deputies who generate a half-million dollars per year in
 > traffic fines, almost the entire department budget.  Speed
 > trap?  No.  You have to be going 15 MPH over the limit, 70+
 > MPH to get their attention.

Hmmm.. over here the margin is 3 kph (2 mph) for speeds under 100 kph and 3%
above that.

15 mph is pretty near the 30 kph limit at which they can hold you licence...

Cheers, Michiel

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