Just a thought that crossed my mind reading the other thread about going 1mph over the limit.
So, does anyone have an answer? Also, how could they prove the guy was speeding in court. Would they drive behind the speeder going the speed limit and see if the speeder moved ahead of him? Or was it just a skilled eye?
Any ideas?
My guess was there was no limit. It used to be that you didn’t even have to get a license.
They clocked you by either pacing you to see how fast you were going, or timing your passage between two known points.
I Googled on this, and found one that was used - pacing. The cop could drive behind you, and if you’re going faster than he is at the speed limit, then you’re speeding. Obviously this works better with unmarked cop cars.
Here’s another no-radar method: Two posts set along a roadway, with a known distance between them. A small plane or helicopter flies overhead, times cars with a stopwatch. If you cover the distance between the two posts in less time than someone doing the speed limit would, then you’re speeding - and they can get an idea of your average speed during that distance as well by comparing your time to a chart.
Driving behind a speeder would be one way. Another would be to time a car over a known distance and calculate MPH from that. Ever see the big white lines that appear to be placed at odd random spots on the highway? They’re so airplanes and helicopters can time a car and then radio down to a patrol car if they find a speeder. At least that’s what my driver’s ed teacher told me…
Just a guess, but I would suppose “speeding” might have been more of a “reckless op” or “driving too fast for conditions” situation, where the exact speed was as important as to how reasonable you were driving for the road you were on.
:smack: (Must hit Preview Reply more often.)
I need to brush up on my typing skills if I’m going to keep posting here. I swear there weren’t any responses at all when I started my reply.
Should have been “wasn’t as important”.
In case anybody likes to keep track of that sort of thing, pacing was the method used by Andy and Barney when they were patrolling in and around Mayberry. It was discussed in at least one episode of The Andy Griffith Show; Barney got flustered when a cute woman flirted with him, and then said on the stand that he wasn’t really sure if his car had kept pace with hers, or whether he had made a mistake and was actually gaining on her.
I remember my mother receiving a speeding ticket when I was about 6, this would be in the early 60’s. Rather than stating how fast she was going, the ticket stated “obvious excessive speed.” The ticket was for $17 and my dad had a fit even though it would be years later before he got a license because of all the tickets he had previously received.
There was also a device which looked like 2 thin black hoses, (similar to what gas stations used to tell them someone entered the gas station), layed accross the street, the machine timed how long it took for you to get to the second hose, after you already went over the first hose. If you slammed on the brakes after going over the first hose, then your speed of course would be lower.
FWIW, some cops still use the non-radar method to get speeders. While in college and driving down a mountain road in Arizona I got nailed by a Highway Patrolman. He could clearly see my radar detector on the dash and the confused look on my face.
After collecting my license and paperwork he asked me “Want to know how I got you?” With my dumb nod as assent, we walked up the road and he pointed up. There was a spot on the twisty, downhill road where cars popped into view for a few seconds, and another spot exactly 1/2 mile later where they reappeared. I watched him hack his stopwatch and clock a BMW at 35 seconds (70 mph). “This guy is lucky I’m busy with you” the trooper noted. Seconds later when the BMW finally saw us he did the “Oh shit!” panic brake application only to cruise by studiously looking at anything BUT us!
I think it was State Highway 87, if anyone cares.
The “stop watch” method is the one of the oldest methods, and is used today in all 50 states. The training for this (at least now days) and the equipment used is very sophisticated, not just a $2 watch.
Bear in mind that cops can pace you while IN FRONT of you as well as BEHIND.
Just because a cop is going a certain speed over the limit in front of you doesn’t mean you should follow at that speed.
CA hwy patrol was, for years, radar-less (some curmudgeon in Sacramento always killed any funding bill - don’t know if they have it yet).
Basically, the motorcycle copy tries to find your blind spot, paces you for a couple of miles, then decides.
Old-timers will, however, just eyeball you - they know what a car doing 50 looks like, what a car doing 60, etc. Want to fight it? Go ahead - it’s your word against a that of a cop who’s been doing that job for 20+ years. Guess who the court is going to believe?
Old harley cop bikes had a button on the speedo that would lock the needle wherever it is when the button is hit. They would pace the driver,then hit the button to show how fast they were going.
In New Hampshire, there are occasionally lines on the side of the road that are 1/4 mile apart. They time you from aircraft.
When someone passes me doing excessive speed, I start counting after he passes me. When I get to 10, I note where he is. I keep counting until I get to that spot. If it takes me 13 seconds to go the same distance he did in 10 seconds, then I add 30% to my speed. If I’m doing 65, then he’s doing almost 85.
I’d fight your ticket, the guy in the BMW was doing 51.4 mph if he took 35 seconds to travel half a mile.