Topic: Steering You Right: Proof you were speeding

[Autos_Editor]

Lawyer Jordan W. Charness explains what police must prove in order to convict a driver of speeding, and provides an example of the excuses used by one speeder in his defence.
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[Toe]

Interesting, I thought that the police could also "pace" you in their vehicle and obtain a speed reading from their "calibrated" speedometer.  I'm guessing they would then need to present a current  "certificate of speedometer calibration" in court?  Or is it just not possible to get a speeding ticket in that manner, in Ontario?

[kirm]

I always understood that, here in Albertachuck at least, if you were in the midst of a group of cars going over the limit that was a viable excuse. You were simply keeping pace with traffic. That seems to be why cops always take the first and last guys in a group. Not saying you can't be charged if you were in the middle but I thought that, in court, this could get you acquitted. In any case, interesting stuff and thanks lawyer guy.

[Dave B]

Actually, Ku band radar is still very common for highway use.  LIDAR is so accurate, you have to point it through a scope to know which vehicle its pointed at, so the tactic is to place two officers at roadside (behind a power pole often) and to have one or more patrol cars down-road of that pulling almost everyone over.  RADAR on the otherhand, can be fixed mounted or handheld in a car and does cut a wider swath, but RCMP on highway patrol still use them.