Subject: Laser Calibration?

From: [email-masked] (Bill Dankert)
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 1995 21:58:27 GMT

This past Sunday morning, a friend of mine got a ticket northbound on I-5
just south of Chehalis, WA.  The cruise control was set at 72 mph (digital
speedometer).  Evidently, there was a trap set with an officer using laser
positioned on an overpass, and several State Patrol cars waiting on the
on-ramp.  The officer said he was doing 80 mph, and even though my friend
tried to plead his case, he still received an $85.00 ticket.  As he was
going through the speed trap, a car passed him in the fast lane. 

Questions:  I believe the laser gun works by way of the Doppler Shift
principle; is it possible for the detector to be that far off?  Is optics
misalignment a possibility where the car that was picked up was the faster
one next to him?  (BTW, today he is having is speedometer calibrated.)

Thanks for your help... 

Bill

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        |  Bill Dankert  --  [email-masked]           |
        |  Newport Adhesives & Composites Inc., Irvine, CA |
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