Earlier this evening I stumbled into a VASCAR/electronic timing speedtrap at a rate well in excess of the posted limit.
Fortunately I noticed an unmarked cruiser--sitting dark in an adjacent gas station--during the time that I was between the two painted timing strips on the road.
I immediately turned on my high-beams to change the illumination pattern of my headlights and was successful at preventing an accurate time-track of my vehicle while not having to abruptly slam my brakes (I was too far into the speed trap for braking to have likely made much of an impact on my average speed).
Contrary to what some may believe, VASCAR and other electronic timing methods can be and are easily made by tracking the trailing portion of one's headlights between two points on the road (which can be timing strips or arbitrary stationary objects).
If you ever find yourself in such a speed trap, think of this technique as it may just save you as it did me, today.
For those of you who celebrate this holiday, please have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving and if you happen to be driving sometime in the coming days, remember they are out in force!
Veil Guy
6 comments:
How should one know, when he/she is in this trap. What is it that we should look for?
Moving VASCAR can be difficult to detect as an unmarked vehicle traveling ahead of you or behind you can begin his/her track at any time using just about any two fixed points on the road.
Pennsylvania is a unique state (like Guam) in which only state troopers are permitted to operate police radar (K-band from a stationary position only). PA doesn't even have laser in operation.
Local traffic patrol is restricted to electronic timing such as VASCAR.
On roads where electronic timing is used, one can visually identify such a trap by the appearance of two painted strips across the road, oftentimes secondary roads.
In most of these cases an patrol car will be parked closely and in plain site to the speed trap.
Over the years, I have become sensitive to these speed traps and instinctively can sense the presence of the patrol cars which are generally visible to the left or the right.
Generally these traps are in stretches of road the briefly drop to a posted limit of 35mph (often a drop of 5-10mph) from the normal posted limit.
Police love to operate such speed timing at night as most drivers are not cognizant or paying attention.
In most other states (like NJ for example) local police tend to favor instant-on radar (or laser).
But since locals are restricted from using radar in PA, these traps are commonplace.
On highways where aerial timing occurs you may often see several painted lines grouped across the lanes separated by about a half of mile or so (greater separation due to higher nominal speeds).
When Roy and I were racing across the country several weeks ago, we routinely spotted these speed traps.
Leon (Blinder Xtreme) and his racing partner Ray (Full Throttle Kustomz) got nailed in such a trap somewhere in Florida.
In these cases, headlight transitioning would likely not be effective.
Keep in mind radar detectors, laser detectors, jammers will be rendered totally ineffectual as no radar or laser is employed!
This is so stupid! Get real, VeilGuy. "Moving VASCAR can be difficult to detect...." "Change the illumination pattern...." Blahhh. Slam on the brakes, dummy. It's timing. Do you think we are all out here like some idiot teenage girl, knowing nothing about nothing? We read this because we are pretty much leading edge folk. Treat us as such.
The other info re: PA and NJ proclivities is good, but who cares about Leon and Ray.
Hey VG! Great write up. Since WI troopers are heavy vascar users, the headlight info is much appreciated.
To be clear tho, simply flashing my highbeams on, will invalidate their reading?
Im just trying to understand how I can argue in court that my flipping the highbeams on or off, invalidated the test(and ticket?!)
How about shutting 'em off for 30 secs?
Any thoughts you care to share on this will be much appreciated!
Sincerely,
a happilywellVeiledDriver
I can't speak to the effectiveness of such a defense in court...I wouldn't count on it.
Nor am I suggesting that this approach is a full-proof countermeasure.
I didn't speak to the officer after the fact but I do know that I would have likely received a speeding ticket for my little indiscretion and the fact that I did not get pulled only leads my to believe that the highbeam transition made the difference.
I wouldn't advocate turning off headlights as doing that in-and-of-itself may be interpreted as operating a vehicle in a careless or unsafe manner and would likely end in a citation issuance as well.
I was merely relaying an experience in which I didn't have the time to slow down by braking--as I was too far into the timing trap to have likely made a difference--and tried something different.
PS: Pleased to hear you are happy with your Veil.
Just a word of advice here. In Maryland "changing the illumination pattern" is illegal. Use of headlights, hi-beams and other such to avoid tickets is frowned upon. I call it "contempt of cop" and for some politicians and police chiefs (not to mention cops) that's a more serious crime than murder. You might be able to plead in court that you were just turning on the hi-beams to see better or turning them off to avoid blinding traffic, but there should or should not be the traffic there to back it up. I don't know how much this is used, but I do know that it is the law in MD. Don't know about other states but it may be prudent to check.
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