First off your dad is wrong, sorry dad.
Radar, Clocking (Clocking and Radar are two different means of speed detection), and Laser are in support of visual estimation - visual estimation in itself is good enough for an issuance of a summons and WILL, if prima fascia is presented correctly end with a conviction.
One answer states that radar is good for 1/2 mile - that's over 2500 feet - radar goes out as a cone with the oval portion ever expanding so for a distance at that spectrum no one would be able to state who was in the officers zone. I also do not know any officer that can see that far - though I can see the moon and that's pretty far.
Radar and the likes are used within a "Zone of influence" by the officer which usually extends out 200 feet. This length is adjusted by the officer depending on the type of unit he or she uses. I used a Hunter DeCataur hand held and window mounted.
If I wrote everyone I ever stopped my hand would have been permanently mangled.
There is a word we use and practice on a daily basis within law enforcement - DISCRETION.
If someone is polite, respectful, and even let me know they have a clean record (which I check) I never had a problem giving a verbal warning.
It has nothing to do with paperwork - though we do not use the term "Quota" we do have productivity goals.
That's it, no smoking gun.
2007-11-26 00:37:19
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answer #1
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answered by ? 5
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Not necessarily. Sometimes officers give "warnings". Sometimes they just talk to you and tell you to slow down. Depends upon a lot of things. Like if there was no traffic around and your speed only endangered yourself. Like if the officer was just feeling benevolent and thought he would let you go. Like if the officer was just tired and didn't feel like messing with you and the paperwork of writing a ticket and making a report. Whatever. You got off lucky. Don't examine it too much. About the radar reading....nah, even if you are applying brakes you were still above the speed limit at any point. Have you ever seen those signs going into some neighborhood, or around construction sites that tell your speed as you approach? Same thing. It is possible, of course, that the officer just didn't even target you with radar. Apparently, all he had to do was look to tell you were going way too fast.
2007-11-26 00:22:22
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answer #2
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answered by claudiacake 7
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I was going to answer this question, but decided to review some of the answers here. Out of all of the answers, go with hwy505's. His answer is pretty much on the money.
Slamming on the brakes doesn't really do anything, by the time you realized there was a cop on the side of the road, that cop had already seen you. As hwy505 said, we visually estimate 1st then use a mechanical device to "lock-in" a vehicle's speed.
Being polite does help but is not an automatic "let go". You'd be more likely to try and tell the Officer the truth (something that he/she can relate to) rather than the mundane "I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic" or "I wasn't paying attention" or repeating the speed we tell you back to us as if we made a mistake.
Take the warning for what it was, a warning to monitor your speed when travelling.
2007-11-26 02:42:20
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Boy, if I had a nickel for every time a cop let me go because I was polite...I'd probably go blind from nickel poisoning. That's no big deal, cops do it all the time. They really just don't feel like doing all the paperwork. They know they have to stop you otherwise they wouldn't be doing their job. But ultimately it's up to them to determine whether they feel like writing you a ticket. There's no "quota" or anything, but it looks funny if a cop gives out 5 tickets a month and all the other cops have given out 35 tickets. But if you are nice, and HONEST (cops get pi$$ed off when you lie to them) they will most likely let you off with a warning. It actually goes even farther than that sometimes. I know many people who were pulled over and searched and told the cop they had weed on them. The cop just took it and told them to be on their way. However, I grew up in NJ and cops there will beat you up and take your money if you did something pretty bad, but they'll let you go. It's one of the most corrupt states in the US.
2007-11-26 00:55:05
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answer #4
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answered by FSM Raguru AM™ 5
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sometimes, when I am headed to another call, I will stop and verbally warn people to slow down. I don't have the time to write a ticket, but I don't want them to think they got away with it or that 20 over is ok. this could have been what it was. that slowing down bit doesn't help though. if you didn't slow down until you were next to him, you probably were already on radar.
2007-11-26 01:52:00
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answer #5
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answered by Spoken Majority 4
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Guess what? Officers have what is called "discretion" in most misd. cases. If you were polite and had all the required documents, it is very possible that he felt a warning would be all that was needed. AS for the "radar lock" issue, if he saw your speed he could have written the citation.
2007-11-26 00:39:17
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answer #6
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answered by Ranger473 4
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Sometimes they just feel like being a nice guy and will just give you a warning. I got pulled over this past week too, going 85 miles in a 70 mile zone. But I think he let me go because I'm used to driving in km not miles...he he
2007-11-26 00:20:07
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answer #7
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answered by lippy 3
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No that's not true, Radar guns are effective up to 3/4 of a mile away (with good visibility) He probably just let you go because you were polite to him. Being polite and honest with a police officer goes a long way.
2007-11-26 00:21:44
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answer #8
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answered by Katie 5
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Cops will do this sometimes. They may cut you some slack, or just feel like being nice because someone else did something nice for them. I take it as karma personally.
2007-11-26 00:24:02
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answer #9
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answered by bumble 5
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It is all about attitude and I don't mean yours especially,even police are grumpy about stuff and as*holes that act out are more likely to "get the business."
Probing Q's,vehicle searches..that kind of stuff.
Just because you feel you did nothing wrong,keep calm and be polite.Accept the ticket gracefully and apologize for the infraction.
2007-11-26 00:33:15
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answer #10
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answered by cygnus4114 2
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