I was just...curious.
What is the validity of these speeding tickets holding up in court? Do any GRM'ers have any personal experiences/stories from FL traffic court about these aircraft stopwatch tickets? The only thing I know is that the state essentially certifies the stopwatch operators and that both officers (stopwatch and trooper) would have to appear in court but that doesn't necessarily guarantee a dismissal. I'm all ears...
I can't answer your question, but I have talked to an officer who was going out on "patrol" when we were going to fly with my uncle.
This guy LOVED his job. Explained that the measurement is very accurate, since it's a fairly long distance, so +- a second or two didn't really matter for a speeder. But in good weather, you get paid to fly.
Sorry that it's the best I have...
They have been doing it in SC for a long time. I have never talked to anyone that has gotten a ticket from them. but you see the lines on the pavement all over the county.
It's really well calibrated. Compared to other speed measuring techniques, it's like measuring skid-pad acceleration with a stopwatch and defined cone circle as opposed to an in-car g-meter.
Basically, the hash marks on the street are measured specific lengths and specific distances apart. The officer counts how many hash marks you pass in a given space of time. A little simple math and you get a very accurate number for average speed during that time period.
Only thing I can really imagine you being able to argue against the police officer is location, if it were a curvy stretch of road, as opposed to a strait one. In a strait line, it's really accurate.
Speeding tickets hold up regardless of validity because Tickets = revenue, and the judge knows who signs his check.
I got nabbed by an airplane one time about 10 years ago... I exited the highway thinking everything was fine, and was promptly greeted by a State Trooper just standing in the middle of the intersection pointing at cars to pull over. So, I obliged, and was told an airplane clocked me at so and so of a speed, then presented with a ticket. Haha, It really felt like being a victim of cheating... Now I'm older and wiser to their tricks ;-)
When you see a white stripe perpendicular to your line of travel and it ain't a crosswalk, slow down. Another line is coming up.
Time from one line to the next = average speed; they watch from an airplane or helicopter. I've seen them sitting on a hillside with a radio talking to the chae car up the road.
Dan
Only way to beat a VASCAR ticket is to not make it to the other hash marks.
Years ago, Jean Lindamood, when she was still writing for C&D, told of driving a 911 across Texas, or some other large flat underpopulated area, when she noticed a plane above her. She stopped, "Took off my cowgirl boots, repacked my luggage, and as my average speed gradually approached 55mph, the plane left."
Wow, I didn't know there were places still doing that. Back in the day, I'd have the passenger scout the skies when the lines showed up (and back off if they saw something), but never got a ticket from it. These days, it seems every time I see the lines, they haven't been repainted in years. I guess with all the cutbacks, Southern cops can't afford airplanes anymore..
EDIT: "still doing that"
Validity:
I will say that a number of years back I was driving one of the fastest cars ever made (you know, a rental car.) As I crested the hill (slight rise) in the road there was an Ohio State Trooper, waving me over. He felt an undying need to speak to me by the side of the road.
In short, I managed to get the 98mph ticket reduced to a more simple 2 point violation but even that required the help of a lawyer.
For those interested; an ugly green Saturn Ion sedan with the bigger 2.4L engine
Google "205 Tilley" to find an example of airplane timing gone awry.
isnt this how they nailed that one guy going something like 250mph on a motorcycle a few eyars back? turns out that the bike in question wasn't anywhere near capable of those kinds of speeds, but the cop swore up and down that his calculations had to be right on..
Every time I see those lines I want to come back in the middle of the night and paint a bunch more lines parallel to the real lines to "foul" the timing 
In Bellevue Nebraska on NE 75, they have the back side of two light poles painted special and the distance marked. Didn;t need planes, they could do it with a squad car on the hill. They were very good about nabbing folks when revenue was down.
It's frequently called VASCAR, and it holds up just fine.
novaderrik wrote: isnt this how they nailed that one guy going something like 250mph on a motorcycle a few eyars back? turns out that the bike in question wasn't anywhere near capable of those kinds of speeds, but the cop swore up and down that his calculations had to be right on..
Yes, that's 205 Tilley.
stuart in mn wrote: Google "205 Tilley" to find an example of airplane timing gone awry.
914Driver wrote: When you see a white stripe perpendicular to your line of travel and it ain't a crosswalk, slow down. Come to a stop. Take a spray can of gray paint out of your trunk and paint the line. Now, grab the white can. Walk 300' back in the direction you came and paint a line.
Fixed for constructive content.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:914Driver wrote: When you see a white stripe perpendicular to your line of travel and it ain't a crosswalk, slow down. Come to a stop. Take a spray can of gray paint out of your trunk and paint the line. Now, grab the white can. Walk 300' back in the direction you came and paint a line.Fixed for constructive content.
Now THAT's funny!
If you are hoping the cop will be too busy to show up for your court date, know that they schedule all of their traffic stops for the same day and court days are a part of their regular weekly duty. Unless they get injured or something the night before, they will be there. If you did the crime, pay the fine.
pinchvalve wrote: If you are hoping the cop will be too busy to show up for your court date, know that they schedule all of their traffic stops for the same day and court days are a part of their regular weekly duty. Unless they get injured or something the night before, they will be there. If you did the crime, pay the fine.
And a lot of times the judge will just reschedule it.
Wow. These canoes are getting better. That actually made sense in context up until the very last line. And there's a profile picture, and the name isn't weird.
Beer Baron wrote: Wow. These canoes are getting better. That actually made sense in context up until the very last line. And there's a profile picture, and the name isn't weird.
Thanks for the heads up. Deleted.
You're right about that particular canoe (helenawright101@hotmail.com.) I've deleted accounts from them before, and they definitely seem more literate in English than most. Regardless, they're still an annoyance....Feel free to sign that email address up to 10,000 catalogs.
RC51's are capable of 212mph, per plane cops.
Very well calculated regardless of curves. Usually there are set points to start and stop timing. If you are speeding and think you are being clocked, pull over and stop for a few seconds.
Beer Baron wrote: Wow. These canoes are getting better. That actually made sense in context up until the very last line. And there's a profile picture, and the name isn't weird.
Oddly enough, a thread from 2006 was brought up just today on another group I read. can't tell if it's spam or not- it appears to be a legit post.
But it was a thread about post count. 
spammers are an odd lot.
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