Enradd used in Pennsylvania

[wilnevrbbiased]

Has anyone heard of this newer form of Vascar called Enradd being used in/around various areas of Pennsylvania for handing out speeding tickets? Very deadly form of speed measuring folks. Look up Enradd, and let me know what you think.

[mrcllusb]

Looks like a piece of local government crap that is meant ot further increase their revenue.If you have let's say two cars traveling next to each other on a two lane road then how do you tell which one was moving faster at the time they broke the second set of beams?This system can only be used on a two lane road or less.Anything over two lanes it doesn't work properly.From what i have read,it's used more by the local PA police and not the state police since the locals can't use radar.

[wilnevrbbiased]

Last I heard, I thought they were presently trying to change the law to allow local LEOS to be able to run radar.

[Nighthawk243]

But its doubtful that it'll pass. It hasn't every year its come up in the General Assembly.

Pennsylvania is one of those oddball states that actually tries to even the field a bit. The reason why PA has yet to allow locals to use the guns is the fact that PA wants the locals to NOT abuse speed traps for just pure revenue generation. Many local LEO's in other states do things purely for revenue generation very easily (In PA, they actually have to work for it, since using the ENRADD/VASCAR systems is not an easy method of enforcment). A good example of how not limiting the Locals can get out of had is the former village of New Rome in Ohio. That small town of under 100 people had the highest grossing revenue just from speeding tickets. Get a cop with a radar gun, and a mayoral court full of corruption, and bam, instant revenue generator. 14 officers, for a village of only 60 people. The normal standard is 1.5 officers/1000 people.

In some states, the locals will nail you to a wall for a 2 over PSL. In PA, there is a REQUIRED allowance of 10MPH over any speed under 55mph, and 6MPH over on speeds 55mph or higher. This is to A) take into account that detection methods are inherently inaccurate, and B) avoid a massive amounts of tickets for 1 or 2 MPH over tickets for revenue generation purposes.

[alpinestars_2002795]

NIce post nighthawk!


AlPiNe~

[the horn13]

Originally Posted by alpinestars_2002795

NIce post nighthawk!


AlPiNe~

Agreed Excellent Post.

It always amazed me. I drive through the NE of the USA, NYS, Mass, NJ, are relentless in speed enforcement, and when you drive in PA it's like you've entered another world.

V1 realtively silent and no laser to worry about.

Now if they'd only lose those darn K Band drones......

[wilnevrbbiased]

Any k band drones stink horn!

[Nighthawk243]

Originally Posted by the horn13

Agreed Excellent Post.

It always amazed me. I drive through the NE of the USA, NYS, Mass, NJ, are relentless in speed enforcement, and when you drive in PA it's like you've entered another world.

V1 realtively silent and no laser to worry about.

Now if they'd only lose those darn K Band drones......

The only parts of PA to watch are the area near New Jersey, and Harrisburg and the turnpike, they're relentless there. But in the rest of the state, its pretty quiet.

[Phillyboi]

Yes Enradd is a device made by a small Pennsylvania company located in York, Pa. It was approved for use by all pa police departments by March of 2003. YIS/Cowden manufactures the device and is one of several companies authorized to calibrate it.

It basically consists of 2 pairs of infrared transmitters and receivers (similar to what keeps your garage door from closing on your kid) mounted on two 3' to 5' rails. These rails are placed on either side of the highway and are adjusted so that cars passing by will trip one beam then the other. If you know the exact distance between the two sets of sensors and the exact time between subsequent disruptions of the IR beam, it is an easy calculation to determine the speed the car was going at the time.

The "trick" is that the system transmits the findings by radio signal to a car that can be up to 2000 feet away!

This would however require two officers to work. One determines which car is speeding and the other has the readout unit in their car and determines the speed the speeder was going.

What can go wrong? (Ie; how can you fight it)

First of all, as long as the unit was calibrated within 60 days of the date of your ticket, you have an uphill battle ahead of you. BY LAW, the legal assumption is that the machine was accurate. Although a few hundred dollars in fines and increased premiums is a big deal TO YOU, it's typically not to anyone else. YIS does have field reps that go around and calibrate the equipment on-site. (therefore it doesn't really matter if the device is ACTUALLY accurate, the legal assumption is that it IS accurate as long as they produce a calibration document. It would take you a LOT of time (several years actually) and a goodly amount of cash to prove otherwise)

Because the beams stretch across BOTH lanes of the highway, it IS possible for you to trip one beam and the car going the opposite direction to trip the other in a manner that might falsely put your speed at a rate higher than it truly was. Hopefully, that would be ruled out by the observing officer but you can always float the arguement.

You can (and should) of course object to as hearsay anything that the testifying officer didn't observe directly. If a second observing officer is used, both, in theory, SHOULD show up for the hearing.

You might also have an arguement that the actual speed limit was not accurately posted. Often times municipalities - in response to citizen complaints - just put up speed limit signs in a certain area. Sometimes they get PenDOT's ok, sometimes they don't. Either way, the lowering of speed limits beyond the state mandated limit is supposed to require a traffic study of some kind saying that such a limit is required due to safety. If this step is overlooked, you can present a VERY strong arguement to reduce or toss the ticket.

You can also argue that the speed zone was not adequately marked. Signs are required at the beginning and end of the speed zone and every 1/2 mile in between. Nor can one of these things be set up within 3/10th of a mile of a change in speed.

The law also allows a "grace" zone of 5-10mph over the posted limit. Cops know this though and will never write you a ticket for going say, 40 in a 35 zone. Sometimes though, you can trip them up by getting them to reduce it to within that grace zone and then fight that. Ummm...but if you do, make sure it is a place you don't visit very often. Youwill be a marked man.

Or....you can fall on your sword, cough up the cash, negotiate away some (if not all) of the points, and let get on with your life (recommended)

[Phillyboi]

Yes Enradd is a device made by a small Pennsylvania company located in York, Pa. It was approved for use by all pa police departments by March of 2003. YIS/Cowden manufactures the device and is one of several companies authorized to calibrate it.

It basically consists of 2 pairs of infrared transmitters and receivers (similar to what keeps your garage door from closing on your kid) mounted on two 3' to 5' rails. These rails are placed on either side of the highway and are adjusted so that cars passing by will trip one beam then the other. If you know the exact distance between the two sets of sensors and the exact time between subsequent disruptions of the IR beam, it is an easy calculation to determine the speed the car was going at the time.

The "trick" is that the system transmits the findings by radio signal to a car that can be up to 2000 feet away!

This would however require two officers to work. One determines which car is speeding and the other has the readout unit in their car and determines the speed the speeder was going.

What can go wrong? (Ie; how can you fight it)

First of all, as long as the unit was calibrated within 60 days of the date of your ticket, you have an uphill battle ahead of you. BY LAW, the legal assumption is that the machine was accurate. Although a few hundred dollars in fines and increased premiums is a big deal TO YOU, it's typically not to anyone else. YIS does have field reps that go around and calibrate the equipment on-site.

(therefore it doesn't really matter if the device is ACTUALLY accurate, the legal assumption is that it IS accurate as long as they produce a calibration document. It would take you a LOT of time (several years actually) and a goodly amount of cash to prove otherwise)

Because the beams stretch across BOTH lanes of the highway, it IS possible for you to trip one beam and the car going the opposite direction to trip the other in a manner that might falsely put your speed at a rate higher than it truly was. Hopefully, that would be ruled out by the observing officer but you can always float the arguement.

You can (and should) of course object to as hearsay anything that the testifying officer didn't observe directly. If a second observing officer is used, both, in theory, SHOULD show up for the hearing. If the arresting officer testifies, for example, that a "red Dodge Charger" tripped the sensor, you COULD call that hearsay unless corroborated by the second officer. (of course, all that might get you is the requirement to take more time off work for a second hearing)

You might also have an argument that the actual speed limit was not accurately posted. Often times municipalities - in response to citizen complaints - just put up speed limit signs in a certain area. Sometimes they get PenDOT's ok, sometimes they don't. Either way, the lowering of speed limits beyond the state mandated limit is supposed to require a traffic study of some kind saying that such a limit is required due to safety. If this step is overlooked, you can present a VERY strong arguement to reduce or toss the ticket.

You can also argue that the speed zone was not adequately marked. Signs are required at the beginning and end of the speed zone and every 1/2 mile in between. They also can;t get you with one of these things be set up within 3/10th of a mile of a change in speed.

The law also allows a "grace" zone of 5-10mph over the posted limit. Cops know this though and will never write you a ticket for going say, 40 in a 35 zone. Sometimes though, you can trip them up by getting them to reduce it to within that grace zone and then fight that. Ummm...but if you do, make sure it is a place you don't visit very often. Youwill be a marked man.

Or....you can fall on your sword, cough up the cash, negotiate away some (if not all) of the points, and let get on with your life (recommended)