Speeding tickets issued by laser and radar guns are extremely common in California.

In this article we will explain how rider/lidar guns work and what details are important. 

Avoiding high speeding fines in California while staying alert to law enforcement officers is key step to not receiving a citation.

Here are the basics you need to know about laser and radar guns

How Does a Radar Gun Work?

The term radar refers to the detection and range of radio waves. Radar is a simple method for determining how far away and how fast an item is traveling.

When a police officer uses a radar gun to detect a vehicle’s speed, the gun fires a focused radio wave at it. Radar guns calculate the time it takes for radio waves to return back to the device in order to measure speed and then display the vehicle’s alleged speed on a screen for the police officer to view.

One way to counter radar enforcement is by having your own radar detector.

A radar detector uses electromagnetic frequencies in the region around your car, zeroes in on neighboring signals, and alerts the driver when a radar gun is in operation nearby.

When a radar detector goes off, you know there’s a cop nearby watching for speeding automobiles, so you can slow down and avoid getting a penalty.

Differences Between Radar Gun and Laser Gun

For decades, the radar gun has reigned supreme when it comes to accessing your vehicle’s speed remotely.

Radar and, more recently, laser (also known as lidar) guns broadcast a pulsed signal then listen (or watch) for that signal to bounce off a vehicle and return to the transmitter.

The frequency of the signal changes when it bounces off a moving object and is reflected back to the radar gun.

Based on how much the frequency changes, the cannon can calculate the vehicle’s speed. Doppler radar is the name of the technology. In case you are curious, the Doppler effect is the same shift in frequency or pitch that you hear as a race vehicle approaches and then drives away.

In the case of lidar guns, the device emits a series of infrared light pulses at very accurate intervals. Changes in the time it takes for those pulses to return to the gun determine the vehicle’s speed.

Where to Expect a Radar or Laser Gun?

If there is moderate-to-heavy traffic, the officer will most likely drive in the fast lane to avoid other vehicles blocking the radar beam.

Look for radar in a cruiser stationed on the side of the roadway if you’re traveling on a highway with a center divider. A center divider eliminates the need for officers to do a U-turn in order to work opposite-lane traffic while in motion.

Instead, they’ll park and aim for vehicles that are driving in the same direction. On-ramps to freeways are also popular parking spots for patrols.

How to Avoid Radar and Laser Guns

Get a radar detector system

Installing a radar/laser defense system in your vehicle is the greatest method to avoid speeding citations.

A radar detector will warn you if a radar threat is there, giving you enough time to slow down before the officer can visually determine that you were speeding. This can buy you valuable time to slow down and avoid getting a speeding penalty.

There are also radar and laser jammers, that literally block radar or laser from bouncing off your cars, but these devices are illegal in California and in a lot of states, with others not explicitly banning them.

California prohibits hanging devices from windshields, so be careful about where you put your radar detectors.

Download radar detector apps

For both Android and iOS cellphones, there are radar detector apps available. It has also encouraged more people to download it because it is free and portable on your phone. Some examples are Waze, GLOB, Escort Live, or Radarbot.

These radar detectors inform you of the presence of police personnel in your area. You’ll realize you can’t hurry up this way and avoid a costly ticket.

Contact us at Ticket Snipers if you have any queries about police radar and laser or how to defend your vehicle against speeding citations. We’re available during business hours if you’d like to chat with one of our trained consultants about speeding ticket defense.