kkd@druor.UUCP (DeLiefdeK) (10/08/85)
I'd like information on VASCAR (used by the police to record car speed). How is it different from radar? Is it suppose to be less error-prone? How error-free would it be on a four-lane highway (one-way traffic) when all lanes are busy?
ben@moncol.UUCP (Bennett Broder) (10/10/85)
>I'd like information on VASCAR (used by the police >to record car speed). How is it different >from radar? Is it suppose to be less error-prone? >How error-free would it be on a four-lane highway >(one-way traffic) when all lanes are busy? VASCAR stands for Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder. It is not radar; in fact it doesn't use microwave radiation, so radar detectors are useless against it. The way VASCAR works is: 1) Police measure distance between two points on highway. 2) They enter this distance into the unit. 3) As the potential speeder passes the first point, police start unit. 4) As the car passes the second point, officer stops unit. 5) Unit does simple arithmetic on time and distance, then displays speed. Since VASCAR relies on the officer to start and stop its timer, it is only as accurate as the officer operating it. If the officer is adept at operating the unit and has placed himself in a position where parallax does not degrade his ability to determine exactly when the car has passed the checkpoints, VASCAR can be extremely accurate. Conversely, a cop who is poorly positioned or who is slow on the trigger may obtain somewhat inaccurate readings. My hunch is that it would be easier to beat a VASCAR ticket in court than it would be to beat a radar ticket. At any rate, VASCAR is ideal for the situation you describe. With VASCAR the officer would know exactly which car is responsible for the speed on his display, with radar, he must make a judgement. Ben Broder ..ihnp4!princeton!moncol!ben ..vax135!petsd!moncol!ben
ugzannin@sunybcs.UUCP (Adrian Zannin) (11/01/85)
> >I'd like information on VASCAR (used by the police > >to record car speed). How is it different > >from radar? Is it suppose to be less error-prone? > >How error-free would it be on a four-lane highway > >(one-way traffic) when all lanes are busy? > > VASCAR stands for Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder. It is > not radar; in fact it doesn't use microwave radiation, so radar > detectors are useless against it. The way VASCAR works is: > 1) Police measure distance between two points on highway. > 2) They enter this distance into the unit. > 3) As the potential speeder passes the first point, police start unit. > 4) As the car passes the second point, officer stops unit. > 5) Unit does simple arithmetic on time and distance, then displays > speed. . . . etc If that is so, how come there is a sign around the campus here warning motorists that VASCAR *radar* patrol is being used? -- Adrian Zannin ..{bbncca,decvax,dual,rocksvax,watmath,sbcs}!sunybcs!ugzannin CSNET: ugzannin@Buffalo.CSNET ARPANET: ugzannin%Buffalo@csnet-relay.ARPA BITNET: ugzannin@sunybcs.BITNET
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (11/01/85)
> > VASCAR stands for Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder. It is > > not radar; in fact it doesn't use microwave radiation, so radar > > detectors are useless against it. The way VASCAR works is: ... > If that is so, how come there is a sign around the campus here warning > motorists that VASCAR *radar* patrol is being used? Because an ignoramus composed the sign... === Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York === === UUCP {decvax,dual,rocksanne,rocksvax,watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry === === VOICE 716/741-9185 {rice,shell}!baylor!/ === === FAX 716/741-9635 {AT&T 3510D} syr!buf!/ === === TELEX 69-71461 ansbak: ELGECOMCLR {via WUI} ihnp4!/ === === === === "Have you hugged your cat today?" ===
john@gcc-milo.ARPA (John Allred) (11/04/85)
In article <2423@sunybcs.UUCP> ugzannin@sunybcs.UUCP (Adrian Zannin) writes: > If that is so, how come there is a sign around the campus here warning >motorists that VASCAR *radar* patrol is being used? Because "radar" tends to scare drivers. Also, the Kustom K-11 radar has the ability to do VASCAR, as well. -- John Allred General Computer Company uucp: seismo!harvard!gcc-milo!john ^^^^ note new path-------------||
neal@weitek.UUCP (Neal Bedard) (11/05/85)
In article <2423@sunybcs.UUCP>, ugzannin@sunybcs.UUCP (Adrian Zannin) writes: > > >I'd like information on VASCAR (used by the police > > >to record car speed). How is it different > > >from radar? Is it suppose to be less error-prone? > > > > VASCAR stands for Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder. It is > > not radar; in fact it doesn't use microwave radiation, so radar > > detectors are useless against it. > > If that is so, how come there is a sign around the campus here warning > motorists that VASCAR *radar* patrol is being used? > -- > Adrian Zannin Police malfeasance. There is a model of radar gun (Kustom KR-??) that has a VASCAR timer/calculator built in. A police buzzword for it is `detector-proof radar', which is falsehood, since VASCAR is nothing more than a glorified stopwatch. The PD in question should have its knuckles rapped for that sign. VASCAR's accuracy depends soley upon the officer visually measuring the time interval of a vehicle passing between two observable points a known distance apart. This introduces human factors at mamy points in the system, and the attendant potential for error and/or abuse not present in radar. VASCAR is the only method that your speed can be measured from an aircraft (look for the white marks on the shoulder sometime.) -Neal -- 55. It's a law we can do away with. UUCP: {turtlevax, resonex, cae780}!weitek!neal