Reliability/Accuracy of Garda Laser Speed Guns

Interesting article, most motorists just pay the on the spot fine rather that fight it in court. and rarely do they enquire as to the current make and model of lazer gun being employed by gardai in ireland, and to see the current calibration cert of the gun in question was it the (lazer gun) correctly calibrated on day of incident etc ? if the daily article is correct then there are many many lazer guns in use that could not possible be properly calibrated ? interesting info for a solicitor fighting someones case in this respect ?
 
from wikipedia:

In 2005 a BBC program Inside Out demonstrated how the LiDAR speed gun most commonly used in the UK, the LTI 20.20 could create exaggerated reading.

Errors came from two sources.

'Sweep errors' were as a result of the laser beam not measuring the distance to a fixed point on the vehicle but instead being 'swept' along the side of the vehicle. This was demonstrated by sweeping the target along a wall which was recorded as moving at 58 mph.

Another way of achieving a bogus reading was where the laser reflected off a wing mirror, hit a stationary reflective object and then returned reflecting off the mirror a second time.[2][
Click to expand...
 
I do not think the model of gun is relevant; it is the principle and use of a flawed system.
As a retired calibration Eng, I asked for details of the gun used when I got done for 6 mph over, and was refused details.
 
They stopped using the LTI 20-20 years ago. The use a gun called an ultralyte.
 
but surely Roker being a retired calibration eng, you are aware that speed lazer guns used by gardai are actually sent to germany for calibration ? this may have now changed since 2011 ? with reference to being allowed refuse you to see the calibration cert they are within their rights to do so, but if it goes to court and you ask the judge if they can supply said cert normally he / she will oblige and tell gardai supply the cert as evidence, ...also if stopped by gardai on speed gun duty and they insist you are over the speed limit you can request to see the speed and ask for the lazer gun serial number..this ensures if you later go to court and ask the judge to see the calibration cert..the one they produce in court is the actual cert for the gun in question , as they all carry an individual serial no. therefore a seperate calibration cert is required for each individual gun, which carries the date and time of calibration...
 
Under Irish law they have no obligation to show you anything. They don't have to prove it was working properly. It is up to you to prove it wasn't.
 
Good point Britvic55, they could be doing lots of people with out of date calibrations, maybe they should be using ISO 9000 etc and be audited. I did mistakenly look at the date on the top of the Daily Mail page, which is todays date
 
Under Irish law they have no obligation to show you anything. They don't have to prove it was working properly. It is up to you to prove it wasn't.
Click to expand...

Where is this in law ? As it does not make sense that they dont have to prove it.
 
LTI_Ultralyte.jpg
from : www.radarlaser.com.au

The LTI Ultralyte evolved from the original 1991 Laser Speed Gun - the LTI 20-20. The Ultralyte was the first model to operate on batteries (C-cells) in the unit rather than from an external battery pack or lighter socket.

Like all Laser Speed Guns, the LTI must be held very steady to obtain a speed reading. This is why a speed reading often takes much longer than a second after the trigger is pulled.

The Ultralyte is now used in Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia, the Australian Capitol Territory and the Northern Territory.

Advantages and limitations of Laser Speed Guns:
  • The narrow beam (less than 1 meter at 300 meter from the laser gun) makes target identification more certain than radar under some conditions.
  • Detection by Laser Detectors is very difficult.
  • Halogen car headlights and driving lights reduce the range of the Laser Speed Guns.
  • Refraction errors can produce incorrect speed readings. Because light is refracted differently by hot air than cooler air, a spot of air rising from the roadway can confuse the laser.
  • Laser beams can be affected by atmospheric conditions. Speed reading range is reduced on cloudy or foggy days.
  • When the laser beam bounces off more than one solid object (stationary or moving) reflection errors occur, producing an incorrect speed reading.

 
If It is not necessary to prove that the electronic or other apparatus was accurate or in good working order. Why bother maintaining it at all? just use a dummy gun and guess a mph reading
 
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