Whistler XTR690
Buy now only $495 
Whistler PRO78
Buy now only $595 
GF100 laser jammer
Buy now only $795 
Stinger DSI Computer Buy now only $call 
Drive Video Recorder Buy now only $995 
Valentine1 radar
Buy now only $695 
Escort 9500i + GPS
Buy now only $695 
Escort 9500ci Stealth Buy now only $1945 
Tiredness Warning Buy now only $595 
Laser Jammer Tester Buy now only $49 
Car MP3 player + USB Buy now only $49 
Alcohol tester + LCD Buy now only $69 
Mini alcohol tester Buy now only $49 | Radar detector articles, police speed camera deployment and other interesting stuff. "The German autobahn has no speed limits and has an accident rate lower than any in the U.S., proving that the government has no business telling people how fast to drive. Similarly, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world (we have 5 percent of the world's population, but house 22 percent of the world's inmates), and yet our murder rate is six times higher than any other post-industrial democracy. U.S. lawmakers just don't get it." Quote from a friend. Are Multanova camera setup and used incorrectly?If you have photographs of Multanova speed cameras being either used incorrectly, not setup appropriately or used in an otherwise questionable manner we would love to hear from you. This camera near Osborne Park was setup at the top of a hill. The camera operator approached me asking "is there a problem mate." I mentioned the Australian standards for setup and operation of photo speed cameras and he said "we have all of that mate and its setup right." I took some pictures. The operator stated "it is only illegal to setup a camera at the bottom of a hill...." To quote the Australian standards for Radar Speed Detection AS 2898.2-2003. Section 2.4.7 Alignment, "The operator shall ensure the beam of the radar device is related to the flow of traffic as follows; For slant radar devices, as near as possible to being parallel to the plane of the roadway and at the angle specified by the manufacturer, within the manufacturer's specified tolerances." The Multanova camera must be configured at 22 degrees to the road, I do not believe it mentions a variance for a decline or incline to the road. A dictionary definition of parallel: "Given distinct lines in the plane that are infinite in both directions, the lines are parallel if they never meet. Two distinct lines in the coordinate plane are parallel if and only if they have the same slope." Is a the top or bottom of a hill not a slope? Clearly this camera is not configured parallel to the road. 
Below is the same camera photographed from the top of the hill, the incline is clearly visible again from the fence on the other side of the road. 
Below is a Multanova camera setup in Ballajura. It is placed near not 1 but 3 high capacity power lines, and the camera is pointed straight towards 2 power transformers (visible in the video file below.) To quote the Australian standards for Radar Speed Detection AS 2898.2-2003. Section 2.4.2 Site Selection, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) 'the operator shall ensure that the effects of electromagnetic interference are minimised by careful site selection." 
To quote a popular radar gun's user guide under the heading Interference "Man-made influences are by far the most troublesome, because they generally involved electronic signals which may cause spurious displays. Electronic noises can be generated by; POWER TRANSFORMERS, radio transmitters (especially those in the patrol vehicle, neon lights etc.) These influences generate a phenomenon called "harmonics," which can cause a radar to display a false reading." In the picture below you will clearly see 2 power transformers, 3 sets of high capacity power lines.... 
Below is a link to a video that shows just how poorly this camera was placed, it is mind blowing to believe this is considered a legitimate place to use a photographic speed camera. Below is another camera on Albany Highway that is setup near power transformers again. 
Below, the same camera is also pointed directly at several brick walls and also a large metallic object, namely a bus stop. To quote the Australian standards for Radar Speed Detection AS 2898.2-2003. Section 2.4.3 Reflections from stationary objects "The operator shall ensure that the radar beam is not being reflected away from the direction in which it is being aimed by stationary objects that may lead to incorrect target identification. NOTE: Typical stationary reflective objects are advertising boards, traffic signs, parked vehicles, metallic fences, sheds and phone boxes." This metallic reflective surface is a bus stop, but I neglected to take a photo from the opposite direction where it is also used as a sign - a minor technically, but its good for us to maintain accuracy. 
Below, the same camera is with a wide point of view. At least 2 vehicles are parked on the opposite site of the road. 
Below, but wait it gets even better with this camera. What was that about metallic signs? Here are 2 signs in front of the Multanova camera.... 
NEWS FLASH: Below, less than 1 weeks later, the main offending metal sign has been REMOVED. Wow, we are flattered that the authorities are clearly monitoring this page! 
Here is the field of view as seen by the Multanova camera. Is this an admission of guilt? Have the infringement notices issued from this location been send unjustly? 
Caught in the act, this Multanova camera operator is using a mobile phone via a BlueTooth headset... Picture taken outside Burswood Casino 8 Jan 2007 at about 12:30. I asked the operator if he was using a mobile phone and he stated "yes, is there a problem with that?" A mobile phone and a BlueTooth headset are both radio transmitters. Is that a game of SUDUKO on his lap? To quote a popular radar gun's user guide under the heading Interference "Man-made influences are by far the most troublesome, because they generally involved electronic signals which may cause spurious displays. Electronic noises can be generated by; power transformers, radio transmitters (especially those in the patrol vehicle, neon lights etc.) This patrol vehicle has not one, but two radio transmitters in operation while the camera is taking shots. 
I don't know about you, but looking at the picture below, wouldn't electrical cables that are squashed in a car door on a regular basis be prone to failure? 
Below a picture sent recently from a customer with his own description " This picture was taken after being flashed from behind, I went to investigate as I'm usually good at spotting the cameras! I noticed that the operator had seen me pull over and was out of is car in a flash (no pun intended) walking towards me very briskly indeed. The picture is of him chaining the sign to the closet immovable object." ED: I wonder what else this camera operator had forgotten? This camera is also configured rear facing. Orrong Rd, Carlisle. 28/7/08, 7:30pm. 
Recent radar detector testsRecent controlled tests performed in Arizona USA confirm that the Whistler XTR-690 Radar Detector and Pro-78 on average either equalled or outperformed the RX55 on all Ka frequencies. Following is a summary of the test results in relation to the XTR-690. - The XTR-690 and Pro-78 was on par with the 8500 X50 #1 in run 1 of the 35.5 test
- The XTR-690 and Pro-78 beat the V955 in run 2 of the 35.5 test
- The XTR-690 beat the 9500i #1 and 9500i #2 in run 1 of the 34.7 test
- The XTR-690 and Pro-78 beat the 9500i #2 and the V1 #3 in run 2 of the 34.7 test
- The XTR-690 and Pro-78 was on par or beat the 9500i #1 in run 3 of the 34.7 test
- The XTR-690 and Pro-78 beat the RX65 in run 1 of the 33.8 test
- The XTR-690 beat the RX65 and the 8500 X50 #2 and the V955 and on par with the 9500i #1 in run 2 of the 33.8 test
- The XTR-690 beat the RX65 and the 8500 X50 #2 in run 3 of the 33.8 test
- The XTR-690 and PRO-78 was on par or beat the 9500i #2 on run 2 of the K band test
- The XTR-690 is on par or beat the 9500i #2 and the STi driver #2 on run 3 of the K band test
Independent test results conclude that the Whistler XTR-690 and Pro-78 offer ultra high performance detection capabilities at approximately 1/2 the price of more expensive counter parts from Beltronics, Escort and Valetine1, coupled with a massive 3 year FACTORY WARRANTY, the Whistler is an investment, rather than a liability such as products with only a 1 year standard warranty. No more "service required" faults just after your warranty expires! No more extra charges for a 2 year warranty. Whistler provides the longest warranty in the industry. Please note, the Whistler XTR-690 radar detector used in these tests was a prelease model, there have been 3 updates to this fantastic product already resulting in measurable increase performance of at 20~30% Radar detector basicsAlmost all drivers experience that cold moment when you realize you have driven for a while over the speed limit and you think you spot a police car on the side of the road well ahead of you. The fear of getting caught speeding is common to all drivers, even the ones that drive extremely slow have reported that they fear to be seen speeding by the police. It is no wonder that most people are afraid to get caught, getting caught usually means that you will have to pay the price, sometimes money and sometimes it is much, much worst.
First we must examine the reason for speeding, although this is an article about radar detectors there is some sense to keeping a speed limit, maybe you are young at this moment, but one day you will have a family, and you wouldn’t want your kids to play outside and get hit by a speeding car, maybe you love racing but do not yet understand that racing requires skill and more importantly – a track. So there is a sense in keeping a limit to the speed in which people drive.
But, as all things some people want their freedom, some don’t even care about getting caught – they just love to drive fast, other claim that they will not speed but want to be aware of who is watching them. For all these people there is one very clear and fast solution and that is the radar detector.
Car detection radar will assist you in avoiding speeding tickets and will let you know if a radar is in sight, they do not guarantee that they will spot a radar but all claim to have a high chance of success in informing the driver a radar is close. There are three basic types of radars that are used in trying to locate something that is moving at any speed, the X kind of radar, the K and the third – the Ka- Band radar detector, all are working on the frequencies, which is the important thing about the car radar, any product that you will want to look at will need to scan the frequencies for the beam that is trying to spot it, that is why many of the radar detectors are loaded on the windshield or the dashboard of the car, for maximal visibility.
Although the way in which different radars detect the moving vehicle may differ significantly form one another, if you want to buy something that you could use for a while you should first think about where are you mainly driving and research what kind of radars are used in that area, there is no sense in going out and purchasing the most advanced product on the market if you drive around only in one area that used an old fashioned radar gun to spot speeding cars.
For maximal protection you should think about what you need and why you need it, for example you don’t need it when driving in town and only when you drive long distances, you should try and find out what kind of radars is used in your area, and once you know these things research the products on the internet. Just before you purchase one ask yourself, is it not easier to simply drive by the rules? From RoadSense.com.au Press ReleaseFailed road safety policy. June 07.
The road toll in Australia is worsening in spite of the most massive road safety campaign in history, the speed kills campaign supported by extensive media coverage, lower limits, tougher penalties and stringent law enforcement using automated devices.
It is worsening against a steady improvement over the previous sixteen year period which ended in 2004. [1] It is also worsening against improvements overseas where wet and icy roads are more prevalent than Australia. In 2004/05 there was a 7% fall in the OECD median road death rate per 100,000 population. [2] Australia’s rate however rose by 2% - a 9% discrepancy. Germany’s 2006 data shows a continued 7% improvement attributed largely to strict lane discipline. [3]
Our roads are safer, vehicles are safer, paramedics more skilled, drought affected roads are dry, the public have never been more aware of speed limit enforcement, penalties have never been tougher. These factors should have driven the road toll lower than before. They have not, it is rising. Clearly more of the same is not only not working, it is killing people.
In 1999 the NRSS (National Road Safety Strategy) targeted a 40% reduction in road deaths by 2010 but has admitted a substantial gap exists between actual and required outcomes. Tragically we are over 200 lives lost per year behind projected outcomes. [4]
The major cause of the increasing toll is blamed on speeding while the studies used to justify the use of speed cameras are disturbingly misleading. They claim that nearly 40% of road fatalities are caused by speeding [5] yet fail to identify that not even 2% (two percent) are caused through travel above set speed limits. [6] The majority of “speeding” fatalities are therefore caused through travel too fast for the conditions but below the speed limit where speed cameras are unable to function. The studies do not segment above and below the limit data whilst the measures they recommend only target the 2% above the limit fatalities, not the 98% below.
Below-the-limit fatalities comprise approximately 1600 lives lost each year yet with impossible to achieve national speed limit compliance the current policy can at best save around 32 lives per year. Additionally, rogue, tech savvy young drivers know where speed cameras are situated resulting in travel too fast for the conditions, especially on bends where there are no speed cameras.
A major reason for the failure of the policy is the extreme focus on the dangers of above the limit travel to the exclusion of nearly all other risk factors. This implies that travelling below the speed limit is safe, leading to complacency, inattention and increased fatalities. Additionally, the current policy of hidden speed cameras has actually impaired driver awareness through adding to an increasing list of dangerous distractions.
We have a system that has failed with tragic consequences. New thinking and urgent action is required in order to save lives on Australian roads, to bring us back into line with previous road crash fatality reductions and to bring us into line with other countries. We have fallen behind OECD standards and could soon be compared to developing nations where vehicle use is new and fatalities high.
Our message is simple, we want a common sense road safety policy that saves lives.
1) Target and raise awareness of the dangers of below-the-limit speeding.
2) Position highly visible speed cameras precisely at confirmed black spots.
3) Implement strict “Keep left unless overtaking” lane discipline and tailgating penalties.
4) Increased vehicle handling and skid control skills to be required of new licence applicants.
5) A more visible police presence required on our roads.
It is time to stop listening to those who orchestrated the failed road safety policy. It is time for new thinking, time for urgent action. Every day that we wait means more lives lost.
[1] http://www.roadsense.com.au/facts.html - Historic data.
[2] http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2007/Int_comp_05.aspx - ATSB International Comparisons
[3] http://www.destatis.de/basis/e/verk/verktab6.htm - German data.
[4] http://www.atcouncil.gov.au/documents/atcnrss.aspx - 2006 Progress Report, Page 2
[5] http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/downloads/speedprobl_dl1.html 40% - Speeding
[6] http://www.roadsense.com.au/misleading_data.html - Queensland Parliamentary Travelsafe Committee study no 15 – 1994 Radar detector users are 28% safer drivers - its a documented FACT.In some countries and areas, such as those listed below, using or possessing a radar detector is illegal and may result in fines, seizure of the device, or both. These prohibitions generally are introduced under the premise that a driver who uses a radar detector will pose a greater risk of accident than a driver who does not. However, some research has found that the opposite is true. The 2001 Mori report suggests that radar detector users posed a 28% less risk of accident. We don't endorse speeding, an accident at speed will be more severeSource: UK Speed Traps (reprinted with permission) Death of a car driver in 7/10ths of a second.
"John Collins", 38, of 210 Hill Place, was instantly killed last night when his car struck a tree on the main road, two miles east ..... "
Daily newspapers carry thousands of new items similar to this every year. It is a tragically common form of death, but one, which very little has been known. Distinguished medical experts have written detailed post-mortem reports on crash victims. The primary reason for the report was to reduce fatalities by making cars safer, more crash proof. Out of it have come recommendations for safety belts, different types of steering wheel etc. But out of the report has also come something else; the terrifying picture of what happens to steel and glass, to flesh and blood in those last split seconds when a human being is hurled into eternity.
This is a slow motion, split second reconstruction of what happens when a car travelling at 55 mph, crashes into a solid, immovable tree;
1/10th OF A SECOND: The front bumper and chromium radiator grille collapse. Slivers of steel penetrate the tree to depths of one and a half inches and more.
2/10th : The bonnet crumples as it rises, smashing into the windscreen. Spinning rear wheels leave the ground. The radiator disintegrates. The wings come into contact with the tree, forcing the rear pads to splay out over the front door.
In the same second tenth of a second: The heavy structural members of the car begin to act as a brake on the terrific forward momentum of the body, but the drivers body continues to move forward at the vehicles original speed. This means of force of 10 times gravity his body weight 3200. His legs, ramrod-straight, snap at the knee joint.
3/10th : The driver's body is now off the seat, torso upright, broken knees pressing against the dashboard. The plastic and steel frame of the steering wheel begins to bend under his terrible death grip. His head is now near the sun visor, his chest above the steering column.
4/10th : The cars front 24 inches have been completely demolished, but the rear end is still travelling at an estimated speed of 35 miles per hour. The driver's body is still travelling at 55 MPH. The engine block crushes into the tree. The rear of the car, like a bucking horse, rises high enough to scrape bark of low branches.
5/10th : The driver's fear frozen hands bend the steering column into an almost vertical position. The force of gravity impales him on the steering column. Jagged steel punctures lung and intercostal arteries. Blood spurts into the lung.
6/10th : So great is the force of impact that the driver's feet are ripped from his tightly laced shoes. The brake pedal sheers at the floorboards. The chassis bends in the middle. The driver's head smashes into the windscreen. The rear of the car begins its downward fall, with spinning wheels digging into the ground.
7/10th : The entire, writhing body of the car is forced out of shape. Hinges tear. Doors spring open. In one last convulsion the seat rams forward, pinning the driver against the cruel steel of the steering column. Blood leaps from his mouth. Shock has frozen his heart. He is now dead.
TIME ELAPSED - SEVEN TENTHS OF ONE SECOND
INAPPROPRIATE SPEED KILLS Death of a Motorcycle Rider driver in 1.42 seconds.We all know that a small vehicle generally has a significant disadvantage during most accident situations. Lack of mass and compact physical dimensions often account for serious injuries under conditions where had they been in a larger vehicle the injuries would not have been so significant. What about the poor motorcyclist?
He operates in a stream of traffic with hazards far more extreme than those confronting the occupants of a small vehicle. He has minimal structural vehicle protection and often comes into direct physical contact with the opposing vehicle. Unlike the motorist, who is enveloped in the protective shield of his passenger compartment, it is the motorcyclist's body that serves as the energy absorbing structure. His fate so often depends on the nature of the impacted structure and the chance orientation of his body as it strikes the vehicle/object.
Consider then the effects of a 40mph impact into the side of an emerging car.
As the motorcycle contacts the front door of the car the inertia of the front wheel is such that it penetrates 6 inches into the door
15ms (milliseconds), the wheel contacts its engine. The rider starts to slide forwards on the seat.
At 25ms the motorcycle frame experiences a deceleration of 39g. The front wheel continues to crush further into the door of the car and it collapses as the engine starts to penetrate the side plane of the car.
63ms the maximum penetration reaches 34 inches. The motorcyclist's knees are buried into the side of the car whilst he is still in a seat posture after sliding forward onto the fuel tank.
55ms his legs sustained a deceleration of 71g. The pivotal action of the knee contact rotates the rider to a standing position bringing his chest forcibly against the 'A' pillar.
80ms, he experiences a deceleration of 109g. The sudden deceleration of the chest flails the head forwards over the top of the car; the helmet strap stretches.
105ms allows the face to strike the roof at 105g. Following this the helmet latch disengages depriving the rider of head protection during any subsequent collision with the car or road surface.
The motorcycle and rider fall motionless to the road.
TIME ELAPSED - 1.42 seconds. |
