Police clocking the FZ6? Is it harder?

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Yea, you need to know the area, if your going ride above the speed limit.

Seems most the states are cracking down.


BTW, should you want to crank er up without the likelyhood of being caught, the on ramp to the interstate,(if clear) is a good place.

Many moons ago, my friend and I, on a road trip to Deals Gap had a ball just getting on the interstate. This was on my FJR, a quick sprint to 125MPH, then slow down to merge with I75 traffic..

I've never seen traffic enforcement at the on ramp to any interstate..

 

[novaks47]

I didn't read all the posts(I'm at work, lol), but here's the breakdown on radar-ing moto's.

K-band would be a bit tough. Wide beam with limited range. Old tech now, only rural police use them if they even bother with radar.

Ka-band not too hard. It won't pick off a bike from as far away as a car, but still pretty easy. Most widely used radar in the USA.

Laser (LIDAR)- You're toast. Long range, confined beam, and they can hit anywhere on the motorcycle, and have your speed. Laser is pricey though, so only CHP, and wealthy areas use them.

Keep in mind, those little stationary "your speed is" trailers are not using the same exact units as the police. The trailers usually use a weaker, wider patterned unit, so that they can display speeds of multiple lanes, as opposed to cops being able to pinpoint and choose their targets. Also, you've got two large headlights working against you. Those are more than large enough to reflect a good signal, especially along with the riders profile.

 

[novaks47]

Yea, you need to know the area, if your going ride above the speed limit.

Seems most the states are cracking down.


BTW, should you want to crank er up without the likelyhood of being caught, the on ramp to the interstate,(if clear) is a good place.

Many moons ago, my friend and I, on a road trip to Deals Gap had a ball just getting on the interstate. This was on my FJR, a quick sprint to 125MPH, then slow down to merge with I75 traffic..

I've never seen traffic enforcement at the on ramp to any interstate..

Haha, I LOVE getting onto the freeway in the morning! That's about the only time I can really get on the throttle all the way to redline.

I have however, seen many a CHP hiding on on-ramps, as well as sitting *just* past the on-ramps.

 

[FIZZER6]

BTW, should you want to crank er up without the likelyhood of being caught, the on ramp to the interstate,(if clear) is a good place.

Many moons ago, my friend and I, on a road trip to Deals Gap had a ball just getting on the interstate. This was on my FJR, a quick sprint to 125MPH, then slow down to merge with I75 traffic..

I've never seen traffic enforcement at the on ramp to any interstate..

Then clearly you haven't traveled enough or have not paid enough attention! Cops in NC, VA, MD, PA, NY etc love to sit on the shoulder of on-ramps because they are hidden from the view of speeders on the highway and in a perfect position for a quick catch of said speeder. I always look back when passing on-ramps and have passed 10-15 cops sitting there running radar pointing at the highway. Of course chances are if you were on the ramp you would see the cop in time and he would not be painting you with radar anyway.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Then clearly you haven't traveled enough or have not paid enough attention! Cops in NC, VA, MD, PA, NY etc love to sit on the shoulder of on-ramps because they are hidden from the view of speeders on the highway and in a perfect position for a quick catch of said speeder. I always look back when passing on-ramps and have passed 10-15 cops sitting there running radar pointing at the highway. Of course chances are if you were on the ramp you would see the cop in time and he would not be painting you with radar anyway.

From SW Florida to Tennessee 800+ miles each way (Deals Gap, Cherohola Highway) is about what we would ride and no police at the on ramps. In the city I live, the police do sit on occassion where a ramp merges with a downhill overpass (speeder targets), and as you stated, your coming up on them, their watching the interstate, not the on-ramps...

In Florida, FHP just has to sit in the median on a downhill slope and nail speeders..... Much more speeders on the interstate going downhill (where there is a hill) than by the on ramp...

If not in an area we're familiar with, we keep with traffic and out of trouble...

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Just as an FYI, for radar training, at least in Florida, your trained to get get a visual speed in your head before even looking at the radar machine.

Thus, if you estimate the target speed is 60 MPH but your radar reads 90 MPH, you would DISREGARD the 90MPH reading.

To pass the course you needed to be extremly close when estimating speeding cars, bikes (don't know what it is now) or you don't get certified. As you stated, if someone is passing a pack of cars visually and the radar jumps up, he's a winner!

...

I don't know how it's possible to get an accurate visual speed on a motorcycle due to it's small size regardless of how much training you hve. Cars yes, bike very difficult. I would figure the variance betwen the two would be substantial in terms of accuracy. This is one of the primary reasons why cars always pull out in front of the motorcyclist, they cannot accurately judge their speed. Yeah, these drivers are not professionally trained to judge speed, but like I said, the small size make the "Visual" method much more complex.

 

[Dave.TX]

I've never seen traffic enforcement at the on ramp to any interstate..

Maybe not where you are, CHP in CA does (or did when I lived there) all the time. I routinely drive on the highway where I patrol so I'm constantly looking at onramps. I know the habits of local drivers as I also live in the district I work so know the intersections/roads where people act like complete idiots and disregard safety because they DWHUA.

I've stopped a speeder that was merging onto the highway before so it does happen. I was going the speed limit and the Mercedes flew right on by, never saw me. Sometimes it's just too easy.

As for the OP, I was wondering where he lived that he could ride 80-90 seemingly all the time and think that it's acceptable. Traffic where I live (near Austin, TX) sucks big time. Between my house and the interstate are 4 different police agencies to tend with. Sheriff, two different city cops and TX DPS troopers.

Oh, I also popped a guy for going 70 in a construction zone marked 50. I made sure I wrote on the ticket he was 20 over with workers present. Not on a motorcycle but in an SUV. Total disregard for their safety. Yet again, DWHUA.

Why is it OK for some to not obey the law? It's called "antisocial behavior". Or "jail bait".

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I don't know how it's possible to get an accurate visual speed on a motorcycle due to it's small size regardless of how much training you hve. Cars yes, bike very difficult. I would figure the variance betwen the two would be substantial in terms of accuracy. This is one of the primary reasons why cars always pull out in front of the motorcyclist, they cannot accurately judge their speed. Yeah, these drivers are not professionally trained to judge speed, but like I said, the small size make the "Visual" method much more complex.

As you state, drivers aren't trained to judge speed of other vehicles nor are they REQUIRED to drive defensively s. Bikes are harder to see, anyone with any experiance on two wheels know that. Riders have different riding habits they learn over time to help avoid cages (using high beams during the day, changing lane position to be seen from a certain angle, etc)...

Obviously the larger the target, the easier to estimate... Different colors will look slightly faster or slower as well. If your sitting still and a motorcycle is coming at you at say 20 over the speed limit, you CAN SEE IT. Try sitting somewhere and watch traffic, cars and bikes. Especially when the bike is passing a bunch of cars...

It wasn't unusual to get a strong signal on the pack of cars and wait (and hope) for the higher signal/tone on the bike walking away (visually) from the group. It not hard at all.

When I did work in traffic enforcement, I always gave at least 15MPH over the speed limit, I wouldn't even stop that vehicle as there's ALWAYS someone going to come up going considerably faster.

And yes Dave, I agree, I keep it under 10 over the speed limit when cruising, No agency down here will let you get away with constant cruising. On my old FJR cruising at that speed was a piece of cake, the FZ6, I feel guilty and don't like to ride STEADY over 70MPH, that little engine is buzzin!


Below picture is for Dave.TX, for his GT

 

[why_not_Zoidberg?]

My ONLY moving violation ever was for "Evading a traffic control device". What does that mean you ask?

It is what happens when you cut through a 7-11 parking lot to make a legal right on red instead of waiting for a 3 minute light to change and you get unlucky and there is an unmarked cop sitting in the parking lot with a dozen Krispy Kremes.

Tip: when avoiding a traffic control device, do not cut through the parking lot of a store that sells donuts. :BLAA:

He must have just finished them up! The cops in the (small) town I work in are very adamant about the "No turn on red" signs, or so I've been told. I don't understand why they even have them in a town of less than 6500 people.:spank:

 

[FIZZER6]

In Florida, FHP just has to sit in the median on a downhill slope and nail speeders..... Much more speeders on the interstate going downhill (where there is a hill) than by the on ramp...

Hold the phone. Did you just use "Florida" and "Hill" in the same sentence? :BLAA:

The Great Smoky Mountains...Now those are hills! :thumbup:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Hold the phone. Did you just use "Florida" and "Hill" in the same sentence? :BLAA:

The Great Smoky Mountains...Now those are hills! :thumbup:

North of Gainesville it does get "hilly". South Florida, pretty damn flat.....

As for the Smokies, Oh yea, my favorite place to ride, the Gap, Cherohola Highway especially, long hard, fast twisties!!!

 

[FIZZER6]

North of Gainesville it does get "hilly". South Florida, pretty damn flat.....

As for the Smokies, Oh yea, my favorite place to ride, the Gap, Cherohola Highway especially, long hard, fast twisties!!!

I grew up in New Orleans so when I moved about 45 min north of Houston, TX at age 8 I thought I lived in the hills when I could coast without pedaling my bicycle on a 1% grade....then I moved next door to West Virginia....Motorcycling bliss!

 

[wicrules]

"As for the OP, I was wondering where he lived that he could ride 80-90 seemingly all the time and think that it's acceptable. "

I'm not the OP, but I live outside Huntsville, AL. On the morning drive in on I565, if you aren't doing 80+, you are likely to a) get run over and left as a greasy spot, or b) get run off the road. If it is raining, add 5 more MPH to that And don't forget, most of them are talking on the cell phone, putting on makeup or eating their breakfast.:BLAA: