Porsche driver apprehended despite gizmo

[austin552]

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=181&art_id=vn20071119033431770C626972

Porsche driver apprehended despite gizmo

November 19 2007 at 04:58AM

By Shaun Smillie

It was meant to let the luxury car slip through the police's radar, and although the hi-tech gizmo did its job well, it still didn't help.

The small black gadget attached to the registration plates of a gold Porsche Cayenne SUV was supposed to jam a laser speed trap.

It worked perfectly on the N3 highway on Sunday morning and the driver would have got away if not for the eagle-eyed cop operating the speed gun.

The metro police officer, suspecting that the driver was using a laser jammer, pulled the Porsche over.

Inspector Kobeli Mokheseng, spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni metro police department, said: "The officer suspected that the Porsche was travelling at high speed.




"But his device said 'error' on the LCD. He pulled the car over and found two jamming devices on the registration plates."

This was the first time the Ekurhuleni metro police had stopped a car using a laser jammer and impounded it.

The 45-year-old driver, believed to be a well-known businessman, told metro police at the scene that he didn't buy the device.

"He said he bought the brand-new car with the laser jammer already installed. I don't think Porsche would like that," Mokheseng said.

He would have to prove that that was the case when he appeared in the Germiston magistrate's court soon.

The driver was arrested for defeating the ends of justice by installing an illegal device. His Porsche was impounded.

The device, which is twice the size of a matchbox, works with infrared detectors. These pick up lasers, from a speed trap or camera, directed at the car.

A jamming pulse signal is fired back and the speed trap cannot read the speed at which the vehicle is going.

The Porsche driver was not the only person arrested in the blitz - part of the metro police's Operation Velocity - between 5am and 10am in the Edenvale section of the N3.

Metro police also arrested two men for driving at 191km/h and 194km/h in a 120km/h zone.

All three men where taken to the Edenvale police station.




This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on November 19, 2007

[Porsche-O-Phile]

And why exactly would he consent to a search of his vehicle?

[Jims5543]

I am glad these scumbags are off the roads. The world is a safer place without them.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

And why exactly would he consent to a search of his vehicle?

They didn't "search" his vehicle. The jammer was bolted to the outside of the car. If you had a gun duct taped to the hood of your car, no one would have to "search" your car to know that.

[WolfeMacleod]

They're not Illegal here in WA.

Been looking at them, myself. They got one that beeps at you and then shuts off. Give you about ten seconds to slow down...

Shoulda painted it to match his car...

[the]

He must have though the gizmo made the car invisible.

[9dreizig]

To my knowledge they aren't illegal anywhere in the USA..

[Danny_Ocean]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

And why exactly would he consent to a search of his vehicle?

Not sure they have the same Constitution in South Africa as we do. And, the article refers to the devices being bolted to the plate. The plate(s) are typically located on the outside of the vehicle.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

To my knowledge they aren't illegal anywhere in the USA..

I can pretty much guarantee they are illegal in California

[RickM]

From SpeedTik.com...

"Radar and Laser Jammers

MN, VA, UT, OK, NB, CA bans the use of radar and laser jammers."

I thought these were found to be ineffective for the most part. Didn't Mythbusters test these?

[Danny_Ocean]

From Wikipedia: "South Africa - illegal (defeating the ends of justice)"

[tc-sacto]

Defeating the ends of justice...gimme a break. How about out smarting the Revenue Collecters. Cops should be spending there time catching rapist, killers, child molesters and such. Not chasing a driver do 70 in a 55. I mean really what's more important.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by RickM

From SpeedTik.com...

"Radar and Laser Jammers

MN, VA, UT, OK, NB, CA bans the use of radar and laser jammers."

I thought these were found to be ineffective for the most part. Didn't Mythbusters test these?

I don't think MB ever tested any commercial jammers. I believe that laser(mostly legal) and radar(very illegal) jammers can be effective, but you still have to be smart.

[911Rob]

Originally Posted by Jim Cesiro

I am glad these scumbags are off the roads. The world is a safer place without them.

Jimmy?
I resemble that remark.
194 Km/Hr is about 120 MPH, Jeesh.

This new Twin Turbo of mine goes way too fast; wholly smolly I can hit 230 to 240Km/Hr like nothing!

Anyone got a link as to where a guy can buy one of these Jammers? I'll take two.

[LeRoux Strydom]

In South Africa we have two different kinds of cops.

The "real" cops have to find the thieves, rapists and murderers. They have no jurisdiction over traffic offences and will ignore moving violations and speeding.

Then we have the revenue collectors, or so-called metro-policemen. They are only there to enforce traffic regulations, which in practise means speed-trapping. They have no jurisdiction over criminal matters, but will often assist the real cops if an obvious crime is being committed.

This Cayenne driver was caught by the traffic cops. The typical jammer of choice here is the Blinder, made in Denmark (I think). The jamming devices, like ordinary laser/radar detectors are not illigal (yet), but the traffic cops are now getting tough on drivers who use jammers, trying to get them conicted for defeating the ends of justice. The cops actually like the detectors (not the jammers). I use a detector, and have been stopped in ordinary traffic policing (where they will check your drivers licence and car licence) with no comment on my detector which is in plain view. They consider the detectors to be an early warning device which helps drivers to maintain the speed limit. Just don't try to interfere with them trying to measure your speed with the laser gun.

We often don't have the same freedoms as you take for granted in the USA. Car searches happen all the time.

[red-beard]

The US Constitution grants no rights. The so called "Bill of Rights" is actually a list of prohibitions. The rights are god given, or self evident. The list is things our government is never allowed to do, which sadly is being eroded every day.

[Danny_Ocean]

Originally Posted by red-beard

The US Constitution grants no rights. The so called "Bill of Rights" is actually a list of prohibitions. The rights are god given, or self evident. The list is things our government is never allowed to do, which sadly is being eroded every day.

That's nice and all, but it doesn't apply in this matter. Incident did not happen within the US.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

To my knowledge they aren't illegal anywhere in the USA..

Might be illegal anywhere in the USA, You see, it's legal to "listen" on any wave length. It's illegal to broadcast without a license. Jammers broadcast. Check the FCC regs..

[9dreizig]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Might be illegal anywhere in the USA, You see, it's legal to "listen" on any wave length. It's illegal to broadcast without a license. Jammers broadcast. Check the FCC regs..

that's absolutely true with radio waves, light waves however don't fall into this catagory. that's why you don't need a license to use a laser..
hence radar jammers are illegal, lazer jamers aren't
T

[sketchers356]

Originally Posted by 9dreizig

that's absolutely true with radio waves, light waves however don't fall into this catagory. that's why you don't need a license to use a laser..
hence radar jammers are illegal, lazer jamers aren't
T

The FCC controls the wavelengths for radar. However, laser works in the infrared range which the FCC can't say jack about. That is why I don't see how jammers can be called illegal anywhere in America. Not saying that there arent commies out there.