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Police plane catching speeders |
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Written by FRANK PEEBLES
Citizen staff
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Tuesday, 20 May 2008 |
The RCMP traffic plane flies over the intersection of Highway 16 and Domano Boulevard. (Citizen photo by Brent Braaten)
There are now speed traps in the skies around Prince George.
For the first time, RCMP are using planes to catch drivers speeding on local highways thanks to some lines on the asphalt and some eyes in the sky.
"The first time they used it a couple of weekends ago, they caught 50," said RCMP Sgt. Pat McTiernan. "The air patrols use the lines painted on the highway plus a time calculation to determine a driver's rate of speed. A member in a vehicle on the ground then pulls the driver over when the information is radioed down from the plane."
The technique has been used in several other locations of Western Canada.
"We are marking 16 locations throughout North District," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Gord Flewelling. "We will be using the plane to identify aggressive drivers: those who speed, pass on double-solid lines, and so forth. These zones of focus will be in our high-crash areas where we really want to improve the safety of the public."
The lines are painted according to a tested formula that is accepted in court for its accuracy. McTiernan said lines had to be painted on straight stretches "to allow people notice to safely pull over and stop" when directed to do so by police on the ground.
McTiernan said one driver caught by the eyes in the sky did not understand how the process worked. The driver was sporting a top-of-the-line radar detector and upon receiving a speeding ticket promptly pulled the device from the dash and angrily smashed it to pieces on the pavement, thinking it useless. Police explained that the rate of speed was not determined using radar, but simple math in a controlled environment - all from high above.
The air patrols are so far on stretches of Highway 97 to the south of the city, but police say all highways around Prince George will have sections set for air enforcement in the coming weeks.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 20 May 2008 )
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The powers that be would rather have our police force running down speeders rather than putting them (cops) in harm's way... (God knows what would happen if they actually went to the hood and tried to make a difference.)