I've only encountered it once but I learned something from it that might be useful. It happened last year in my 99 SHO.

I was in Virginia, driving south on I-95 and using the V1. Weather was clear and it was dusk. Traffic was moderate and I was in the middle lane (of 3). I made a move to pass a car and drifted into the left lane. The V1 went off on Laser! I moved back to the middle lane and it went off. I thought that was curious so I drifted back into the left and the V1 went off again on Laser. Ahead was a police car but I couldn't tell if he had the apparatus.

My conclusion was that the Laser beam is so tight that it can be aimed down a single lane. It was likely being used to measure only the left lane.

This has a positive side: avoid the left lane to avoid Laser.

In some ways, conventional radar is better for enforcement because its wide beam pattern can cover several lanes. This can be effective in light traffic.

 

Thanks, this is good info We haven't received to many updates with V1 as of late.

 

the beam is so tite, it can pick any car it wants 3 abreast, they usually aim at the license plate
my understanding is if you pick it up on any detector, its usually too late
i have a v1 too, so i know from experience
the old rule, never be first or alone, find a rabbit to follow
my .02

 

Sure they can pick any car but then they have to actually aim it constantly. It's much easier to just sit the thing and aim it in one position and then just listen for when a speeder exceeds some preset speed. All that is too much work for some.

 

The laser is not often used like that from what I've seen. It is typically used like a handgun. Aim and fire...aim and fire. That's when it's handheld, but if on a tripod, I can see trying to leave it on and wait for cars to break a beam, but that's seems likely only in sparse traffic.

As for your left lane situation, you are correct, it is that narrow that you cannot detect when up close. But far away, YOU CAN.

Case in point (and I've told this story before). I came out my complex and notice the laser speed trap setup. So I went around the block to test it out. Here's what I found out after 3 runs:

1.I was the lead car in the #2 lane and I got hit by the beam and V1 alerted. I was at least 1/4 mile out. There were two cars behind me, one about 2 car lengths back in the #1 lane and another about 5 car lengths back in the #2 lane (same as me). I detected a total of 3 (including me) distinct instances of laser.

2.Next time around I was the lead only car. Pickup laser again, twice. Did he clock me twice? Why???

3.Last time I was in traffic and there were several cars in front of me and behind me. Nothing. Nada. Too much interference from other cars? Did he skip me?

Last year I remember a laser encounter from a tripod-mounted laser in the center median that I detected nearly 3/4 mile out. It was aim and fire...aim and fire and V1 responded every time. I know the V1 detects laser well when it wants to. Other times it doesn't. Don't exactly know why.

 

You are correct. At 1,000 feet down the road from the unit, the effective beamwidth of a lidar unit is approximately 3 feet. Compare that with a Ka radar unit (the narrowest beam generator in the radar family)--at 1,000 feet down the road from the unit, the effective beamwidth of a Ka radar unit is approximately 160 feet. Obviously, radar requires more "interpretation" of the reading on the display. The speed indicated could be any vehicle that falls within the effective beamwidth. With lidar however, individual vehicles are targeted and there is no question as to which vehicle created the displayed speed.