I was driving up 53 N today near Palatine and passed a van. I saw a flash as I was approaching the van and a flash after I passed it. I was going with the flow of traffic around 55 MPH (there was a minivan in front of me and a motorcycle to my left).

I also have a V1 that did not go off, so I find it unlikely that they clocked me for a violation, but if it was possible for 10 over I don't doubt that I'll get a fine for $375 or whatever they posted it as on the IDOT website. Is this something I'm able to contest? I don't understand how they trapped my speed without a radar / lidar. And if it was a distance/time equation in the van I did hit the brakes after the first flash so from 55 it might've clocked me at 50? Can I assume they'll toss it?

 

You can always try to contest it.

 

53 is a mess right now. Did the van have a sign with your current speed? I always thought that your speed had to be posted and that was a warning to slow down according to ISP.

Maybe this will help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c88XwiFCZQ

 

I don't know what the system is in the vans there, but I know that when AZ had the radar vans on the freeway they used K band at a VERY low output. Like, if I was in the right two lanes of the freeway (near the shoulder with the van) I would get a single bar hit JUST as I passed the van but if I was in the fast lane or the HOV lane, no hit at all on a Passport 8500.

 

That's odd it can be that low. My V1 didn't even beep x, k or ka.

I was thinking the same thing. There was no speed posting, the van was not clearly marked as it was parked with the front facing me, not the rear. Obviously it was not clearly marked. I was going 10 over, but the law apparently states they can get me for 1 over in construction.

Hopefully I won't see anything in the mail, if I do it'll be a fun time contesting this one as i did not take pictures of the scene in question.

 

I've seen a similar van twice for an on ramp going home months apart... I saw a flash the first time, but not the second time and I did not get a ticket for either. Could be different, but I think my van was for traffic flow testing.

 

Get you check book out and have the ass rape lube at the ready.


:poorbastard:

 

^

Oh and off to Car Talk we go...

 

The Vans in IL use photo "radar" imaging to calculate speed, kinda like our Toll Way system, you know when you go under the iPass "gate" yeah its calculating your speed too. Your radar detector won't go off when the van is clocking you.

 

^^^ My passport has gone off a few times going through the iPass. It's always been lazer though, and I've never gotten a ticket to date.

 

So if I saw the flash and slammed on my brakes and hit 40mph when passing it'll register a slower speed

 

Seems like I've been doing a lot of this in Chicago this year. 2 red light violations 3 no front plate violations and now this garbage. It always happens too when I'm coming back and forth from the city. Maybe I should just hole up in the burbs.

 

It is odd that your radar didn't get it. The one by my house always goes off as an X for me on my passport.

 

The other night I was on 53 during construction. No Photo Radar Enforcement signs, no warning lights or clearly marked van that displays your speed. Also it says 55 MPH construction speed, then ahead it drops to 45 MPH. This place is a mess.

 

It used to be fun driving in IL. Cops really put their foot down in the last couple of years on speeding.

 

Ironically the state is also broke... They outsourced police duties to Serco and installed redlight cameras all over the place for "safety".