Speeding fine? Apparently this is a true story.

[bazza2541]

Two British traffic patrol officers from North Berwick were involved in an unusual incident, while checking for speeding motorists on the A-1 Great North Road.
One of the officers (who are not named) used a hand-held radar device to check the speed of a vehicle approaching over the crest of a hill, and was surprised when the speed was recorded at over 300mph. The machine then stopped working and the officers were not able to reset it.
The radar had in fact latched on to a NATO Tornado fighter jet over the North Sea, which was engaged in a low-flying exercise over the Border district.
Back at police headquarters the chief constable fired off a stiff complaint to the RAF Liaison office.

Back came the reply in true laconic RAF style...
[email]"Thank you for your message, which allows us to complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Tornado had automatically locked on to your 'hostile radar equipment' and sent a jamming signal back to it. Furthermore, the Sidewinder Air-to-ground missiles aboard the fully-armed aircraft had also locked on to the target. Fortunately the Dutch pilot flying the Tornado responded to the missile status alert intelligently and was able to override the automatic protection system before the missile was launched"

[The Doctor]

If only he had launched the missle

[Rob_A]

Amongst other things, the Dutch don't use Tornadoes, and Sidwinder is an air to air, heat seaking missile. Sorry

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/radar.asp

[bazza2541]

Amongst other things, the Dutch don't use Tornadoes, and Sidwinder is an air to air, heat seaking missile. Sorry

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/radar.asp

Well if really want to be anal about it then yes the funny story is full of inaccuracies. Happy now? Want to pee in someone elses porridge?

[Rob_A]

Don't get your knickers in a twist  : 

I have just seen/heard it on so many forums over the years that it is annoying now. And if stories are let to run without anyone actually saying "that's bollocks" then other people spread it, and when someone points out that its wrong they look foolish.

[bazza2541]

Don't get your knickers in a twist  : 

I have just seen/heard it on so many forums over the years that it is annoying now. And if stories are let to run without anyone actually saying "that's bollocks" then other people spread it, and when someone points out that its wrong they look foolish.

Yeah, you are right and you do.

[Nosher]

Baz i think your over reacting a bit mate.

Rob has a point

[ChrisW]

There's still the true story from several years ago. In a court appearance, a police officer was asked to demonstrate his hand-held radar that he had used to record a speeding motorist(the defendant). The officer duly complied with the judges request and reported that his instrument was showing the sedentary judge was travelling at 70mph.

Cheers

PS This may have been down to a calibration error

[Coyoteboy]

Calm down calm down....

Sure its full of innaccuracies, I mean this isnt an academic journal now is it?! Crikey, give the man a break. No need fo the shirtyness

J

[paul_gt4]

still kinda funny though

[Coyoteboy]

Just as a side point, the sidewinder was used in several guises, one of which was modified for air to ground use - its common for missiles to be retrofitted with new capabilities. And in the original article it was a dutch pilot for the RAF. I think this is where the confusion lies (attached).

[Rob_A]

Just as a side point, the sidewinder was used in several guises, one of which was modified for air to ground use - its common for missiles to be retrofitted with new capabilities. And in the original article it was a dutch pilot for the RAF. I think this is where the confusion lies (attached).

So far as I was aware the air to ground version was only tested briefly, and never actually used? Doesn't change the fact that it is still a heat seeking missile, and the police radar gun isnt a heat source.

If you read through the link I posted it gives you a whole load of other reasons why the story is a non starter  :

[silkyst185]

300mph seems a bit slow for a fighter jet given that its top speed is just over Mach 2 (1,511 mph) or is that just me

[rubberduck_10_4uk]

If the filth had been using a laser speed gun and if the missile was  a AGM114 'Hellfire' off an apache or an LGB (laser guided Bomb) story would definatley work better

Or even as it is, with a 'HARM' missile (American anti radar missile) or a British ALARM, still for all its inaccuracies it still quite funny, esp the image it leave in you head of a missle moments for impacting the filth

[Coyoteboy]

Rob - no, its only a head seeking missile if that is what electronics they put in the front of it - the mechanics of each type of missile are the same, swap the guidance module and you can guide it with what you like. They use them for anti-tank in some locations as far as I am aware, but like I say - its only a simple switch of the guidance electronics. I work with a guy who designs their guidance systems and software

I agree, 300mph is a little low on the speed but bear in mind that the radar gun a) might be outside its operating envelope and returning incorrect results due to that b) might be capped. Its perfectly possible. But its also perfectly possible that its a lie.