Evening star., 1954-08-29
BY Jacques FutreIIe, Jr.

~ Tie s.er's TravsI Editor
IL Is not unlikely that the
motoring public will turn a
critical eye for a second look
at the use Of radar in arresting
speeding motorists.
The Nations pleasure drivers,
becoming increasingly aware of
the heavy toll the motor car
reaps in death and injuries, more
or less accepted introduction OF
the specialization device as a
cure, unpalatable but necessary.
But one of the largest and most
influential motoring organiza-
tions in the world, the American
Automobile Association, la st
week took occasion to question
radar; not necessarily its ac-
curacy and legality, but enforce
ment practices growing up
around it.
Ralph Thomas, president of
the AAA. sums up the problem
this way: What does radar hold
in store for us motorists? AS we
in the AAA see it, use of speed
detection devices holds potenti-
alities for either good or harm.
depending on what use is made
of them"
Electro Motto Speedmeters
Jnst to set the record straight,
the so-called highway radar is
not radar at all. Radar is used
primarily to locate an object.
The small black box that reg
listers speeds is technically known
as an electro-matic speedmeter.
Because its operation is based on
micro-waves, it must be licensed
by the Federal Communications
Commission.
A recent check by the AAA at
FEC showed 568 specialization
sets have been licensed. They are
used in 43 States, the District
and Hawaii. Highway depart
ments employ u in making speed
studies: the other 496 are
licensed for operation by police
departments.
The AAA reports two radar
sets in the District, both assigned
to the Highway Department. In
Maryland, four sets are assigned
to the State highway patrol and.
there is one each in Baltimore,
Cumberland and in Montgomery
County. Ten sets are owned by
the Virginia State government,
according to the AAA. Six are for
police and four for the highway
department. Y In addition, both
Danville and Martinsville have
five sets each, and Lynchburg
has one.
This FEC centralized licensing,
incidentally, has raised Federal
Government question on the use
of speedmeters. There seem to be
more signs warning of radar
speed control than there are
licenses, and the FEC is going to
find out why.
Score Technique
The excess of signs over IL
censed sets could arise from two
enforcement practices, either
one of which might arouse pub
lie ire to the point of outspoken
criticism. One is that radar
warning signs are posted per-
manently for stretches of high
way that are policed by speed
meters only occasionally. On
the other hands a sign might be
posted but never manned. Pub
lie reaction in either case might
be that the signs are sort of
official cry of wolf" when there
is no wolf.
1t is not above police depart
ments, striving to make the
highways less bloody, to use this
"Scare" technique in keeping
heavy-footed motorists within
speed limits. The North Caro-
lima News Bureau, an official
arm of the State government,
recently revealed that dummy
speed recorders Of the type US
ing electric wires stretched
across the road have been placed
by the State highway patrol at
points to frighten motorists into
observing the speed limit. Some
of these devices-there is no
telling which-are manned to
catch Speeders.
"Trop" Lies Miles Awoy
There is another angle to the
radar sign situation. It is the
posting of sign speed checked
by radar" at a single point on
we'll Travelled highways. The
radar checking stretch of read
might be 20, 80 or 40 miles away,
at some unheralded spot where
the motorist inadvertently might
speed for a mile or two.
The radar set very likely would
be placed on a straight run of
road that invites the motorist
to open 'er up" AS to single.
State-embracing warning of ra-
dar control, it could have been
used back in the days when
speed traps fiourished: Speed
checked by police traps" The
radar trap happens to be more
scientific and. therefore, more
certain in convictions.
Speed Not Lone Killer
Naturally, the American Auto
mobile Association is against
unwarranted speeds. The ma
tional motorists organization.
Mr.. Thomas says. "is in favor
of strict enforcement against
excessive and accident-causing
speeds" But. he added, ''the
question of reasonable speed has
been a hotly- debated matter ever
since the early DAYS, when limits