We are not going to fool ourselves, radars are not devices to anyone’s liking. Even the most compliant drivers, those who always follow the rules, can get lost at some point or perform a dangerous maneuver without being aware of it. The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has armed itself to the teeth with speed cameras. It has a total of 760 fixed radars, almost 550 are mobile and 12 Pegasus helicopters , among many others. They all aim to control speed but are also in charge of capturing any infractions such as improper overtaking, dangerous maneuvers and evasion of traffic regulations.
A regulation that has recently changed to pursue, more harshly, the use of the mobile phone at the wheel , the detection devices of said radars and speeds above what is allowed. For example, using the smartphone while driving will be punished with 6 points on the license, when up to now there were 3 , and we will no longer be able to use the 20 km / h margin to overtake, so we must all go at the same pace set by the road.
The Pegasus are feared by every driver , since it is almost impossible to detect or see them before we are “caught” by their cameras but they are not the only ones, now there are also drones. Not everyone can fine us but it can be a test so that they stop us later. The margin of error for this helicopter, which was previously 10%, is 5% .
And the radars?
The radar has a very specific function: to control speed. They have evolved a lot in recent years but their system is still easy to understand. The device emits a signal that bounces off the car and, depending on the speed, alerts of the infraction with the subsequent image that reaches us at home. They are always on and are usually located on the electrified poles that we find on the road.
The side posts can use the same technology or use lasers, something more modern and characterized by being high, something that makes them more difficult to identify. The side cabins and laser kinemometers are the typical boxes located on the hard shoulders. They constantly take photos as soon as a vehicle passes by, calculate the speed and, if it is high, register it for the subsequent fine that arrives at our house. The error margins of these devices have changed, being 5% from 100 km / h and from 5 km / h to 100 km / h for stationary, tripods and stationary cars.
Mobile radars
There are almost the same static radars as mobile ones, taking into account that 80 of the fixed ones are sectional . This last modality, which is the most logical if we want to prevent vehicles from traveling faster in a dangerous section, calculates the average pace that it will take us to get from point A to point B. The calculation is mathematical so that they end up being the most infallible and delicate devices in the face of any mistake, with a margin of error of 3% from 100 km / h .
Returning to mobile radar , we find them of different types: vehicles and tripods . Seeing a car parked on the road, whether or not it is labeled as a security body, is a warning that you should take seriously. It may be a patrol vehicle with a radar on the front or a seated and camouflaged tripod. Many drivers consider these devices to be “cheats” because of their location and function, beyond that of collecting. They are really the most useful for drivers who make regular journeys , who already know the fixed or section radars and comply until they exceed them.
