GPS speed tracking

[2glock3]

I am curious if I am pulled over for speeding, when I wasn't speeding, will a GPS app on a cell phone help? The GPS app will track max speed, average speed, time, date and a couple other details.

So if I had the app turned on, was pulled over, shown the Officer the log data from the app, would that be enough for the Officer to reconsider?

I don't want to get into the details of my ticket. This is for my future travels.

[eviioiive]

They won't stop you for speeding if you weren't speeding...

[IrishJoe3]

I don't stop you for speeding unless I know that your were, without a doubt, actually speeding. In which case, someone trying to show me an app on their phone will do no good.

[67goat]

It would depend on the officer and how sure they were about their equipment's calibration, at best. At worst, it will upset the officer and guarantee a ticket. In court, it would depend on whether how much the judge understands the technology, and whether the judge gives the officer/government time to form a response (and whether the DA there understands the technology).

In reality, a phone GPS should not influence a cop or a judge (unless the difference was big, possibly as big as 20+ mph at highway speeds). Phone GPS units are notoriously inaccurate (as in often rerouting directions even when you have not strayed from the path), generally connect to too few satellites (affects both accuracy and speed calculations), and update position infrequently enough to create gaps at high speeds.

A dedicated GPS unit would be more likely to be useful if the cop or DA knows anything about the technology. But while more accurate than most phone GPS, not all GPS units are created equal. And depending on location, the unit may have trouble connecting to enough satellites for its most accurate reading levels.

If you are assuming that you weren't speeding because of your speedometer in the car, that is less accurate than a dedicated GPS and a toss up with a phone GPS. There are many things that can affect a speedometer (over/under inflated tires, tires sized differently than stock specs, wear on old tires, etc...).

Given the issues with GPS units, particularly of the phone variety, I would not count on it helping against properly maintained and calibrated speed tracking systems. I'm sure people have used them in court before, but I would venture their success hinged on improperly maintained equipment on the cop's part, lack of continued certification to operate said equipment by said officer, or grossly disproportionate results (GPS says 56, cop says 83).

I am not a LEO, but I do know how bad phone GPS is (even as improved as it is over the last few years).

[ncortez11]

The vehicles are calibrated by the departments. However, a GPS's speed measurement might not be as accurate.

[SonofWWIIDI]

I am curious if I am pulled over for speeding, when I wasn't speeding, will a GPS app on a cell phone help? The GPS app will track max speed, average speed, time, date and a couple other details.

So if I had the app turned on, was pulled over, shown the Officer the log data from the app, would that be enough for the Officer to reconsider?

I don't want to get into the details of my ticket. This is for my future travels.

No details....

Then no opinion!

Quid pro quo.

You want opinions, you must give details!

[CaptMike]

The gps will not help

[74c5]

1. The GPS will list only what it calculates as a maximum speed based upon a moving average of some number of points.
2. It isn't a huge technical challenge to take a MS Excel file and convert it to csv and load that or a kml file onto another app to make it look like a GPS readout. All the GPS does is read and provide results of calculations of data files that are highly similar to spreadsheets. Fudging the date and time is part of the file creation. I've done the same type of thing putting tracks together to remove down time in a breadcrumb track.

[flyer898]

This was actually litigated (using the car's gps) up through the first level appeal. GPS lost. This was in Sonoma County about two years ago.

[Wavechaser]

Someone actually did this to me last night. I paced him at 80 mph for 3/4 mile, and he pointed at his iPad in the center console, stating "My gps tracks my max speed and gives me a warning if I go over the speed limit, I was only going 65."

He got cited for going 80.

[2glock3]

I will deny I was speeding till the day I die. I have no reason to get to point "A" 30 seconds sooner than I would have driving over the speed limit.

The freeway is a 4 lane divided road. I as was on my motorcycle on my way home from work. I was northbound in the slow lane just chilling going the speed limit. I was enjoying the nice day.

I notice this full size Ford pickup coming up on me in the fast lane. When He catches up to me, he and I both saw the CHP cruiser traveling southbound. He slows down, going slower than I was. As soon and the CHP went by he speeds up and drives off.

At this point I really don't think much about it. I wasn't speeding so I just keep enjoying the ride. The next thing I see is the CHP lighting me up. The Officer proceeds to tell me that the reason he pulled me over is because I was traveling 88mph. I told him I was not going that fast, I was going the speed limit.

I mention the Ford pickup. He tells me that I slowed to let him go by.

I have been traveling that stretch of road for over 10 years. I have never had a moving violation. I honestly believe that I was pulled over because I was on a sport bike.

I know that the freeway is patrolled regularly. I know that the CHP sits under the over passes with Lidar.

I am super pissed about this still. I lost in court and have to pay over $500 for something I did not do. I'm having a hard time trying this right now because I'm pissed.

That is the reason for wanting to have something that would say what speed I was going should this happen again.

I enjoy riding and shouldn't have to worry about someone who targets specific people because of what type of vehicle they are riding on or in.

[Wavechaser]

An officer isn't going to risk his 100k a year job to lie about your speed. That, and there are enough people speeding on the road that even thinking to falsify someones speed is complete nonsense.

I think there is probably more to this story...

[CBR_rider]

I enjoy riding and shouldn't have to worry about someone who targets specific people because of what type of vehicle they are riding on or in.

Alot of assumptions on your part, but either way I understand what you are trying to accomplish. Your best bet would be to research some kind of GPS system that stores the logs off site in a secure location that is not able to be edited/manipulated in anyway. I don't know if such a program exists (I am thinking maybe commercial truck drivers or some fleets may use such a system), but I would think such a system would be your only good defense. Cheap-o Garmin system, your iPhone, etc, won't cut it for me. But then again, I only use LIDAR or pacing via calibrated speedometers.

[MaHoTex]

An officer isn't going to risk his 100k a year job to lie about your speed. That, and there are enough people speeding on the road that even thinking to falsify someones speed is complete nonsense.

I think there is probably more to this story...

Yeah, well, years ago (10+ now) my wife got a ticket (I was in the car as a passenger) on the 15 for speeding and we were going 5 under the limit. He got the wrong car yet insisted it was us. It was the other maroon car... not ours. He was wrong. They are human and do make mistakes, it sucks when it is you.

[Ron-Solo]

The attached photo clearly shows why a GPS is not reliable to prove or disprove speed. My wife drives her MINI a bit fast sometimes, but not this fast. This is a photo of her Garmin GPS.