Which came first...radar or speed limits?

GinaG · Guest

As we drove through a flashing light in a 20 MPH school zone, my friend asked me "How did police catch for speeding before radar detectors?"

Hmmm...? I'm sure this forum knows an answer. I looked in wikipedia but the two subjects didn't cross relate.

Does anyone have some history you could enlighten us with?

Thanks,
Gina in Texas

Ryan_W · Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 15

Hi,

Here's a little info supplied by Wikipedia. Maybe there's more out there somewhere.

Leonard Baldy of the Chicago Police Department was the first patrolman in the United States to experiment with and use a radar gun to detect the speed of vehicles back in 1954. He also wrote the first ticket in the world for speeding using a radar device.

The first speed limit was introduced in 1861 in the United Kingdom (automobiles were in those days termed “light locomotives”). In 1865, the speed limit was reduced to 4 mph in the country and 2 mph in towns. The 1865 Act required a man with a red flag or lantern to walk 60 yards ahead of each vehicle, and warn horse riders and horse drawn traffic of the approach of a self-propelled machine.

I'd have to say the speed limit came before the radar gun.

If anyone can supply better than this, please do.
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Ryan W.

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