Helicopter Pacing?

Was out driving yesterday in the East Bay (SF Bay Area - near Bear Creek Road). All of a sudden, a helicopter popped over the hill and started pacing me. I never saw a patrol car, but this guy seemed pretty serious about staying with me, and had some sort of device hanging out the side and pointed at me. Anybody know anything about this type of activity? I made sure my speed was within limits , and assumed that the only way he could get me was to pace me and then radio ahead for a patrol car to issue the ticket. The road was very curvy, so I'm not even sure how he could pace me other than measuring my straight-line speed and assuming that my actual speed with curves is faster. Also not sure if he can spot my license plate from that distance. Am I paranoid? Anyone heard about this before? Thanks in advance!

The CHP in SO CA has been using Helo's or small planes in conjunction with Radar due to terrain. My guess is their doing the same in NO CA.

Could be the CHP but I would imagine that it would be very hard for them to win such a ticket should you choose to protest. You've got to figure: 1 would they pay a pilot to show up to court? 2 Would they pay an officer (writter of the ticket) to show up to court? It's probably not worth it to them even if you were doing 90.... I have some experience with this stuff, maybe too much experience..... "If you delay them, they won't come".......

It's not as hard as you think. If there were markers on the ground for mileage, they calculate your speed rather quickly. It doesn't matter if the road twists or not. Only the land officer has to show in court. Be careful out there.

Understood Huston, But fortunately you have the right to subpoena witnesses to your hearing (offence or defense)�. This is a tactic that is somewhat useful yet bothersome to most agencies. I would be very surprised if you were-not given a dismissal before your trail date. Most people don�t know how to even have their case reviewed before even stepping foot into a courtroom; this alone would ad a month, maybe two. In addition you can waive your right to a quick and speedy trial to have your day in court postponed for another 3 months�. By the time you actually have your day in court I would say 9 out of 10 times you�ll be lucky to grace the court with your appearance. �Dismissed!� Unfortunately we�re not in Texas as you could have been heard by a panel of 6 of your peers in this same dispute. 3+ years �nothing on my record� 100+MPH at least once a week! (over 120 this last week on the way back from San Diego) Oh yah, keep you eyes on the road and � an eye to the rears�..

stuff hanging out of the side - could have been a tv or film camera on a tyler or other gyro mount - ya never know what people are out shooting - especially in CA.

I got nailed in the SoCal hills by a plane early this year. The plane worked as part of a team, feeding speeders to a cloverleaf of a few patrol cars. Very efficient. You might be part of a video (3X maybe?). ;-)

Thanks for the answers everyone! I never got pulled over by a patrol car. We'll see if I get a ticket in the mail, but it sounds like I may just be paranoid. As for movies, I dunno. Let me know if you spot a black C2...

good luck trying this in mass. you'd get the ticket every time. they don't care about what you can or can't do, the judge will simply say "tough ****, guilty, next case". i speak from experience.

I too speak from experience.... I�ve fought and won my last three tickets, it�s not whether you�re wrong or right to the judge it�s how you play the game. Unfortunately for me I could have made more money practicing law instead of doing what I�m doing. I guess it would only be fair to tell you that I�ve been issued over 30 citations in my life and I�m sure I�ve been pulled over at least 50 times. My license was suspended twice, placed on restriction once and not to mention the impounds�.. Oh yah can�t forget the �excess of a 100MPH in a 35�, cops don�t seem to appreciate that especially when it�s just a block away from their station�.