Xref: utzoo sci.physics:4557 sci.electronics:3961 rec.autos.tech:4697
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!convex!killer!ames!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!tikal!sigma!bill
From: bill@sigma.UUCP (WIlliam Swan)
Newsgroups: sci.physics,sci.electronics,rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Can 31 party balloons aggravate 1 police RADAR?
Message-ID: <1805@sigma.UUCP>
Date: 30 Sep 88 20:51:24 GMT
References: <880928.0208.11468@ontmoh.UUCP> <1405@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: bill@sigma.UUCP (WIlliam Swan)
Followup-To: rec.autos.tech
Distribution: na
Organization: Bob Williams for Governor
Lines: 19

In article <1405@cbnews.ATT.COM> wbt@cbnews.ATT.COM (William B. Thacker) writes:
>>While driving an 11 year old Mazda GLC filled with 31 balloons and a
>>passenger, I was stopped for speeding -- 88 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.
>>The 31 balloons were filled with helium and had "metallic" colours.
>>
>I believe such balloons are made of aluminized mylar. I'd guess
>that they could, indeed, reflect police radar. However, they'd probably
>make a much smaller target than your Mazda, being of much "stealthier"
>design (no sharp edges, etc) and generally less area. I wouldn't think
>they caused the high reading; more likely, the radar was at fault.

That many balloons in that car would be bunched together - you'd have your
"sharp" edges there. The balloons would not likely make up the 28km/h
difference by their linear motion, but I have no idea about vibration (I'd
think it unlikely, though). I would suspect the radar.


-- 
William Swan	..!tikal.teltone.com!sigma!bill