No, no scope on them. But yours is a good question.
Lasers can be pointed at a specific target, but not so for Radar.

USUALLY, the largest target is what the radar will "lock" on to. This is because it presents the strongest signal to the comparator in relation to the ground reference. But if you are close enough to the radar, and if there are "few enough" other echos for the radar's DSP to sort thru - there is a way he can "lock" on to you. It is called "fastest" mode. This is not something all radars can do, but many can. In this mode, the radar will ignore all but the fastest echo. Again, it's performance can be somewhat limited - that is, you have got to be close to him (relatively speaking) and there usually can't be too many echos to sort thru... but it can work.

Another way he can get you is to observe you speeding faster than the semi, taking the speed of the semi and ticketing you for the speed of the semi. (Since he knows you are going at least that fast). Now, this technique is not legal in Georgia. Officers are required and trained to:

1) Observe your speed in the radar's "Target" display.
2) Hear the sound of the doppler shift in the radar's speaker.
3) Observe and identify that it is YOU and not possibly anyone else that the radar is tracking.

So, in Georgia, he has to lock on to you. I cannot speak for other state's laws. I know this, because we replace a LOT of radar unit speakers. We charge $4 to $10 for the part and $90 labor. I questioned an officer why he was so upset I didn't have his particular speaker in stock; I indicated he could still write speeding tickets. I was wrong, he explained, "Mark, I have to SEE your speed in the display and HEAR the doppler noise in the speaker and make an ABSOLUTE determination that it is YOU I am tracking. And I must be able to say this in court."

(This is not to say that all officers are this honest - I am just relating an experience from work here, ok?)

You are probably wondering what I mean by "hearing the doppler shift". See, the speaker is fed with the signal of whatever the radar is "locked on to". And with only little experience, you can associate the sound you are hearing with what the target is doing. It is hard to explain here, but this is part of how the officer can be sure he is tracking you and not someone else.

As the radar signal bounces off the vehicle, it takes on a doppler shift equal to your speed. But it does more than that... while the motion of your car "doppler shifts" the radar signal - vibrations also doppler shift the signal.

I have sat on the side of the road and listened as a semi approaches me. As the driver revs his engine and shifts, the noise of his engine vibrates the truck. The radar signal is "doppler shifted" by THIS motion as well, the motion of the vibration of the truck. When the signal is fed to the radar speaker, I can sit there and listen to him going thru his gears.



But by no means is any part of this post intended to give you the idea that an officer is all-powerful, or all-knowing because he has a radar in his car. Fact is, my long post about radar discusses the things that radar CAN'T do and an officer CAN'T DETERMINE. It is for this reason I am shy about posting it all after all. I don't want to look like I am educating people on how to avoid the law!

Still can't make up my mind if I should post it.

I would like PM's from any officers here with their thoughts on the matter.

LAST EDITED AT 15 PAST THE HOUR.
Please remember, as you read this, I am NOT a police officer, but a technician!