Higher Law: Russian Scientist Evades Speeding Fine by Appealing to Physics

A Candidate of Sciences from the Russian city of Kazan successfully disputed a traffic violation fine, by appealing to the laws of physics, a local newspaper said.

Yuriy Goryunov, a resident of Kazan, has proved that a mobile speed camera gave inaccurate readings that led him to be wrongly fined for speeding. In August 2015 a speed camera, operating on the Moscow-Ufa highway, caught Goryunov's "Lada Granta" car allegedly travelling at 92 kmh in a 70 kmh zone. A month later the driver received a 500 ruble fine (US $7.5), according to the Evening Kazan newspaper.

Goryunov has categorically rejected the violation and claimed that the car speedometer showed 80 kmh at most. After a careful examination of the photos that he received in a letter from the traffic police, he noticed that the speed camera's sensor was located at a level below the under-chassis of his vehicle. The physicist argued that in this circumstance, the transmission of radio waves is reduced and the results of the speed measurement can be increased, giving an entirely inaccurate reading. In addition, Goryunov studied the technical documentation for the speed camera, "KRIS-P". He found out that the device can also indicate excessive speed if its settings have been incorrectly installed, the newspaper wrote.

After Goryunov supplied the information on the camera's operations, coupled with his understanding of the laws of physics, proving the correctness of his testimony, the court found him not guilty. However, the defendant's side — the traffic police — appealed to the Supreme Court of the Republic, where the physicist's arguments will be accurately reviewed again, said the publication.