Radar Detectors

[tapakeg]

Get it?

Actually no, get what?

[Vulcan]

I use a Bel radar detector and Bel LaserPro Laser jammer. I'd say go the Escort way, the have excellent pickup. If you're not using a laser jammer then all the detector is doing is telling you you're about to get a ticket.

For the cops in this thread, neither radar nor lidar (laser) are 100% accurate, and are prone to both technical error, human error, or sometimes even human deceipt. I don't speed much, at the most 120km/h in 100km/h areas, usually its with 5km/h of the speed limit though. However our police force are tasked with revenue gathering, and often their performance evaluations are based on ticket issuing, sometimes they need to make up their numbers. I see myself as defending myself against an inaccurate and dishonest system that deems the driver 'guilt until proven innocent'.

Take away the revenue gathering and put 100% honest cops out their and I'll man up.

[tapakeg]

I think some people are taking a slipper slope here a bit.

Let me explain,

I am not drag racing, drifting, or the idiot who is 6 inches off your bumper or zinging through traffic (or yes residential areas) at a high rate of speed.

I have a 4 cylinder Altima.

I am in my car 5-8 hours a day on a sales route.  Too many times lately I have rounded a turn and seen a motorcycle cop pointing a detector at me.

I have had one speeding ticket in my life and that was 10 years ago.

It is just too easy to be driving a bit over the speed limit and suddenly be zapped by a policeman.  Who hasn't?

I don't need an adult driving me around, and If I do get a ticket, believe me I will pay it as I obviously was doing something wrong.

I just want to know if there is a speed trap around and not get caught off guard and spend the next quarter mile looking in my rear view mirror to see if I am the one to get pulled over.


Tap

[Marshal]

The best device I have found is a CB Radio. The Truckers never miss a Trooper hiding along the interstate and always let you know exactly were they are sitting. The only problem with the CB radio is that it is only useful on the interstates. This works great for me because the only time I drive more than 10 mph over the speed limit is when I am on the interstate.

[ROX]

The best way to avoid a speeding ticket is to NEVER drive more than 9 mph over the speed limit.  Most states penalize towns & municipalities that write tickets for less than 10 over.

If you must be a speed demon, Whistler is still the industry leader, covering all the microwave radar bands including pulse.

You may end up paying more than your original $120....but well worth it over the cost of your insurance going up after a speeding ticket.

Radar is in the microwave radio spectrum.  Radio waves "bend" and travel 30% further than line-of-sight, so depending on your speed, it should give you fair warning of any speedtrap.

Until you get used to the different alerts on the detector....it's a good idea to drive conservatively.


Good Luck!

ROX

[RedDg]

"Do you meow how fast you were going?"

[Jackal1]

A retainer fee will serve you better than any detector.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The detectors work great at least down here with the equipment the local police uses. The detectors are strictly illegal here too so usually people use portable models that can be hidden from the dash when necessary.

They'll warn about a police vehicle way before you have visual contact to it.

[Shuffler]

Around the Houston area they tend to let you move with the traffic. If your a suspicious looking vehicle they might pull you over at any time. If your cutting traffic they peg you too. I see more of a dnger with the guy driving in the left lane at a much slower pace that other vehicles. Here in Texas the left lane is reserved for passing, even on the hiways. On I-10 18 wheelers are not allowed in the left lane at all.

[wrongwayric]

Ok my 2 cents. Been driving since 16 i'm 45 now and never been pulled over for speeding or received a ticket. I've been driving semi's for 13 years and have logged over a million miles. The best rule you can follow is to never go more than 5mph over the limit. If your in a car basically go with the average flow/speed of those around you and you'll never have a problem. If your using a big rig to stay behind make sure you stay back enough that you can see his mirrors! If you can't see his mirrors then he/I can't see you! Some area's really are cracking down for following to close behind a big rig and the fines are pretty hefty. I've had a radar detector and found it more of an annoyance than a helpful tool. The one feature that i did like on the model i had was with the new style traffic lights and railroad signals there was an alert that would go off when either the lights were actived for emergency vehicles or a train was coming and the gates were going to go down. That was really nice as you could slow down in plenty of time and be more alert to what was going on. There is a system out there that does the same thing but has none of the radar/laser detector features and to the best of my knowledge is perfectly legal.
AKsleepy

[myelo]

I see myself as defending myself against an inaccurate and dishonest system that deems the driver 'guilt until proven innocent'.

Yeah, and I see myself as witty and good looking.

If the cop is dishonest and going to make up the numbers, why does it make any difference whether you have a detector or not?

[Elfie]

Yeah, and I see myself as witty and good looking.

If the cop is dishonest and going to make up the numbers, why does it make any difference whether you have a detector or not?

He not only has detectors, but he also has jammers.

[Shuffler]

Just don't be like this guy:

"In May 2003, on the San Francisco to Miami Gumball 3000 Rally, the first CCR in the United States received the biggest speeding ticket (in terms of speed) in the world; 242 mph (389 km/h) in a 75 mph (121 km/h) zone somewhere in west Texas."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koenigsegg

lol it was 242 kph and it was a porshe turbo, 242 kph is 190mph

[hubsonfire]

It's like gambling- it's only exciting when you stand to lose money. Quit being fairies, throw your toys away, and take your chances.

[Maverick]

I think some people are taking a slipper slope here a bit.

Let me explain,

I am not drag racing, drifting, or the idiot who is 6 inches off your bumper or zinging through traffic (or yes residential areas) at a high rate of speed.

I have a 4 cylinder Altima.

I am in my car 5-8 hours a day on a sales route.  Too many times lately I have rounded a turn and seen a motorcycle cop pointing a detector at me.

I have had one speeding ticket in my life and that was 10 years ago.

It is just too easy to be driving a bit over the speed limit and suddenly be zapped by a policeman.  Who hasn't?

I don't need an adult driving me around, and If I do get a ticket, believe me I will pay it as I obviously was doing something wrong.

I just want to know if there is a speed trap around and not get caught off guard and spend the next quarter mile looking in my rear view mirror to see if I am the one to get pulled over.


Tap

Ok lets look at a couple things here.

You drive quite a bit, fine no big deal. Number of cylinders is irrelevant it's how far you push the throttle that counts.

You had one speeding ticket in 10 years, fine. Why do you need a radar detector then? If you are not speeding you don't need to worry about it do you.

It's not any easier to drive over the limit than it is to drive at the limit. Either is your personal choice.

In your scenario if you round a corner and get "zapped" the detector will just tell you one thing. You've already been clocked. The detector will not tell you if you are over or under the limit, just that you've been painted. You should already know what the limit is. If you are over it then the detector hasn't helped you a bit has it? Same thing for the ubiquitous speed trap.

Frankly speaking, you don't want a detector to warn you of a speed trap, you want it as a means of insurance to allow you to speed and not get caught.


Traffic regulations are not intended to gain "revenue". They are intended to allow people to drive and have many vehicles on the roadway in such a manner that they do not constantly crash into each other. While driving, each driver is supposed to have the reasonable expectation that the other drivers are operating their vehicles within certain parameters in a given area. How do you think it would work to drive where you have no reasonable expectation that other cars will stop at stop signs, red lights, stay on one side of the road or drive at an expected speed? Would you make that left turn if you were not reasonable sure the car a block ahead was not going 35 MPH vs 85? Would it make any difference to you if there was no speed limit at all? How about the car coming up behind you from around that curve, will he be able to stop in time to keep from hitting you if he's at 45 MPH vs 75? Keep in mind that all of the cars would then be going as fast as the driver wanted. Slow, fast or in between it's a crap shoot as to what speed any car would be traveling at. How would you like that situation? Add in multiple lanes going each direction with intersections and vehicles of all sizes like we have now. Maybe you can see all of them, maybe not and they all will drive in a manner that the individual driver wants to.