Radar Detectors

[VTKilarney]

I used to use radar detectors and regularly drive 20+ over and I got tickets all the time.

Past 10 years I haven't used a radar detector and regularly drive 10- over (except on motorcycle) and haven't had a single ticket (except on motorcycle).

Well said. One flaw in the pro-detector argument is the assumption that you would drive the same speed even if you didn't have a radar detector. The way I see it, a radar detector is only useful if you drive at a speed that would lead to you being pulled over. And if you drive at those speeds a radar detector is not 100% effective. So there is inherent risk. For me, the risk is not worth it.

I suppose an argument could be made that it is useful for those rare instances when you fail to keep track of your speed. But I'm going to go out on a limb and bet that most radar detector owners aren't using one just for those rare instances.

 

[BenedictGomez]

The way I see it, a radar detector is only useful if you drive at a speed that would lead to you being pulled over.

Yeah, that's kind of the idea.

 

[makimono]

From my vast experience of getting pulled over with a radar detector...if you are going to use one you need to react rapidly and definitively when it goes off. Don't just ease off the gas, you need to hit the brakes and drop 20mph in about a second. Don't worry about the cop seeing you slamming on the brakes, just worry about the read-out on his gun.

One little story of when a radar detector saved me a ticket, going along with light traffic about 85 in a 55 on a PA turnpike. Detector lights off and I slammed on the brakes. A volvo behind me came flying up on me, almost rear-ending me just as we passed by the PA statey in the median. He lit up and pulled over the volvo while I hi-fived my Passport 5000 and kept on my way.

 

[Domeskier]

Don't just ease off the gas, you need to hit the brakes and drop 20mph in about a second.

Are you worried about getting a reckless driving charge doing that?

 

[Abominable]

Also, if you get pulled over while using one, assuming you have the usual 'suction cup' setup, best to pull it down before the cop sees it.

 

[makimono]

Are you worried about getting a reckless driving charge doing that?

well you don't want to lock up your brakes and lose control, you need to know your vehicle. It's just something I've learned because there were several times I was alerted and just eased off the gas instead of really dropping speed and still got pulled over and ticketed. And then there's the example I gave above where I probably could have gotten a reckless driving citaiton but the statey went after the speeder instead.

At the risk of pissing someone off...IMO most state troopers aren't out there for public safety, they're out there for revenue generation. Speeding tickets are a $6 Billion a year industry.

 

[VTKilarney]

At the risk of pissing someone off...IMO most state troopers aren't out there for public safety, they're out there for revenue generation. Speeding tickets are a $6 Billion a year industry.

No doubt there are components of both.

As for the slamming on the brakes, radar detectors lock in the speed. Perhaps if you slam the brakes on right as you are being tagged the speed that is locked in is lower than your original speed.

 

[makimono]

No doubt there are components of both.

As for the slamming on the brakes, radar detectors lock in the speed. Perhaps if you slam the brakes on right as you are being tagged the speed that is locked in is lower than your original speed.

Yes, no doubt. And I don't want to turn this into an anti-police thread and get it locked.

With modern LIDAR you just don't have much time. As I said I haven't used modern detectors so I don't know how effective they are, but one of the reasons why I stopped buying new detectors is they just weren't very effective against instant-on radar and LIDAR when it first came out. You're only chance was if the detector happened to pick up on it reading someone in front of you, but if you were traveling alone by the time the detector alerts it was too late.

A much more effective deterrent is experience. I used to do the reverse commute from Boston to Metro-West on the MassPike daily and there were only 4 places that statey's ever used to do speed control. So I could do 90 mph on the straight aways and just drop speed when approaching those 4 spots. Being closed access divided highway with no median you didn't have to worry about getting lit up from the opposite direction.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I guess if you're really concerned about LIDAR you could buy a laser jammer. A bit overkill I think. Heck you can even buy stuff that prevents a picture from being taken of your license plate.

 

[Abominable]

With modern LIDAR you just don't have much time...they just weren't very effective against instant-on radar and LIDAR when it first came out.

This is true, but the majority of speed traps are still radar, and of course when a cop is moving it's only radar. So an RD is very effective 90% of the time you'll come across a cop where he's in a position to give you a ticket.

And even with a laser they generally like to zap you a couple times. It's good to know when you've been zapped.

Really, the only argument I can see against having a radar detector is cost.

 

[gmcunni]

Really, the only argument I can see against having a radar detector is cost.

they were illegal in some states back in the day, is that still an issue?

 

[gmcunni]

they were illegal in some states back in the day, is that still an issue?

let me google that for myself....

so Viginia and DC look to still have it illegal, assuming this web site is updated and legit

http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/radar-detectors/

 

[Abominable]

let me google that for myself....

so Viginia and DC look to still have it illegal, assuming this web site is updated and legit

http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/radar-detectors/

Right, only those two, and the entire Canada. Seriously, don't even bring it across in your glove box or luggage.

An additional thought, these are generally pretty effective against the radar type speed cameras as well, which are the type you see in construction zones on I-95, for example. Anywhere there's a mobile camera trap (vs. the in-road, permanent varieties).

These things are all over the place; you'll notice a lot more now that you have a detector.

 

[BenedictGomez]

This is true, but the majority of speed traps are still radar, and of course when a cop is moving it's only radar. So an RD is very effective 90% of the time you'll come across a cop where he's in a position to give you a ticket.

I'll take the Over. I'd guess it's something like 95% or more. It's very rare I see police using laser, even when they own that tech. I imagine it must be a PITA for them to use, because I don't understand why I so rarely see it.

R

An additional thought, these are generally pretty effective against the radar type speed cameras as well, which are the type you see in construction zones on I-95, for example. Anywhere there's a mobile camera trap (vs. the in-road, permanent varieties).

These things are all over the place; you'll notice a lot more now that you have a detector.

Where is that? I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say some place like Allyourmoneyisourssachusetts?

We got those booted out of Jersey about a year ago. One of the first times I call recall New Jerseyans in angry open revolt. The politicians became scared. We need to do that more.

 

[VTKilarney]

I'll take the Over. I'd guess it's something like 95% or more. It's very rare I see police using laser, even when they own that tech. I imagine it must be a PITA for them to use, because I don't understand why I so rarely see it.

It's a money issue. Most of the LIDAR units are supplied through federal grants, and nobody wants to spend their own money on them if they can just wait a while for the federal gravy train to come in. They also take more effort to use. You have to actually have to aim them with a degree of precision. Sometimes that means that you have to get out of your cruiser.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Take it to court! Plea Not Guilty and show up for hearing date. No officer no ticket. If there is an officer then play dumb and get it knocked down to a three pointer. Speaking from experience!

Most of this can get taken care of in pre-trial..
I got nailed doing 95 on the NYS Thruway - sunny day - laser - was pissed and rushing around like an idiot..
Showed up for court - cop wasn't there. They reduced it to "Failure to observe posted signs" which is still a moving violation but not nearly as bad as doing 95mph in a 65mph...
If I didn't take the reduced ticket - the cop probably would've had to be present...

 

[x10003q]

It's a money issue. Most of the LIDAR units are supplied through federal grants, and nobody wants to spend their own money on them if they can just wait a while for the federal gravy train to come in. They also take more effort to use. You have to actually have to aim them with a degree of precision. Sometimes that means that you have to get out of your cruiser.

Cops have to have a clear, unobstructed view of traffic to use laser. That means leaving the window open in your cruiser. That also means very rare usage in cold weather states, especially at night during ski season (and as mentioned it is not accurate when raining or snowing). You also have to aim it at the exact vehicle. With a radar unit, you just set it for the speed you want to be alerted and you can look up to see which driver is going to have a lucky day.

I have been using a Valentine for the last 18 years and have no tickets in that time frame. Before that I had a built in Bel and it was not as good as the Valentine.

I generally move at the upper end of what traffic is moving at and never play the rabbit. If there is no rabbit then I am going about 10 over the speed limit.

If speeding tickets were about safety and not money, cops would always be patrolling at the speed limit, not hiding behind berms, trees, around curves and hiding at the bottom of hills. I cannot remember the last time I saw a cop moving at the speed limit on a highway.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

My next one will be a Valentine.... Things are awesome..
I love knowing where the signal is coming from..

 

[BenedictGomez]

My next one will be a Valentine.... Things are awesome..
I love knowing where the signal is coming from..

Better than Escort? I have 20 years brand loyalty there. Plus I like the fact they can track numerous radar signals simultaneously, which i think is an invaluable feature.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Better than Escort? I have 20 years brand loyalty there. Plus I like the fact they can track numerous radar signals simultaneously, which i think is an invaluable feature.

This was checking into them a while ago..
I need to weigh it out again.. But I LOVE knowing what direction the signal is coming from..