The Speed Trap Thread.....

[Marc]

According to Trooper Greg Trehan whom I spoke with at the firehouse last week, detectors are legal in CT.



If anyone gives you anything about it, call him up at Troop D

 

[dmc]

They've been legal in CT since the early 90s

http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/laws/radar/ct.html

Since 1998 - cool...

 

[Paul]

http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/laws/radar/ct.html

Since 1998 - cool...

I meant late 90's

 

[salida]

Ok

A couple of things... I hate speed traps vehemently, with all my heart.

1. I own a radar detector because I like to know when the cops are around, and yeah it's saved my butt a couple of times.

2. <b>If speeding were really an issue of safety, the government would put electronic limiters on all new cars so they couldn't go over 65. There would be cops enforcing the speed limit in towns, but not on the highway. The point of this is, being pulled over is often times not about safety but about revenue. Thus, by virtue of the rules, its easy for cops to pull you over and make a quick buck, and go on their merry way, while you're stuck with the ticket.</b>

3. I drive a lot, to and from ski areas, and I hardly ever go much over 10 over on the highway. Rt. 4 in VT is the worst, period. I was in a ski bus (peter pan) and our driver got pulled over right before the big right hand turn in town. We were following a group of cars, and we were all going incredibly slow. We got pulled over, apparently doing 43 in a 25... Impossible for this huge bus to come into that turn doing 43. The drive got upwards of a 600 dollar fine (ps we had mass plates).

4. NH is rutheless on the interstate. 93 is bad, but I think 89 may be even worse. On a weekly basis just north of exit 6 (89) they have air po-po doing there thing, pulling basically everyone over on the high way.

rant over, did i mention how much i hate speed traps

 

[riverc0il]

If speeding were really an issue of safety, the government would put electronic limiters on all new cars so they couldn't go over 65.

i hate speed traps too, but this wouldn't work. sometimes you NEED to excelerate in a bad situation to avoid an accident. putting a limit on cars at 65 could cause accidents if someone needs to accelerate. also, some states have higher limits than 65. where do you cap the limit? also, putting a cap threatens changes to the limit if states want to increase. what about racing on a controlled course with no speed limit? limiting speeds on cars also would prohibit car racing. besides, the car and nascar lobbyists would never allow this type of legislation into open session it is all about driving smart and driving an appropriate speed for your surroundings. passing people on the highway doing 85mph is dangerous. so is doing more than 25 through a busy downtown. other than that, speed should be flexible and based upon the conditions at hand including traffic, weather, and type of road. in most areas, traffic enforcement is both about safety AND revenue. i only get upset because i get a warning for doing like 73 in a 65 when someone doing 85mph and weaving recklessly never gets caught because of their detector.

 

[ctenidae]

Interestingly, detectors are going to be legal (if they aren't already) in Virginia because of the safety argument. The logic is, cops are there to slow down traffic and catch teh worst offenders. If a radar detector going off slows people down, then that just broadens the reach of the troopers, thereby increasing safety. Following that logic, having detectors be illegal removes the safety impact, meaning the cops are just there to give tickets, and that's not right. The actual legal argument is somewhat more elegant, but that's the gist.

I'd like to see a program for GPS where you can key in everywhere you see a cop or your detector goes off- over time, you could probably build up a pretty good set of data points. Extra points for integrating a radar detector into a GPS unit.

 

[dmc]

i only get upset because i get a warning for doing like 73 in a 65 when someone doing 85mph and weaving recklessly never gets caught because of their detector.

RADAR detector only detect speed.. not recklessness...

If more cops were actually on the road - instead of hiding with RADAR and LASAR - they would catch these guys..

 

[skibum1321]

4. NH is rutheless on the interstate. 93 is bad, but I think 89 may be even worse. On a weekly basis just north of exit 6 (89) they have air po-po doing there thing, pulling basically everyone over on the high way.

I drive 89 pretty regularly and I rarely see a cop over there. The cops love 89 right around the Burlington area in VT because it changes to a 55. After going 65 for the entire trip on 89 in NH and VT, that is a tough transition.

 

[hammer]

If more cops were actually on the road - instead of hiding with RADAR and LASAR - they would catch these guys..

What's interesting up here in Mass. is that there are plenty of police out on the road on highway details, but you see cars blazing by at 75 MPH and nothing happens.

I thought that one of the reasons we "need" to have (and pay the premium for) police at highway details was for traffic enforcement. :???:

 

[riverc0il]

I thought that one of the reasons we "need" to have (and pay the premium for) police at highway details was for traffic enforcement.

that is one thing i love about not living in MA any more... i don't get pissed off every time i see construction because i know my tax dollars are not going to pay time and a half for some over paid state trooper sitting in his car doing nothing. i used to pass two dozen troopers on I93 during the construction of the bridge. they still have two or three details at there every night last time i was in boston a month ago. i have heard the justification for having police watch construction and the justification is lame, total waste of tax payer dollars.

 

[roark]

that is one thing i love about not living in MA any more... i don't get pissed off every time i see construction because i know my tax dollars are not going to pay time and a half for some over paid state trooper sitting in his car doing nothing. i used to pass two dozen troopers on I93 during the construction of the bridge. they still have two or three details at there every night last time i was in boston a month ago. i have heard the justification for having police watch construction and the justification is lame, total waste of tax payer dollars.

I've seen similar in NH, except it's usually a local PD. Once saw a police car from a town ~50 mi away at a constrcution site!?

 

[skibum1321]

What's interesting up here in Mass. is that there are plenty of police out on the road on highway details, but you see cars blazing by at 75 MPH and nothing happens.

I thought that one of the reasons we "need" to have (and pay the premium for) police at highway details was for traffic enforcement. :???:

I'm glad they just sit there. Route 3 would be a miserable drive if they tried to pull people over that are going 70. Since it was widened there is no way it should still be a 55.

 

[hammer]

I'm glad they just sit there. Route 3 would be a miserable drive if they tried to pull people over that are going 70. Since it was widened there is no way it should still be a 55.

I read in the Globe that the speed limit on Rt. 3 will be raised to 65 MPH...I think that (or higher) is the de facto speed limit in any case.

It just gets me that people can go past police cruisers at 75 in a 55 zone and they don't bat an eye...

 

[andyzee]

Don't know how good it is, but http://www.woot.com/ has a radar detector on it's site for 49.95, this is a one day only deal.

 

[trailertrash]

that is one thing i love about not living in MA any more... i don't get pissed off every time i see construction because i know my tax dollars are not going to pay time and a half for some over paid state trooper sitting in his car doing nothing. i used to pass two dozen troopers on I93 during the construction of the bridge. they still have two or three details at there every night last time i was in boston a month ago. i have heard the justification for having police watch construction and the justification is lame, total waste of tax payer dollars.

i may be wrong but doesn't the construction company pay for the cop?

 

[salida]

From Jay's website today:

SPEED TRAP IN NORTH TROY
If you're travelling to the mountain from Quebec or Ontario and crossing at the Highwater/North Troy border - watch your speed as you pass through the village. There is almost always a speed trap in the 25mph zone. (For our Canadian friends, 25mph = 40km.)

 

[hammer]

i may be wrong but doesn't the construction company pay for the cop?

Yes, but who pays the construction company? We the taxpayers do...

 

[skibum1321]

There's a reason it's called Taxachusetts...

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

thats why i have a Passport 8500 radar installed in both my cars

 

[BeanoNYC]

Don't know how good it is, but http://www.woot.com/ has a radar detector on it's site for 49.95, this is a one day only deal.

LOL, Andy. I got my woot on at 9:00 this morning. It should be here by next week!