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Radar Detectors

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Paying attention to the road helps a lot too. Today I was driving back through some totally deserted area with long sight distances so I decided to speed up a little bit. Speed limit was 45, should be 55, and I was doing about 70 then. Off in the distance I see what I think is a minivan coming towards me. Then I realize it just doesn't look right for a minivan, so I start to slow down. A few seconds later I pick out the colors on the light bar, and hit the brakes a little harder. I got down to about 53 by the time he passed me, and didn't have a problem.

On a related subject, are there any police radar systems that work while the patrol car is in motion? Or must all be used stationary?
 
Originally posted by: Sukhoi


On a related subject, are there any police radar systems that work while the patrol car is in motion? Or must all be used stationary?
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That's a good question. Does anyone have an answer on that? I think they don't have to be stationary because my detector went nuts and I saw a local cop going the opposite direction of me.
 
In my experience the best way to avoid a ticket is to not stand out. If you're just cruising along at the same speed or a few mph faster than the rest of the cars on the road, you're unlikely to get a ticket. If you're making a lot of lane changes while driving faster than the other cars on the road, you'll stick out. If your car is modified or is a car frequently driven by teenagers, you'll stick out. I drive past cops on my way to work every day, usually going well over the speed limit, and I never get a second look.

And yes, cops can use radar while they are moving.
 
When I took my defensive driving course (ironically enough, for speeding), our officer said that a radar detector is a waste...Think about it...By the time the detector goes off (because it picked up the waves), he's got ya...Really no point...Granted, since waves spread out, you might get the side of them and detect them BEFORE he's pointed it at you...But if he is shooting YOU, then you=screwed...Plus, as stated above, the detector is just a liability if you get pulled over...The best radar detector is a CB radio...Just ask, because legally anyone can tell you a cop postition...You just can't say it without being asked...Cops love CB's because: some guy asks "Hey, we got any smokey's on so and so road?" Trucker or somebody else: "Yeah, he was sittin at so and so a spot"...That report gets spread, and pretty soon it seems like there are cops all over...Makes them seem like they are out in force, when they may have one guy running radar...Just don't stand out and go the speed limit...Yeah, you MAY get to your destination faster by speeding, but it kills gas mileage (which can really hurt the wallet right now)

EDIT: Hey BlazinTrav, are you a member on xoxideforums? Think I saw ya there...
 
Originally posted by: thehstrybean
When I took my defensive driving course (ironically enough, for speeding), our officer said that a radar detector is a waste...Think about it...By the time the detector goes off (because it picked up the waves), he's got ya...Really no point...Granted, since waves spread out, you might get the side of them and detect them BEFORE he's pointed it at you...But if he is shooting YOU, then you=screwed...Plus, as stated above, the detector is just a liability if you get pulled over...The best radar detector is a CB radio...Just ask, because legally anyone can tell you a cop postition...You just can't say it without being asked...Cops love CB's because: some guy asks "Hey, we got any smokey's on so and so road?" Trucker or somebody else: "Yeah, he was sittin at so and so a spot"...That report gets spread, and pretty soon it seems like there are cops all over...Makes them seem like they are out in force, when they may have one guy running radar...Just don't stand out and go the speed limit...Yeah, you MAY get to your destination faster by speeding, but it kills gas mileage (which can really hurt the wallet right now)

EDIT: Hey BlazinTrav, are you a member on xoxideforums? Think I saw ya there...
Click to expand...

Yes I am at Xoxideforums.
 
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
And yes, cops can use radar while they are moving.
Click to expand...

Are those systems linked to the cruiser's speedometer to provide a reference speed?
Click to expand...

side shooting radar that references passing speed of surroundings i believe.
 
Originally posted by: Blazin Trav
Originally posted by: thehstrybean
When I took my defensive driving course (ironically enough, for speeding), our officer said that a radar detector is a waste...Think about it...By the time the detector goes off (because it picked up the waves), he's got ya...Really no point...Granted, since waves spread out, you might get the side of them and detect them BEFORE he's pointed it at you...But if he is shooting YOU, then you=screwed...Plus, as stated above, the detector is just a liability if you get pulled over...The best radar detector is a CB radio...Just ask, because legally anyone can tell you a cop postition...You just can't say it without being asked...Cops love CB's because: some guy asks "Hey, we got any smokey's on so and so road?" Trucker or somebody else: "Yeah, he was sittin at so and so a spot"...That report gets spread, and pretty soon it seems like there are cops all over...Makes them seem like they are out in force, when they may have one guy running radar...Just don't stand out and go the speed limit...Yeah, you MAY get to your destination faster by speeding, but it kills gas mileage (which can really hurt the wallet right now)

EDIT: Hey BlazinTrav, are you a member on xoxideforums? Think I saw ya there...
Click to expand...

Yes I am at Xoxideforums.
Click to expand...

Nice to meet someone from that area...Ah yes, my first forum....parrot_head23...*remenses about xoxide days*
 
Originally posted by: Blazin Trav
Originally posted by: sao123
In PA you get 2 tickets. 1 for speeding, 1 for raddar detector.
In ohio + WV you can get pulled over for having a radar detector and get a ticket even if you are not speeding. They actually make a radar detector detector which they use to see if you are using one. Of course I am told the way to defeat them is to drive with a new 75 watt lightbulb laying on your dashboard, it messes up the radar detector detector. Of course then the guy told me he even got a ticket for doing the lightbulb thing.
Click to expand...

Okay but what's the fine for having one? If you hide it when they pull you over can they still write you up for it?
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Yes because it is illegal in those states. The radar detector detector beeps is just like a radar gun, and it beeps when it encounters a radar detector. This is the legal equivolent of a radar lock. they dont need to see it to write you up for it.

Read up on the VG2 Radar Detector Detector
 
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: Blazin Trav
Originally posted by: sao123
In PA you get 2 tickets. 1 for speeding, 1 for raddar detector.
In ohio + WV you can get pulled over for having a radar detector and get a ticket even if you are not speeding. They actually make a radar detector detector which they use to see if you are using one. Of course I am told the way to defeat them is to drive with a new 75 watt lightbulb laying on your dashboard, it messes up the radar detector detector. Of course then the guy told me he even got a ticket for doing the lightbulb thing.
Click to expand...

Okay but what's the fine for having one? If you hide it when they pull you over can they still write you up for it?
Click to expand...

Yes because it is illegal in those states. The radar detector detector beeps is just like a radar gun, and it beeps when it encounters a radar detector. This is the legal equivolent of a radar lock. they dont need to see it to write you up for it.

Read up on the VG2 Radar Detector Detector
Click to expand...


http://www.radarbusters.com/support/speedlabs-2004/VG2-testing.asp

VG2 no, Spectre, yes. Detectors are legal in CA.
 
I got one and it's saved me countless times. I've only been pulled over once and the cop saw my radar detector and he still only gave me a warning. They are legal in FL however.
 
RADAR doesn't need an external reference. After a series of "pings" it calculates the speed.

Detectors are only going to help if they are shooting at cars ahead of you and you can pick up the emission from those attempts. If you are the "first shot," they gotcha.

Detectors work at (not quite) double the range of the gun: the signal has to be strong enough to make the round trip back to the gun ... which means the "receive only" of the detector can pick up a signal that's too weak to make the trip back.

No electronic device will save you from VASCAR: VASCAR works by eyeball.

When you pass a line on the road, the operator pushes the button, when you pass the next line on the road, they push the button again (or release the button) and it uses the time it took to pass by the two lines and calculates a speed.

There doesn't even have to be lines .... any known distance will work.

There is no emission of any kind, nothing to "detect."

VASCAR works from airplanes, forrest ranger towers, buildings, cars, anywhere they can open the pux and get clear sight to a know distance.

Once they have you speeding, they radio to a car that'll pull you over and write the ticket.

Chicago has also implemented photo-cash: if you go through an intersection and the light is a little on the stale side of yellow, your picture gets taken and the owner of the car gets a ticket in the mail.


FWIW

Scott
 
Originally posted by: ScottMac
RADAR doesn't need an external reference. After a series of "pings" it calculates the speed.

Detectors are only going to help if they are shooting at cars ahead of you and you can pick up the emission from those attempts. If you are the "first shot," they gotcha.

Detectors work at (not quite) double the range of the gun: the signal has to be strong enough to make the round trip back to the gun ... which means the "receive only" of the detector can pick up a signal that's too weak to make the trip back.

No electronic device will save you from VASCAR: VASCAR works by eyeball.

When you pass a line on the road, the operator pushes the button, when you pass the next line on the road, they push the button again (or release the button) and it uses the time it took to pass by the two lines and calculates a speed.

There doesn't even have to be lines .... any known distance will work.

There is no emission of any kind, nothing to "detect."

VASCAR works from airplanes, forrest ranger towers, buildings, cars, anywhere they can open the pux and get clear sight to a know distance.

Once they have you speeding, they radio to a car that'll pull you over and write the ticket.

Chicago has also implemented photo-cash: if you go through an intersection and the light is a little on the stale side of yellow, your picture gets taken and the owner of the car gets a ticket in the mail.


FWIW

Scott
Click to expand...


I guess all people need is a GPS and a CB radio then.
 
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