OT.....but radar detectors

[alimaui]

I am having an internal debate on the use of one...

It definately has its bonuses...I know they are a must for those of you with your <<insert very fast expensive car here>>, if you get caught/pulled over with one, do you think that you will get a ticket where you otherwise might have gotten out of one?


Ali

 

[TXCAP4228]

Speeding tickets...

For all you purists out there on this board, this relates to aviation becuase I should have FLOWN instead.

I was driving my grandmother back to East Texas the day after Thanksgiving and I got a speeding ticket. My radar detector didn't make a sound because the cop was using a laser. Anyway, I was not getting out of the ticket no matter what - 83 in a 60. In Texas we can take defensive driving once a year and I'm doing that instead. Side note: If I had been going 84 I wouldn't have been eligible for defensive driving!

When I was in college I got stopped a number of times but was not frequently ticketed in spite of my radar detector. I think it was the "I support my local police department" bumper sticker.

I use my radar detector all the time. Why try to hide it? If they see you with your hands under the seat they're likely to think you're going for a weapon of some kind. I would definitely not try to hide it.

 

[avbug]

I thought about it. It seemed such a waste. My samurai is incapable of exceeding the speed limit. Any speed limit. I've been pulled over three times for going too slow, and once had a cop just drive by loudly berating me and telling me to get that piece of (intelligible) off the road.

Of course, give it a little downhill gradient and a tailwind...

I passed a cyclist once. The conditions were just right. I bushwacked him by downshifting just as the grade dropped and he was changing gears. Blew right by him. I stayed up for two nights gloating over that one.

 

[4fanman]

The two most useless things to spend money on for a car is a radar detector and an alarm.

Keep it less than 5 over the posted limit in town and less than 10 over the posted limit on the freeway and cops aren't even going to look at you. Unless you honk your horn at them while simultaneously flipping them off...

Avbug...I have a '90 Geo Prizm with 147k miles on it. Howabout a little race with your Samurai. Considering the speeds that would be involved, I don't think any laws or local statutes would be violated. I've heard from some cyclists that the Samurai is a true 'sleeper' but I believe that I may have the weight advantage because about 25% of my panels have rusted off. This wouldn't be for money or pink slips, just gloating rights.

 

[ShawnC]

I had a radar dector, but I haven't put it in my car for over a year. This is coming from someone that routinely does 80-85+ mph on the highways. Frankly by the time you detect them they already got you, I found that using your eyes and staying another car in the traffic you won't get pulled over. Then again, here in Florida the cops are passing me as I am speeding.

Now a Laser Jammer is a diffrent story because they are completely legal in most states (the FCC doesn't regulate light), and they actually work, not only do they give you a warning to slow down, but prevent the cop from reading your speed until you turn it off.

 

[avbug]

Alright, but if you plan on breaking 48 mph during the race, out of fairness we need to wait for a day with at least -10 deg F, OAT. The ricemobile needs the density to make power. Either that, or you need to agree to let me use one extra person...to push.

 

[DoinTime]

I used to have a dectector on my motor bike years ago. While it wasn't any good from keeping a cop from getting a good reading on you it gives you a warning that you've been caught and you need to get out of town before smokey gets on your åss. If its night time and you got a good interstate out in front of you put the hammer down, accelerate up to 170-180 mph, turn your hard wired tail lights off, and disappear into the darkness before he ever gets up to highway speeds. Just don't forget to wear your helmet and leathers. The world is not a very friendly place when your body is exposed to 180 mph winds in sunglasses, shorts, and a t-shirt. Just try crawling out on the wing of your Bonanza at full cruise someday.

Don't forget....Be Safe!

 

[2000flyer]

Some interesting theories out there. Here is my $0.019999995 (not quite worth $0.02)

There are a few states where detectors are illegal and you'll get a ticket for having one before you'll get a speeding ticket.

Lately in my neck of the highway, cops have been running traps using the new laser. They post a cop and his trusty laser "gun" on a bridge and down the road a few hundered yards there are 5-10 of our city's finest laying in wait. I have seen them pull over a line of six cars in a row, thus negating the "get in the middle" theory.

Also this state has a funny little law that says if you're going 20 over the posted limit you win the grand prize of (self funded) trip to the slammer (towing and impound fees apply). Of course, being in a heavily populated NASCAR loving state, drafting is the norm and turn signals are used only after a lane change just to make sure you really tick-off the guy behind you.

Now, if they won't ticket the speeder, I'd love for them to ticket the moron who passed me the other morning driving with his knee, a bottle of saline in one hand and putting in his contacts with the other....all at no less than 70MPH. I think his wife passed me a few moments later putting on her make-up!

Fly (and Drive) SAFE!
2000Flyer

 

[carlos]

The cheapest, simplest, safest, and most effective way of not getting tickets is to just not speed. Best way of keeping your ten-year driving record background checks clean, too. In this market, you don't need yet another reason not to get a job.

 

[ShawnC]

That would be nice, but in many areas the speed limits aren't set by safety or by how to handle the traffic best, but by how the city can make money off of it. Heck less than a mile from my home theres an area where it goes 45-35-25-35-45 Many of those zones are no bigger than a block, the cop often sits just outside the 35 zone (which the 25 zone has one sign) clocking people and writing the tickets because they were still in a 25 zone.

I was cought by this trap when I first moved in, but now that I live there I know about it, but people from out of town don't.

Cops use cheap tatics to get the tickets, heck one town north of Gainesville gets 25% of it's budget from speeding tickets.