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.

 

[bobbysamd]

Speeding

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.

Seconded. Just don't speed. Your career will thank you. It eliminates the worry about being honest about speeding tickets on your dream airline app because with no tickets you can be honest! Moreover, it's the right thing to do.

By the way, I had two speeding tickets a few years before I changed careers. One was seven years before I changed careers (and one year before I started flying); the second was three years before. I had to put them on an app. If I would have had more foresight about my plans for aviation, I would have matured sooner in my driving habits.

 

[Chas]

My opinion

as someone who has operated radar and laser for over 15 years I can say with laser once you are hit its game over. As far as being in the middle of the pack if you are pacing the same speed as car 1 you can be stopped simultaneously . My advice stay in the right lane as much as possible and watch out for the entrance ramps The officer can sit on the entrance ramp and hit you from the backside . The laser gun usually an LTI laser will show a negative number meaning you are driving away from him and even tell the distance he busted you at . save your money and do not get the detector In most states its only illegal to have a detector in a truck over 10,000 gross weight . Oh by the way once clocked a Huey going 115 mph near JFK .
BIGGEST TIP__ I NEVER gave a nice guy a ticket . If you are up front and courteous I give you a pass. If you are full of crap and argumentative I let the judge decide With 18 months to retire I do not write any tickets Well maybe a cell phone once in a blue moon...

 

[banned username 2]

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).

Which State has that?

 

[d328pilot]

I will second what Chas said. I was in Law Enforcement for a short time and if you were nice, respectful, and not doing something really really stupid, they you would not get a ticket. If you were a jerk, then I am going to look over your car as close as I can to find something else i can write a ticket for. A radar detector in the city is a waste of money..By the time it has gone off, your speed has already be caught. Funniest thing i ever saw was a guy that got stopped for speeding and just bought his radar detector at the store....lots of cussing and he finally threw it on the pavement and broke it. My favorite place to hide was in the driveway of a car dealership at the end of the row of cars...nobody ever saw me. by the way, in my state, we got 0 money from the tickets...it all went to the state.

 

[Pilotadjuster]

Tickets

I believe what Chas said, though I have gotten tickets (over 10 years ago though...) even when I was polite, called the officer sir and did everything right. Of course, I did have a sherrif's deputy who wrote me up for 5mph LESS than what he clocked me at in town so that I would qualify for Illiniois' court supervision law (go to court, school, keep you nose clean for a year and no ticket on your record). Once got a ticket in IA coming home from school in IL (to NE), for 70 in a 55--guy was probably the nicest guy I ever received a ticket from.

Of course, even if it doesn't help, it certainly cannot hurt to be courteous to the officer--being a complete jerk (ala "I pay your salary...") cannot possibly help you. I am completely floored when I see those police videos on TV showing guys who were stopped for speeding and get totally belligerent with a trooper!

I have heard as well that the "jammers" do not work. With speed limits at 65+, speeding just doesn't make a lot of sense (and I drive 30k+/year). Especially after the insurance company hits you again for the ticket...

 

[Pilotadjuster]

Sheryl

Oh well, good thing I don't have to teach em how to spell landing...

 

[empenage]

ali:
They dont work, save your money, less distractions.

 

[B737G]

ali:
They dont work, save your money, less distractions.

Actually, I have a Valentine 1 radar/laser detector and it works quite well. It has paid for itself many times over. When it comes to instant on, there is nothing that will save you. You just have to be smart about when and where you choose to speed. I am very involved with the Porsche 928 Owners Club and when we get together, some very high speeds are seen. Speeding is very safe if it is done in the right place at the right time. I will never pass another car at high speed as I in no way want to endanger someone else but, at times, I like to push my '89GT and feel it can be done safely. The car was designed to drive at high speeds for hours and I see no harm in doing so if it is done with safety in mind. It is my opinion that tickets are merely a way for a county to generate revenue and not so much about safety. The accident rate in Germany is much lower although they tend to be more lethal. Since the speed limit was increased in the U.S. from 55 on interstates the accident rates have actually gone down. The Valentine 1 is expensive but it definately works and quite well at that.

 

[Toro]

To Falcon Capt

In regards to going to jail for driving 20mph over the posted speed limit, I believe it's just about any state. 20+mph over the speed limit is one manner of defining reckless driving, and can get you a trip to the slammer. However, that doesn't mean it's going to happen, it would likely depend on the situation. If you're doing 20+ over the limit in a school zone, you can pretty much guarantee you'll be behind bars. But if you're doing it on an open stretch of a Texas highway, you're just gonna get a fat fine.

One thing to add to the guys below who have worked in law enforcement - advice given to me by my mom, a cop for eight years. True, being polite to the troop might help you out of a ticket, but it has another advantage -- trying to later dispute the ticket in court. If you're raising a big stink and being a jerk, the cop's probably going to remember you and maybe even go out of his way to show up at your court dispute.

 

[FastCargo]

Speeding...

It's funny...in my younger days I was a speeding kind of guy. But I was smart about it...open highway, alone, no weaving in and out of traffic...etc.

I actually drive pretty close to the limit now...started 7 years ago to make sure my records were clean for the airlines...now it's just habit.

Got a story though...had a 90 Eagle Talon TSi...you know, sporty 2 door, turbo , all wheel drive, etc. Back in 1992, I was driving from Sacramento, CA to Denver, CO...about an 18 hour drive on I-80...with very desolate parts in Nevada, Utah. My car didn't have cruise control, so I'm just doing foot pressure thing. Well, in Nevada/Utah...droning along...highway hypnosis...next thing I know... the speedo is reading 105 mph.

Whoa!!

But there is no one around, and I can see for miles...so I keep the hammer down for a while. However, I notice that the time between stops for fuel seems to be shorter than I remember.

It finally hits me, once I do a bit of timing and some math. Any time I am saving in going fast than 80 mph, I am losing with the increased fuel consumption! I really noticed it when I could acutally perceive the fuel gauge decreasing!

Since then, for long trips, I tend to stay around 75 mph...makes me wonder if different cars have different 'most efficient' speeds (ie a speed where you spend the least amount of time in your car for a distance traveled...assuming multiple fuel stops).

Okay...coming in from left field!

FastCargo