Radar Detectors
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City driving is an exercise in balance between the desire to stay within the confines of the law and the desire to stay alive. When the flow of traffic is moving at 10 to 15 mph over the speed limit, strictly adhering to the speed limit is actually hazardous both the the driver and the traffic community. There's actually times I really don't want to drive as fast as common sense requires, especially in areas where I know they have frequent speed traps. A red Corvette is the traffic cop equivalent of three red concentric circles. However, rule number one is the same in driving as it is in self defense - don't get hit. And so I drive, I dodge, and I occasionally exceed the posted speed limit. :)
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes www.PracticalStrategyConsulting.com
Christopher Duncan wrote:
I drive, I dodge, and I occasionally exceed the posted speed limit.
It was the same thing for me when I owned my Miata. Even though I exceeded the speed limit fairly often, I never got caught in it. My two tickets during that period I got driving my wife's Dodge Neon :-O.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
They are illegal in Ontario (and most parts of Canada). But except for Virginia and Washington DC, they seem to be legal in the USA. And I also read some views on how they actually help improve safety - though I am not so sure of that. Anyway, do people use them on a regular basis? Wikipedia says that Radar Detectors can be detected using something called a VG2 Detector, but that most modern Radar Detectors detect Detector-Detectors and switch themselves off in advance, thereby alerting you. So, those of you who use it - does it really make you a safer driver? And anyone has any buying tips? I see 9-band ones, as well as 12-band ones. The 12-band ones are more expensive than the 9-band ones. But what makes it weird is that some 8-band ones are double the price of most 12-band ones. Also Cobra seems like a popular brand. Please be aware that I drive a humble Hyundai Elantra (compact and slow car) - so I am obviously not going to be fast and/or furious while driving.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)I do not use them, but I thought I would add why so you could consider that. Of course there is the speed issue, if you stay under the speed limit you don't need one, but also there is the issue of multiple laws in multiple regions. In the USA each state is allowed to make their own decisions, in fact each city as well. It might be legal in DC, but illegal in a neighboring area for instance. Where they are illegal, possession is not a problem, but it must be unplugged and removed from sight (as in put away under the seat or in a glove compartment), so you have to get suction cup mounts. On all federal land they are illegal, they must be more than "just unplugged" they must be removed and put inside something else (not just under the seat, but placed in the glove compartment or a bag/box). There are a few people at work who have them that go to all this trouble so they can remove them and toss them in the glove compartment, of course they aren't stopping to do this. So look for the weaving car going from the illegal to legal area as he pulls out the radar detector, plugs it in, places the suction cups in their place and turns the unit on, all while the vehicle is moving. Personally, I think all possible safety issues are thrown aside due to the fact that everyone I know hooks up their radar detectors while the vehicle is in motion. After all, if they stopped, they would loose all the time they gain by speeding, therefore they hook it all up in motion. Dangerous. If you do get one, be ready to request the laws in each community you visit prior to visit. Ignorance of the law is no excuse from the law, so it is up to you to know every place it is illegal and to what length you must go to disable the radar detector while going through that region.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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They are illegal in Ontario (and most parts of Canada). But except for Virginia and Washington DC, they seem to be legal in the USA. And I also read some views on how they actually help improve safety - though I am not so sure of that. Anyway, do people use them on a regular basis? Wikipedia says that Radar Detectors can be detected using something called a VG2 Detector, but that most modern Radar Detectors detect Detector-Detectors and switch themselves off in advance, thereby alerting you. So, those of you who use it - does it really make you a safer driver? And anyone has any buying tips? I see 9-band ones, as well as 12-band ones. The 12-band ones are more expensive than the 9-band ones. But what makes it weird is that some 8-band ones are double the price of most 12-band ones. Also Cobra seems like a popular brand. Please be aware that I drive a humble Hyundai Elantra (compact and slow car) - so I am obviously not going to be fast and/or furious while driving.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)They're legal in the UK, but will only work against cameras which use radar (notably Gatsos[^]). They don't work with Truvelos[^] (which measure speed using strips in the road), Tallivan mobile camera vans[^](laser) or SPECS[^](also laser), so in my view they have very limited utility. More useful is a PDA with a speed camera map on it. Units such as the Mio P550 PDA[^] can give an audible warning when you approach a suspected camera site, so at least you don't sleepwalk into a fixed camera on an unfamiliar road.
Anna :rose: Linting the day away :cool: Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "If mushy peas are the food of the devil, the stotty cake is the frisbee of God"
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Does the police still use radars i the states? Here, in Denmark, they only use laser guns to check how fast you are driving, no way to detect those :((
- Anders My new photo website[^]
Anders Molin wrote:
Does the police still use radars i the states?
Depends on the location. In my state (PA), only state cops are allowed radar guns, the locals have to paint lines on the road and use stop watches to time people.
Anders Molin wrote:
Here, in Denmark, they only use laser guns to check how fast you are driving, no way to detect those
I've heard radio commercials for a detector that is supposed to be able to beat lasers as well. My entire commute is on locally patrolled roads so I don't recall the name since it'd be useless to me.
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
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Avoid the village of South Charleston, Ohio, especially state route 42 through the center of town. There's a poorly marked school zone (the school is a quarter mile down a side street), which means a $200 fine if you're caught speeding.
Software Zen:
delete this;US19 in West Virginia, between I79 and I76. I'm blanking on the place name, but one town it goes through drops the speed from 65 to 50 and uses the fines to finance themselves. There're highway signs outside the town which warn of 'agressive enforcement'. Both times I drove through during the day there was a cop staked out on the median. First sign of trouble I saw was traffic slowing from 75 to 45 a hundred yards in front of the 50mph sign.
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
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US19 in West Virginia, between I79 and I76. I'm blanking on the place name, but one town it goes through drops the speed from 65 to 50 and uses the fines to finance themselves. There're highway signs outside the town which warn of 'agressive enforcement'. Both times I drove through during the day there was a cop staked out on the median. First sign of trouble I saw was traffic slowing from 75 to 45 a hundred yards in front of the 50mph sign.
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
We had a state highway near us that was like that. There was a 2 mile stretch where the city it ran through reduced the speed limit from 55 mph to 50 mph, and then aggresively enforced it. Their city manager used to brag in the newspaper about how two police officers manning that stop brought in over $200,000 in fines a year.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Does the police still use radars i the states? Here, in Denmark, they only use laser guns to check how fast you are driving, no way to detect those :((
- Anders My new photo website[^]
Anders Molin wrote:
Does the police still use radars i the states?
In most states, yes (based on my Googling).
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
When you're on 575 north of Marietta, keep it under 10 mph over the speed limit when you hit the Holly Springs area. They're notorious for their, er, revenue enhancement program. That's one area where you'll see the locals slow down.
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes www.PracticalStrategyConsulting.com
Christopher Duncan wrote:
When you're on 575 north of Marietta, keep it under 10 mph over the speed limit when you hit the Holly Springs area. They're notorious for their, er, revenue enhancement program. That's one area where you'll see the locals slow down.
Thanks - I need to get more such tips from you. :-)
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
Avoid the village of South Charleston, Ohio, especially state route 42 through the center of town. There's a poorly marked school zone (the school is a quarter mile down a side street), which means a $200 fine if you're caught speeding.
Software Zen:
delete this;Gary Wheeler wrote:
Avoid the village of South Charleston, Ohio, especially state route 42 through the center of town. There's a poorly marked school zone (the school is a quarter mile down a side street), which means a $200 fine if you're caught speeding.
Thanks - I don't think I'll be driving there any time soon though.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
They're legal in the UK, but will only work against cameras which use radar (notably Gatsos[^]). They don't work with Truvelos[^] (which measure speed using strips in the road), Tallivan mobile camera vans[^](laser) or SPECS[^](also laser), so in my view they have very limited utility. More useful is a PDA with a speed camera map on it. Units such as the Mio P550 PDA[^] can give an audible warning when you approach a suspected camera site, so at least you don't sleepwalk into a fixed camera on an unfamiliar road.
Anna :rose: Linting the day away :cool: Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "If mushy peas are the food of the devil, the stotty cake is the frisbee of God"
Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote:
More useful is a PDA with a speed camera map on it. Units such as the Mio P550 PDA[^] can give an audible warning when you approach a suspected camera site, so at least you don't sleepwalk into a fixed camera on an unfamiliar road.
Interesting. I wonder if people use them here too.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
As you might imagine, I have one in the Vette. At the time of purchase a few years ago, the two top brands were Passport and Valentine, and as I recall it was largely a toss up between them. The deciding factor was that Passport has an alarm silencer on the power adapter, which is easier to reach than the unit on the windshield (you get a fair amount of false positives with any detector due to automatic door openers at stores, etc.) Think I paid around $350. If you're going to buy one, be aware of the fact that radar is the only thing they'll protect you from. It's true that I've tapped the brakes from time to time because of radar, but when they're serious about setting a speed trap, they use laser. Most modern detectors do listen for laser as well, but when the alarm goes off the little message light should simply say, "pull over." Detectors won't hear someone else getting zinged with laser like they do radar, so what they're actually detecting is the fact that you just got clocked. Not much benefit there. So, if you want to buy one, here's a couple of manufacturer's links. Valentine[^] Passport[^] I think they're worth having, but I just wanted you to know that nothing offers real protection against laser. For that, you just have to use the Force. :)
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes www.PracticalStrategyConsulting.com
Christopher Duncan wrote:
So, if you want to buy one, here's a couple of manufacturer's links. Valentine[^] Passport[^]
Thanks - will look into it.
Christopher Duncan wrote:
but when they're serious about setting a speed trap, they use laser.
I read that laser does not give accurate results - so they'd have to use radar too to get a speed they can use in court (if needed). I read this on a site selling Radar Detectors - so it may not have been entirely accurate.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
I do not use them, but I thought I would add why so you could consider that. Of course there is the speed issue, if you stay under the speed limit you don't need one, but also there is the issue of multiple laws in multiple regions. In the USA each state is allowed to make their own decisions, in fact each city as well. It might be legal in DC, but illegal in a neighboring area for instance. Where they are illegal, possession is not a problem, but it must be unplugged and removed from sight (as in put away under the seat or in a glove compartment), so you have to get suction cup mounts. On all federal land they are illegal, they must be more than "just unplugged" they must be removed and put inside something else (not just under the seat, but placed in the glove compartment or a bag/box). There are a few people at work who have them that go to all this trouble so they can remove them and toss them in the glove compartment, of course they aren't stopping to do this. So look for the weaving car going from the illegal to legal area as he pulls out the radar detector, plugs it in, places the suction cups in their place and turns the unit on, all while the vehicle is moving. Personally, I think all possible safety issues are thrown aside due to the fact that everyone I know hooks up their radar detectors while the vehicle is in motion. After all, if they stopped, they would loose all the time they gain by speeding, therefore they hook it all up in motion. Dangerous. If you do get one, be ready to request the laws in each community you visit prior to visit. Ignorance of the law is no excuse from the law, so it is up to you to know every place it is illegal and to what length you must go to disable the radar detector while going through that region.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
There are a few people at work who have them that go to all this trouble so they can remove them and toss them in the glove compartment, of course they aren't stopping to do this. So look for the weaving car going from the illegal to legal area as he pulls out the radar detector, plugs it in, places the suction cups in their place and turns the unit on, all while the vehicle is moving.
I don't do any really long inter-state drives - so I may not run into that scenario.
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
If you do get one, be ready to request the laws in each community you visit prior to visit. Ignorance of the law is no excuse from the law, so it is up to you to know every place it is illegal and to what length you must go to disable the radar detector while going through that region.
Thanks - I did think of this issue. In Canada, at the US border, they have signs saying that such devices should be unplugged and packed into a box. And that's if you have a US registration. If you have an ON registration, they are totally banned.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
There are a few people at work who have them that go to all this trouble so they can remove them and toss them in the glove compartment, of course they aren't stopping to do this. So look for the weaving car going from the illegal to legal area as he pulls out the radar detector, plugs it in, places the suction cups in their place and turns the unit on, all while the vehicle is moving.
I don't do any really long inter-state drives - so I may not run into that scenario.
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote:
If you do get one, be ready to request the laws in each community you visit prior to visit. Ignorance of the law is no excuse from the law, so it is up to you to know every place it is illegal and to what length you must go to disable the radar detector while going through that region.
Thanks - I did think of this issue. In Canada, at the US border, they have signs saying that such devices should be unplugged and packed into a box. And that's if you have a US registration. If you have an ON registration, they are totally banned.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Thanks - I did think of this issue. In Canada, at the US border, they have signs saying that such devices should be unplugged and packed into a box. And that's if you have a US registration. If you have an ON registration, they are totally banned.
The Virginia state line has signs saying they're banned, but not if you can get in trouble for having one turned off and in your glovebox.
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
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They are illegal in Ontario (and most parts of Canada). But except for Virginia and Washington DC, they seem to be legal in the USA. And I also read some views on how they actually help improve safety - though I am not so sure of that. Anyway, do people use them on a regular basis? Wikipedia says that Radar Detectors can be detected using something called a VG2 Detector, but that most modern Radar Detectors detect Detector-Detectors and switch themselves off in advance, thereby alerting you. So, those of you who use it - does it really make you a safer driver? And anyone has any buying tips? I see 9-band ones, as well as 12-band ones. The 12-band ones are more expensive than the 9-band ones. But what makes it weird is that some 8-band ones are double the price of most 12-band ones. Also Cobra seems like a popular brand. Please be aware that I drive a humble Hyundai Elantra (compact and slow car) - so I am obviously not going to be fast and/or furious while driving.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)Studies have shown, ok, ok, no wikipedia nonsense here is a ref: http://www.motorists.com/pressreleases/montana.html Speed limits are a tax on bad drivers and the impatient. That said, I think they increase danger because a driver using his or her radar detector as a guide is more likely to slam on the brakes, "randomly" causing a potential loss of control or a rear end collision at high speeds. If you really wish to exceed the speed limit get a motorcycle and learn to flee.
On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question. - Charles Babbage
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Yeah I was caught on a rural road where there havn't been any accidents for years, it was a money raising stunt by the police :(.
We made the buttons on the screen look so good you'll want to lick them. Steve Jobs
They do that round here, a lot. Thankfully other drivers are very helpful in flashing you to warn of impending white vans. I have no problem with the police enforcing the legal limits, but they should do so where appropriate for safety reasons and not simply were they can raise money. Their favourite seems to be camping just inside a newly reduced speed limit to catch out all the regulars.
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Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
Sleep deprivation does not cause physical harm. Humans can only survive about a week without sleep before flat out dying. - Espeir Logic Prism. -
They are illegal in Ontario (and most parts of Canada). But except for Virginia and Washington DC, they seem to be legal in the USA. And I also read some views on how they actually help improve safety - though I am not so sure of that. Anyway, do people use them on a regular basis? Wikipedia says that Radar Detectors can be detected using something called a VG2 Detector, but that most modern Radar Detectors detect Detector-Detectors and switch themselves off in advance, thereby alerting you. So, those of you who use it - does it really make you a safer driver? And anyone has any buying tips? I see 9-band ones, as well as 12-band ones. The 12-band ones are more expensive than the 9-band ones. But what makes it weird is that some 8-band ones are double the price of most 12-band ones. Also Cobra seems like a popular brand. Please be aware that I drive a humble Hyundai Elantra (compact and slow car) - so I am obviously not going to be fast and/or furious while driving.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)In Canada (IIRC) they are legal west of Manitoba, prohibited in Manitoba and illegal east of Manitoba. I bought a couple when i was living in Vancouver but found them useless in the city. I used to use them on the highways but found them of limited use there as well. I haven't used one for years. I take as a karma thing that i'll get a speeding ticket every other x-country road trip, and just accept it. The cops will often leave their radar guns off and then 'shoot' you when they see you. That said, they did save me once, and in doing so paid for themselves.
...cmk Save the whales - collect the whole set
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Christopher Duncan wrote:
So, if you want to buy one, here's a couple of manufacturer's links. Valentine[^] Passport[^]
Thanks - will look into it.
Christopher Duncan wrote:
but when they're serious about setting a speed trap, they use laser.
I read that laser does not give accurate results - so they'd have to use radar too to get a speed they can use in court (if needed). I read this on a site selling Radar Detectors - so it may not have been entirely accurate.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)I actually run a web site[^]that sells these things, so I thought I would weigh in. Laser actually gives very accurate results and it is very difficult to detect. It is rare for even a top of the line radar detector to provide enough warning against laser to save you a from ticket. Fortunately, radar is still used by police an overwhelming majority of the time (in the US and Canada). If laser is used in your area, there are some things that you can do. A laser jammer[^] is the best option (they work great, unlike radar jammers), but they are expensive and illegal in a few states. Products like Laser Veil[^] are cheaper and work by reducing the distance at which a laser gun can get your speed, giving you more time to react to a radar detector warning. You may have read something about POP radar not giving accurate results. POP is a new variation of radar technology that claims to get the speed of a vehicle before a radar detector can see it. Initially there were claims that it was not accurate, and because there is no case history built up for tickets issued with POP radar the manufacturer recommends in the manual that tickets should not be issued from speeds taken with the gun in "POP mode". In reality, the radar detector industry reacted quickly to POP (which is not very widespread). Most any detector you buy today is capable of detecting POP mode radar. Danny
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In Canada (IIRC) they are legal west of Manitoba, prohibited in Manitoba and illegal east of Manitoba. I bought a couple when i was living in Vancouver but found them useless in the city. I used to use them on the highways but found them of limited use there as well. I haven't used one for years. I take as a karma thing that i'll get a speeding ticket every other x-country road trip, and just accept it. The cops will often leave their radar guns off and then 'shoot' you when they see you. That said, they did save me once, and in doing so paid for themselves.
...cmk Save the whales - collect the whole set
Radar detectors should not be expected to be a silver bullet against speeding ticket. They are a tool that can help prevent tickets if the driver understands how to use them properly[^]. Quite a few people have mentioned using detectors in areas where they are prohibited. If you are using a radar detector in areas where they are illegal, you should be extremely careful. There is a device called the Spectre that is becoming more and more popular. The Spectre is used by police to detect vehicles with radar detectors. All radar detectors on the market today (with the exception of one) "leak" a certain frequency that can be picked up by the Spectre. So quickly hiding the detector after you've been stopped is not always going to work. The one exception is the Bel STi Driver[^]. The STi Driver is made with a magnesium casing which does not "leak" anything, so it cannot be detected by the Spectre (or anything else that comes out). The problem is, this model is quite expensive and out of the price range of most people. Danny
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Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote:
More useful is a PDA with a speed camera map on it. Units such as the Mio P550 PDA[^] can give an audible warning when you approach a suspected camera site, so at least you don't sleepwalk into a fixed camera on an unfamiliar road.
Interesting. I wonder if people use them here too.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)You need a lot of fixed camera sites (like we have in the UK) to make GPS systems worthwhile - from what I've seen, most US speedtraps consist of a cop hiding in hte bushes with a radar gun, so potentially at a different place every day?
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Does the police still use radars i the states? Here, in Denmark, they only use laser guns to check how fast you are driving, no way to detect those :((
- Anders My new photo website[^]
Not entirely true - it's just a lot more difficult, because lasers scatter an awful lot less than radar. Usually, the first time a laser detector alerts you is as you get caught :doh: