Radar Detectors
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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.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
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:
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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*)According to treaties dating from the WARC meeting in 1939, it is a violation of international law for any country, state, province, or other jurisdiction to make any law forbidding the detection and reception of any radio frequency service, including radar. It is permissible to forbid disclosing to a third party any material so received, but reception is expressly protected. I would dearly love to see someone with plenty of free cash make an international case of the blatant violation of global law by so many nanny states, including many parts of the USA.:mad:
"...a photo album is like Life, but flat and stuck to pages." - Shog9
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norm .net wrote:
If you keep to the speed limits you don't need one.
There are highways in Ontario where if you do the speed limit, the SUV behind you will rear end you, and push your crumpled car to the rear end of the car or SUV in front of you :-) In Georgia, drivers seem to be generally safer except near metro Atlanta where it seems like the drivers got trained in Ontario.
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*)The ones I really hate that they have just started using here is a detector that shows how close you are following another vehicle, if there is not enough distance for the speed and road conditions, you get a ticket! Sounds good on the surface, but when I lived in Columbus Ohio, I learned that if you open enough space in front of you to be at a legal distance, people behind you will pass you and always fill in that space. This is one ticket that you can get because of someone caused it.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: ASP.NET HttpException - Cannot use leading "..".. Latest Tech Blog Post: Blog changed to Subtext!
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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[^]
Here in the USA, they use both along with lot of air patrol in rural areas.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: ASP.NET HttpException - Cannot use leading "..".. Latest Tech Blog Post: Blog changed to Subtext!
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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*)I'm not sure. As Stuart points out, there have to be a lot of fixed cameras to make producing such maps worthwhile. The UK sure has that...there must be 30 or so Gatsos in Bournemouth[^]alone, along with 2 or 3 mobile camera vans. Needless to say, they aren't very popular[^] (not that I'd condone such vandalism, but it's certainly indicative of their "popularity").
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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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
I read a couple of articles on your website. Pretty useful. Thanks Danny.
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*) -
According to treaties dating from the WARC meeting in 1939, it is a violation of international law for any country, state, province, or other jurisdiction to make any law forbidding the detection and reception of any radio frequency service, including radar. It is permissible to forbid disclosing to a third party any material so received, but reception is expressly protected. I would dearly love to see someone with plenty of free cash make an international case of the blatant violation of global law by so many nanny states, including many parts of the USA.:mad:
"...a photo album is like Life, but flat and stuck to pages." - Shog9
In India (at least in my state), the rare speed checks are done using radar guns (possibly obsolete models). Maybe the next time I visit, I should buy my cousin a radar detector (he needs it the way he usually drives).
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*) -
The ones I really hate that they have just started using here is a detector that shows how close you are following another vehicle, if there is not enough distance for the speed and road conditions, you get a ticket! Sounds good on the surface, but when I lived in Columbus Ohio, I learned that if you open enough space in front of you to be at a legal distance, people behind you will pass you and always fill in that space. This is one ticket that you can get because of someone caused it.
Rocky <>< Latest Code Blog Post: ASP.NET HttpException - Cannot use leading "..".. Latest Tech Blog Post: Blog changed to Subtext!
Rocky Moore wrote:
The ones I really hate that they have just started using here is a detector that shows how close you are following another vehicle, if there is not enough distance for the speed and road conditions, you get a ticket!
That sucks - how much more annoying can things get!!!
Rocky Moore wrote:
Sounds good on the surface, but when I lived in Columbus Ohio, I learned that if you open enough space in front of you to be at a legal distance, people behind you will pass you and always fill in that space. This is one ticket that you can get because of someone caused it.
Yep, I've found the same. Leaving a safe distance means some idiot will cut in front of you pretty soon.
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 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.
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
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.David Wulff wrote:
Thankfully other drivers are very helpful in flashing you to warn of impending white vans.
Nice - I wonder if people do that here too.
David Wulff wrote:
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.
Yep, well said!
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'm not sure. As Stuart points out, there have to be a lot of fixed cameras to make producing such maps worthwhile. The UK sure has that...there must be 30 or so Gatsos in Bournemouth[^]alone, along with 2 or 3 mobile camera vans. Needless to say, they aren't very popular[^] (not that I'd condone such vandalism, but it's certainly indicative of their "popularity").
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:
Needless to say, they aren't very popular[^]
I wouldn't think they'd be :-)
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 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*)Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
And I also read some views on how they actually help improve safety...
Whose biased opinion is this?
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Anyway, do people use them on a regular basis?
I never have, and hopefully never will.
"Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" - 2 Timothy 2:15
"Judge not by the eye but by the heart." - Native American Proverb
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Rama Krishna Vavilala wrote:
BTW: What why are you awake so lateearly? Is it drinks break?
Woke up to drink some water and didn't feel sleepy. Last night I did a lot of research on improving credit history and had some confusing credit card dreams - that ruined my sleep.
Rama Krishna Vavilala wrote:
Don't buy one. They don't help in several cases esp. streets.
I rarely speed nowadays (not that I used to in the past). But on highways, I find that everyone's going 10-15 over the limit, and then at certain points, they all slow down (possibly because many of them have detectors). Now because I don't have a detector, I can slow down only after a small delay when I notice everyone else's brake lights. So I may end up being the only one who gets detected by the speed gun - which'd be unfair to me.
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:
So I may end up being the only one who gets detected by the speed gun - which'd be unfair to me.
Yeah, that's just way unfair (to be speeding and get caught). :rolleyes:
"Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" - 2 Timothy 2:15
"Judge not by the eye but by the heart." - Native American Proverb
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
And I also read some views on how they actually help improve safety...
Whose biased opinion is this?
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Anyway, do people use them on a regular basis?
I never have, and hopefully never will.
"Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" - 2 Timothy 2:15
"Judge not by the eye but by the heart." - Native American Proverb
DavidCrow wrote:
Whose biased opinion is this?
See http://www.motorists.com/pressreleases/montana.html[^]
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:
So I may end up being the only one who gets detected by the speed gun - which'd be unfair to me.
Yeah, that's just way unfair (to be speeding and get caught). :rolleyes:
"Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" - 2 Timothy 2:15
"Judge not by the eye but by the heart." - Native American Proverb
DavidCrow wrote:
Yeah, that's just way unfair (to be speeding and get caught).
Typically, on most highways, the right most lane (slowest) would still be doing > speed limit. So unless it's relatively empty, you'd struggle to maintain it around speed limit. So even if you don't want to speed, you may sometimes be forced to.
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*) -
DavidCrow wrote:
Whose biased opinion is this?
See http://www.motorists.com/pressreleases/montana.html[^]
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:
See http://www.motorists.com/pressreleases/montana.html\[^\]
But where does the article mention that radar detectors help improve safety?
"Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" - 2 Timothy 2:15
"Judge not by the eye but by the heart." - Native American Proverb