Radar Detectors/Jammers
 

Anyone here own one of these?
I own the cheapest Cobra radar detector that detects lidar (laser) as well. I can say that it has saved me from cops late at night on the highway, parked. The only downside is it detects radar, not police, so the cop has to be shooting radar for it to go off. If the cop is behind you and trailing, you are SOL.

I hear those things get you into more trouble then they get you out of. They create a false sense of security, as you've stated, and lets remember that we have speed laws for a very good reason; To save peoples lives. You may feel you can handle going 90 mph on a dark backroad, if you truly can then that's very rare, but more likely you cannot, and neither can most other people who have to react to your driving.

i own the most expensive escort radar detector. you are right, if the cops aren't using it then you can't pick them up. here is my strategy:

drive faster than EVERYONE. 110mph at least all the time if possible, then you get a good pair of glasses for seeing far away and you use them to look at the license plate of every car you pass. if it has an "x" in the middle then it is a state owned vehicle (could be a cop). the reason for driving so fast is that way you can be sure that a cop doesnt sneak up behind you. i pass an average of 300 cars in a 22 mile drive (yes i counted a few times)

limits (including speed limits) are for small minded people that can't handle anything beyond

i haven't used one of those things in over 15 years...if you can't be happy with driving 10-or-so miles over the limit, you deserve to be cited...(but that's just my opinion...i could be wrong...)

You're right on the money, because the only person whose opinion matters is the state troopers, and "I don't like going the speed limit" will make them laugh =).

The best police detector ever is a CB radio.

Every trucker tells every other trucker where every cop is, and what he is doing.

radar detectors are great... they make up for when you arnt paying attention, looking for cops that is... i have made it 6 years withought a ticket just staying aware of what is going on around me...

I have an Escort 8500, and it's been rated the best one, along with the Bel 980. I'll admit I drive fast, but I use my radar detector just as an added alert. I feel ever since I got my radar detector, I might have slowed down a bit, and become MORE attentive. The way I see it, most cops are located in places where speeding can be dangerous, and give out tickets to prevent accidents. So for my own safety (and other drivers) i'll slow down.

I've actually been tempted to get one for my fiance pretty much ever since I've known her... since she tends to drive at least 20mph OVER whatever the posted limit is. However, I'm really scared that it would only make her want to drive faster and more reckless...

I just wish there was an "offensive driving" dectector that I could buy to warn her when she's driving like a maniac! :) I can hope, can't I?

the cops up here use "auto-on" systems - unless someone is in front of you, yer screwed...
and then even still, you'll be in line of sight and it's your word against his, so you're still screwed...
they also hang around the overpasses and entrance ramps, they'll be behind you and either chase you down or radio your plate number ahead, so you're still screwed...
i set the cruise to 7 - 8 over and let everyone pass me, haven't had a ticket in 8 years

TaLoN... that just wasn't a smart thing to say. There's a time and a place for everything... and that's called "college". J/k. If you must challenge yourself, don't do it on public roads. Go to your local drag races and compete there, or join Nascar and go pro. Stay out of the roads.

The misconception about radar detectors is that is makes people want to speed. That isn't true. It's about protection, from speed traps to sneaky cops. Sneaky cops that give tickets for 7 over. And no, buying a radar detector doesn't make you go 90 down a windy country road, that is ignorant.
It is protection from cops that hide and will give tickets for anything over (there are some places like that).

I love my radar detector, because Indiana State Police are incredibly anal (pulling you over for going 5mph > speed limit). It gives me fair warning that they are coming up.

I also enjoy people that follow the friendly driver tactic of flashing their lights if they just passed a cop. That saved me before.

I don't speed that much (usually just 5 or 10mph over), but I can't afford to piss away 80 bucks so some cop can make his quota.

I know that one. When I'm on a long distance drive, I watch the trucks. When they take off, I know that there isn't a cop for miles. So I tend to follow them.

And let me tell you, those 18 wheelers may take a while to pick up speed, but once they're moving, they can haul ass.

Ignorant? They won't ticket you if you don't break the law, why else would someone buy it if they have nothing to worry about? The protection you speak of is the protection to break the law, but it's okay because the cops are mean and sneaky? No, here's what's ignorant, it's denying people don't go 50 miles over the limit with these things, because someone just admitted they did here in this thread, and I personally know people who do get that sense of security, and go as fast as they please.

That entire statement is one giant non-sequiter, and what's worse you go on to say disagreement equals ignorance!

Have used mine for years---but now i use it only when I go
back to Illinois and their 65 mph limit.

here in Texas it is 70 and that is just right for me...

Yes, a radar detector is protection from breaking the law. The law that every single driver breaks, everyday; whether it is just 5 mph over, or as some idiots do, 15+ mph over. When you do go the exact speed limit, people will get pissed off and drive angrily around you, thus causing a dangerous situation.

Everyone speeds, but it is protection of some sort.

BTW, the people that go 50+ over with a detector are stupid, I agree.

And just because a few dumbasses go to an extreme, everyone that uses them should be labeled along with them?

You miss my point, it was said here that there was a misconception that people use them to go 50 mph over the limit and not get caught, when in fact there are people who do so.

I also don't recall labeling anyone as anything, besides the person I was responding to. If you're going to protest any statements about speeding, well that's a black and white issue, you're either speeding or you're not, if you're going 50 miles over then the trooper will cite you for that much more money and you'll have to go to court as well I believe.

OK. I've tried not to bite on this thread (and am about to fail miserably).

There is one sure fire, simple, easy way to avoid EVER getting a speeding fine. It's worked for me for 25 years.

DON'T SPEED!!!!!!!!!

I'm speaking as a cop of 17 years. As one of my minor skills I happen to be a Class 1 Police driver (I'll leave other UK posters to clarify this) - short version is that I'm one of the guys who'll take a big BMW and show what it really can do.

The downside of driving the muscle cars is attending fatal road accidents and I've never attended one yet that doesn't involve some prick driving far too fast for the road conditions and their ability. Unfortunately the prick driving too fast isn't necessarily the fatality. All too often they're the ones trying to explain how it was actually the fault of the fatality who was driving sensibly but shouldn't have been occupying the bit of road they slammed into at 30, 40, 50 mph over the speed limit.

For those of you who seem to think that driving, say 10mph over the limit, here's a thought... In the UK the urban speed limit is 30mph. Suppose you were driving along in an urban area, and a kid runs out in front of you (fuck knows why) and you hit the kid:

At 20mph you have a (roughly) 17% probability of killing the kid.

At 30mph you have a (roughly) 50% probability of killing the kid.

At 40mph you have a (roughly) 85% probability of killing the kid.

All to get to the next stop sign, traffic jam or traffic lights 30 seconds earlier? All to get to work / shop a minute sooner?

TRY and remember that the posted speed limit is just that. A limit... NOT a target.

Cheers MikeD, I was about to interject with something similar of my own. 5 years driving an ambulance in NYC taught me the same thing. There is nothing macho or buff about speeding. Don't mind losing my own life, it's the lives of others that would get me. I have sped in the past but there is a difference between going nuts and "keeping with the flow of traffic".

heh just dont speed... 10 mph over is only going to get you somewhere, when driving in the city, about 2 mins faster or so

This is what I have learned from all my friends mistakes over the years, I like being able to say I have a perfect driving record. If you are in the city there is no point to speeding, you will end up catching the light and the people you just passed are sitting right next to you at the light. And they are a lot smarter than you because they didn't waste any gas trying to get to the light faster. Just something to think about. As for freeway driving, my friend is a cop, so just some advice tickets start at 10 miles over in CA so if you set it at around 8 your chances of getting pulled over are less. Oh yea and if you ever get in an accident involving excessive speed, insurance companies tend to point fault at the speeders.

My aunt died this year in a car accident and I say this sincerely.........Talon, I hope you don't kill yourself or anyone else.



Really.

The best radar detector I've ever used is a Valentine One. I've had it for about 4 years now, and have only had one speeding ticket. That was because the police officer "visually" timed me... I don't know how you can visually time someone going 9 over, but he did.

Depending on road conditions, I can usually tell if there's a cop for about 1/2 mile to a mile. And the arrows on it are something I will never be able to do without. It tells you exactly where to look. Amazing.

They are pricey, but it was the best $400 I've spent in a long time. Highly recommended.

Reminds me of something George Carlin once said, but I'm not sure if this is word for word...

"When you're driving your car, everyone going FASTER than you is insane, and everyone going SLOWER than you is an idiot"

"Anyone driving slower than you is an asshole, and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac."

Radar detectors and jammers are illegal here in Virginia. I'm glad. People still speed, and people still crash, but at least that number is lower than what it would be if people had a device that they thought could help them beat speeding tickets.

After all, what purpose does a radar detector serve? It tells the driver that if it's not going off, then there's no cop operating a radar nearby, so it's okay to speed your ass off. And if it goes off, slow down until you are clear of the cop's beam. No wonder they're illegal in this state.

I often am sent to traffic court to escort younger sailors who get caught speeding or for DUIs, and while sitting waiting for their case to come up, I listen to some of the excuses speeders give. Fortunately, Virginia Beach is beginning to also crack down on those places that, for a fee, will tell the court that your speedometer is off by a few MPH, just enough to drop you under 20 MPH over the limit, so you don't have a reckless driving charge.

I'm not going to pretend I've never gotten a ticket for speeding. I've gotten several. None was for reckless driving and in none of the cases was my speed over 55 MPH. But each time, I KNEW I was speeding, knew I was wrong, and mailed in the fine. I have been to traffic court many times, but never as a defendant. As far as I'm concerned, if you speed, you're guilty. Here's what you should say:

"I'm sorry officer, I'll mail this in today. Thank you."

-Mikey

I have owned a high end radar detector ($350 or so) for a couple years and it has saved me a few times but the only reason I keep it so religiously is because I like to be AWARE when a cop is around. If I am driving through town at 3 am I want to know if there is a cop watching me even if I am not speeding. I rarely go much more than 10 over without someone in front of me doing the same because in my area it is all hills and if you fly over the hill at 70 instead of 55 you are fucked if a cop is down in the valley below. It has happened to me although thank god I got a warning. On the other hand, I love having it for LONG interstate trips because on those you can truly save hours if you are doing 85 instead of 65. It just sucks that most cops are using laser on the I's now.

There are asshole drivers and asshole cops, idiot drivers and idiot cops, good drivers and good cops. I just bought a BMW and plan to get a radar detector (yuppie asshole, right?).

As has been mentioned above, it is simply be nice to know that there is a police presence nearby. If I choose to exceed the speed limit, I know that I may end up with a ticket. I choose to leave less to chance and to be in control as much as possible (this is also why I choose a car with exceptional handling, brakes, and safety features). Godspeed to all.

I just don't understand why people think they need to speed all the time. I mean, what could possibly be that importaint, all the time? What is so importaint that you're willing to jeopardize your life for? Accidents can happen in a split second to even the most experienced drivers. You move your eyes to check the radio, and in that second you're not paying attention someone else pulls out in front of you. BANG! Someone's scraping you brains off a guard rail. I've been good friends with an EMT for many years. I've heard countless stories of people being decapitated, gored, or killed from doing stupid things in cars. Imagine having to live the rest of your life completely paralized from the neck down. Imagine how pissed off you would be with yourself knowing it was your own stupidity that put you in that situation. Just please think about what could happen.... look out for each other.... be smart.... stay alive.

Sorry - gotta disagree with this one. I don't really know about other states, but sneaky tactics in pulling people over and creative ticketing by local and state police is an ART FORM here in the great state of Louisiana. I've been pulled over and ticketed 3 times in the past two years for going less that five miles over the speed limit (this is not an exaggeration). I am by no means a speed demon and currently use a radar detector to dip well below the speed limit and avoid crooked cops (yes, they DO exist), particularly near the end of the month when they pull over almost everyone in a motor vehicle to reach their ticket quotas. I have absolutely no qualms about using a radar detector.

I got by with speeding for several years, going to and from work. I stopped using a radar detector because I was told they didn't really work.

The policewoman who nailed me recently, was ahead of me, pulled off at an exit, tracked my speed while on the feeder, and then came back on the freeway to stop me and ticket me.

Clever.

Hmm...well, radar detectors here, in PA, are practically useless. Local cops can't use radar, and I've yet to see a State trooper out on the road. Our highways use "speed enforced by plane" techniques...so they say. Anyway...

I believe that driving fast on housing strees is just stupid. C'mon...there's little kids that can be hurt.

Driving exceedingly fast (above, say, 60, depending on conditions) on actual, main roads (not highways, but no houses) is dumb, and can lead to accidents. Keep it reasonable.

However - and I've done a lot of research on this - on the highway high speeds are okay. Highways are built for speed. Therefore, there should be no limit on US highways - it'll give people the thrill that they want, without making them speed somewhere else that's more dangerous.

Unforntunately local governments factor fines into their budget so they end up setting the speed limits in various areas lower than any engineering reason, etc. really requires just so that people will end up speeding there.

Many of the speed limits are set largely with the intent of seperating some poor bastard from his cash.

Damn nice post MikeD.

From a personal standpoint, as a person who has lost a relative to an accident due to speeding, and one who has nearly lost a cousin in a DUI case, I am pretty biased about driving safely.

Living in Los Angeles, speeding is pretty much the norm. The fact that under normal conditions the regular speed on the freeway is at like 75mph instead of 65mph, and so merely to not get a ticket for going to slow you do have to go faster.

But those living in Los Angeles know just how bad the traffic gets year by year. At normal hours freeways are jammed just because of a single accident.

Work hours don't even mention it. Part of the reason is that its pretty easy to get a DL in CA and also because of the huge population and inadequate room on freeways in LA. But its also because of accidents and more often than not they are either alcohol related or speed related.

My philosophy really is... just because others drive faster than you or break the law doesn't give you the license to do so as well.