Save your money, and obey the law.

 

PONI,

Just for info, I am a retired CA LEO (sergeant). Many police departments in CA actually use fixed mobile RADAR in their cruisers and on their bikes. The benefit to fixed RADAR is its capability of working while the officer and his/her cruiser is parked (called 'stationary mode"). These RADAR units also work in "moving mode," that is, the patrol officer can obtain accurate speed readings of a violator's vehicle while the cruiser is moving in the same or opposite direction as the violator, even at highway speeds. "Point and shoot" units are great, but serve a somewhat different purpose and can be more useful under certain traffic conditions or in locations where fixed RADAR may not be the best choice.

The CHP does not use the "always on" mode. CHP Officers are not instructed to use the RADAR or LIDAR in that fashion. Additionally, they have an accurate estimation (within +/- 5 MPH) of a violator's speed before the officers even activate the RADAR. All CA police, CHP, and other agency traffic officers or officers who use RADAR go through a 24 hour mandated (by the International Association of Chiefs of Police or IACP and NHSTA) course in a classroom setting. They are then required to undergo additional field training and estimations of speed before they are turned loose on the public to go and write RADAR tickets. The CHP's requirements are even more stringent, mandating much more time the officer spends performing estimations prior to issuing citations.

And you are 100% correct about RADAR jammers. They are illegal in CA (and most other states) and subject to seizure if a person is stopped with one in their possession. Additionally, simple possession of a RADAR detector is illegal in some states. Check before driving through a state where you are not familiar with its traffic laws. Possession of a RADAR detector may result in a mandatory fine and forfeiture of your expensive detector.

 

HEY BASSMAN ME TOO 21 YRS LEO TIRED QUIT DONE!! BUT DO I REMEMBER RIGHT KUSTOM ELECTRONIC THE MAKER OF OUR RADAR UNITS ON MY COURSE AND THE REFRESHER COURSE WAS MOVING +/- 2 mph
stationary +/- 1 mph
and thats on a new unit not one thats been beat up and moved around alot
we also had an estimating course but our courts wont recognize and est speeding ticket

 

Valentine 1 $400
Escort 8500 $300

The 9500 is just the 8500 detector with a GPS to lock out false alarms once you have identifed them as such by using their GPS coordinates.

 

Valentine 1 Great open road range. Find a rabbit, stay 1/4 mile behind him and let him trip the radar. No Rabbit=No Speed. If you want to stay in the passing lane and fly, nothing will protect you. With instant on, you have to pick up the radar when another car gets shot. More range=more warning. If you hear one beep, slow down. Valentine 1 has the best open road range. Also the arrows are a big thing to me!!

 

Always have someone ahead of you and match their speed.

 

The Escort Solo S2 is weak and it does not have rear radar detection, only the Valentine One has a rear radar antenna to detect radar. Battery operated detectors are sleeping 85% of the time because they are trying to conserve batteries which is why they don't perform well. Look how poorly a brand new Escort Solo S2 performed at the latest radar detector test.

http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html

http://valentine1.com/cordless/

 

Radar detectors are only illegal in one state. If they catch you using it in Virginia, they can either take your radar detector or its serial number but they are required to return it after the ticket is settled. It is usually only a $100 fine if you get caught using one.

http://guysoflidar.com/faq.html#1

Are Radar Detectors Legal?

In the US, Radar detectors are legal for passenger vehicles in 49 states. Radar detectors are illegal in Virginia and Washington DC. Federal Law prohibits the use of radar detectors in all commercial vehicles over 10000 pounds. Radar detector use is also illegal on military bases.

In Canada, only Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan allow the use of radar detectors.

 

Damn, I hate agreeing with a LEO, but he's right ya know. I'm just not in any hurry anymore. I try to keep it about 4 mph over.
Retired and relaxed........

 

Thank you for posting this updated information. I know my info was old but I knew at least one state had a prohibition on detectors, plus WA. D.C. I believe Maryland used to be one of the states where possession of a detector was illegal.

Anyway, with my luck, I'm sure I'd get stopped and cited if I let my foot get heavy in anything I drove........

 

Considering that aviation fuel is around $6 a gallon, i seriously doubt most police departments are gonna spend money on having a helicopter hover around when they can accomplish the same thing with a squad car and a laser gun hiding behind a tree. As for the vascar, look out for squad cars like you always do and look out for the ole KA band.

Jim

 

Detectors actually work quite well. Radars have many weaknesses, among which are the warnings you get when a LEO turns the radar on to check another persons speed and you get the alarm a half a mile or more from where the unit was turned on. Radars also don't work well where there are other vehicles near that have larger frontal surface area than a vette. The radar will almost always return a speed on the larger vehicle.

 

here the formula

MONEY+ ATTY= DRIVE FAST thats all need!!

<<<<<< see what else money can buy!!!! LOL!!

 

I hope all LEO's feel like you do. Every time you piant a car that's ahed of me, I have ample time to hit the breaks and slide right on by. This situation occurs far more often than not. Further, in areas were LEO's are lazy and leave the radar on, a radar detector will give you ample notice.

 

Interesting. My 9500i must be broken because it does work.

If you are the one the LEO is aiming for, yes, you are toast. Otherwise you will pick up the signal and hopefully have time to slow down before you become the next target. Just drive smart and by that I mean NEVER lead the speeder pack. Always have someone ahead of you.

Always be aware of your surroundings. Check your mirrors often and keep an eye out for anything that even remotely "feels" like a patrol car. I've seen unmarked Z28 Camaro's used in some states. Pay attention to that plain white Ford Crown Vic and you may pick up on the dual exhausts, sway bars and if you squint a little the Police Interceptor badge on the trunk lid.

Always signal lane changes and stay out of the hammer lane whenever possible. Never weave in and out of traffic or pass on the right unless you have a very good reason.

Basically use common sense and you can cruise at a comfortable pace without to much fear of getting zapped.

And last but not least. If you do get pulled over. Be honest (to a degree anyway. If asked, "Do you know how fast you were going", and you were doing 85 in a 70, just reply "no sir I don't".) and be respectful. LEO's have heard them all so lieing will usually guarantee a ticket over a warning. Attitude goes a very long way.

 

Of course, this is why LIDAR is the up and coming thing. RADAR: beam spread at 1000 feet away from the transmitting RADAR antenna = 200 feet, approx. LIDAR: beam spread at 1000 feet = approx. 3 feet. Point and shoot...........GOTHCA!

A good detector may help you out. Better: Fast reflexes, quick/powerful brakes, good luck, an inattentive LEO, and driving the speed limit.

 

I hope all cops switch to lidar because the number of tickets they write will be decreasing by 1000% because of the laser jammers that are currently available. Good luck to the cop that is shooting lidar at a car equipped with the Laser Interceptor. It is simple for the person being shot with lidar to jam it all the way to the cop's lidar gun but it is better to turn it off once you get to the legal limit so that the cop can get a reading and not be suspicious.

http://guysoflidar.com/july-2008/laser-jammer-test.html

http://guysoflidar.com/march-2007/la...mmer-test.html


California is aware that laser jammers work which is why they are illegal.

http://guysoflidar.com/california-la...mmer-laws.html

In California, Laser Jammers are illegal.


Source: California Vehicle Code, Section 28150
(Also available from http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/)


Jamming: Electronic Speed-Measuring Devices

28150. (a) No vehicle shall be equipped with any device that is designed for, or is capable of, jamming, scrambling, neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise interfering with radar, laser, or any other electronic device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects.

(b) No person shall use, buy, possess, manufacture, sell, or otherwise distribute any device that is designed for jamming, scrambling, neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise interfering with radar, laser, or any other electronic device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), a violation of subdivision (a) or (b) is an infraction.

(d) When a person possesses four or more devices in violation of subdivision (b), the person is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who has a valid federal license for operating the devices described in this section may transport one or more of those devices if the license is carried in the vehicle transporting the device at all times when the device is being transported.

Added Sec. 1, Ch. 493, Stats. 1998. Effective January 1, 1999.

 

Get the mirror mount kit. There are several brands and types. But you can wire it to you auto dim mirror, and it is awesome, stays there out of the way and shuts off when car is off. No suction cups or dash mounts. Amazon has all the brands and they work with almost all detectors. Make sure to get the Mirror Wire Power cord, plugs right into the back of the mirror, no cig lighter wire hanging down looking ugly. Oh and BTW thanks for the law lesson. Our cars are meant to be driven and yes occasionally or more often than not ----- SPEED..... X Law enforcement and I'm telling you if you want to play and be more safe than sorry with not getting speeding tickets: on highways keep it around 8 mph or a little less over the limit (not 10 or more) and your good. Probably won't get pulled. On city streets keep within 4 mph or less over limit. School zones. DO THE LIMIT. My 2 cents. Was told by family law enforcement many years. It's worked for me for 40 years. Good luck.

 

I have a whistler remote detector, have it placed in the ashtray area. Very happy with it, very sensitive, also hidden away when I close the ashtray lid.