purvistechie

Recently on a trip "Up North" I had the need to pass a line of slow moving cars on a two lane road. They we're bunched up tight and after a few legal passes and almost an accident trying to slide back in (douche would not let me) I decided that taking them all on the next pass would be best. Flat, straight, wide open road except for a bunched up group of 5 cars left doing just under the speed limit. I picked my time carefully and passed the remaining vehicles without a hitch (this can happen pretty fast as we all know when we "let er run"). After clearing the last car and returning to a reasonable speed I thought to myself, "if there was a LEO running radar coming in my direction, I would be getting a ticket".
For this reason I've just purchased a new radar detector for my corvette and I have 30 days to return it. Not to drive like an idiot, but to have some sense of assurance that when exceeding the limit briefly at least I'm not doing it with my pants totally down.
On to my question FOR LEO's ON THE FORUM. Do officers look down on people because they are running detectors? Is it an "auto ticket" in your book when pulling over someone for speed? I like the idea of having it but also don't want the "stigma" associated with it. I drive pretty reasonably "most of the time".
Thoughts?

87SAM

I'm not a LEO but when I was pulled over for speeding a few years ago the officer stated "I don't give breaks to drivers with radar detectors, I don't care if they're driving a Corvette or a Subaru".

LawrenceFromTorrance

You expect an honest answer

purvistechie

Why not? What do they have to loose by being honest?

slburgie

In my 30 years as an LEO, I didn't care if they had a detector or not. Driver attitude and seriousness of the violation plays an important role on the events that follow a routine stop. When working radar it would irritate me to know cars going the opposite direction I was working, would warn oncoming traffic with headlamps flash. At the same time, what most agencies are seeking in traffic control is voluntary compliance. If a detector or headlamp warnings get people to slow down and comply, it makes my job that much easier and the public safer. They quit giving away free washers and dryers or trips to Hawaii via ticket numbers long ago (kidding never did that I know).

purvistechie

Thanks for your input slburgie.

vara411

I'm not a LEO either, but essentially you're betting on an officer being lenient with you versus a radar detector saving you. I'd take my chances with the latter scenario.

My reasoning? ... I've never gotten a break from an officer for speeding, no matter how respectful I've been or what car I've driven. The way I see it, I now drive a big red shiny target and appreciate the added protection of high quality detector. I'm no speed demon, but sometimes situations arise (like yours) where you can expect little to no quarter merely because you drive a Corvette.

Keep your detector. My $0.02.

LawrenceFromTorrance

They would perhaps be conceding that they don't give tickets just by the seriousness of the violation but that they let things alter their judgment that they know they shouldn't, like the above
"Driver attitude "
and maybe
you have a radar detector so you speed too much

purvistechie

IMHO, an officer taking driver attitude in to consideration is a good thing. I would see how that may not work out too well for someone who has an axe to grind with the law. I am not one of those people.

LMB-Z

I agree....14 yrs now as a LEO, seriousness of the offense is first, what your superiors told you to do is second, and attitude is third.

Vito56

As a recently retired LEO with 32 years, I will agree with some of the other LEO that have responded. The seriousness of the offense would determine the action that I would take.

Having a radar detector would not have influenced my decision to issue a citation.

But, there may be some officers that may take offense to the radar detector. And, I think there are some states where the radar detector may be illegal.

Have fun, and drive safe.

MelAnn

There are also insurance companies that won't insure owners of radar detectors.

Homeboy77

What??? Never heard of this before?

Pinski 1

Do I look down on people running them ? No. Is it an "auto ticket" ? No
Every LEO is different just like every person we stop is different. Every dept. has different ticket writing policies. Yes, there are quotas ( but management is not allowed to call them quotas). If a person is being reckless operating a vehicle they usually get a ticket. If a person has a bad attitude they get a ticket. I stopped a guy the other night for doing 48/30. there were no other vehicles on the road and he had a radar detector in his vehicle. Everything was valid with his vehicle and license and he wasn't driving reckless so I let him go after busting on him about how the best radar detectors don't work if we are using instant on.... With all this being said, I know a lot of guys that write everybody that has a radar detector in their vehicle. Hope this helps in your decision !!

mickey5

purvistechie

So do these LEO's who write everyone with a detector generally write more tickets anyway?

Pinski 1

Not really, it's just that when they see a radar detector in the car they know you have it for one reason. Not getting caught speeding or not getting caught period. Let's say you got stopped for blowing a red light in your Z and you don't have a radar detector. Chances are,you would get a warning or at least a reduction if you are polite. Throw a radar detector in in the car and now you will probably get the red light ticket because the way most guys think is that you have already got out of a lot of tickets by having that unit in your car. Hope this makes sense to you.

Bill Dearborn

It all depends on the circumstances. About 4 years ago I was heading out for a two hour drive to the Hospital where I was going to have cancer surgery. I was going for pre-op tests and left with about 45 minutes to spare. Most of the way to the Hospital was on two lane roads. About a quarter of the way there I came upon several cars in a row that were going about 10 mph below the 55 mph speed limit. With no passing zones, curves, towns and oncoming traffic I didn't get a chance to pass for 10 miles. I came upon a nice straight stretch with lots of visibility down the road so floored my 4 cylinder 169 HP Malibu and pulled out to pass. Just as I was passing the last car I came upon a break in the trees on the left side of the road with a Sheriff's car sitting there. I was doing 85. I pulled in front of the car I was passing, looked for a safe place to pull off the road and did so. When I looked in my mirror the Deputy was just turning his car around with the lights on. That ticket cost me $485. $185 for the ticket and court costs and $300 for the NY State Driver Responsibility program which charged people who had over 6 or more points on their license in 18 months another $300.

A couple of weeks ago I was traveling on the WV Turnpike with the cruise set at 75. As we started down a hill with some traffic moving between lanes I focused on the traffic when I saw a trooper on the side. He came after me and told me I was doing 83 in a 70 zone. After a couple of minutes talking he gave me a warning.

The difference in speed wasn't much but the difference in speed Vs the speed limit was a lot different. Thus the tendency toward leniency in the later event.

Bill

Jimmy52

As a retired LEO I believe that Radar Detectors aren't worth the cash you spend on them. 99% of the time if an LEO pulls you over, his mind is usually made up if he's going to write you or not. There were very few times that a driver was able to change my reasoning as to citing him or not. It also depends how serious the infraction was too...

Rky Mtn C6

I'm a retired LEO. I wrote citations at 11+ mph over the limit. The breaks I gave were to drivers doing 1-10 mph, by me not pulling them over and writing them. A detector to me shows "intent," so any rationalization by a person with a detector on why a he/she was speeding was useless. I wish I had a dollar for every ticket I wrote to a driver with a detector. I'd have a Vette of every series. Detectors are not nearly as effective as people think they are. I consider them a waste of money. Can't understand why people can't just do the speed limit and enjoy the ride.