Radar Detectors - do they work?

[mcinfantry]

If you are speeding through a residential area in Walker with no unit in sight and the Lidar is turned on as you approach your speed will be recorded before you can slow down.

same with radar,

 

[JBP55]

same with radar,

That is why they work so well when the unit is parked where it is not easily seen and the Radar/Lidar is not on at all times.

 

[JNieman]

Question for those who advocate the detectors...

...how would you know if they work?

I've blown by cops before doing 90mph and they had their dome light on, looking at the road, and didn't chase. Mississippi, I-55, middle of ****ing nowhere, 2am no one else in sight. They sometimes /choose/ not to pursue. All the variables of human nature and police discretion included... it just seems like these radar detector companies just fleece people for false insurance, like selling a fool in Arkansas a magic rock that keeps tigers away (Do you /see/ any tigers?)

I'm just saying, it seems like a bit of a false sense of security.

Besides, I'd been told before that part of traffic training is being able to estimate speed within a couple MPH, so ... it's not like they /need/ the gun, right?

 

[mcinfantry]

Question for those who advocate the detectors...

...how would you know if they work?

I've blown by cops before doing 90mph and they had their dome light on, looking at the road, and didn't chase. Mississippi, I-55, middle of ****ing nowhere, 2am no one else in sight. They sometimes /choose/ not to pursue. All the variables of human nature and police discretion included... it just seems like these radar detector companies just fleece people for false insurance, like selling a fool in Arkansas a magic rock that keeps tigers away (Do you /see/ any tigers?)

I'm just saying, it seems like a bit of a false sense of security.

Besides, I'd been told before that part of traffic training is being able to estimate speed within a couple MPH, so ... it's not like they /need/ the gun, right?

only a douche cop writes tickets 'cause i saw they were speeding'

 

[JNieman]

only a douche cop writes tickets 'cause i saw they were speeding'

Honestly not sure if that's sarcastic or what. Motorcycle traffic cops in Lafayette are pretty good about that one.

...and Oops, I missed page 2. Leonidas made the other good point. It doesn't save you much/any relevant time unless you're on a /long/ trip. I don't speed deliberately unless I'm driving some 10+ hours in the middle of nowhere with a good view.

 

[mcinfantry]

That is why they work so well when the unit is parked where it is not easily seen and the Radar/Lidar is not on at all times.

but again, having been a cop, who cares?

you can sit on your ass, write reports, leave your gun on and listen for the set goal speeding tone. you hear the whine of your target speed cutoff, lookup and see the car speeding and guess the speed and match the gun and write the ticket. i can write my quota per hour.

OR

you can be sneaky, hide the car, selectively pick the target listen for the tone match the gun jump out and pursue and write the ticket come back and set up again. i can write my quota per hour.

so really i fail to see the necessity. unless you are fleecing your populace for income, then the incentive is to DETER speeding. so BOTH accomplish the goal, and the first example is less work, less risk, less effort and same goal of modifying behavior.

i did the first way for years and gave 30mph over on the slab and could write 6 an hour. or i tried the second way and still wrote 6 an hour. i failed to see the logic. but i havent done it in years, maybe it changed.

 

[mcinfantry]

Honestly not sure if that's sarcastic or what. Motorcycle traffic cops in Lafayette are pretty good about that one.

...and Oops, I missed page 2. Leonidas made the other good point. It doesn't save you much/any relevant time unless you're on a /long/ trip. I don't speed deliberately unless I'm driving some 10+ hours in the middle of nowhere with a good view.

because both 'pacing' and guessing speed arent THAT reliable. and generally a radar/lidar gun is evidence needed for the charge.

 

[JNieman]

because both 'pacing' and guessing speed arent THAT reliable. and generally a radar/lidar gun is evidence needed for the charge.

I guess they just play on the odds that no one fights it. I got nailed because I was unusually running late for work, and I drive through a school zone. Normally I'm through there 30 mins before the school zone speed is in effect, so my "autopilot" kicked in at 35mph before realizing I needed to throttle down to 20mph. The motorcycle cops sit 2 on the sidewalk in school zones around Lafayette like every damned day for weeks on end, making rotations around the parish. Pretty ****ing good deterrent, imo.

Was the only ticket I'd had since I was in high school, so I didn't give a crap about fighting it.

 

[themcfarland]

but again, having been a cop, who cares?

you can sit on your ass, write reports, leave your gun on and listen for the set goal speeding tone. you hear the whine of your target speed cutoff, lookup and see the car speeding and guess the speed and match the gun and write the ticket. i can write my quota per hour.

OR

you can be sneaky, hide the car, selectively pick the target listen for the tone match the gun jump out and pursue and write the ticket come back and set up again. i can write my quota per hour.

so really i fail to see the necessity. unless you are fleecing your populace for income, then the incentive is to DETER speeding. so BOTH accomplish the goal, and the first example is less work, less risk, less effort and same goal of modifying behavior.

i did the first way for years and gave 30mph over on the slab and could write 6 an hour. or i tried the second way and still wrote 6 an hour. i failed to see the logic. but i havent done it in years, maybe it changed.

Well said..

 

[Cat]

See, just like I said. I'm only a RADAR/LIDAR instructor so what would I know.


MOTOR51

Shhhh, you're oppressing the power of commercialism.


Slow down. It's the only guarantee. I hate it too but I also need that reaction time in small towns to keep from running over idiots that pull out in front.

I have had my share of tickets. I'm not being a hypocrite. I truly think radars allow us to drive with a bit more recklessness than normal. My rural roads are rated for 35. Drives me batty. But no shoulder, pot holes and the human instinct to over correct... I dont need to be able to avoid an officer. I'd get myself hurt.


Just my two cents.

 

[JBP55]

but again, having been a cop, who cares?

you can sit on your ass, write reports, leave your gun on and listen for the set goal speeding tone. you hear the whine of your target speed cutoff, lookup and see the car speeding and guess the speed and match the gun and write the ticket. i can write my quota per hour.

OR

you can be sneaky, hide the car, selectively pick the target listen for the tone match the gun jump out and pursue and write the ticket come back and set up again. i can write my quota per hour.

so really i fail to see the necessity. unless you are fleecing your populace for income, then the incentive is to DETER speeding. so BOTH accomplish the goal, and the first example is less work, less risk, less effort and same goal of modifying behavior.

i did the first way for years and gave 30mph over on the slab and could write 6 an hour. or i tried the second way and still wrote 6 an hour. i failed to see the logic. but i havent done it in years, maybe it changed.

Some things have changed since I was Radar Certified 40 years ago. I was Lidar Certified many years later . I am a Senior Citizen and no longer in the work force.

An example of a Hard Working LEO.
The LEO parks on a side street in a residential area and walks to the corner on a well traveled street and observes traffic. When he observes a speeding vehicle he uses the hand held Lidar and directs the speeder to park on the side street near his unit and issues the Citation. He does this until he decides to change locations and never has to move his unit to chase anyone. It works quite well.

 

[mcinfantry]

Some things have changed since I was Radar Certified 40 years ago. I was Lidar Certified many years later . I am a Senior Citizen and no longer in the work force.

An example of a Hard Working LEO.
The LEO parks on a side street in a residential area and walks to the corner on a well traveled street and observes traffic. When he observes a speeding vehicle he uses the hand held Lidar and directs the speeder to park on the side street near his unit and issues the Citation. He does this until he decides to change locations and never has to move his unit to chase anyone. It works quite well.

and parking the car visible lets people know you are out there, and you still make the quota. people dont pay attention. uniform patrol patrols in MARKED cars for the same reason. to deter crime.

Is there a need to hide? i mean BRPD can sit in plain view on i12 and write tickets all day.

 

[MOTOR51]

When I was assigned to speed enforcement on I12 I used to turn on all of my lights and sit on the shoulder. I wrote tons of tickets this way. When I was assigned to motors I would hide the bike and use the handheld and wrote tons of tickets that way. . It all works. People are so caught up in their daily routines that they don't pay attention. One of my favorite pastimes was to write the 18 wheelers that liked to see how close they could get to you while you were writing a ticket on the interstate.


MOTOR51

 

[mcinfantry]

When I was assigned to speed enforcement on I12 I used to turn on all of my lights and sit on the shoulder. I wrote tons of tickets this way. When I was assigned to motors I would hide the bike and use the handheld and wrote tons of tickets that way. . It all works. People are so caught up in their daily routines that they don't pay attention. One of my favorite pastimes was to write the 18 wheelers that liked to see how close they could get to you while you were writing a ticket on the interstate.


MOTOR51

that 'trick' still works?! lol

 

[Leonidas]

............so really i fail to see the necessity. unless you are fleecing your populace for income, then the incentive is to DETER speeding. so BOTH accomplish the goal, and the first example is less work, less risk, less effort and same goal of modifying behavior.........

Couldn't agree more......which is why I shamelessly warn folks with my headlights. Those that understand slow down. Those that don't, no sympathy from me.

And thanks for confirming something many of us civvies have long suspected. At least some departments have quotas. Lol.

 

[Hermit]

I just set my cruise control to five over.
I'm not in that big a hurry.
I will cheat up a little if I'm in the middle of a pack.

 

[Cat]

Couldn't agree more......which is why I shamelessly warn folks with my headlights. Those that understand slow down. Those that don't, no sympathy from me.

And thanks for confirming something many of us civvies have long suspected. At least some departments have quotas. Lol.

I don't think that's what he is suggesting. I'm pretty sure Lee is not arguing that tickets are bad. I think he is suggesting hiding is a waste of time. But he is subject to swing by and tell me I have it ass backwards too.

Regarding quota: eeehhhhhhh. I don't know. If you have X amount of traffic then you're going to have Y amount of speeders. Maybe it's more "you should be doing this much work, in this amount of time" similar to any job. You don't want an employee riding the clock. Why shouldn't they expect their LEOs to maximize their time spent on the side of a road? Maybe quota is the wrong word. "Averages" may be closer to what they are.

 

[deuxlatch]

I still say one of the best radar detectors is a good solid CB with a strong signal. All the truckers have them and that gives you eyes all over the place and they will usually let you know miles down the road exactly where the traps are. They also give you updated traffic info which has saved me many hours stuck in traffic allowing me to bypass the problems.

 

[Leonidas]

I think he was very clear in what he said. I agree, and am willing to take him at his word. Traffic law is all about safety. And that has always been how the powers that be have justified them.

 

[JWG223]

So, my job has me on the road a good bit now (back roads, state highways, etc).

I have no desire to drive 100 mph in a 40, but these speed traps i run into are a p.i.t.a.

any suggestions on radar/laser detectors that work?
or are the all just expensive POS?

Thanks,
Mike

Yes, but only against radar. Lidar makes them worthless except as confirmation that you just got tagged pretty much. Cheap one's suck. Good one's cost. I would rather not have a RD than have a cheap one.