Do you use radar/laser detectors?

[crw]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
When the national speed limit was 55, the public felt preyed upon by excessive enforcement (pulled over for 60...).

Now that reasonableness has returned to speed limits, and gas is more expensive, most folks drive closer to the limit and don't get ticketed as much. Couple that with the nature of LIDAR and POP...which are difficult to counter, the market no longer exists...


I agree. On Idaho's freeways near where I live, the prevailing speed has risen to around 90. I just drive 75 and there is no chance I'd get pulled over. If so, I'd look the officer in the eye and say, "Am I the only one you could catch?"

 

[Nick R]

I speed, but I drive just slow enough they won't pull me over. 78/65 and 69/55. Pass them everyday and they leave you alone.

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
I speed, but I drive just slow enough they won't pull me over. 78/65 and 69/55. Pass them everyday and they leave you alone.

Usually 10 over is enough to have them look twice, but 14 over (at least in most of the states I have driven) is asking for a "sign here please" on a multi-layered pad.

 

[supton]

I remember when the limit was 55, and they were going to go back to 65. Word was, the cops were going to just nail you to the wall for a few over--when it was 55, you could do up to 9 over and be ok, but zero tolerance at 65.

Today it's 14 over and they could care less. Funny how relative it is.

During rush hour I like to put my foot in it, but then again I'm in good company. When I have to travel I kinda like getting some time in at the tail end of rush hour, that way police presence is low, yet traffic is high enough that speeds are still up there. Outside that, I don't care to push my luck. My VW pulls off great mpg's regardless, but my other two, while dropping the same percentage, cost more to drive fast. A ticket would be worse.

Never had a radar detector, don't plan to, unless if they crack down on speeding or something, and then it'd be just a form of protest at that. I figure, with instant-on radar/laser it's not worth it. I've managed so far by blending in, watching where I am, or *shudder* just doing the limit.

[Quite frankly, that's part of the reason why I'm starting to switch to Toyota's. Boring to drive, and as a result, I don't mind doing the limit. If the car won't love me back, then I might as well not drive it hard.]

 

[UNC151]

I have a Beltronics that has saved me more than a few times, but detectors in general are not a "free pass" particularly with instant on radar/lasers. If you are the lead car in a pack with instant on, you are "dead meat".

 

[Smokescreen]

mpg > mph

 

[supton]

Which is why I try to be mid pack, and to let a few cars always go past me once in a while. 90th percentile, that sort of thing. If one car passes me for every 10 cars I pass, good. If not, then chances are I'm going too fast; time to backpedal and use cruise if necessary.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: Nick R
I speed, but I drive just slow enough they won't pull me over. 78/65 and 69/55. Pass them everyday and they leave you alone.

Usually 10 over is enough to have them look twice, but 14 over (at least in most of the states I have driven) is asking for a "sign here please" on a multi-layered pad.



Not on my stretch of I-87 lol. 14 or under you are fine. When you hit 16 over they will start noticing you. I drive that stretch of road everyday at those speeds and pass at least one trooper every day, and they leave you alone. I've had troopers come up behind me and pass me when I'm going that fast too. 80+ and you are definitely asking for trouble though.

And I still get passed by people too. Plus, I somehow feel like the CB antenna on my trunk helps. It helps keep people from riding my [censored] often times lol

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: crw
Example, on the road I cite above, I'm coming home one night and get behind an old vehicle going about 45 in the 55. When I find the chance, I pass. In the process of passing, my speed rises to 65... and just as I'm coming back into the right lane, boom, I'm toast. Experiences like that are what caused me to buy the detector.

Technically, am I speeding? Yes. However, when you pass a vehicle and you have to move into the opposite direction lane for a period of time, when you do this I believe you should GO! You should step on it and get the passing done as quickly as possible and get back into your proper lane! It's times like this when common sense doesn't jive completely with "the law" when I will take any help I can get.


The experience you describe is one that I learned in driving school as being probably the most "acceptable" instance of speeding. If you take it up to ~65MPH (reasonable,) you are OVERTAKING the vehicle, in the passing lane.. Completely within flow of traffic. Not too too outrageous if he was doing 10 under.

When police began abusing this, and just giving anybody tickets for anything no matter how reasonable and being total jerks about it, is when the decline happened. I also believe that speed enforcement is about revenue, and I am surprised how little tickets are written on state highways. Usually, they bag whoever is going 10MPH or more over, 5MPH over on a slow day, yes? (Some say to "stay 5MPH under the speed limit. I can't see how doing the speed limit would be an issue. Unless you drive past that one cop that will get you for registering one over the posted limit, due to speedometer to tire inaccuracy, and then ticket you for everything he can find, and want to search the car, because you have out-of-state plates.)

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
14 or under you are fine.

Is that 14 according to your car's speedo or GPS?

The reason I ask is that many cars' speedos read high, so 14 over the limit on your speedo may only be 10 over the limit in reality. I know my 530i lies like that, but other cars have more accurate speedos.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
I have a Beltronics that has saved me more than a few times, but detectors in general are not a "free pass" particularly with instant on radar/lasers. If you are the lead car in a pack with instant on, you are "dead meat".


I could have told you that

But, if you hear your radar going off and detecting "pops" a mile or at most two down the road.. SLOW DOWN!!

I have debated gettign a detector, but could never decide which model to buy.

Some people swear by valentine One, some call it outdated (Laser detection)

As to the "radar detector detector detector," that is "Anti VG-2." The cops have CG-2 detectors, or the "radar detector detector. the "radar detector detector detector" is the "Anti-VG2".. and I am not sure how it works.

Laser? = hard to combat, but look at the road. There is a cop aiming a laser speed measuring device out his window, like a rifle. Seen it in CT. I slowed down to 64MPM more like 55MPH and he just looked at me.. I had my high beams on so I saw him.

He was angry I saw him first but just stayed there, as I was not speeding. No radar detector needed, just watching the road, thinking "Yes they would be here," and sure enough, I was right.

POP/Instant-on = Getting a ticket if you "brake check" when it goes off, it is too late.. If you can somehow hear it going off with other cars beforehand, you stand SOME chance.

Assuming you are speeding. You could be doing 5MPH over in the flow of traffic on a crowded highway and be OK. Or you could be doing 1MH over on a lonely highway, and get nailed. - Right?

 

[Maxima97]

I have an Escort 9500i which detect both radar and lidar. Save me couple of times between speed limit change. Sometimes, you are just ignored the speed limit zone change and cops just try to capture this. Not just I intend to speeding. The 9500i also has GPS wihich will warn you speeding camera and red light camera. I guess I already saved enough tickets for another 9500i.

 

[BubbaFL]

My Beltronics Pro is worth its weight in gold.

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
I have a Beltronics that has saved me more than a few times, but detectors in general are not a "free pass" particularly with instant on radar/lasers. If you are the lead car in a pack with instant on, you are "dead meat".


The trick is getting into the habit of reflexivley standing on the brakes whenever KA band lights up. Radar guns have trouble locking on to a sharply decelerating target. Yes, it'll [censored] off the people behind you for a minute - until you get around the corner and they see smokey bear.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: BubbaFL
My Beltronics Pro is worth its weight in gold.

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
I have a Beltronics that has saved me more than a few times, but detectors in general are not a "free pass" particularly with instant on radar/lasers. If you are the lead car in a pack with instant on, you are "dead meat".


The trick is getting into the habit of reflexivley standing on the brakes whenever KA band lights up. Radar guns have trouble locking on to a sharply decelerating target. Yes, it'll [censored] off the people behind you for a minute - until you get around the corner and they see smokey bear.


I would agree with that.

Some have seen the cop pound the dash when it locks the previously speeding car in at like 71MPH, instead of like 85MPH - which is sort of asking for a ticket, IMHO.

When I was young, I was told that cruising the turnpike etc at 79/80MPH was "really pushing it" but that you "might" not get a ticket, at 14/15MPH over. (Some sections are now 45MPG so WATCH OUT! No apparent construction, either. They just are.. such as going on the spur from NJ Exit 6 to Philadelphia..

74MPH seems good, but what about the "out of state plates" theory?

I know some who set their cruise at 71MPH. Good practice?

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Originally Posted By: BubbaFL
My Beltronics Pro is worth its weight in gold.

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
I have a Beltronics that has saved me more than a few times, but detectors in general are not a "free pass" particularly with instant on radar/lasers. If you are the lead car in a pack with instant on, you are "dead meat".


The trick is getting into the habit of reflexivley standing on the brakes whenever KA band lights up. Radar guns have trouble locking on to a sharply decelerating target. Yes, it'll [censored] off the people behind you for a minute - until you get around the corner and they see smokey bear.


I would agree with that.

Some have seen the cop pound the dash when it locks the previously speeding car in at like 71MPH, instead of like 85MPH - which is sort of asking for a ticket, IMHO.

When I was young, I was told that cruising the turnpike etc at 79/80MPH was "really pushing it" but that you "might" not get a ticket, at 14/15MPH over. (Some sections are now 45MPG so WATCH OUT! No apparent construction, either. They just are.. such as going on the spur from NJ Exit 6 to Philadelphia..

74MPH seems good, but what about the "out of state plates" theory?

I know some who set their cruise at 71MPH. Good practice?


I don't set mine at even 70/75/80 etc. I go a few under. If I'm on a road trip and the speed limit is 65 I'll usually do 73/74 and be fine. If it's 55 I'm more inclined to do like 62 usually. But on my daily commute I know the road here, so I push it a little more.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Some states (Indiana) the speed limit is 70MH. In those states, I do 70.. CAUTIOUSLY 74MPH (sweating bullets at that clip, right lane)

And how about the "Out of state" plates theory?
*The "Out of state plates" theory is that, in a field of speeders, the out of state car will get pulled.

 

[rjundi]

I grew up thankfully with no tickets along the way. I did own one but it went off at a flea sneeze so I gave up.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Long term radar detector user, I had an original Fuzzbuster! These days we have several Valentine One's.

The problem is the LEO's have too many ways around it. POP radar, LIDAR, instant on Ka band, a properly trained LEO can easily make your detector say nothing except "time to pull over and get out your papers"!

Unless you have active jamming equipment you will eventually be ticketed in Florida if you speed regularly, and it won't matter what type of radar detector you own.

 

[Chris142]

In town I stay within 3 mph of the limit. On the hwy I am usually just under the limit and in the slow lane. Let the maniacs get a ticket as I'm usually checking out the scenery. Plus my cars are not designed for fast speeds. They are designed to get off the hwy to ck things out. Funny how a car will blow past me just to wait at the next light or to be at the gas station 1 minute before I get there.
On top of that I have a cdl and can't attend traffic school plus I'm supposed to be a professional behind the wheel.

 

[jimbrewer]

They have photocop in my small town. I rode with someone who had a detector and it picked it up pretty good. So for that, it might be worthwhile. I think its not like it used to be where a good detector would be like a license to speed.

Anyway, I used to drive 30K per year during the 55 mph speed limit era. I had a particular 280 mile trip that I did over and over again. My best time? 5:15--in a Chevy Chevette. I couldn't go much over 55 mph , and I didn't stop for gas. I realized that minimizing your time at "zero" mph was key. It takes a heckuva lot of speeding to make up for five minutes dawdling around the gas station.

In a small town, there effectively is almost no practical benefit to speeding. So why bother?