Lets talk radar detectors

I fail to understand the need for a radar detector. Are you people breaking the law?

It is commonplace for traffic to be moving at 15 to 20 over around here, and if you're not keeping up you quickly become an 'obstacle'. The radar detector reminds me to watch my speed in certain areas to avoid getting singled out, and I did actually buy mine with the hopes of using the SWS feature that I mentioned earlier, unfortunately it does not seem to be active in this part of the state yet.

1988RedT2 wrote: I fail to understand the need for a radar detector. Are you people breaking the law?

Not usually speeding intentionally. I really use it for the awareness of not only law enforcement but safety vehicles and temp work zones. I've had RD go off way before you can hear any sirens.

peter wrote:

N Sperlo wrote: Your radar detector is a level 3A Bulletproof vest and lidar is a 50 cal rifle. You're berkeleyed.

So how much do detectors help anymore? I understand that lidar/laser detection is more of a "you've been hit" thing than a "watch out ahead" thing. With revenue-generators getting new toys all the time, how many jurisdictions are still on radar, and how quickly is that changing?

On my way to work (15-20 min drive) I usually see 2-3 using lidar. Lidar/Laser detection is a warning that you have already been hit, yes. I would be surprised to see munies outside a major city not using lidar. Of course they are expensive and would probably only be given to special enforcement groups. Who else is running traffic anyway? Most areas around StL are too busy with the day to day work and might fit in a traffic stop a day.

Your eyes should work well enough if you're speeding. Plus, if you have that radar detector and you DO get pulled over, expect not to get a warning. Slow your ass down and be safe. You may be ok on the track, but those other people out there aren't your corner workers.

1988RedT2 wrote: I fail to understand the need for a radar detector. Are you people breaking the law?

If you fail to understand, then you probably don't frequently drive on roads with artificially low speed limits that are deliberately setup that way as a revenue stream. Just north of the connector, just outside atlanta, 4-5 lanes of traffic on either side...anywhere else? 70mph. Atlanta? 50 berkeleying five. Average speed is probably 75. I got popped for 80 trying to get my ass out the fast lane so that the guy behind me who was doing 85 could get by. If you're doing 55, you are a danger to everyone else on the highway.

Regardless, I do 10 over, everywhere there's a passing lane or three, all the time. The way I grade, 50% of people are borderline retarded, and I try to avoid being stuck in little pockets of shiny happy retards.

In reply to poopshovel:

Around St Louis, the spotted limit is 55. I haven't seen anyone pulled over for less than 70. 85, yes and on most highways I would consider that dangerous to have a speed limit that high. Although some should be unlimited.

I usually just stick with 5 over and stay in the right land unless passing someone.

I like cheap insurance more than making a 15 minute drive a 13.5 minute drive.

z31maniac wrote: I usually just stick with 5 over and stay in the right land unless passing someone. I like cheap insurance more than making a 15 minute drive a 13.5 minute drive.

x2 My points are very important in my business.

I don't usually drive much faster than 65 mph.

The thing is, I never drive under 65 either. This includes school zones, church parking lots, the drive thru at Dunkin' Donuts, entering and exiting my garage, etc...so, yeah, it's nice to have a decent radar detector that I can rely on.

Woody wrote: I don't usually drive much faster than 65 mph. The thing is, I never drive *under* 65 either. This includes school zones, church parking lots, the drive thru at Dunkin' Donuts, entering and exiting my garage, etc...so, yeah, it's nice to have a decent radar detector that I can rely on.

Why? You're obviously not going to slow down anyway? You just said it yourself.

Woody wrote: I don't usually drive much faster than 65 mph. The thing is, I never drive *under* 65 either. This includes school zones, church parking lots, the drive thru at Dunkin' Donuts, entering and exiting my garage, etc...so, yeah, it's nice to have a decent radar detector that I can rely on.

Thanks, I needed that.

If LIDAR is a problem in your area, then you need this: http://www.blinder.us/home.html

If I had 100 large and the time to blow, I am pretty sure I could make a Stealth Esprit. I think the Giugiaro body style would be easier than the Stevens. The money would be necessary for the test hardware and a fiberglass expert. The basic principals of stealth are not complicated. You just need the 3D modeling software, the Russian guy's RF reflection equations and some testing. I'm sure it would be a whole lot easier than trying to make something that has to fly as well. Plus, you only need to be stealthy from the front and rear. Due to cosign error, the side don't count with the PoPo's equipment, except as the side reflects back to the source.

In reply to Dr. Hess:

There are forums built solely on these tactics. I have a friend who even has a lidar/radar jammer that sometimes works. Its harder than it sounds. What actually needs to be done is emit upon the same frequency to discombobulate the senders signal resulting in an error. There legality of the process is sketchy at most and possibly a felony by fcc law, but lidar not being covered by the fcc, it is not illegal to jam, just radar. Maybe.

I wonder if I could price a mobile app well enough to fund a feed from a surveillance satellite and pay a team of eyeballs to enter coords for the cop cars we can't have software auto-detect. Realtime updates in the car from live intel would be awesome.

Alternatively... maybe we could just get a bunch of drones in the air. I hear they are making them easy and available so the local PD can watch their favorites rub one out while on duty.

Laser being light, it's not covered by the FCC. Yet. RADAR being microwave is, so jamming a RADAR gun is quite illegal. I have not seen a working RADAR jammer sold comercially. What is sold as a RADAR jammer is not and is just BS. The LIDAR jammer, linked to above, though, does work. I know of some people in Esprit circles with them. Let's just say they came in handy to those guys. If the PoPo used LIDAR more up here, I would get one of those setups. They are NOT cheap, but cheaper than maybe 2 tickets today. Or maybe 1 in an Esprit. I see a LIDAR patrol car here about 2-3 times a year. They have to be more active, sit with the window down and aim at cars. Much harder to munch on donuts with the AC on when you are doing that.

Stealth technology, though, is passive. You just reflect the incoming microwave away from the source.

In reply to Dr. Hess:

Sounds all correct to me, but reflecting a lazer or disrupting its signal is harder than it sounds. I'm going to read up on your link, talk to my friend about his jammer and look into a few things. Were the Mythbusters trying to disrupt radar or lidar?

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I wonder if I could price a mobile app well enough to fund a feed from a surveillance satellite and pay a team of eyeballs to enter coords for the cop cars we can't have software auto-detect. Realtime updates in the car from live intel would be awesome. Alternatively... maybe we could just get a bunch of drones in the air. I hear they are making them easy and available so the local PD can watch their favorites rub one out while on duty.

Search for "trapster" on the marketplace.

I always wanted my own personal drone that would fly above me and look out for police, traffic, and road hazards. It would also be handy to check and see if its safe to pass on the blind corner. It really wouldn't be THAT hard...

Capt Slow wrote: I always wanted my own personal drone that would fly above me and look out for police, traffic, and road hazards. It would also be handy to check and see if its safe to pass on the blind corner. It really wouldn't be THAT hard...

All you need is a cute girl in a helo named Trixxie.

Capt Slow wrote: I always wanted my own personal drone that would fly above me and look out for police, traffic, and road hazards. It would also be handy to check and see if its safe to pass on the blind corner. It really wouldn't be THAT hard...

Plus video camera to in-dash display + streaming software + some sort of tracking and collision avoidance on the video stream (power lines, etc...) to feedback loop to the flight control. Raspberry Pi might be a good development platform.

Key issues that don't seem easy to me - how do you fuel / charge it and how to you launch / call it back to land at speed on the roof receiver on demand?

N Sperlo wrote: In reply to Dr. Hess: I have a friend who even has a lidar/radar jammer that *sometimes* works. Its harder than it sounds.

You can contact me off-board if you want, but I'd like some details on his "radar jammer." Having some experience with real ones, I'm interested to see how he came up with a radar jammer that isn't just a useless lump of metal.