Are Radar Detectors Useless?

I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
desperate.

"Bacon" > wrote in message
...
> I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
> where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
> detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
> instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
> desperate.

It might be different in the UK but they are useful in reminding you where
the fixed speed traps are but you still have to be on the look out for
roving unmarked traffic enforcement vehicles.

The best clue as to where they are usually parked is to look for the
straightest, safest piece of road you can find totally away from any housing
that hasn't had any accidents.

Why are you bothered if your lawyer buddy 'fixes' them anyway? That sounds
very useful. Expensive is it?

---
Sam

"Bacon" > wrote in message
...
> I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
> where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
> detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
> instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
> desperate.

Mike Valentine has a pretty good explanation of what to expect from modern
radar detectors. Click on the links on the left side.

http://www.valentine1.com/

Bacon wrote:
> I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
> where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
> detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
> instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
> desperate.

You could just slow down...

--
-Fred W

"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
> Bacon wrote:
>> I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
>> where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
>> detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
>> instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
>> desperate.
>
> You could just slow down...

Or use public transport.

---
Sam

"Sam Smith" > wrote in message
...
> "Bacon" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
>> where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
>> detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
>> instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
>> desperate.
>
> It might be different in the UK but they are useful in reminding you where
> the fixed speed traps are but you still have to be on the look out for
> roving unmarked traffic enforcement vehicles.
>
> The best clue as to where they are usually parked is to look for the
> straightest, safest piece of road you can find totally away from any
> housing that hasn't had any accidents.

Another good clue is if you can see sign marking the end of or increase in
the speed restriction. Naturally as soon as one sees it one will adjust for
it (just as one would start slowing down as soon as one saw a stop sign),
then just before the sign will be the police van with the tripod in the
back. They nearly got me with this with a van with an orange lamp* parked
up in front of a 40 sign. Its back doors were open (so marking not visible)
and the camera was in the gloom in the back.

Last week I spotted a chap on a footbridge with a very discrete unit. Again
aimed at just where the 40 changes to 50mph. Nearest houses ~200m and
doubly fenced off from the dual carriageway and the footbridge actually
there for crossing it... Yes there had been a tragic fatality at this
location - a man jumped off the bridge to commit suicide.



* borrowed from the airport, where they have orange rather than blue lights
on top.

In article >,
Sam Smith > wrote:
>"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
>> Bacon wrote:
>>> I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
>>> where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
>>> detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
>>> instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
>>> desperate.
>>
>> You could just slow down...
>
>Or use public transport.

Or get a used Lada.


--
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Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

Richard Sexton wrote:
> >> Bacon wrote:
> >>> I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
> >>> where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
> >>> detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
> >>> instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
> >>> desperate.
>
> Or get a used Lada.

Having been to Missouri a number of times, I'd have to adopt their
state motto with respect to your suggestion of finding a used Lada:
"Show me."
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there; ain't seen *that*)

Sam Smith wrote:
> "Bacon" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
> > where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
> > detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
> > instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
> > desperate.
>
> It might be different in the UK but they are useful in reminding you where
> the fixed speed traps are but you still have to be on the look out for
> roving unmarked traffic enforcement vehicles.
>
> The best clue as to where they are usually parked is to look for the
> straightest, safest piece of road you can find totally away from any housing
> that hasn't had any accidents.
>
> Why are you bothered if your lawyer buddy 'fixes' them anyway? That sounds
> very useful. Expensive is it?

> ---
> Sam

It is somewhat expensive depending on the speed. I got one going 85mph
in a 55mph zone and the fine was $186.50. Fixing it takes care of the
points, but they still fine you. By contrast, the one I got going 54
in a 35 was only $79 as it was under 20mph over the limit. As long as
my lawyer buddy doesn't get sick of my freeloading, I'm probably better
off not spending $400 on a high end detector.

Fred W wrote:
> Bacon wrote:
> > I've gotten 4 tickets in the last 6 months. Luckily I'm in Missouri
> > where your lawyer buddy "fixes" them. I've always thought radar
> > detectors were left over from the 70's and all the different bands and
> > instant on stuff cops use makes them ineffective. But I'm getting
> > desperate.
>
> You could just slow down...
>
> --
> -Fred W

Never! Actually after each ticket I slow down but then the creep sets
in and I gradually get back to full speed in a few days. I can't drive
the 330i slow.