Radar detector perception by LEOs

[rushnut]

Hello all,

I've just joined this forum and this is my first post, so my apologies if this topic has been exhaustively discussed and answered, but I'm going to ask anyway.

What's the general LEO opinion of a radar detector in the car? I'm in CA where it's completely legal to own and use one (only 2 states don't allow it).

Does this, as I fear it might, pretty much cement in the cop's mind pulling me over that I'm a speeder/leadfoot? My buddies who are cops are, I suspect, being nice and telling me they don't really care either way, but I'm not sure I buy that.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Rushnut
Verified leadfoot

[retdetsgt]

There legal in Oregon, but I know my son in law has one and still got two speeding ticket via radar until he learned to slow down. One technology always works to outdo the other.

[RoadKingTrooper]

Hello all,

I've just joined this forum and this is my first post, so my apologies if this topic has been exhaustively discussed and answered, but I'm going to ask anyway.

What's the general LEO opinion of a radar detector in the car? I'm in CA where it's completely legal to own and use one (only 2 states don't allow it).

Does this, as I fear it might, pretty much cement in the cop's mind pulling me over that I'm a speeder/leadfoot? My buddies who are cops are, I suspect, being nice and telling me they don't really care either way, but I'm not sure I buy that.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Rushnut
Verified leadfoot

Only one? You need one for the back window too!
Don't some insurance companies offer a RADAR detector discount in your state?

Oh and to answer your question............RADAR detector equipped cars ALWAYS got a penalty ticket..no warnings!

[BJJVad]

Let's put it in "layman terms"..

It's like driving through Green Bay with a Vikings sticker..

[Curt581]

Guaranteed ticket. It implies prior intent to speed.

It's like driving through Green Bay with a Vikings sticker..

Not that bad, but close. More like wearing a White Sox jersey to a Brewers game.

[greg72982]

I love them because we don't use RADAR

[Legoate]

If I was trying to decide to cite or warn for speed- radar detector==citation. If you want to play the game, be ready to face the consequences.

[marinepilot]

Personally I believe they (radar detectors) are worthless, because if I hit you with instant on radar, I've got your speed before you even get the warning to slow down. I can see the people who have them because the speed shows up and a split second later the nose of the car dives down as the driver slams on the brakes! It would actually be comical if it wasn't so unsafe.

So, whenever I see that, I DEFINITELY give the ticket, usually without cutting the driver a break, because, like someone already said, if you're gonna play the game, you're gonna pay the price.

I figure I'm like the power company: You make me turn on my lights, you're gonna pay the power bill.

[lawduck]

There's two sides to it.


I know those things beep all the time.

It reminds people to go the speed limit.

But not everyone does.

[kels]

that is your warning, this is your ticket.

please press hard, four copies...............

[1depd]

If I saw you had one, then you get a ticket for all the obvious violations present. On the up side I didn't normally look too hard to find violations, unless your actions put myself or others in serious danger. One of my favorite things to do, when I wasn't in the mood to deal with people, was drive around clicking my radar on and off. It slowed down the people with the predisposition to speed who had the radar detector. If I wanted to focus on speeding tickets I normally checked out the Laser and wrote them that way. Laser tickers are much harder to get out of.

[pac201]

radar detector=professional speeder=citation...end of story.

[PapaBear]

From my experience, radar detectors have made some folks very rich from all of the purchases. By the time the radar detector picks up the beam, it is usually too late because I have already got your speed!

I love it when the motorist pleads that I could not have gotten them because they have the device. I giggle when I ask them to press hard, four copies.

[retdetsgt]

From my experience, radar detectors have made some folks very rich from all of the purchases. By the time the radar detector picks up the beam, it is usually too late because I have already got your speed!

Yep. That was my son in law's experience until he finally tossed his in the trash....

[basher52]

And now a short story from my HWY Patrol Days....

Stopped a nice gentleman in a BMW one fine day on I-95 for speed. I advised the motorist of his indiscrection and retrieved his paperwork. On his windshield was the latest greatest (for the '80"s) super dupa radar detector. He then procceded to tell me that I could not have gotten him speeding, as he had the "latest greatest & most expensive" radar detector on the market. I told him I didn't use RADAR, nor did we have LIDAR back then. I informed him that I CLOCKED/PACED him for over 4/10's of a mile. I guess it didn't register, he was in disbelief and wanted to know why the unit failed to catch the radar signal. I advised him he was using the wrong type of equipment, to which he asked what he needed to get. I informed him his vehicle was already equipt'd from the factory with the required speed detection equipment and that is was called A REAR VIEW MIRROR....LOOK IN THE MIRROR, SEE THE POLICE AND SLOW DOWN!

The best part of the story, as I was writing the ticket, he began destroying the $500+ Escort/Passport radar detector and threw it out the passanger window. I then procceded to write him an additional summons for the sign 20 or so feet in front of his vehicle....A nice white, reflectorized sign, with black letters and numbers which stated. NO LITTERING $250 DOLLAR FINE!

Please becareful as you pull away from the shoulder...AND HAVE A NICE DAY!