radar detectors

[spudchucka]

Am I right in presuming you are an HP??

No!

How do you fill YOUR quota on a quiet day ???

Dont have one!

[spudchucka]

there are only 2 respected radar (radio wave) detecters that can also detect laser light the 8500 and the V1 these detecters have the ability to do both but as W1 says above, the laser warning just tells you you've been done.... unless you wernt speeding.

Didn't know that any could do that. Wouldn't the beam have to be aimed right at the detector? Its a much more concentrated beam than with radar.

[dangerous]

Wouldn't the beam have to be aimed right at the detector?

Correct, it does and this is why the do not always pick it up. On the bike it will detect, as the detecter is mounted 200mm from your head light but in a car were the copper is aiming at the plate or head lights the a detecter on the wind screen is often out of the lasers reach cos as far as I no the laser has a 1m radis aprox.
This is why the better laser jamers are mounted in the grill and there are usualy 2 of em, one on each side.

[Coldkiwi]

perhaps someone needs to point out that detectors now come in two groups 'laser and radar' and 'radar only'. As dangerours said , the escort and Val1 (I thought Bel 985 too?) will detect laser but you've got to be just about already locking the front wheel to outsmart it and avoid it locking on. I've been hit by a laser when my escort was running and all i knew about it was the Red commodore S turning around as I went past (I wasn't about to argue with the speed reading though because I knew I had been going quicker just before!). The range on the unit said 89 metres so the beam was probably still fairly narrow, hence no hit.

So for the original question about Pete's mate... lasers no good in a moving car so it must've been an 'instant on' type hit from the HP. Which is odd because all detectors should pick that up in a head on situation even if its as the unit locks on. did your mate have the volume turned down pete!?

[phil_elvey]

So for the original question about Pete's mate...

No Harry, my mate had his volume turned up, that's why he is so confused. He also said that the reading was from the unit mounted on the dash. This is definately only a radar isn't it (spud?)? This makes the possibility of the reading being taken on another car quite likely doesn't it (there is incentive for discrimination too as he drives a turbo hot hatch)? And if that was the case, would the behaviour of a respectable radar detector like the Valentine 1 have any standing in a court?

[k14]

If the cop used a radar unit and pinged it anywhere in a 500m or so area of your mate then the detector would have gone off. He can't have used a laser from a moving car cause then it would have detected the combined speed of the cop car and your mates car, ie 220kph or so. I am pretty sure the cop must have just "estimated" his speed, which is a bit of a joke if he was going in the opposite direction. I doubt any human could estimate the speed of on coming cars to any level of accuracy, especially at a combined speed of over 200kph.

[spudchucka]

No Harry, my mate had his volume turned up, that's why he is so confused. He also said that the reading was from the unit mounted on the dash. This is definately only a radar isn't it (spud?)? This makes the possibility of the reading being taken on another car quite likely doesn't it (there is incentive for discrimination too as he drives a turbo hot hatch)? And if that was the case, would the behaviour of a respectable radar detector like the Valentine 1 have any standing in a court?

Dash mounted unit would definately be a radar. The quality / reputation of a radar detector would not have any standing in Court as far as I am aware.

[phil_elvey]

Hey, here's the update, my mate has had yet more luck:
He got the ticket today, for doing 121kph. Now he only has 25 points on his license but being done at 121 puts him in the 35 point category, so he will lose his license unless he can convice the authorities to ticket him in 120 or under range.

Any ideas on how to go about this??? He would be very appreciative.

[wkid_one]

Ask Zed - he may have a direct line to the big guy - other than that - he is fucked...

You could try pleading - but given the present state of mind about speeding - I think it will fall on deaf ears.

My suggestion - get as much riding in as possible between now and when the balliff arrives to take the license away

[wkid_one]

The quality / reputation of a radar detector would not have any standing in Court as far as I am aware.

Actually to the contrary more than likely - they highlight the fact you are a habitual speeder. The LAST thing you would want to do in court is go 'but he didn't register on my radar detector!' - the judge will just go 'and if you abibe by the law, there is no need to HAVE one'...

[FROSTY:Me]

go directly to jail--do not pass go -do not collect $200
only way to get it under 120 is at the time of ticketing -if the cop feels like being a semi nice guy

[marty]

i had a guy defend his ticket on the basis that his radar detector didn't go off. the justices laughed at him. literally. instant on on the stalker, in stationary mode, takes less than 1/2 a second to pick the speed - it doesn't have to calculate the patrol car speed first. the total burst time could have been less than 1 second. there are plenty of occasions that detectors haven't picked up radar. if he has it mounted low on the screen, and the beam had bounced off the road, then it may not have been sufficient for the valentine to register before the beam was turned off. i'd say he's fucked. i'll give him $200 for his detector......he'll have $30 change to go and get pissed with

[marty]

Or, that was the reading from a guy he had pinged earlier...........

The HP men on this thread could possibly enlighten, but I have been given to understand that their radar does not diplay the time of day of the zap.

So 'they' can just leave it there and lay it on the next guy and ticket him for that speed also.

Is that:
1 - possible ?
2 - perpetrated ?

1. of course it's possible. it's just unlikely. why would a cop risk his job for a piddly 122k?

2. i have never known for it to happen.

hell, if you leave the radar in stationary mode, then go driving, it adds your own speed to that of cars coming towards you - why not write everyone up for 200km/h?

he should at least ask to see the police copy of the ticket, the radar log book, and some proof that the officer is certified to operate the radar equipment before he pays it.