Jay, you do know that radar/laser is a secondary means of identifying speed? I like seeing others keep the economy afloat one farkle at a time, but in this case?Ok, I'll bite. What's the first? I would guess line of site and a judgement call on the officers part.
Ok, I'll bite. What's the first? I would guess line of site and a judgement call on the officers part.An officers visual. Before they are certified to use the radar they are required to accurately "estimate" speed. I have worked, ridden, and trained with a fair amount of LEOs from a large variety of departments over the years. What detector users have in their favor is the lazy officers who rely on the radar for info.
An officers visual. Before they are certified to use the radar they are required to accurately "estimate" speed. I have worked, ridden, and trained with a fair amount of LEOs from a large variety of departments over the years. What detector users have in their favor is the lazy officers who rely on the radar for info.
Fellow riders are the best form of detection, a simple tap on top of the helmet to an oncoming rider works great, even better is a CB radio set on the local truckers channel as they tend to call out sightings, all though recently not so much as they are prone to travelling at the posted speed due to tracking and all that kinda stuff.
Most modern day radar and laser guns are instant on/off. Typically the only warning you receive from a detector is after you've been tagged. Radar and laser signals travel at the speed of light (or thereabouts); it takes miliseconds to compute your speed on modern equipment. Also, jammers are only effective in 100% ideal conditions. They need to be positioned so that the frequency they emit is sent directly back to the laser gun. If the angle is slightly off, the frequency is slightly different or the officer targets an alternate portion of your vehicle (side, top or back), you are basically screwed.
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The reason for the jammer is that once you are "tagged" as you mention above it would typically be too late, what the jammer does is block (error) that first tag reading, allowing you to see the laser tagged light go off and slow down (this jammer from TPX also has an auto off function so once it jams the first tagging it turns off) then when the LEO tags you again it works for him but by then you've hopefully already slowed down...
When LEO's tag you with laser they have to hit it off a license plate or headlight in order to get a reading back, it won't work if they tag you from the side etc. The jammer mounts directly below your headlight, which blocks the signal on the first reading.
Here's some more info, pics, and vids, etc... It's a pretty cool product IMO.
http://www.adaptivtechnologies.com/gear/gallery/tpx-laser-jammer
http://www.pinterest.com/adaptivtech/kawasaki/
The reason for the jammer is that once you are "tagged" as you mention above it would typically be too late, what the jammer does is block (error) that first tag reading, allowing you to see the laser tagged light go off and slow down (this jammer from TPX also has an auto off function so once it jams the first tagging it turns off) then when the LEO tags you again it works for him but by then you've hopefully already slowed down...
When LEO's tag you with laser they have to hit it off a license plate or headlight in order to get a reading back, it won't work if they tag you from the side etc. The jammer mounts directly below your headlight, which blocks the signal on the first reading.
Here's some more info, pics, and vids, etc... It's a pretty cool product IMO.
http://www.adaptivtechnologies.com/gear/gallery/tpx-laser-jammer
http://www.pinterest.com/adaptivtech/kawasaki/
I'm not trying to poo poo on your post, but radar detectors and jammers offer very little protection against speeding tickets unless you're following other vehicles. Most modern day radar and laser guns are instant on/off. Typically the only warning you receive from a detector is after you've been tagged. Radar and laser signals travel at the speed of light (or thereabouts); it takes miliseconds to compute your speed on modern equipment. Also, jammers are only effective in 100% ideal conditions. They need to be positioned so that the frequency they emit is sent directly back to the laser gun. If the angle is slightly off, the frequency is slightly different or the officer targets an alternate portion of your vehicle (side, top or back), you are basically screwed.
I owned a nice radar detector once. The officer that pulled me over let me know that I would have received a warning if I didn't have a detector in my windshield.
I haven't had any speeding tickets in 12 years. Not because I don't speed, but because I'm smart about where I speed...
Myth is they need the radar, fact is officers write the ticket and electronic assistance is not required. Yes, a good lawyer will in all likelyhood beat the charge on some technicality, but that would be some weakness on the officers part.
What I would like is a current LEO to chime in, give their experience first hand.
That said, common sense says that it will annoy a LEO to no end if you have defeated his, er, measurement system. If you think detectors make them cranky, wait 'till you meet one while wearing an emitter. So think long and hard about just where and how you are going to mount it (them). Just because the LEO's device will not read does not mean you will not get pulled over and once made put off, an officer can probably find all manner of things you have / continue to do incorrectly.
I would be very interested to hear if anyone has ever gotten a ticket based on the officers estimate of speed. I'm not talking about aggressive riding including improper passing, dangerous lane changing, etc. I'm talking pure speeding such as 82 in a 70 (my last ticket on a deserted back road in Texas). Has anyone ever gotten a ticket like that without radar, laser or stop watch?