Radar Detectors

[RichM96067]

Valentine 1

 

[Bird]

Yes, Steve, we know if you want to nitpick enough, you could write a book and still probably not cover all the variables involved in determining whether a person is injured, or how bad the injuries are, and on and on and on, but the fact is that all other things being equal, the faster you were going when you came to that sudden stop, the more likely you are to sustain more serious injuries or death, and the more likely you are to kill or injure someone else. In fact, my own training in the Dallas Police Department, the Northwestern University Traffic Institute, and books in the Northwestern University Transportation Library that I read probably still didn't cover all the variables.

There used to be a traffic slogan that said, "Speed Kills". Well, we know that actually speed doesn't kill, but it sure does increase the severity, both of property damage and personal injury when an accident does occur.

When my youngest daughter was still a teenager, she wrecked and totalled a car, supposedly blew a tire, lost control, and turned the car up on its side. Fortunately she didn't hit anything to cause a sudden stop, she was wearing her seat belt (no air bags back then), no damage to anything except her car, and very minor injuries to her. The next day, I went with her to retrieve personal property from the car in the auto pound. I found that property to include a radar detector and said it could go in the nearest garbage can. She said it was an expensive one that a boyfriend had given her so she didn't think it should go in the garbage can. As I threw in the garbage can, I told her if I ever caught her with one again, she would not have a drivers license as long as she lived in my house.

 

[coobie]

I have a question why don,t we start a seperate thread on how speed kills?How about keeping this thread to the questions asked about which radar detector to buy and where they are legal.coobie

 

[Bird]

Brian, so far the only place they've been able to recruit police officers is from the human race, so in spite of all the tests, background investigations, etc., some of them shouldn't have been in that job (what profession do you know of that doesn't have some like that?). So some make some of the same dumb mistakes that the other drivers on the road make. Come to think of it, who among us has not made a dumb mistake or two in our lives?

 

[Wheatland KB]

As I threw in the garbage can, I told her if I ever caught her with one again, she would not have a drivers license as long as she lived in my house.

Sounds like you went to the same school of parenting as I. I'll bet she turned out to be a responsible young lady.

 

[Bird]

Sounds like you went to the same school of parenting as I. I'll bet she turned out to be a responsible young lady.

Yeah, I wish I had her energy and was making as much money as she's making. And now she's just started back to college, working on a master's degree.

 

[xlr82v2]

Brian, so far the only place they've been able to recruit police officers is from the human race, so in spite of all the tests, background investigations, etc., some of them shouldn't have been in that job (what profession do you know of that doesn't have some like that?). So some make some of the same dumb mistakes that the other drivers on the road make. Come to think of it, who among us has not made a dumb mistake or two in our lives?

Very true!

 

[Wheatland KB]

That was a bit of my hijack and I do apologize.

 

[yooperdave]

Yooper Dave UPDATE:

I was going to work at 5:15am - dark and on a rural back road in the middle of nowhere.

The sky was black and not another soul on the road - except for a posting police car on a cross road with his lights off who pulled me over for going 60 in a 55. He saw my head lights coming his way a long ways away.

I plead no contest with no excuses - he gave me a written warning.

It is amazing when I think of the police and speeding - I have a self fullfilling prophecy.

My 45 minute drives to work now will take 55 minutes which gives me more time to unwind.

Yooper Dave

 

[swines]

If you want to see the latest tests go hereRadarTest.com - Best radar detector reviews from the world's most respected authority. and make up your own mind. I have an Escort, a friend has a Valentine - if you know HOW to use either one - both will work fine.

 

[rimshot]

So, do you say it is a safe operation for the cop to hang a U turn right in the middle of the highway and accelerate up to 100mph+ and then have to lock up the brakes to decelerate back to 60 before he flat runs over the guy just to pull someone over that was doing 60 in a 55 on open highway?

That's what happened to me last week. All for a verbal warning. Stupid cop.

=================
*Warning* off topic discussion if that bothers you please skip my post.

"Stupid cop"? Was he stupid because he chased you down for speeding or stupid because he didn't give you a ticket? Maybe the solution to this dilemma is for you to drive the speed limit so "stupid" would not need to do his job. You say you were only going 60 but if the officer had a chance to respond perhaps his version would differ from yours. I seriously doubt there are a high percentage of Police officers that would risk their safety and that of others to drive a car in a manner you have described for a 5 mph over verbal warning. Sure, it has happened but I believe it's the exception not the rule. You say you were only driving 60/55 and that might be a close call but every mile per hour at highway speeds drastically increases sustained damage exponentially. Might even save your life to try to drive the limit. (note to self)
========

*Back on topic* (Game over and to each his own)*
========
So if we drive and have to have a radar detector on our dash could we be making a statement that tells the authorities, "I can speed when you are not around?" I think we are.

rimshot (just another person's view)

 

[Bird]

So if we drive and have to have a radar detector on our dash could we be making a statement that tells the authorities, "I can speed when you are not around?" I think we are.

That's a fact. You only need a radar detector if you're planning in advance to be a law violator. Since they're good for nothing except to be used as a criminal instrument, some states outlawed them, and others have considered it, so maybe they will some day.

 

[xlr82v2]

=================
*Warning* off topic discussion if that bothers you please skip my post.

"Stupid cop"? Was he stupid because he chased you down for speeding or stupid because he didn't give you a ticket? Maybe the solution to this dilemma is for you to drive the speed limit so "stupid" would not need to do his job. You say you were only going 60 but if the officer had a chance to respond perhaps his version would differ from yours. I seriously doubt there are a high percentage of Police officers that would risk their safety and that of others to drive a car in a manner you have described for a 5 mph over verbal warning. Sure, it has happened but I believe it's the exception not the rule. You say you were only driving 60/55 and that might be a close call but every mile per hour at highway speeds drastically increases sustained damage exponentially. Might even save your life to try to drive the limit. (note to self)
========

*Back on topic* (Game over and to each his own)*
========
So if we drive and have to have a radar detector on our dash could we be making a statement that tells the authorities, "I can speed when you are not around?" I think we are.

rimshot (just another person's view)

I think that if you would reread your post, you just answered your question! But, I'll break it down for you anyway

You say that "every mile per hour at highway speeds drastically increases sustained damage exponentially"...

So, using your criteria, the "risk" of my 5mph over the "Limit" is negligible, obviously, compared to the nearly 45mph over the limit that the cop did, which is underscored in that he nearly rear-ended me because he came up on me much faster than he apparently expected! So, with that in mind, think of the peril that he potentially caused! Plus, he made an otherwise illegal (only legal because he was a cop... ) dangerous U-turn in the middle of the roadway, placing any traffic in front of him and behind him in danger as well. All to chase me down so he can "teach me a lesson."

Unless, you believe that the laws of physics that apply to us "subjects" do not apply to the police...? I know a lot of cops believe that... but do you?

To be honest, judging from the conversation I had with him, I believe that this whole scenario was triggered by 2 things in this cop's mind...

First, it was on March 31... Quota's, anyone? Oh, silly me, that's right, there's no such thing as quotas.

Second, I didn't bow down to this cop's "authority" and immediately slow down when I passed him. He was in a "plain white wrapper", and I didn't notice that it was a cop when I blew past him at the devilish speed of 60mph. All I saw was a white car. I did, however see him perform his Roscoe P. Coltrane U-turn in the rear view mirror probably a mile or more behind me. And, I definitely saw him swerve to miss rear-ending me when he caught back up after his short supersonic dash.

I do have to give him credit, though... he was honest about the speed I was going, probably because he saw the GPS on my dashboard. Had that not been there, I'm sure I would have gotten a ticket for 70mph +. Why go through all the trouble to endanger all of those lives for anything less?

Stupid cop.

 

[The Dougster]

I've been busy and haven't read everything there is to read about this thread but lets take a look at all the possible circumstances...
A few years ago, my wife, aka, Da Warden, and I were returning home from a wedding. It was late on a Saturday night and she was driving 60-mph in a 55-zone... Not a biggie but regardless, she was pulled over and questioned... She was given a warning ticket and we were sent on our way.... Afterwards, Da warden was complaining about being stopped for going 5mph over the speed limit. Finally, I told her she wasn't stopped for speeding. That was the trooper's excuse for stopping someone in his search for drunk drivers... Certainly it was inconvenient but I'm wondering how often his tactics pays off?... Just an observation...

 

[Bird]

First, it was on March 31... Quota's, anyone? Oh, silly me, that's right, there's no such thing as quotas.

she wasn't stopped for speeding. That was the trooper's excuse for stopping someone in his search for drunk drivers

Rumors, speculation, and misconceptions abound. And of course, such things are usually based to some degree on fact. Both the above statements may, or may not, be correct.

Specific quotas for issuing traffic citations that result in a fine are extremely rare, but it has happened. Quotas for a number of "contacts" (which includes written warnings) are a little more common, although many, if not most, police departments don't even use written warnings.

And using one violation as an excuse to search for a different, and more serious one, is not particularly unusual.

 

[The Dougster]

Bird, I certainly wasn't complaining, and of course, my supposition was purely conjecture. I disapprove of radar detectors and speeding.
If I were a patrolman looking for folks driving under the influence, I would most certainly target late Saturday night drivers. As you are aware, DPS troopers must have a reason to stop drivers and five miles over the speed limit is certainly "just cause"... I was applauding his actions rather than complaining.

 

[Bird]

I didn't mean to imply that you were complaining. I was just trying to explain that you could very well be right, or possibly not, about the trooper's reasons. As the old saying goes, "It depends."

 

[smfcpacfp]

Yooper Dave UPDATE:

I was going to work at 5:15am - dark and on a rural back road in the middle of nowhere.

The sky was black and not another soul on the road - except for a posting police car on a cross road with his lights off who pulled me over for going 60 in a 55. He saw my head lights coming his way a long ways away.

I plead no contest with no excuses - he gave me a written warning.

It is amazing when I think of the police and speeding - I have a self fullfilling prophecy.

My 45 minute drives to work now will take 55 minutes which gives me more time to unwind.

Yooper Dave

So did you decide on which radar detector to get? It sounds like you need one. Even when you are trying to stay within the speed limit, you often find yourself drifting to a higher speed, so the warning beep can bring you back to reality.

In one sense the radar detector is a safety enhancement feature for me. Without the radar detector, I would have to continuously check the speedometer which means that I have to look away from the road. Without this distraction, I simply drive at a speed comfortable for me. In the 20 plus years that I have been using the radar dector I have had no at fault accidents. To be fair, I hadn't had an accident before that.