Radar Detector - Are They Worthwhile?

Hub · Post by **Hub** » Tue Mar 11, 2014 9:12 pm

Hi

I am pondering buying a radar detector, but I am not sure if they are capable of detecting all types of speed device. I am not concerned with fixed cameras, if I can't spot them I deserve to get some points. I am trying to prevent getting caught by a mobile camera or a gun when out in the countryside. Thoughts and experiences much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ian

j2 lot · Post by **j2 lot** » Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:02 pm

I have used them in the past and they go off so often with false alarms that you don't react when they are detecting speed monitoring equipment. I also doubt that they actually give you enough notice to reduce your speed before they get a fix on you. Currently got one siting in the man drawer that hasn't been used for years.

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:12 pm

I may be wrong, and it's a while since I heard about this, however, is there not some law that makes them illegal to use? (while being within the law to have, you can't use them).

tut · Post by **tut** » Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:27 pm

Detectors have been legal since 1998, but if they incorporate a jamming device that can be aimed back at the transmitter then they are illegal.

They work bloody well though, followed a RS6 on a Highland Hoon run many years ago and he had a full arsenal on the front of his car. He slowed down twice for a Scam Van and a Patrol car.

tut

flyingscot68 · Post by **flyingscot68** » Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:54 pm

We used to sell Snoopers in Scotbike.
There was some weird law at the time that said they were legal to own and use but it was illegal to act on information gained from one. So if it went off and you slowed down that was illegal. If you didn't slow down then no problem.
No idea what the law is now but at that time the only ones worth having were very pricey, the cheaper ones were bad for false alarms.

That was 1995 btw.

Hub · Post by **Hub** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 6:46 am

Thanks for the replies.

From what I have read their are mixed opinions and I don't think they work on lasers. I posted the same question on SELOC, as speeding offence must be (I assume) more of an issue in the SE and the replies indicated radar detectors not worthwhile. However garage door devices are, but they are not legal.

I suspect I won't get one and will rely on my attention and first light early summer starts........hopefully no one will be out then?

Cheers,

Ian

flyingscot68 · Post by **flyingscot68** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:15 am

It's the camera vans that worry me Ian.
Can't wait to start using the bike to commute up and down from Glasgow. No front number plate is very handy!

tut · Post by **tut** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:29 am

This is the best summation that I have found. As you see, even with windscreen and number plate detectors fitted, the chances are that a Scam Van will get you, especially if you are the first car targeted.

tut

FAQ of Laser Detectors.

So the question is..... will a laser detector help prevent you from getting a speeding ticket from a Mobile Safety Camera Van.

There are quite a few circumstances that can occur out there. Lets look at a few of the more common ways Laser is used.

The Safety Camera Van and where you place a laser sensor.

Sitting almost anywhere they want on the highway these safety camera vans use much the same type of equipment, Laser Gun, Video Camera, Video Recorder and Printer. The effective range of the safety camera vans is the effective range of the laser gun, some can work a mile away. The effective range of the camera is often much less. 100-500m for number plate recognition.

Most camera vans work quite close to the vehicle in question and this gives a bit of a problem to high mounted laser detectors. Camera van operators also read sites like this to get the edge on drivers. Several police forces are now aware that if they keep the laser sight, (Cross hairs or sight dot), low down on the front of the car, number plate or below, a windscreen mounted laser detector will not see the laser light and will therefore not trigger an alert.

You may recall that in the laser jammer section of this site I tell you to mount the laser jammer low down near the number plate. The same is to be said for laser detectors, place them in a position that the police target, the number plate area.

In an ideal world you would have a laser sensor in the front and back window of the vehicle and a laser sensor by the front and rear number plate. This would give the best coverage.

Several companies do laser sensors that are built into their main units, this is fine for the window coverage but not so good for number plate. Some also do separate laser sensors that are weather proof and can be fitted by the number plate. Check with your chosen company to see what they offer.

So the best place for a laser sensor is both the window and the number plate and they should cover both ends of the vehicle.

The Safety Camera Van and what warning you can expect.

The are lots of scenarios I will cover just a few of the more common ones.

Example 1, Driving from a 60mph to a 40mph. Sometimes the police will target you in the 60mph and follow you in to the 40mph, hoping you don't slow down quick enough. In this case you should get a warning that gives you enough time to slow. You should get away with it and long as you were not over the 60mph.

Effective Laser sensor position - By number plate

Example 2, Safety camera van round bend or over the other side of a brow and you are the first car. You could get a warning but in this case the most likely outcome is that you will be caught before you can react in time.

Effective Laser sensor position - Not much would help.

Example 3, Safety camera van round bend or over the other side of a brow and you are the second car. You could get a warning and might have time to react as they target the car in front.

Effective Laser sensor position - Windscreen

Get the idea, if used in the right way a laser detector can help.

The Laser Beam

Laser guns have a tight beam, so if they target you close and low you window mounted laser sensor may be of no use. Below is an image showing the kind of pattern a leaser beam will have.

To have the most warning you need both a windscreen mounted sensor and a Bumper mounted sens

Laser Gun Beam

It is very common to drive towards a camera van and get no warning at all and this could be because.

1, You are not speeding
2, They have targeted you low down and your sensor has not seen the laser beam
3, He is targeting another car
4, He is doing something else.
5, He is not targeting your lane

Post by **Shug** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:07 am

IMO, detectors are largely useless. As stated in some of what Tut's posted above, if it's a decent camera operator, all that a laser detector will tell you is that you've just been nicked. Pretty sure nothing but Gatsos use Radar widely any more, so you're far better off with a database style satnav for those...

FWIW, I ride a quick bike... It's just a case of picking when you do it - keeping cruise speed in a bracket that keeps you out of trouble, paying attention to the road (most areas with scam vans are signed as such) and if you want to release some speed, do it where you can see, where there's not a lot of other road users (so less density for the scam vans to make their money) and don't get blase about it. The worst thing about detectors that I find is that they make you a bit lazy - thinking you'll get a ping. I fully believe that if I relied on a detector, I'd have points, whereas being vigilant and focused on what I'm doing, I've maintained a clean license. It's just incredibly easy with a modern performance tool (like the bike, or your V6) to let the speed drift up and up, unless you're totally focused.

They have their uses on long motorway trips, but TBH, I just drive along at a pretty legal pace on the Mway now - just too stressful if you're going a long distance to keep checking gantries and cuttings and there is enough leeway in the guidelines for prosecution + speedo error that you can still drive at a non-infuriating speed and keep pace with the flow of traffic...

Of course, I await someone piping up with the "Don't break the law and it's easy" chat.

Post by **Shug** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:08 am

flyingscot68 wrote:It's the camera vans that worry me Ian.
Can't wait to start using the bike to commute up and down from Glasgow. No front number plate is very handy!

Usually have a secondary camera in the cab as well now, to catch rear plates of bikers - or/plus a CCTV globe on the side of the van. Still immune to SPECS, but scam vans are a danger.

flyingscot68 · Post by **flyingscot68** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:14 am

Shug wrote:
flyingscot68 wrote:It's the camera vans that worry me Ian.
Can't wait to start using the bike to commute up and down from Glasgow. No front number plate is very handy!
Usually have a secondary camera in the cab as well now, to catch rear plates of bikers - or/plus a CCTV globe on the side of the van. Still immune to SPECS, but scam vans are a danger.

Now that's just plain cheating!

Hub · Post by **Hub** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:46 pm

Thanks for all the info. The articles made interesting reading.

Shug, you right. I will have to be attentive and careful!

Cheers

Ian

tut · Post by **tut** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:05 pm

This could be an urban myth, but I know that the one of ramming a potato into the exhaust pipe of a Scam Van is true.

A couple of lads pulled into a lay-by behind a Van, one spoke to the driver and said that they had a problem but would soon sort it out, the other leopard crawled around the other side and unscrewed the front number plate. He then put it on their car and drove past the Van three times at speed.

The story goes that they received three NIP's, but then again it is probably just a good story.

tut

flyingscot68 · Post by **flyingscot68** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:47 am

tut wrote:
A couple of lads pulled into a lay-by behind a Van, one spoke to the driver and said that they had a problem but would soon sort it out, the other leopard crawled around the other side and unscrewed the front number plate. He then put it on their car and drove past the Van three times at speed.

tut

Smart cat!

Scottish Elises