Speed trap detection devices

Here in Virginia, radar detectors are illegal. It's the first thing you see when you come into the state, a big sign saying "WELCOME TO VIRGINIA RADAR DETECTORS ILLEGAL."

So, the state police have radar detector detectors that allow them to pull over people who have radar detectors.

The next step is going to be radar detector detector detectors, I suspect.

--scott

I'm curious. I thought radar detectors were passive devices. If so, how would a radar detector detector work?

Thanks, Scott. I had read that they are illegal in some states and Canada.

In Texas they are not illegal, but in the event you are stopped, the officer may mark your ticket as having had one in operation. It used to be a little easier to get a warning here, but they are not out for warnings right now.

If you saw 60 Minutes last week, I think the reason may have been touched on. Many municipality and state governments in the USA are bankrupt. A news blurb following this segment suggested that 50-100 municiple bonds may go into default within the next 12 months.

For the investor, now may be the time to dump your taxfree muni and head for something safer.

like any superhet, the local oscillator emits a signal.

most of the hand held devices used for enforcement today are laser-based. since the laser is operating a very narrow beam, the detector can't pick it up unless inadvertently illuminated. operators are trained to keep the beam low, like aiming at a headlight, for this reason. i.o.w, having a "detector" won't help you much any more.

It's a superhet receiver with a local oscillator that is mixed with the incoming signal to give a beat note which is detected. The radar detector detectors look for the local oscillator leakage.

My suspicion is that the detector manufacturers have put some engineering into reducing leakage but I don't want to find out the hard way.

--scott

Every little step forward makes the whole scenario more and more expensive.

I don't know much about radar detectors, I don't drive that fast anyway.You might be interested in looking on the web for, Speed Traps. cuhulin

WTF does "slow down" mean?

Yeah, against Federal Law.

The FCC has ruled that if a radio signal is sent out, it is anyone's right to receive it. All a radar detector is is a radio receiver.

Technically, VA cannot prohibit you from receiving the signal, and in order to do that, you have to have a receiver.

I'm sure someone must have challenged this.

They usually aim for the license plate, since it is a flat, reflective surface. So if you put the sensor somewhere near you license plate...

This is the main reason why Mass went back to two plates; so the cops have something to aim at!

Now, remembering the case of VA, a beam of light is NOT a radio signal, so you do not have the right according to the FCC. But it is also NOT 'radar', so is a laser detector illegal????

I have also heard if you glue pieces of a mirror to your license plate, it screws up the laser beam and they can't get an accurate reading. Snopes time...?

That used to be the case under the Communications Act of 1934, but back in 1986 the cellphone lobby railroaded through a horribly-written piece of legislation called the Electronic Communication Privacy Act which makes it illegal to receive all kinds of things. Most of the provisions are effectively unenforceable.

--scott

"Slow down" was not my problem. Poorly marked, or poorly interpreted, speed zones were my complaint.

I dont exceed the speed limit IF I can identify it.

WTF does "Speed limit" mean? ;)

Ah. Thanks.

Oh. So YOU were the guy in front of me today!!!!

Simply means the maximum legal posted speed for a particular road in a particular zone. Maybe I missed your point.

I might be slow, but I am ahead of the people behind me.

Merry Christmas, y'all. cuhulin

;)