Láser Detectors

[M Rogers]

I’m planning a 12,000+ mile, multi country tour and have been looking at lazer jammers. Straight up, reading these reviews gave me a migraine.

Does anyone have any input on best quality- ease of installation- and best price advice concerning this product?

any input is appreciated

thnx

 

[Obo]

The best working anti speeder device would be the speedo itself, followed by a Rostra cruise control unit.

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Although "easy install" for these isn't the same as a plug and turn on detector. The plus is if helps save the wrist as well as the wallet.

These bikes are easy to go fast on without realizing it.

That being said if you choose to go over the limit nothing is fool proof if the officer does the point and shoot method vs having it on and running all the time. Eventually your cards will run out.

Now hopefully someone will chime in with some decent answers to what you've asked cause I've obviously got none.

 

[skidgillen]

If they use DragonEye brand lidars, a jammer will do you no good.

 

[OkieRider]

It's worth mentioning that jammers in particular are illegal to operate in many if not all jurisdictions in the United States. I wouldn't be surprised if operating a jamming device was actually criminal. Since you're doing a multi-country thing, you'll want to be acquainted with the legality and possible penalties for each jurisdiction you will ride through.

 

[mlheck]

Laser jammers are legal in states except for California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. They are also illegal in Washington, D.C.

 

[ad.hom]

multi country tour

If caught using one in the UK, expect anything from a slap on the wrist and an order to go the hell home, through to a prosecution for Perverting the course of Justice (and likely will be linked to a Driving without Due Care and Attention - due to estimated speed thanks to the officer's mk1 eyeballs, or their in-vehicle video). If you're lucky the bike won't be seized & crushed.

The maximum possible sentence for PCoJ in the UK is life in prison. If you're lucky in court, you walk away with a fine. A few months behind bars isn't uncommon for PCoJ convictions.

Now that the education part is out of the way - I don't hang about on the bike. I also don't have a jammer/detector. Years ago I was caught at 20 over the limit (in the car), by a hand held laser gun. The case was immediately referred to court, and I got a very expensive fine and points on my licence. I'll take that every day of the week over a risk of time behind bars!

Mk1 eyeballs + OEM speedo are good enough for me, and Honda were kind enough to fit 50% of that in the factory for me. YMMV. Plus, jammers do nothing for our rear-facing average speed cameras.

 

[Uncle Phil]

What makes it (to me) very interesting in the U.K. are the timed speed cameras on the motorways.
Somewhere along the way one camera takes your 'beauty' and somewhere down the road a piece another camera does the same.
If the speed calculated based on the time and distance exceeds the limit you win a performance award.
At least that's how I understand it to work.
You might say 'Well I'll just stop and confuse the system'.
Nice thought but you don't know which one got first.

 

[ad.hom]

What makes it (to me) very interesting in the U.K. are the timed speed cameras on the motorways.
...
At least that's how I understand it to work.
You might say 'Well I'll just stop and confuse the system'.
Nice thought but you don't know which one got first.

You're not wrong in your understanding, however, you're slightly off in thinking they only exist on motorways (US freeways).

Think you can get away with using a non-standard, smaller plate? Well, I tried that. I collected an award from an officer who had a smile on his face while he was telling me "You know, ANPR won't read that plate - so if your bike is stolen, we can't help you find it. If you have that so you can speed, you probably don't know images that can't be processed are flagged up to an operator..."

Think all of this doesn't apply to overseas visitors with a different (but legal) plate? If you have no fixed address in the UK, it's an on-the-spot fine much like France like to do.

 

[ASPC]

A detector is better than a jammer.

 

[Uncle Phil]

You're not wrong in your understanding, however, you're slightly off in thinking they only exist on motorways (US freeways).

So they are on some 'A' roads as well?
I figure they would have to be limited access roads to be affected.
It sure removes the 'usefulness' of Radar detectors and jammers.

 

[Obo]

There are many places where the laws allow an officer to stop and fine (or detain) you based on what was witnessed vs an actual speed indicating device, such as if the officer was doing the limit and you flew by not seeing them; similar to how you can be stopped for running a light etc without live camera (or still photographic) evidence.

While you might be able to dispute some of this in court the odds, costs & time associated with that dispute may not always be in your favor.

 

[mudduc]

I stopped using radar/laser detectors long ago. They have little use if the officer is always on and shinning other vehicles around you. They have no use if the officer is using point-and-shoot (PAS) once you come in range. If it's a PAS situation, all the detector does is just tell you you've been caught.

Now I just use common sense about where I exceed the limits and charm/age to help when I'm stopped.

The best way to avoid new tickets is to be old, nice, respectful, non-threatening and to have no tickets or warrants when your record is looked up.

"Sorry if I was over the limit, officer." (Note: Do not say "sorry I was speeding." Any direct admission will get you a ticket you can't fight in court) "My attention was on traffic and road conditions not my speedometer. You can see by my record that I'm not a habitual speeder. Any chance of just a warning will be appreciated and I'll be sure to watch my speed in the future."

If you do end up with a ticket anyway, fight it. Do whatever is needed to keep it off your record. I'm still trying to work out a way to subtilty let the officer know that if a ticket is written, it will go to court and cost him personal time to show up for prosecution and that court costs will not have the state/county/city make money on this ticket. But, so far I haven't worked out phrasing that doesn't sound like a threat and threating the officer is counter to my need to be charming.

Maybe some working police officers can weigh in. What code phrase can we use to let them know we will require a court date before the ticket will stick?

Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

 

[TPadden]

I'm still trying to work out a way to subtilty let the officer know that if a ticket is written, it will go to court and cost him personal time to show up for prosecution...Maybe some working police officers can weigh in. What code phrase can we use to let them know we will require a court date before the ticket will stick?

Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

Good luck with that; no such thing as personal time. Conviction or not, the officer is on the paid clock for on duty court .
Even better off duty: any court appearance off shift was automatic minimum 2 hours overtime (3 hours pay) even when it took only 15 minutes. Court required??? Sign here and have a nice day .

Tom

 

[tjhiggin]

Somewhere along the way one camera takes your 'beauty' and somewhere down the road a piece another camera does the same.
If the speed calculated based on the time and distance exceeds the limit you win a performance award.

It's my understanding that some toll roads in the USA use a similar scheme to snag you. When you pay the toll upon exiting the toll road, the system computes your average speed based on the time you entered the toll road, and if your speed is excessive you receive a "friendly" notification by mail. I've never had the pleasure myself.

 

[drrod]

I used to run with a detector (Valentine One) but haven't for the last half dozen years or so. With all the "your speed" signs, security systems, adaptive radar, lane departure systems, etc., that trigger detectors they became virtually useless in urban settings and if instant on is used correctly, they will not prevent tickets. Yes, I know that some high end modern detectors mitigate those to a certain extent but not enough to make them 100% reliable. I sometimes wonder if getting pulled over, with a detector, diminishes your chance of just getting a warning.

I find that open highway speed limits (and the unofficial overage allowed) make for cruising in the 75-85 range (and higher where limits are 80-85) easily doable. Secondary roads still allow for decent speeds. The best defense I have found is not to do anything dangerous, keep your eyes open, if stopped be respectful, and don't speed in, or around, small towns where the local constable is acting as a revenue generator. Last time I was stopped was in Oregon ( my fault for not paying enough attention to just coming into town) which is pretty notorious for enforcement but was let go with a warning after a friendly chat. I actually had the guy laughing when my "friends" rode on by without stopping. "Friends of yours?" he asked. I replied "apparently not!"

 

[mlheck]

I've used a Radar Detector for the last 20 years and still do. I agree that modern freeway speeds and the excepted overages are fast enough. The problem is that you never know if the officer agrees with this. Maybe he has a bias against motorcycles, maybe he has had a bad month and needs to correct this. Either way I like to know that he is there.

Modern crash avoidance systems on auto's cause allot of false alarms on radar detectors these days. Especially Honda's and Jeep's. On the interstates they are about useless, but on 2 lane roads they are a must. The instant on, and Lidar guys are usually on the interstates, but the lazy, set behind this sign, small town guys almost always just leave the guns on full blast. This is where I'm most likely to be speeding also. If they do use instant on, I can pick that up 3 miles down the road. Plenty of time to slow down. And as stated above, sometimes I'm not paying attention to the speed limit change's.

The newer GPS based radar detectors also have a data base of where speed cameras and timing devices are located. It will give you a audible warning when you are approaching them. The mobile units will always be a problem, with or without a Radar detector.

Radar and Lidar detectors are not foolproof, and never will be. They don't make you bulletproof to speeding tickets either. The cost of 1 speeding ticket and associated insurance premiums though will pay for a good radar detector.

Shot, if been stopped for speeding in my truck without a radar detector, and got off with a warning because I have ZERO points on my license. I have ZERO points on my license because the detector on the bike has helped me keep it that way.

In closing I have this to say those that always say "Just follow the speed limit and you want need a Radar detector". I could just stay in my truck and avoid the risks of motorcycling, but I don't.

 

[skidgillen]

Good luck with that; no such thing as personal time. Conviction or not, the officer is on the paid clock for on duty court .
Even better off duty: any court appearance off shift was automatic minimum 2 hours overtime (3 hours pay) even when it took only 15 minutes. Court required??? Sign here and have a nice day .

Tom

You are absolutely correct.

 

[Sidekick]

At least, radar detectors are preventing you for doing obvious mistakes when cops are just around the corner.
Did you ever notice somebody making a dumb U turn at hundred feet of a parked patrol car?
Minimizing the risk with a cheap radar detector is worth it.

 

[SMSW]

At least, radar detectors are preventing you for doing obvious mistakes when cops are just around the corner.
Did you ever notice somebody making a dumb U turn at hundred feet of a parked patrol car?
Minimizing the risk with a cheap radar detector is worth it.

I'm not clear how the detector warns you of a parked patrol car. Do they smell bad? If the officer is around the corner he won't be directing a radar unit down the straight section from which you plan on doing an illegal turn. And cheap detectors go off so often that you will be a law abiding citizen 90% of the time.

 

[Sidekick]

And cheap detectors go off so often that you will be a law abiding citizen 90% of the time.

Maybe if you live in an urban area.
I use an affordable Uniden and the auto learn function works fine.
I am happy with it.