Re: So, I got a speeding ticket yesterday.....
[quote=toasty]radar detectors are great and all, but they don't do shit if an officer paces you, and most officers I know would never let someone off with a warning if they have a radar detector. If you're going to speed, being observant is your best weapon.
Driving on the interstate and see brake lights in front of you? There's probably a cop ahead -- people instinctively tap the brake when they see police, even if they're not speeding, and there's basically no other normal reason to hit your brakes at highway speeds.
Driving on the interstate and notice that all the traffic going the other direction is driving in the right lane, going the speed limit? There's probably a cop ahead, again, human nature.
No shoulder? You're probably in the clear, b/c cops don't like to stop people where they can't safely park their vehicle out of traffic, if they can help it.
The list goes on and on. A little good old fashioned common sense will beat out that little box of gadgetry every time...[/quote]
I'm more observant than most when it comes to driving, but believe me when the detector can tell you there's a cop ahead well over a mile in advance there's no observation skill that can compete with that. If someone is hitting their brakes in front your already in line of sight. FM mentioned lidar which if the detector goes off your pretty much fucked. Even the V1 site tells you that. Though they do show you some scenerio's in which you might have detected lidar and not been hit by it (through someone's winshield, reflected off of something, etc.).
[IMG]http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/6724/illusf6gt.gif[/IMG]
Placement of the device is key when it comes to lidar. Its just a tool and like any tool if you don't know how to use it, its useless.
Regarding being paced, those are some of the easiest tickets to get out of because the cop is using his speedometer to measure your speed and any speed measuring device requires certification. They usually aren't current. Most of the times I've been saved by the detector haven't been on the highway but in the city where a cop can hide relatively easily, especially the motorcycle cops. Around here we now have cars which are completely unmarked, even the license plates are normal, tabs and all. Volvo's, SUV's, everything but imports are being used.
Observation can certianly help but when I am equipped with my detector and you with just observation, guess who's going to lose out?
Taken from V1's site in the moments of truth section ([URL="http://www.valentine1.com/moments/archive.asp%29:"]http://www.valentine1.com/moments/archive.asp):[/URL]
[quote] [FONT=Arial][B]The Original: Tim Grothause - Tampa, Florida[/B][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]
Same day as I got my sexy new V1, I hit the nastiest ambush ever.
[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]V1 said 3 Ka's ahead. HUH? Really? Back off, changed lanes to right. Cleared the rise. [I] Bingo![/I] Two cruisers in the median. Motors running. In gear. Brake lights go dark. They're rolling. Both chase down their victims right before my eyes. Now I know how wildebeest feel migrating past lions.
[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]The pack around me upped the pace. I guess they figured all units were busy behind, writing out money orders.
[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Funny, but V1 was still talking; "Ka ahead."
[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]As I cleared the next rise, here's the scene: One cruiser in the median, microphone in hand, and the entire pack that had just barreled past me "brake dancing" all over to keep from bunting the front guy who was trying to slow way down, never mind that he was already toast. And SIX cruisers parked on the right shoulder, and SIX authority figures standing alongside, motioning drivers into the massacre.
[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]V1 is a religion, and I'm a believer.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]
Tim Grothause
Tampa, FL[/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]