radar scanners and anti cop stuff?
 

i found this place through a google serch a think. i love driving and dont know of any local clubs or have any friends into cars. i drive a 00 v6 mustang(daily driver ofcourse, more on this later probably) stock now and im finaly getting the free time to get into driving.

so here is my 1st question. what, if any, anti radar/laser devises do some of you use, and/or what anti police advise can anyone share?

kinda a wierd question probably but ive been reading about some of the stop light/highway races some of you pull and have been wondering.

thnx for any tips.

Welcome newbie!
 

particleeffect:

I would recommend the Valentine One radar dectector; it has sensors for both front and rear-facing radar.

http://www.valentine1.com/

Mike Valentine puts his name on it and that also impresses me but no, I don't own this dectector - yet.

You can try to beat the 'photocops' (photo radar) with a license plate cover that makes your plate reflective (and unreadable) to photo radar.

No guarantees as how this actually works but worth as try if you have $40. to spare (per plate).

www.redlineauto.com

Outside of detectors, the only sensible thing you can do is be alert, watch the rear-view a lot, don't speed - much less race - on roads you don't know well and don't weave in and out of traffic, making yourself a target. At 'stoplight races', if you win or lose, don't take it up past 70 mph or so unless you're on a highway - for obvious reasons.

Oh, and welcome to Mustang Works!

:)

Anti cop/ticket tactics
 

Just one of my little tricks that I have found very effective in spotting speed traps , especally on bridges (which we have a decent number of in this area)...when you are out crusing, try to keep an eye on the cars in the medium distance ahead of you (1/2-1mi on the straights), and watch for brake lights. It sounds simple, but people almost always at least tap the brake on sight of a cruiser, and this way you are at a less accurate range for the radar guns. Another tip is to learn your area, where the cops hang out and when approaching the area, use other cars for cover. Example: We have a nice straight 2 mi. bridge here called the Bayside,and cops like to radar folks at the south end of it and whenever I zip across it, I look for a car a good distance ahead, and try to keep that car or between me and the spot where they like to hang out at the end of the bridge until I get close enough to see if the coast is clear.
A good book to check out on the subject is "A speeders guide to avioding tickets", written by an ex-NY state trooper. I dont know if it is still in print, but I used to have a copy.
Also, as far as hardware, aside from the aforementioned detectors and plate covers, I remember seeing a website that made bras for cars that supposidly incorporated RAM (radar absorbing matieral, same general idea as the F-117). I dont know if they work of not, much less are made for 'Stangs.
Another tip, if it is legal in your area, I would dump your front license plate if you have one. Reason being that one of the tactics that cops use with laser detectors is to try to hit the plate area on the front of the car to get the best beam return due to it being one of the most perpendicular areas on the front, and having a nice reflective plate located there is an extra bonus to beam return .
Like Mr50 said tho, the most important part is use your head and some common sense in your driving habits.

hope this helps
J

Jammers...
 

There was an old car and driver article about this question. They got a hold of a Jammer (totally illegal to sell) that you actually built and installed yourself. The transmission was strong enough to violtae FCC guidelines and the transmittor would melt itself after about 15 seconds. So it was instant on with a detector. I wish I could rember who sold the kit, as the pieces themselves were ok (like the prohibition days of selling moonshine kits). Can someone recall the test, or brand? I may have to dig through 5-6 years of the mag to find it, but I plan on getting one for my Cobra, but don't have the car yet.
Banshee and Mr. 5.0 both make good points. I think I drive more like Banshee though, and I've been ticketless for almost 7 years, knock on wood.;)

Jammers?
 

Deuce, I have heard about the jammer idea before too, the first time i saw anything about the idea was a Hot Rod profile on this guy in Tx that had a ..get this..80something Caddy Coup Deville w/ a 500+ci twin turbo running on NG making 1100hp. One of the things that they mentioned in the blurb was that he had a custom built radar jammer. I hadnt heard about them burning themselves out tho...Seems like the build would be fairly straightforward though, isnt it basically an unfiltered radio white noise generator? "Yes, this is my street legal EA-6 Prowler," LOL

J

Well here's the site I found ... http://integrity.eburg.com/

Phantom II

Radar & Laser Jammer with a built in Detector. Now Only $269.95

I've heard of this passive type jammer.

Although not much use in residential areas, a CB radio is your best "radar detector" when on the interstates. Just put it on channel 19 (in most areas) and listen to the truckers.

Truckers know where every cop is, in the bushes, behind signs, in plain cars, overpasses, etc. Lots of troopers aren't shooting radar, but just looking for speeders. Those truckers can spot the law everywhere.

I go to Florida twice a year, and the CB is the best investment I've made. I have a radar detector too. Also, if there is a big traffic tie-up, or accident, the truckers are telling their buddies about it, and you can change your routing to bypass the problem.

Trust me, passive jammers are garbage.


There's no "magic bullet" in (legally) avoiding radar traps. All you can do is drive smart, keep your eyes peels, and don't attact attention to yourself.


One of my favorite tactics is to find someone in the hammer lane who's going the speed I want to go. I pace them in the center lane, about half a car length behind. If we come up on a radar trap -- and my Passport 8500 gives plenty of warning -- I simply slow down, and to the cop, it looks like I'm going 5 over the limit and being passed by someone going 20 over the limit. ;) It works like a charm, every time. If you want to be a jerk, too, you can sit in their blind spot and prevent them from changing lanes.


If you want to avoid them illegally, build an active radar jammer...just be prepared to answer to the FCC if/when you're caught. The FCC is an organization with which not to f***, so be careful.

Go to google or dogpile and search for "active radar plans". Go to the www.dogpunk.com site. The instructions are there for converting a radar detector into a jammer. It's illegal in the states though. I am lucky because the Italians are like 15 years behind in technology and the cops here don't have much funding. :D

i think the reasons for detectors an jammers are varied, but share a universal effect. my friend did an article in our student newspaper about detectors an the reason behind them completly defeats the purpose of safe driving, i.e. your jus going to drive slow when ya get a warning but as soon as its done, your WOT all the way. its a "temporary halt to an otherwise reckless driving method." <-(not my words). i don't agree totally, but i do see his arguement. but half the mustang experiance is mashing that throttle an listening to that thunder from underneath the hood roar to a fever pitch... so i really don't know, i don't have one. but i do have a sixth sense for findin cruisers in waiting. if ya jus listen to what your conscienous says, 9 times outa 10, its never wrong. i do agree with JEB_2000 on the jammers though. you get caught f'in with the FCC, you're in for some red tape for interfearing with police procedure or somthin like that.
any body seen the highway speed detectors with the double electrical speed indicators on the side of the road, man i wonder what happens if you go through it at triple digit speeds ;)

particle effect, i hope your not a cop!

i dont use radar detectors or scanners. i have very good luck with my eyes and recognize the "unmarked" cars. i got tickets in the past when i was a teen, but none in the past 6 years. i used my friends Escort when i first got my license. i didnt help much it seems. in my own opinion, know were to speed and not to. get to know times and places they travel. the hardest part is when they are way behind you and you cant see them and then they catch up to you from behind. basically they are cruising instead of sitting.

welcome to MW....

These are all great tips guys.

I'll pass them on at roll call :D