Radar detectors

Bob Hancock · 06-14-2004, 06:42 AM

The route discussion in Virginia got me to thinking about running a radar detector when I'm up that way....which I hope to be this summer. Question is do the police there use detector detectors? I normally run my Passport 8500 in my tankbag with an amp and a line to a speaker helmet. Seems to work pretty good for anything but laser. How vigorous are the non-detector states in their enforcement? Just trying to figure out what I'm dealing with up there without having to learn the hard way. WV roads sound great....hope to see them for the RA in Sept.
Thanks for your comments,

repoe3 · 06-14-2004, 06:49 AM

have heard that as well, not sure who is outfitted with the equipment. i use a V!, so detector detectors cant pick it up. i have not been using it much lately, but should. when i do, i put it in the map pocket of the tank bag and run the remote display above the tach/speedo.

repoe3

RonC · 06-14-2004, 08:49 AM

VA troupers do have detector dectectors but I am not sure how many sets they have or where they are in the state. I go nailed on I85 a couple of yrs back. In any event, the fine for a detector is/was small and they do/did not confiscate the detector.

BTW be very careful around the town of Emporia (on I95). Emporia is your basic speed trap. Also, be advised that 80mph = reckless driving and a mandatory trip to court.

Good luck.

Bob Hancock · 06-14-2004, 08:59 AM

Thanks for the input guys. I graduated from VA Tech (Class of '68) and was planning on riding up the BRP to get off at Christiansburg on my way to the RA in Canaan, WV....ride around the local area up there and find some new roads (for me). I sure would feel naked without my RHAW gear.

Anton · 06-14-2004, 10:21 AM

Can someone expain to me how a radar detector detector works. I can understand them detecting radar jammers which send out a radar wave, but if your detector only detects, I don't understand how it can be detected.

smallj · 06-14-2004, 10:31 AM

As I understand it, if you get a ticket for having a detector and you fight it in court, you will win. There is a federal law that states you are allowed to pick up any signal broadcast or something like that. Not that it would be worth the time or energy to fight such a thing but legally I don't really think they can ban the detectors.

That said mine stayed off untill WV 90% of the time.

Bob Hancock · 06-14-2004, 10:37 AM

Anton,
Evidently with most detectors, they have some kind of oscillator in there that can be detected. It's not a strong signal so my hope is that it can't be seen thru my tankbag.
Maybe someone who knows how to chase electrons will explain it better.

repoe3 · 06-14-2004, 10:50 AM

if it were a big deal, then the people i see with radar detectors in plain view on their dash dont seem to care either way. just be careful with it and it should not be an issue. if you enter the state on a main road, you will see a sign stating they are illegal. read the code if you like and maybe you can pick apart the language...does say anything about a bike, but a bike still falls under a motor vehicle regulations...blah blah blah.

repoe3

RonC · 06-14-2004, 11:47 AM

I am no electrical engunear but the learned trouper who stopped me explained that all detectors "leak" microwave radiation and the detector detector looks for this. I am also told that no radar detector on the market is so leakproof that they can not be detected.

And yes, VA troupers don't seem to give a merde about detectors. Except when they stop you for something else, have a bad day, ...

repoe3 · 06-14-2004, 12:07 PM

then the G2 stealth tech. in a V1 is not immune? sure, i believe every word out of a LEO's mouth....sorry for the skepticism. but if they have such a equipment to detect and they are right next to you with a radar detector and they do nothing, one of three things, at the very least occured...they dont care, they dont have the detector detector, or they arent detecting you...

after some additional research, unless they are running a new device, (and why would the state waste the money?) there is a possbility of detection...but again...it doesnt seem to big a big issue around here.

repoe3

RonC · 06-14-2004, 12:17 PM

Hey, Repoe, lighten up. I am just repeating what I've been told. Really, its not a big deal. OTOH, two things seem preposterous to me: a) that detector detectors are cost effective (see also aircraft patrols), and b) that any detector is perfectly shielded.

Here is the really good part: VA has few detector detectors and outside of interstates and around towns, radar is pretty rare. But then so are LEO's.

1100 · 06-14-2004, 12:46 PM

They can be very cost effective. Just takes 1 or 2 encounters where you slow down in time and you've paid for it. That said, you kinda have to get a kick out of the countermeasure game, otherwise they're a pain in the ass.

They all leak too. My new Passport X50 detects my very old old Passport, reports it as an X-band signal. The VG2-proof new ones are supposed to be quite invisible to detector detectors.

Bob Hancock · 06-14-2004, 12:56 PM

Radar detectors have saved me numerous times. They are worth the investment imho. Glad to hear there aren't many LOE's in the hinterlands of VA anymore. I know that after living in Germany in the mid-70's for 3 years I came back to visit my folks in Stafford, Va and thought I had come to a police state. A damn cop around every curve seemed like. Well that's my politically incorrrect statement for the day....I have another one here somewhere but I'm gonna save it.

RonC · 06-14-2004, 01:51 PM

Yeah, my detector has saved my bacon numerous times. Probably paid for itself 20 times over. What I wonder is this: given the cost of buying/training/maintaining a detector detector, and the net on the ticket (say, $5 or $10 net to the state), how many tickets to they have to write using the fool thing?

Bails · Bails's Garage

Have a look at this site : http://www.australianradar.com.au/news.htm

Flatbutt1 · 06-14-2004, 03:59 PM

The VG2 detectors tha troopers use is basically a very,very sensitive radio receiver. Yes most of the detectors we use do leak some radio waves. The VG2 is tuned to scan for this leakage. It is very weak leakage and top of the line detectors like the V1 are harder to detect. And no your tank bag won't shield your unit's leakage from a trooper's VG2 but it isn't all that easy to detect.

repoe3 · 06-15-2004, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RonC
Hey, Repoe, lighten up. I am just repeating what I've been told. Really, its not a big deal. OTOH, two things seem preposterous to me: a) that detector detectors are cost effective (see also aircraft patrols), and b) that any detector is perfectly shielded.

Here is the really good part: VA has few detector detectors and outside of interstates and around towns, radar is pretty rare. But then so are LEO's.

if you heard me say what i wrote, in person, you would have seen i was not being judgemental or pissy. be that what it may, didnt mean to come off that way, i was just vocalizing my usual skepticism...i agree with both things you said, a and b, whole heartedly.

repoe3

bradzdotcom · bradzdotcom's Garage

okay it's not my two cents worth, it's more like four hundred bucks worth:

i have a valentine. it's wired into the switch wire, comes on with the key.
i run a hard led in the helmet too.

on average, at least four times a month, it saves me from a speeding ticket.
a 2-year retired socal chp friend tells me that they don't care if you run one. if nothing else, it slows you down WHERE you should be slowing down. (ever noticed that they often sit in spots where it's fun to go too fast?)

up on the ram mount, or buried in the tank bag has made no difference when it comes to picking up forward and rear radar signals.

if it breaks, i'm ordering another one and paying the extra for second day shipping. (overnight if it's a thursday).

...brad

JonyRR · 06-15-2004, 11:06 AM

I have a V1 and a HARD. Last year I went to Laguna from Seattleish with a friend; nothing totally redical, but if you're not travelling 80+ in Cali, you'll get run down by clapped-out Yugos. 3 possible saves in Cali, 1 probable save in Oregon, and a oh-my-god-jump-on-the-brakes-from-theton-in bfegypt in Wa; the last one really would have cost me more than the V1 and the HARD. No detector, hud, whatever is a replacement for common sense and riding with awareness, but every little bit helps with the speed enforcement/income generation racket/industry that highway law enforcement has become.

RonC · 06-15-2004, 11:23 AM

Ain't it a funny old world. LEO's are death on speeding (= easy pickings) but don't seem at all concerned about really dangerous, incompetent behavior; lack of driving/riding skills, inattention, blah, blah, blah. How about the little old gent/lady going 45 mph on the interstate who doesn't know what planet he/she is on? Ditto cell phone yakkers, kiddy wackers, guys/gals groping their sig. other, ...

How about some real judgement from LEO's?