radar protected

[porschepatron]

Well here i am with my 4th ticket and a whole lot of points and with the intent of making the treck up to Hershey next month I have convinced myself that i need protection. Here in V.A. they are illeagl but im willing to take the 80$ detector fine vs the 100$ or more ticket fine with the extra bonus of insurance sky rocketing. As if it isnt high enough already! I am looking for somthing that is good with moving radar(which is what all the cops have around here) and if possible, somthing that can reach the helicopter radar. I have heard good things about the Valentive detectors. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

[p0r2chby]

Ya, slow down a bit.

so, whats this helicopter radar all about.

[porschepatron]

Its mostly on the interstate but how it works is they have a plane or copter with a laser at 1000 to 2000 feet and when u are clocked they radio down to a patrol car on the ground who is positioned a mile in front who is able to catch the speeder when you pass him. its pretty new here they just started doin it within the last year or so. BIG inconvinence! And from what i here it almost impossible to get out of it.

[lambic2000]

The best advice I can give you is to slow down. I say this for three reasons. 1. Speeding will eventually kill you. 2. You don't have to speed in a Porsche to look cool. I rather think that those who own Porsche's and speed really do tarnish the Porsche image. 3. I am a former Police Officer and yes, we will get you!

[Lawrence Coppari]

Why do you think it is laser? I travel I-81 from TN to Staunton several times a year. I noticed they have painted lines on the road at 1/8 and 1/4 mile intervals. I think they are just using a stop watch over a known distance. If you know for sure they are using laser from above, I would like to know.

Also, I wonder about the use of a chopper for patrolling. The things are expensive to operate. I would think they would use a single engine fixed wing.

I have used a Valentine for the past 6 years. In my opinion it is the best.

[porschepatron]

Wasnt speeding in my porsche its not even on the road yet (middle of restoration 86 951) i was in my Merecdes 190e, and genereally i obey traffic laws. I just consider my self very unlucky. In reply to the road stripes, yes this is correct it is called VASCAR (VISUAL AVAERAGE SPEED COMPUTER AND RECORDER) and it calculates how long its takes the driver to get from point a to point b but i am unsure if laser is a factor now that u mention it. will do some research

[monteness]

Slow down to 8-10mph over posted and probably will never have a problem. And remember too, you don't want to speed in a residential community when a child may go after a soccerball, football, basketball,,

Valentine is my choice and it works good except with "instant on",,,,the radar will win everytime.

When you get pulled over from the plane, helicopter, whatever,,,ask to see proof and then take it to court if no proof is offered. If they DO NOT have a photograph with your car/tag, it should and will be considered "hear say evidence", which is inadmissable in court(radio to radio). Most people overlook this or just pay the fine. Schedule your court appearance on the cops'(who wrote the ticket)day off, if you can. It worked once for me, on the airplane, and Arkansas finally quit after it got expensive to maintain the aircraft.

[porschepatron]

My mistake no radar or laser involved in VASCAR. Thanks for the useful info monteness.

[Allldi]

I think Lawrence is right about the whole painted lines thing. I have also heard a lot of good things about Valentine1 radar detectors, but I do not have one.
http://www.valentine1.com
Driving slow and driving safe aren't necessarily the same thing.

------------------
Ryan
1991 944S2 coupe

[stray15]

Didn't you guys ever see the signs along some highways that say "Speed Enforced by Aircraft"?

------------------
Porsche, Through and through
Tim
'83 944

[This message has been edited by stray15 (edited 03-25-2001).]

[porscheboi928s/c944t/n]

drive at the maximum posted speed limit and you wouldn't have a problem...or better yet leave early so you will have plenty of time.....also a CB would be of help too(from the truckers)just an advise from a concerned porsche owner/friend....

[PrerYDoG]

Okay, all you people saying not to speed, you only say that because you don't get caught. A speeder is only a person who gets caught.

I live in VA too, and I've got 5 tickets. As for the radar detector? I'm still debating it, but will probably end up getting one sometime soon (as, the next point on my license I have to go to that damn class).

Virginia State Law prohibits the use of Radar systems from airial units to find or detect speeders.

BTW - at anything over 100 here, you loose your license and / or go to jail. Remember that, VA sucks!, too bad I have to live here

And for anyone who is going to say anything, 4 of my 5 tickets were in my Riviera, and none were for anything over 12 MPH over the limit.

[porschepatron]

Finally somebody without a lecture! Thanks PreYDog, and VA really is ridiculous when it comes to speeding!

[mike944]

Lawerence is definetley right about the painted lines on the sides of the road being used for air clocking. The only way to prevent geting clocked from the air is to slow down when you see the painted lines on the highway. Because it's just a cop and a stopwatch, there's absolutely NO signal for ANY radar detector to pick up. Just be alert for low flying aircraft.

As far as detectors are concerned, i'm getting a valentine 1. I used my friends V1 on a 10 hour drive last summer, and it's much better than the one I had.

[Ratcals]

My suggestion is to move over here to Germany. I have not missed the threat of getting speeding tickets. I really feel for you guys. Although I agree you don't have to go fast to look cool in a Porsche, but the occassional 120+ mph makes owning a Porsche more fun!

Mark

[porscheboi928s/c944t/n]

RATCALS..i envy you....don't worry from now on i will drive a YUGO so i can maxed it to 65mph safely and not getting a ticket......

[Scott R]

I too have come close to losing my license a few years back. But what I was doing was just taking the fine and the points and walking away. But I watched an episode of "48 hours" one night and they interviewed an author of a book called "How to beat the cops." It's available on Amazon for $11. Anyway here in Colorado it's popular for the cops to run these sting operations. They have one guy clock you and two others to pull you over. The book told me to always request a trial when they get you this way. Reason being that, both cops have to show up at the trial, 9 out of 10 times at least one will not show, here they dismiss the case when that happens. Also good to know that at 100 yards cop radar is three lanes wide, thats a large amount of room for error. But a great radar detector is the "K40" don't know who makes it, but it's built into the car, unit under both bumpers, and led's on the dash. Usually is not noticeable to the average traffic cop.

[redNeckarsulm2]

speed limits and enforcement aren't so much for safety as revenue, anyway. the real issue in enforcement has become stealthy sneak-up-and catch-em, as opposed to a reasonable, and needed, strong VISUAL PRESENCE of law enforcement. until they start pulling under-minimum drivers, illegal lane changes, dangerous elderly, weaving cell phone users, and slow moving traffic in the PASSING LANE, (which are all VERY DANGEROUS) the authorities can stick that "1984-mentality" "for public safety" argument where the sun doesn't shine.
Be a reasonable and aware driver, don't spook/endanger other motorists, maintain a defensive cushion around your vehicle, get some electronic protection against the tax-collecting sheriff of the middle ages, and always contest in court.
The speed traps, sting-pulls, etc, that INHIBIT the flow of traffic and congest the interstates have got to stop.
BTW my last ticket (2+ years ago), was for 6mph over posted limit, while coming downhill, toward my exit, on I77 in SC, at 1:20 am Monday morning! Give me a F!@#$ng break. It's not cowboys and indians out there! It's ridiculous.
Period.

[thamlin000]

My last ticket was for 78 in a 70 zone, extremely light traffic.

[944 haulenbutt]

well here in upstate n.y. i've even seen a policeman standing with a radar gun.shooting traffic as they pass him under a bridge on the interstate.there will be cops lined up along the road up ahead to invite you to there little traffic court parties.i have been lucky not to have been invited.and always wondered if someone really could fight this method of entrapment.it's not hearsay i have witnesed it personaly.could a person halfheartedly fight this procedure??.slowing down is not always on option, even if you're just going with the flow of traffic and you happen to get caught.been there.maybe had to speed up to change lanes or get out of someones way..