How effective are radar/laser detectors?

Question

In New Orleans we are the murder capitol of the united states, yet all i see is cops setting speed traps. You would think that they would have better things to do lol. I was thinking about getting one of those laser detectors because they are not banned here in Louisiana and the company said that if I get caught they would pay my fine for me. I was just wondering how effective they are because they are kind of pricey.

Answer 1

Depends on what you buy and how you use it. The cheap ones are pretty much "ticket detectors".

A good one must be used correctly to be effective. This means:

Don't be the first car over the hill, nor around the corner. If you are, as has been noted, action beats reaction, and the Officer gets his reading while you're still reaching for the brake pedal. The way to use a detector is simple....you are driving along, and the Officer lases the car ahead of you. The detector reacts to the laser, and you have time to slow down before you get over the hill or around the corner to be targeted.

Now...you can't go super fast, and expect to have enough time and distance to slow below the limit before it's your turn to be lased.

Also, asking for certification is, in almost all cases, useless. The Officer will offer to show you the unit is calibrated when writing the ticket. The Officer will have gone to the class to operate the laser/radar.

When you ask for certification, he'll smile and produce it. Since he's certified to use the unit, and it was shown to be in calibration minutes after your reading (and before, since he will have shown it the the previous ticked individual as well) the ticket Will stick.

Answer 2

They are not effective at all. By the time your radar detector alerts you, the police officer already has your speed! On top of that, if you are pulled over with one in your car (illegal or not), it tells the cop that you have a habit of speeding and don't want to get caught. Then he is more likely to write you a ticket.

Also keep in mind, there is such thing as air traffic. I was stopped by FHP in Florida bc their airplane got my speed and relayed it to the units on the ground!

So, my advice is to save yourself $100+ on the radar detector, and save an additional $100+ on that future speeding ticket and just slow down!

Answer 3

The burden of proof lies with the police prosecutor, go to court, get cops to produce certificate of compliance for the radar/laser used to detect your speed, this will indicate that the radar/laser was working correctly at the time you were pinged if a certificate cannot be provided they have not proved their case.

If one is provided ask to see the certificate that issued the compliance certificate for the radar/laser unit, this will indicate that the test equipment was in fact serviceable and working correctly to issue such certificates.

If this cannot be provided, the certificate provided for the laser/radar should be inadmissible.

No matter what they produce, they must be able to prove that ALL equipment used to allow the use of speed detection devices were in a serviceable condition to make the charge beyond reasonable doubt.

Answer 4

During the fourth quarter of 1996 the New Orleans Police Department undertook the largest reorganization and philosophy change in the Department's history. All crime fighting responsibilities were placed under the eight District Commanders, and new resources were provided to them to accomplish their mission: reducing crime and violence and enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of their district.
The Department was reorganized to include three Bureaus under the Superintendent of Police. The Operations Bureau, the Technical Services and Support Bureau, and the Bureau of Policy and Planning. The Operations Bureau, encompassing over 85% of the Department's manpower, would be the front line in the Department's new crime fighting effort.

The police force is down from its pre-Katrina level of 1,700 officers to about 1,400. But that number includes about 100 officers on leave for injuries or illness.

As in every department...the agencies are normally divided into "divisions" such as Auto Theft, Traffic, Narcotics, Homicide, etc!

Each division is responsible for their specific area of expertise. In other words...you don't see Homicide officers working traffic, Narcotics working homicide, etc.

So instead of complaining about how "all you see is...." consider how the agency works as a whole.

As for laser and doppler technology....I couldn't even begin to tell you the number of speed tickets I've written where they really didn't do the job! Sure they pick up stray "particles" and warn you....but not normally in time before your speed is already locked on!

Instead of speeding...do the responsible thing and share the roadways as a courteous driver instead of looking for ways to create hazards on the roadways for those of us who'd like to arrive alive without you taking our safety into your hands!

Answer 5

These devices are highly effective at raising the revenue of state and local governments.
With the "detector" in your vehicle you will drive at terminal velocity while being tracked by a half a dozen other methods that do not use radar or laser.
This is why some states will not outlaw them.

Answer 6

When I write speeding the tickets, the violators tell me I should be looking for murderers. When I arrest murderers, they say I should be looking for speeders. I can't win.

As for your question....We can beat any detector out there. My action (shooting the laser at your car) is quicker than your reaction (foot to the brake). I always ask people if they still have the receipt, after I ask them to press hard, it's three copies.

Answer 7

In 2005, there were an estimated 6,159,000 police reported traffic crashes, in which 43,443 people were killed and 2,699,000 people were injured; 4,304,000 crashes involved property damage only. The economic cost alone of motor vehicle crashes in 2000 was $230.6 billion.

In 2005, speeding was a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes, and 13,113 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes.

So no they don't have better things to do.

Answer 8

they work fine until your caught,I write tickets all the time to people who have them...and btw there are more murders caught in vehicles than on foot.........

Answer 9

Not very especially when the Police are lying!