Hey Guys

I have to say I'm with MotoCycho on this...I have the same detector he has in my truck and the wifes and it saves us all the time. I have had some experiance with Laser detection and what Fuzz says is correct, once they have U sited up and pull the trigger the Passport will lets U know you are being lite up but its to late they have your speed already.

I have used radar detectors since the late 80's and before there was laser I drove around with no fear what so ever...That all changed around 1998 when I got hit with a Laser coming off the Varrazano bridge into brooklyn at 100 or better and heard a new sound on my detector that I never heard before and looked ahead to see the cop pulling off the grass to catch me. When the cop got to my window he was as happy as could be and said nice radar detector didn't help U much... after sweating it out I managed to wiggle my way out of the ticket but I did not have the 100% confidence the radar detector gave me after that.

Snuffy

In ontario ,detectors are illegal,Some how my emergency flashers got disabled and turned into an off/ on switch for a RD.I have been told the police have radar detector detectors. If you get caught they take the unit and fine you for the unit and you get a speeding ticket.If my detector goes off I turn it off.Any one know any thing about radar detector detectors

The bottom line is if your the only guy on the road and speeding, with a detector or not, you will soon get a ticket. I have dodged many a tickets by being in traffic with my bike, what cops probably don't realize is when they hit you with "instant on" radar they send that signal to the guy behind the target as well, in some cases over a mile away, plenty time to slow down,, I have had the same thing happen with lazer, but the distance is considerably less, maybe 1/4mile, but it still does stray off the target. If I am in a hurry, I follow the fastest car on the road,, giving them a safe distance, when the passport alerts, I am on the brakes quick..

So is a radar detector even worth having anymore?

For the same reasons mentioned by MotoCycho, SnuffyZX, and TaintedTattoo my opinion is ABSOLUTELY! Sure having a good detector does not mean you will not get another ticket... but learning to properly interpret the info a detector gives you will reduce your risk.

Any one know any thing about radar detector detectors?

Here's some good info, darryle... Spectre RDD Radar Detector Review and Testing

Looks like the only unit to completely defeat the detector detectors is the Beltronics STi Driver Radar Detector.

"Headlights and windshields are not good to aim at as they reflect and refract the laser"

I always thougtht the laser Jammer/diffuser was to jam the laser long enough to allow you to slow ansd then you hit the swtich and turn it off so the police get a reading . There goes the ticket ?
Also the laser gets a missed sgnal for just a second or two and you hopefully have slowed a bit to at least reduce the ticket. Worth the risk of a ticked LEO as they get errors now and the non lasers so if you dont leave it on the whole time while they are shooting you , you at least get a chance to get off

That's the idea, imrubicon.

I picked up a Passport SRX that I'm gonna attempt to install on my zx14. It has a remote mute/volume control button that also turns off the laser shifters, for 60 seconds, when tapped twice.

After many hours of testing this product with different cars and different speed police laser guns, we have determined five primary contributors to police laser's effectiveness. They are (in order of decreasing importance): whether or not a license or vanity plate is mounted on the front of a vehicle; the surface-area of headlights, fog lights, and parking/running lights that are positioned in the front; the amount of large sections of chrome that is perpendicular to the road facing the front; the shape of the vehicle - specifically how much of the vehicle is vertical or perpendicular to the road; and finally the color of the vehicle (white being the easiest to detect) and type of automotive paint (metallic being the easiest to detect.)

Let's examine each one of these factors which contribute to a vehicle's "visibility" to police laser/lidar.

First
Most states and countries require the use of a front license plate (as of this writing, only seventeen states do not.) These plates are mounted perpendicular to the road surface, thereby acting as a strong reflector of light energy. Furthermore, most current state plates are retro-reflective which, in effect, magnifies or intensifies the amount of reflected light. We have found that even on black cars that have hidden head lights, such as Corvettes, when they have a front-mounted license plate, effective targeting range increases as much as four times!

Second
Head/fog lights and parking/running lamps are also strong reflectors however they are typically spaced farther apart and since the LIDAR beam only strikes a portion of them at any one time, they are the secondary contributing factor.

Third
Vehicles that have large sections of chrome are easier to target than do vehicles that do not or have complex thin chrome grills with a lot of space in between them.

Fourth
The frontal shape of a vehicles plays a large role in effecting the targeting range of laser. Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs, and many import sports cars have steeply raked front-ends that have fewer surfaces that are perpendicular to the road. Therefore, cars which are aerodynamic looking are likely harder to target with laser as these kinds of vehicles reflect laser light away from the gun source. These types of vehicles stand to benefit the most when VEILed.
Fifth
The color and type of paint contributes to a vehicle's stealth nature. Metallic and/or light cars are easier to target at greater range than darker non-metallic cars. You may be surprised to see that color is not higher on the list of importance, however, we have found that all laser guns have improved, since their debut, to the point that the other factors play a more important role in contributing to the overall visual signature to laser. However, darker vehicles will tend to benefit the most with VEIL, because once the reflected portions are obscured with VEIL, the car's color will be the source of any remaining reflectivity.

http://www.laserveil.com/laser/police/how-veil-fights-police-lidar/

* Last updated by: scottjkyl on 2/22/2011 @ 9:53 AM *

Vehicle shape...just like the stealth bomber and nighthawk.Their reflective surfaces are angled at strategic angles to bounce the radar beams away from the plane,as well as surface composition....matte black and non-gloss.Same as a bike(minus the surface finish).Small frontal surfaces...curved.Comparing to a car or truck..unless it's lazer(pinpoint),yer gonna be safer BEHIND a car or truck.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 2/22/2011 @ 11:05 AM *

Vehicle shape...just like the stealth bomber and nighthawk.Their reflective surfaces are angled at strategic angles to bounce the radar beams away from the plane,as well as surface composition....matte black and non-gloss.Same as a bike(minus the surface finish).Small frontal surfaces...curved.Comparing to a car or truck..unless it's lazer(pinpoint),yer gonna be safer BEHIND a car or truck.

Yep... My white, lifted F-250 is my primary ticket getter... Always the easiest thing on the road to get a read on.

Really not a good spot on the front of a zx14 to get a reading...

I'd say the rider is going to be the primary target... stay tucked my friends.

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 2/22/2011 @ 11:41 AM *

Full tuck won't stop them from getting a read.

Full tuck won't stop them from getting a read.

No it won't. But staying tucked on a 14 will take away the LEO's biggest and best target... your chest. The reason I bring it up is, I don't know about you guys, but I sit up when I slow down... If trying to make getting a read as hard as possible, that's a bad idea.

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 2/22/2011 @ 5:36 PM *

Ya...yer gonna get clocked if yer the primary vehicle.Size and such won't save ya.Stickin out alone...or side by side...you'll get nailed.But I still think drafting(if you can find a FAST driving cage)is the best way to not get a ticket(if yer gonna speed that is).I mean...if yer both traveling at so and so mph...there's really no way(that I can think of besides a lazer beam)that a radar guy will be able to differentiate which vehicle he's actually targeting.Unless there's a pretty good gap between car and bike,and the road is constructed right(a downhill, or wide curve),the two targets are gonna clock as one.Maybe if he's up on a bluff...maybe.Straight on...nah...I can't see it.

Blue, your plan is not fool proof, as I mentioned a couple times b4 the officer will estimate your speed as well and if he nails the lead vehicle and you are on the lead vehicles azz not gain or losing distance and the officer is aware of that, I am sorry to say that you will get stopped as well for the same speed as what the vehicle in front of you was doing.... if the officer has any training and skill in testimony by articulating why he believed you were going the same speed as the vehicle you were so closely following you are done... you do not have to have a reading on a radar or laser to write a speeding ticket... estimation is acceptable but the officer must be prepared to articulate how he came to the estimation of the speed without having the radar or laser to verify...

Bottom line out of this whole discussion people are going to speed, radar detectors may help you and are somewhat effective where newer laser's and radar systems are not being used... Would I buy one.... nope.... Any way about it if you speed you will eventually get caught... might be tommorrow might be 10yrs from now... its all luck in my opinion, well and to know where to do it...

So lets move on to discussing photo radar and redlight cameras!!! LOL.... just kidding lets not!!

So lets move on to discussing photo radar and redlight cameras!!! LOL.... just kidding lets not!!

"A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40, and a photo of his car. Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40. Several days later, he received a letter from the police department that contained another picture -- of handcuffs."

Awesome, you gotta love it. Cuffs would suck

Yeah...to me...I figure I'm gonna be going faster than the limit probably most of my riding times.Maybe not way over,but generally over.By 10 usually.They're cool with that.I'm cool with that.S'all good.

The very few times I do get the roadside chat and when the officer ask if I know why he pulled me over I usually with "Wild ass guess sir is it has something to do with my driving habits".

"Wild ass guess sir is it has something to do with my driving habits".

The DOL sends me letters to remind me of my habits.

I, now, use a detector to remind myself.

Dogo, let me give you my opinion, buddy. I know it sux but when somebody gets this close to suspension or revocation (OHGOD! ), it's not time to start putting faith in a detector/jammer. That time passed about 2 tickets ago. If the gadgets don't work you are screwed. Can you imagine 30 days Or longer without driving privlidges?.... forget about pleasure riding, I'm talking just to do activities of daily living?

Personally, I would lay low and do less riding for a while. Regenerate some points and then be careful.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/23/2011 @ 12:18 PM *

Hey Rook... I appreciate the advice... that's, pretty much, what I did. That notice expired a few weeks ago. ... and that is the reason I wasn't around here for a while... outta sight, outta mind, ya know.

Most those tickets were recieved while driving my truck between Seattle and Portland, though. 6 tickets in 14 months, two were on bikes.

After getting that notice, I purchased a Valentine. Haven't had another ticket. I've become used to having the alerts to keep me in check. But I don't like the idea of portable system on my bike... so I'm going with a custom install. The Passport SRX system I purchased came with laser shifters. They're legal in my state. Might as well hook 'em up.

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 2/23/2011 @ 12:42 PM *

You're being careful now. Maybe I'll follow suit on the Valentine. I don't plan on trying to get away with shattering the speed limit but it can't hurt to have a little reminder in case I am just going a little too fast. On the 14 you don't need to get too many tickets before there is a serious problem. when people go fast on the 14, its probably more than 10 mph over most of the time.

* Last updated by: Rook on 2/23/2011 @ 10:49 PM *

Hey Dogo... lemme know how the laser shifter works, curious to see if they work well.... I have stopped many people both with radar and laser that were using detectors and for laser they never even got a warning, and for radar they got the warning but I already had their speed.... so I know how good those instruments are.... but have not run across anyone with a shifter or jammer yet....

Regarding Blue's assertion the radar/laser will hit the leading, bigger target.

Doesn't matter if it does or not. My experience with California Sheriff's Deputies, and CHP, and Maryland State Troopers is, consistantly, this :

They stop the leading vehicle, and ticket it, and even if they stop several behind it, all they do to them is chew them out.

A rader/laser officer would lose in court if they ticketed second or third in line if the speeder knows what to ask and say.

Been there, done that.

Heck once a Carmel California cop tried to get me for entering an intersection from a stop sign while he was approaching from the cross street.

He was chasing a Camero, over hilly terrain, and I was in the intersection before he came over the hill a mere 1/8th of a mile away. He skidded for 100 feet. Was mad as a hornet.

He came to court. Read the riot act. I asked the judge for a chalkboard, and drew a sideview of the terrain, and showed the judge how he came over the hill at 50 or 60 mph and I couldn't see him until he came over the hill.

Judge threw it out, and chewed the officer out for unsafe pursuit.

Cops ain't always right, unless you let them be.

Hey Dogo... lemme know how the laser shifter works, curious to see if they work well....

Too bad we're not closer... could do some testing.