Radar Detectors

[scootr]

Radar detectors are pretty popular in the USA. I think only 1 state prohibits the use of radar detectors. Many prohibit Laser Jambers and many drivers use a stealth laser jamber installation anyway.
I figure detectors may be popular in Europe too, no?
I have a Uniden R3 in the Mustang. It has saved my butt a few times. Once from laser too.
I'm looking to see which detector I should put in the Z

 

[flybobbie]

I could imagine on a long straight US road they would give you early warning, but in the UK they hide behind the next bend, tree or bush, so not much use.

 

[javis20]

Best to just Wase phone app.

 

[sunnydays]

According to pistonheads, the best radar detector is the MK1 eyeball.

 

[scootr]

Thanks for the replies. The car comfortably takes the road at speeds much above the posted limits. Radar emitting patrol cars are not uncommon. These radar units can be always on. You meet them wherever you meet. It's a bit much for the MK1 system.
Example once, I followed a slow car ( doing the limit) through a windy road for some time before coming to the wide open long straight away marked for passing. I dropped a gear and stepped out into the passing lane and the detector went off. Way down the road I saw a fire engine coming, nothing else. I hesitated and pulled back in behind the slow car. The radar warning intensified and the fire engine soon passed... with a patrol car right behind him hidden from the MK1 eyeball. So the detector paid for itself right there.

 

[Busterboo]

Only in America.

 

[Smartbear]

Only in America.

Land of the free (and radar jammers)
Rob

 

[Bing]

They are very illegal here. Had to remove the one fitted to my car (which was there when I bought it )

 

[PerryGunn]

They are very illegal here. Had to remove the one fitted to my car (which was there when I bought it )

To be accurate...
Radar and laser detectors are legal to own and use in the UK - Radar and laser jammers are not

 

[scootr]

The state of Virginia has made them illegal to use.
Tough for the snowbirds migrating (driving) up and down the east coast seasonally.
Detectors are quite legal everywhere else. California tried to prohibit them by ruling that nothing could be mounted to the windshield. Now we have dashboard and review mirror mounts. In California Laser Jammers are prohibited but, I still read about quite a few shops fitting them. Recently cities are putting stationary radar guns and cameras on the freeways so you can get a speeding ticket in the mail after driving through our beautiful city.
I like seeing them before they see me :evil:

 

[Anonymous]

They are very illegal here. Had to remove the one fitted to my car (which was there when I bought it )

To be accurate...
Radar and laser detectors are legal to own and use in the UK - Radar and laser jammers are not

To be pedantic it is illegal, although taking a case trhough the courts may be vexed!

As a licenced radio ham (GM6-FTE) we get kind of anal about these things..

Unauthorised reception
There are two criminal offences, under section 48 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006,
relating to unauthorised reception.
Offence 1
It is an offence if a person "otherwise than under the authority of a designated person:
…. uses wireless telegraphy apparatus with intent to obtain information as to the contents,
sender or addressee of any message whether sent by means of wireless telegraphy or not,
of which neither the person using the apparatus nor a person on whose behalf he is acting is
an intended recipient."
This means that it is illegal to listen to anything other than general reception transmissions
unless you are either a licensed user of the frequencies in question or have been specifically
authorised to do so by a designated person.
A designated person means:
1. the Secretary of State;
2. the Commissioners of Customs and Excise; or
3. any other person designated for the purpose by regulations made by the Secretary of
State.

 

[PerryGunn]

'vexed'? Virtually impossible really - the phrase

...with intent to obtain information as to the contents...

being the operative one - detectors do not try to 'obtain information as to the contents' of the signal, all they do is note that there's something transmitting on the relevant frequency.

I thought that this had already been tested in court and there were plans afoot to make ownership of the detectors illegal but the government backed away from doing so as they had higher priorities...

 

[scootr]

Google yields the following search result:
https://www.halfords.com/advice/technology/buyers-guides/camera-detectors-buyers-guide

Camera detectors are legal for use on UK roads. A few years ago there was talk that detectors with radar and laser detection may become illegal under proposed legislation, but this ban didn't take place - meaning that both laser/radar detectors and GPS safety cameras are still legal in the UK.

 

[Bing]

They are very illegal here. Had to remove the one fitted to my car (which was there when I bought it )

To be accurate...
Radar and laser detectors are legal to own and use in the UK - Radar and laser jammers are not

Mine was a jammer. I apologise for the inaccuracy of my statement

 

[PerryGunn]

Yep, here's the report on the results of the case - no change to the law since then

The sale, purchase and installation of a Snooper is perfectly legal. The use of one until recently may have contravened the 1949 Wireless and Telegraphy Act but a judgement of the Queens Bench Divisional Court dated 29th January 1998 makes it clear that the use of Radar Detectors is not unlawful as has hitherto been claimed by some. In the past a few prosecutions have been brought by claiming the use of radar detectors was contrary to section 5(b)(i) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 as amended by section 3 of the Post Office Act 1969. However the Acts refer to the interception of wireless communications for the purpose of obtaining information as to the content, sender or addressee of any message. The Court concluded that the radar transmission was not communicating a 'message' and therefore equipment designed to detect the presence of the transmission could not decode any such message.

It was further stated that section 1(1) of the Act, which requires a licence for the reception of radio signals, has been superseded by the Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus (Receivers)(Exemption) Regulations (SI 1989 No123) which exempts radar detectors and similar equipment from the need for such licences.

 

[Bing]

The state of Virginia has made them illegal to use.
Tough for the snowbirds migrating (driving) up and down the east coast seasonally.
Detectors are quite legal everywhere else. California tried to prohibit them by ruling that nothing could be mounted to the windshield. Now we have dashboard and review mirror mounts. In California Laser Jammers are prohibited but, I still read about quite a few shops fitting them. Recently cities are putting stationary radar guns and cameras on the freeways so you can get a speeding ticket in the mail after driving through our beautiful city.
I like seeing them before they see me :evil:

If you ever visit the UK you will find fixed speed cameras everywhere - freeways, city roads, country roads, you name it.

 

[Anonymous]

As I said, a court, not the Supreme Court came up with a view, another court may come to a different view, until it goes all the way to the top, and maybe even the ECJ if you can argue your human rights are being interfered with its not definitive..

I was being pedantic...a court could argue that intercepting a radar 'message' is illegally utilising that info!

Having spent some time in courts of various types I'm not prone to rushing to embrace a judges view on a very technicla matter..

But, as everyone deduces unlikley to get busted for a detector, but for sure a jammer will be a big no no..

 

[ProfCJJ]

For no real reason, I had an Amazon voucher and I purchased an Aguri Skyway GPS/radar/laser Speed Trap Detector - the version I wanted wasn't in stock my order was upgraded to the BT version at no extra cost.

I don't really need this and I'm not usually whizzing here and there - however in the Z4 there have been a few times when I have been cruising along and my speed has crept over the local limit. This might help in reminding me. (Plus I like gadgets )

 

[flybobbie]

They are very illegal here. Had to remove the one fitted to my car (which was there when I bought it )

To be accurate...
Radar and laser detectors are legal to own and use in the UK - Radar and laser jammers are not

To be pedantic it is illegal, although taking a case trhough the courts may be vexed!

As a licenced radio ham (GM6-FTE) we get kind of anal about these things..

Unauthorised reception
There are two criminal offences, under section 48 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006,
relating to unauthorised reception.
Offence 1
It is an offence if a person "otherwise than under the authority of a designated person:
…. uses wireless telegraphy apparatus with intent to obtain information as to the contents,
sender or addressee of any message whether sent by means of wireless telegraphy or not,
of which neither the person using the apparatus nor a person on whose behalf he is acting is
an intended recipient."
This means that it is illegal to listen to anything other than general reception transmissions
unless you are either a licensed user of the frequencies in question or have been specifically
authorised to do so by a designated person.
A designated person means:
1. the Secretary of State;
2. the Commissioners of Customs and Excise; or
3. any other person designated for the purpose by regulations made by the Secretary of
State.

Late 70's the aviation radio telephony licence application form had a official secrets act box to tick, agreeing not to divulge any transmission that might be heard on the radio. Prior to this in the earlier 70's didn't stop us plane spotters listening in though.

 

[BadgerDog]

As a licenced radio ham (GM6-FTE) we get kind of anal about these things..

Well hello there. KG4OUE here!