Radar Detectors

[SW03ES]

Which is why he gave you a break...

[RX400h]

The cop that pulled me over was pretty cool I guess, I mean I was doing 87 in a 65 and he only put 10 over on the ticket. I could have been alot worse but my biddest gripe is I wasent the only one speeding there were 3 or 4 cars going the same speed if not faster and he pulled me over  :chairshot:

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This is how the conversation usually went before I had a radar detector:

Officer: "Do you know how fast you were going?"

Me: " Uh, about 60?"

Officer: "Try 75 in a 55."

Me: "I thought I was going with the flow of traffic. What about all those cars passing me?"

Officer: "I got YOU - License and registration, please!"

Me: "That's IT; I'm buying a RADAR detector!!!!"

[LinuxFan]

Whatever!

I still think and say they are blood/money suckers, like that detestible thing that does the same -- who in fact (as any medical doctor can confirm) can serve a benefit. Not those speed cops however, their main purpose is to suck money out of y(our) pockets.

After that, then they pass us on to our insurance companies who for three years in most cases, suck us some more.

You can be sympathetic if you want -- to me they are what they are and do; money vacuums pointed at our wallets. Whether or not it is their job does not matter to me.

[SKperformance]

moved to general discussions

[ArmyofOne]

you got to think of it like this:

does the cop have anything personally to gain by wiriting you a ticket? no, he gets no comission. you think he wants to risk his life coming up to you rcar window in the middle of the night? that is the most unnerving feeling, not knowing how a driver is going to react. i know, cause i have seen it from the officers Point of View. granted i was still in the car, but when he came back, he said: "my heart was pounting pretty good". (i rode along with an alaska state trooper for a day in high school, for a report, they dont do this anymore, but it was a neat experience).

so you have to remember, he is porbably more scared of you that you are *BLEEP*ed off at him. i had one cop that pulled me over about 2 months ago, he would have liked to *BLEEP*ed his pants when he saw me, he was shaking and had a cracking voice. very timid. (i'm built pretty good at 5'8 and 200lbs ;) ) it all has to do wth the situation.

often times officers get defensive when they are scared. thats normal behavior. and i agree with the statement above, i have NEVER gotten a ticket i didnt deserve.

[blake918]

Whatever!

I still think and say they are blood/money suckers, like that detestible thing that does the same -- who in fact (as any medical doctor can confirm) can serve a benefit. Not those speed cops however, their main purpose is to suck money out of y(our) pockets.

After that, then they pass us on to our insurance companies who for three years in most cases, suck us some more.

You can be sympathetic if you want -- to me they are what they are and do; money vacuums pointed at our wallets. Whether or not it is their job does not matter to me.

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Well said Linux!! My insurance co allows 1 speeding ticket before they start hiking the rates(I haven't used it yet!). I wonder if all ins co's are like this?

you got to think of it like this:

does the cop have anything personally to gain by wiriting you a ticket?  no, he gets no comission.  you think he wants to risk his life coming up to you rcar window in the middle of the night?  that is the most unnerving feeling, not knowing how a driver is going to react.  i know, cause i have seen it from the officers Point of View. granted i was still in the car, but when he came back, he said: "my heart was pounting pretty good".  (i rode along with an alaska state trooper for a day in high school, for a report, they dont do this anymore, but it was a neat experience).

so you have to remember, he is porbably more scared of you that you are *BLEEP*ed off at him. i had one cop that pulled me over about 2 months ago, he would have liked to *BLEEP*ed his pants when he saw me, he was shaking and had a cracking voice.  very timid. (i'm built pretty good at 5'8 and 200lbs ;) ) it all has to do wth the situation.

often times officers get defensive when they are scared.  thats normal behavior.  and i agree with the statement above, i have NEVER gotten a ticket i didnt deserve.

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True, they have nothing to physically gain, but it does undoubtedly give them a rise; that's why the vast majority of them are a$$es...they think they are better than you. If they all thought they were in as much danger as the officer you rode with, they wouldn't be risking their lives for a puny $150 cash/money order for your county's tax collector. I wouldn't do it; you wouldn't do it; no level headed person would do it. I would probably steer clear of pulling over an Escalade/H2/Impala SS sitting on dubs, but other than that, the worst they have to deal with is a rude, pi$$ed off driver more times than not.

I too deserved both tickets that I have gotten, but it really chaps my a$$ to see drivers getting tickets for going 80 or 85 in a 70 when I can think of 100's and 100's of instances when I've seen Police Crown Vics come screaming by at 90 and 100+ with no lights or sirens...just abusing their authority because they can. A teacher of mine in high school is an Officer in Mississippi and was a trooper in Florida. He has told me more stories of how cops break laws than I care to know.

[brian_k03]

passport 8500 with zr3 shifter.

[SW03ES]

Whatever!

I still think and say they are blood/money suckers, like that detestible thing that does the same -- who in fact (as any medical doctor can confirm) can serve a benefit. Not those speed cops however, their main purpose is to suck money out of y(our) pockets.

After that, then they pass us on to our insurance companies who for three years in most cases, suck us some more.

You can be sympathetic if you want -- to me they are what they are and do; money vacuums pointed at our wallets. Whether or not it is their job does not matter to me.

←

No offense but thats pretty ignorant.

Basically what you have to understand is this, nobody wants to be a traffic cop. People become police officers to do more exciting things, stopping you for speeding is one step above writing parking tickets, its the bottom of the ladder. Most police departments REQUIRE that new officers spend a certain amount of time on traffic before they can graduate to do what they WANT to do.

So what you have is a whole bunch of people that hate what they do. People have sympathy for nasty busboys because its a dirty job nobody wants to do, but cops are "bloodsucking leeches" like I said before thats ignorant, and its not fair.

Sure they get a rise, but not for stopping you in a crowd of people. They get a rise for picking off the the guy blasting down the road at 90 weaving in and out. Don't be that guy, you'll be fine.

All the police officer is trying to do is begin a rewarding career and feed his family. If he has to stop you for breaking the law in order to do that he will, you would too. If you say you wouldn't then you're lying.

My favorite statement here is "then they send you down to your insurance companies etc etc" thats just hilarious, what does a cop have to do with that? Like I said, they don't write the laws, they just enforce them. They don't write insurance regulations, your insurance company does. The cop doesn't get rich off of any of this, he makes $20k a year and gets spit on by people. Its a means to an end for him, thats all.

I will ask you in the future however to not talk about any group of people in a derogatory manner. We have members from all professions and walks of life here. You can express your dislike for speed enforcement, but calling anyone a "bloodsucking leech" and "detestable" is innapropriate for this forum.

[LinuxFan]

Well unfortunately you got the powers to dictate thus.,.. but I don't take it back, so do what you might oh mighty moderator.

That is my opinion -- this is your place, you don't like it; then do what you must.

If I were a sensitive kind of guy I would have to take it personally your choice of word (ignorant), but I am not so I will excuse you for that and take this opportunity to teach you/learn you? how to moderate, if you want to learn that is.

What I said was not ignorant but since you have the power, you can call it what you may and that will make it so. If I was a moderator, then I could do the same, but would not since I know better.

Anyway -- like I said, and we can nit-pick it if you wish and delve into how the ticket goes on my/your record, and how the insurance company gets your record and how the cost to insure my fancy, schmancy Lexus LS400 ends up costing me more. It is your call if you want to, makes me no never mind. Excuse them as much as you wish, it is a choice they make... they want that position of power whether or not you want to accept it.

Still, go look up what ignorant means and see who fits that best -- you or me?

Next time you want to moderate, send me a private message instead of posting and using that kind of a term and trying to excuse it with stealth -- iron sharpens iron my friend so consider that next time.

If you want to defend careers, get an alter ego/username so we can be on the same level, otherwise -- you send me a private message to let me know you take offense with my post or think I am full of crap or whatever -- it is more professional, more considerate, and more becoming of someone who is other than ignorant. Not to mention that I am deserving of it -- I have been a member for however long and have had no diciplinary issues and the first sign of blunder (in your opinion), you rush to label me ignorant; even though you use the preface it with "that." My word is me my friend -- are yours you?

Your apology, though deserving, is not accepted. You should know better as a result of your position so I (we) expect more of you and that includes not being able to call other people derogotory names (no matter how you put it) for any reason publicly.

Thanks.

[SW03ES]

I have no need nor do I have any intention of apologizing. I didn't call you ignorant, I called your attitude ignorant. Many very intellegent and articulate individuals have attitudes that reek of ignorance. I'm not moderating you at all, I'm reacting to your opinion. This has nothing to do with my being a moderator. I don't need to get an "alternate username" and pretend I'm not a moderator on this site to debate with you or anyone else on any topic I see fit. This is a voluntary position, I do it because I enjoy helping to build the club. I am first and foremost a member and I have every right to express my opinion fairly and respectfully on any matter I see fit. You'll just have to get over any percieved "authority" or whatever you think I have over you. Its an internet forum, I'm not a senator

Calling a group of people anything derogatory is ignorant. You can and should be better than that. Do you know every traffic cop on earth? Do you know enough of them to be a representative sample of traffic cops as a whole? Are you now or have you ever been a traffic cop? If you answer to those questions is no than your attitude has no backing in experience or fact, and it is by definition ignorant.

Here's the definition of ignorant:

ig·no·rant    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (gnr-nt)

adj.

Lacking education or knowledge.

Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake.

Unaware or uninformed.

My attitude is based on the way a police department is usually structured and stays away from making personal judgements or interpretations on any group of people as to their characteristics of which I admittedly have no knowledge.

Excuse them as much as you wish, it is a choice they make... they want that position of power whether or not you want to accept it.

You're not listening to me. Nobody wants to be a traffic cop, they HAVE to be traffic cops in ORDER to do what they want to do later on. Its a means to an end. The best way to make your "fancy schmantzy" LS400 cheaper to insure is to drive the speed limit. Drive the speed limit and you'll never have to worry about tickets again. Stop blaming others for the ramifications of your actions. If you think the speed limits are wrong, work to change them through your state or county's legislature. They set the laws, not the cops. You get the laws changed the cops will enforce the new laws, thats their job.

Here's how it works:

The speed limit is the law.

When you speed you make a choice to break the law, I'm not saying this is right or wrong.

When a cop stops you for driving above the speed limit he is enforcing the law, he is doing his job, and if he doesnt do it he will loose his career and his opportunity for advancement. Police departments watch the cops in traffic all the time, running test cars etc to see if they get stopped. Errors while on traffic delay any advancement, so cops don't want to make errors. The reason they give you a "cushion" of 5-10 MPH is because they can justify that to the governments and superiors they work for as a "mechanical range of error". Thats actually not neccisary as modern speed equipment is deadly accurate. Point one for the cops being fair right there. If you are really speeding and a cop stops you, he got you fair and square. Should have been smarter.

You're calling him a money grubber because of the ramifications of your actions. Thats not fair.

Now, I'm not saying that NOBODY becomes a cop to get a cheap thrill, but as with all prejudices and stereotypes (which is what your attitude is, hatred, prejudice, and stereotype) for 90% of the group it doesn't apply.

Sorry you were offended but you werent concerned about offending others with your blanket statement about police officers. I make no apologies about my demeanor in situations like this, everyone knows I don't let people get away with posting BS like that.

[ford212.809]

Steve, how did you take my words out of my mouth a 1000 miles away?

Very well said....

[SW03ES]

Thank you B)

[VBdenny]

Wow, pretty intense discussion. May I have permission to call the politicians who MADE these way-to-low speed limits leaches? A few years ago there was a bill in the Virginia legislature to raise the speed limit to 75mph. It was comprimised down to 70, then back to 65. I drive on the Interstates a lot and hardly anybody does anywhere near the speed limit. It is not uncommon to have people running 20 over for extended periods of time. If a cop gets you, well you knew the risk and the penalty. Maybe it is breaking the law, or just maybe, the law itself is broken. Either way, a great deal of money is made to both the government and the insurance companies. A large number of the radar guns the police use comes from "grants" from the insurance companies. I don't blame the police as they have their job to do. No, I blame the politicians whom WE elected to represent US, not the insurance companies. Raise the limits.

[SW03ES]

Yes, politicians are exempt, you may call them whatever you wish ;)

I'm not saying at all that speed limits aren't too low or that the racket going on isn't crooked or wrong, I'm just saying its not the cops fault.

[LinuxFan]

OK my friend and with these things you know what happens -- we won't get anywhere but just keep going over the same thing again and again. I get where you are coming from and I think you see where I am coming from.

I still hold to what I say because they are the ones I see and they are the ones I end up interracting with if/when I do get a ticket and so to me, THEY (ticket writing law enforcers) WILL ALWAYS BE CHARACTERIZED AS LEACHES as a result of their action. I don't see the politions but I vote every time so that end is covered. Maybe I should call them thieves?

No harm done still... you hold to what you believe, and I shall certainly do the same.

Thanks

[SW03ES]

Just remember our terms of service when expressing that opinion and we'll have no problems.

[yoji6365]

Whatever!

I still think and say they are blood/money suckers, like that detestible thing that does the same -- who in fact (as any medical doctor can confirm) can serve a benefit. Not those speed cops however, their main purpose is to suck money out of y(our) pockets.

After that, then they pass us on to our insurance companies who for three years in most cases, suck us some more.

You can be sympathetic if you want -- to me they are what they are and do; money vacuums pointed at our wallets. Whether or not it is their job does not matter to me.

←

No offense but thats pretty ignorant.

Basically what you have to understand is this, nobody wants to be a traffic cop. People become police officers to do more exciting things, stopping you for speeding is one step above writing parking tickets, its the bottom of the ladder. Most police departments REQUIRE that new officers spend a certain amount of time on traffic before they can graduate to do what they WANT to do.

So what you have is a whole bunch of people that hate what they do. People have sympathy for nasty busboys because its a dirty job nobody wants to do, but cops are "bloodsucking leeches" like I said before thats ignorant, and its not fair.

Sure they get a rise, but not for stopping you in a crowd of people. They get a rise for picking off the the guy blasting down the road at 90 weaving in and out. Don't be that guy, you'll be fine.

All the police officer is trying to do is begin a rewarding career and feed his family. If he has to stop you for breaking the law in order to do that he will, you would too. If you say you wouldn't then you're lying.

My favorite statement here is "then they send you down to your insurance companies etc etc" thats just hilarious, what does a cop have to do with that? Like I said, they don't write the laws, they just enforce them. They don't write insurance regulations, your insurance company does. The cop doesn't get rich off of any of this, he makes $20k a year and gets spit on by people. Its a means to an end for him, thats all.

I will ask you in the future however to not talk about any group of people in a derogatory manner. We have members from all professions and walks of life here. You can express your dislike for speed enforcement, but calling anyone a "bloodsucking leech" and "detestable" is innapropriate for this forum.

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So what do you call a guy whos 50 writing you a ticket? Just starting out to begin a rewarding career?

[yoji6365]

Just remember our terms of service when expressing that opinion and we'll have no problems.

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Im sure there are less than honorable people in whatever career you have.

The only position I know that isnt full of crooked people is "POPE".

Hope he makes it through this time.

[yoji6365]

Wow, pretty intense discussion.  May I have permission to call the politicians who MADE these way-to-low speed limits leaches?  A few years ago there was a bill in the Virginia legislature to raise the speed limit to 75mph.  It was comprimised down to 70, then back to 65.  I drive on the Interstates a lot and  hardly anybody does anywhere near the speed limit.  It is not uncommon to have people running 20 over for extended periods of time.  If a cop gets you, well you knew the risk and the penalty.  Maybe it is breaking the law, or just maybe, the law itself is broken.  Either way, a great deal of money is made to both the government and the insurance companies.  A large number of the radar guns the police use comes from "grants" from the insurance companies.  I don't blame the police as they have their job to do.  No, I blame the politicians whom WE elected to represent US, not the insurance companies.  Raise the limits.

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Wait, you cant blame the politicans We elected. Then it would be our own fault.

We need to find politicians that will make it a mandate to raise the speed limits.

I dont ever blame politicians, they were put in by the people. If you dont like your elected officials, then we can support the other candidate and do whatever it takes to gt them elected.

[SW03ES]

But all candidates ARE politicians.

You'll never find a politician who lobbies for higher speed limits, its not a popular platform and theres too much money being made by speeding. Anyone who tried to raise speed limits across the board wouldn't last very long.

[VBdenny]

Yeah, that is the sad part. The way people drive, you would THINK it would be a popular topic. Everyone, including our politicians, all speed when they are out on the Interstates. If you are doing 75 now, you are one of the slowest cars out there. Everyone speeds, I see guys in BMW's, mothers in mini-vans, people with PBA plates and stickers, church vans full of the faithful, government owned vehicles, plumbing trucks, need I go on? Oh sure, there are a few people who hold to the letter of the law and drive the speed limit. While their intentions are good, they cause huge accidents because of people trying to get by them in the right lane, everyone checking up and cars bunching up behind.

So why can't we get a politician who will support raising the limits. They will use the old safety issue bull. I really does come down to money. The government is broke, and they htave to get money from wherever they can. I'd vote for a modernize the Interstates, require extensive driver training, and raise the speed limits. Those Germans can't be all that much smarter than we are?

[SW03ES]

The politicians can't get support for the bill because of the strong lobby of people that get rich over speeding tickets.

Get this story. In DC we have speed cameras now that sense your speed, take a picture, and mail you a $50 ticket. They put them on light poles etc. Well, the company that developed this technology keeps 25% of all the revenue generated by them, which has been in the 9 digit range so far. There's a company that wouldn't be too happy if suddenly all roadways were raised to the 80th percentile speed, it woul cut 75% of their profit.

Small towns and jurisdictions get a MAJOR chunk of their budgets from speed enforcement. The state of NJ for instance would have a huge hole in their budget if suddenly speed limits on the Turnpike were 75-80 vs 65. There are little towns on highways all over america that would have no capital if it wasn't for speed enforcement.

Radar detector companies, talk about a HUGE business that wouldn't be around if suddenly everyone could drive the speeds they drive legally.

So, like anything else the interests with the money have the power. There are several organizations that lobby for higher limits all over the country, and they've been SOMEWHAT successful, but not enough. They did get rid of the national 55 limit.

[VBdenny]

They just put up red light cameras here in Virginia Beach. I am okay with them because they catch idiots who run a red light 3 seconds after going red. They deserve a $50 ticket rather than hitting someone (which is what happens all the time here). But speed limits? If they set them reasonably, cops would then have the time to go after other, more important stuff. What do you think? Between cities maybe 85, cities 60 Out west maybe higher.

[SW03ES]

I think it depends on the road. I've been on highways that run 80 with a limit of 55 and I've seen roads that stick to the limit.

[ArmyofOne]

I think it depends on the road. I've been on highways that run 80 with a limit of 55 and I've seen roads that stick to the limit.

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DFW traffic density os SO similar to washingtonDC Steve, its rediculous. I have driven through DC once and it so remids me of there.

do the expressways in your area still book along at 80-85-90 and 4 feet from each other? THATS scary. if you backoff and allow more room in between you and the car in front of you, some a$$ will slide into the space, so you have to back off some more. its like youhave no choice but to tailgate. not to mention there are cars on ALL sides. scary.

Interstate 635 Loop around dalls is quite possibly the WORST in the area. especially around the High-Five interchange. at 5pm, either that highway is doing 90 with cars merely inches from each other, or it doesnt go over 10 mph for MILES.

are your freeways anything like that? or are they laid out better than ours?

we have one interchange here that will go from 6 lanes to 2 in 100 feet. THATS crazy. if you ask me, these are the things that we need to be working towards gettingchanged, not speed limits.

the freeway system in DFW has not been rerouted or had its layout changed (with the excpetion fo a few interchanges) since it was originally designed. thats right, its basically the same as it was in 1950's. think about it...how often in the city do you get to even do the speed limit of 60 safely? it aint often around here! abnd its because fo the design of the freeways, they were awesome when they were desgined, but that was over half a century ago.