CHP with Radar/Laser

[Cal Jeff]

:help: Driving home last night I saw a terriifing site. On west bound I-80 west of the highway 12 onramp was a chippy stand next to the opened door cruiser pointing something at oncoming west bound traffic. Had I been heading in that direction I would have been nailed.

I have never seen this before. I'm nearly in full panic mode. If they have gone to radar or worse laser my driving record is about to get hit.

What are you who have experience with RADAR and lasers doing? :gr_patrio

[TTURedRaider09]

I don't know what they are doing. But I have two radar detectors (one out the front & one out the rear) and a *cough* jammer *cough*. Bring the noise...

[Cal Jeff]

I could use some recommendations. What kind of stuff are you using?

[TTURedRaider09]

I have a Passport X50 Blue beaming out the front and a BELtronics 995 out the rear. And we will just say an ABC Company Jammer installed on the front and rear license plate.

[tampahemi]

Unfortunately, not even the $400 dollar detectors are effective against “instant on”. The cold hard truth is the advantage is to the cops. Your only hope with RADAR as well as LASER is that they shoot at someone else and your detector picks up the scatter. If your car is the primary target with “instant on” your detector will only tell you that you’re caught. However, if you have John Force type reaction times you can defeat RADAR’s doppler effect. The doppler effect will not work with a rapidly decelerating, or accelerating object. Be warned though the odds of you slamming on the brakes before the doppler effect is complete is slim and none. Don’t think you can slam on the accelerator either. In the time it takes the slush box to downshift you’re busted!

[TTURedRaider09]

I know that....but they have worked very well for me.

[Cal Jeff]

With freeway traffic especially in California you are rarely alone. The scatter would be exactly what you would be hoping to catch. I am also wondering if anyone knows whether CHP is using laser or RADAR.

[tampahemi]

Alone would be relative. If there are other cars around you odds are the cop would still shoot and then just decide unscientificly who was speeding. If you're in your hemi magnum and there are Hondas all around you, you tell me who the cop is going to pull over? Sure, you can challenge the cops decision in court and maybe even win, but the time and expense you've put yourself through could have paid for a radar jammer!

[Cal Jeff]

Tampahemi, I do not understand you post I'm not looking for how to drive instuctions I'm looking for equipment reommendations. 1 significant speeding ticket and the accompaning increase in insurance rates is far more expensive than any detector/jammer.

[MattRobertson]

CHP uses Ka-band radar. There have been reports of limited use of lidar (what people call laser) as well, but I've never seen 'em, and I drive a lot all over the state.

Ka is not instant-on. Its basically a beacon and with an x50 you should have no trouble getting a timely warning.

As was pointed out, nothing will protect you from instant-on if you are the lead dog in the pack. No matter what band is being used -- the older X and K units are *very* common in urban areas with the local gendarmes, and they are essentially instant-on -- if you are the one getting zapped first you are screwed and no amount of pedal antics will save you, and might get you a nice reckless to go with the speed.

Same goes for lidar. The only thing that will save you is a shifter (jammer). All of the good radar detectors will also pick up laser, but basically without a shifter you're boned if you hear it go off.

I have saved two bazillion dollars via my radar detector, but its just one weapon in the arsenal. My personal favorite is a Mustang/BMW/ricer showing me a thing or two by outpacing me :D

[dantodd]

I think tamp is suggesting a $59 radar detector from your local car wash. Since none of them will provide protection might as well buy the cheapie.

[MattRobertson]

I think tamp is suggesting a $59 radar detector from your local car wash. Since none of them will provide protection might as well buy the cheapie.
With a decent detecter (top of the line Escort or Bel... which by the way are the same company) you will get up to 30 seconds of warning that a Ka unit is in the neighborhood. Thats *plenty* of time to drop out of whatever pack you are in and put on your bunny slippers and jammies.

Now, the cheapie Sensoro I bought at Costco for $99 gave me up to THREE seconds warning on Ka. Went like this:

1. *Bleeeeep*
2. "Oh Nooooooo" (pedal slams, nose dives, Depends get soaked)
3. "whew that was too dam close"

I much prefer the better product :D

[flhthemi]

Reaction time from beep to brake pedal about 1.5 seconds on average. If you had a beer or two it might be a little slower. If a radar detector REALLY worked I wouldn't want that cheap one.

On the left coast you guys have NEVER had to deal with radar or laser or time/distance speed traps? Man I can't believe that....Out here we have them timing us from the air in smallcraft! Now the up and comming thing is speed cams! Talk about big brother!

[HIPCHIP]

The problem is that radar is just a supplement to everything else. Normally they have the radar on in stand-by mode and they do a visual on you. When they see a car that's going faster than everybody else, or that they estimate to be going fast, then then activate the radar. A straight "radar only" read is not good enough, but an estimate by an experienced officer is good enough. Part of the requirement for radar operation is that the officer be able to estimate the speed and be about the same as the displayed radar speed.

CHP uses several different bands and types of radar units that are designed to defeat radar detectors. They are also constantly testing new items. An officer standing outside of the car is unsafe, so it sounds like it's a test, and a test wouldn't be a valid piece of equipment until it's approved, but the estimated speed is still good.

I talked to an officer back in Georgia once when the speed limit was still 55 MPH. He said he wrote for 65 MPH, but if he saw a radar detector, then he wrote for 60 MPH, so having a detector can sometimes bite you in the butt. Best advice, keep a good eye on the road and in your mirrors. Look for units and drive sanely when you need to.

[MattRobertson]

On the left coast you guys have NEVER had to deal with radar or laser or time/distance speed traps?

Pretty much the answer is no on the highway, where it's CHP's responsibility to patrol. They cruise the roads and stay visible. There are also fairly new almost-unmarked units (hopped-up Camaros, mostly) that are stealth cruisers but they use Ka.

I've heard they're adding Magnums next year in SoCal. God only knows what those units will be packing. Knowing CHP they'll be RTs for sure.

You see 'speed checked by aircraft' signs out all over in rural areas but you never actually see it being done anymore. I think for budgetary reasons. On I-5 I remember seeing a Piper Cub pacing traffic back and forth while about 8 motorcycle officers sat and waited for him to bag the next one. They'd run down the road, write a ticket and set up in the opposite direction and wait for the next one going thataway. But that was in like 1987.

[TTURedRaider09]

But that was in like 1987.

I was 2....don't you feel old? LOL!

[MattRobertson]

I was 25 then. I'm still not a grownup yet. :D
http://foohbar.com/ul/157/flames_800.jpg

[dantodd]

I was 25 then. I'm still not a grownup yet.

Then you probably never will be.....


Join the club!

[HIPCHIP]

I was 29. And I still am!!! OK, I'm 20-something! Hey, you can add any number you want to 20-"something"!
:)

[SteveS.]

Out here we have them timing us from the air in smallcraft! Now the up and comming thing is speed cams! Talk about big brother!

I remember when I used to commute from the DC area to Ocean City, MD, there was a spot on Rt.50 west of the Bay Bridge, where the MD State Troopers used Vascar. If we made it past there, then the next area was between Salsbury and OC. Vascar for those that don't know, is not a radar, but a timed event between two marks in the highway. This is how the air patrols work also. There is not detector for this other than the eyeball.

My credo for the last 25 years has been, never be the lead dog. Another good tool is to be aware of where the speed traps are. I frequent this site, US Speed Traps (http://www.speedtrap.org/speedtraps/stetlist.asp) , before I go traveling. Being aware of the surroundings is the best detector of all.

[flhthemi]

I was 29. And I still am!!! OK, I'm 20-something! Hey, you can add any number you want to 20-"something"!
:)
I was 37.... had a new Jeep Comanche pickup (best truck I ever had) and a 1975 Honda Goldwing...1st year it was ever made. What does Grandpa do now? I still kiss the ladies every chance I get, ride hard (Harley FLHT) and take no names!

[Cal Jeff]

:gr_patrio I was 26 okay. Every now and then I see the CHP plane up in the mountains coming down from Reno in to the Sacramento area. Unless you are blind you cannot help but see a slow moving airplane low near the freeway. Come to think of it since 9/11/2001 I haven't seen it. I wonder.....

Recently in the news CHP has annoinced a major push on I-80 from Sacranento into the bay area. During my daily drive I see speeds well over 80. I enjoy watching the chaos as I listen to the radio. Some people push so hard to move around in traffic it is amazing. I mean how much of a hurry to get to work are you? I can understand it a little more in getting home. Traffic has just gotten way too nuts. I think my next car will be a 1955 Dodge Power Wagon with a bunch of tires tied aroundthe sides and maybe a howitzer on the roof. :secret2:

[Magnum2005]

I would like to know more about the jammer! Where can I get them. You said that are license plate frames?

[redx]

Hey Jeff I was going home yesterday southbound on 680 just south of Cordelia in a pack of about six cars doing about 75. Up ahead I saw a bunch of CHP cars pulled over on the right shoulder. An accident maby? We all started slowing but little did we know that we were already nailed. The ChP in cruisers were out with ladar guns and they sent the motorcycles to stop and give tickets. It was the first speed trap I've ever seen.That cop said he got me with ladar at 76MPH. First one in a long time.

[Magnum Force I]

FYI I live in Frederick County MD and last year the Sherrifs department started using cherry pickers that they could place anywhere. Then they would put someone in the cherry picker high in up in the air to shoot the cars with laser radar and it worked well. I believe they were reporting something like 50 tickets per hour. I can also tell you that the MD State Police are also using laser as well.

I think like some others are saying that you have to be really aware or your surroundings and when you can drive fast or not. I have a Passport 8500 that works great for k or ka from front or behind but like others said if you get hit with laser you are dead meat. I also agree with the person that said they would get a ticket easier if they were caught with a radar detector. I have also read that the jammers dont work well or that the officer using the radar will know that you have it and then you are in the same boat as if they know you have a radar dector. The better radar detecors will not give off any signal that you have radar vs the cheap ones will.

[Cal Jeff]

Okay! the gloves are off in California. I dug out a very old Passport Solo from the attic the other day. It seems to power up and I have downloaded the manual. I also ordered a new windshield mount. So let the games begin.

[redx]

I'm with you Jeff. I picked up a battery powered escort and will be keeping it on the dash from now on. (specially on I-680 & I-80). With all the traffic that is almost always out there, I should be able to pick up the CHP well ahead of time. For now, I'll br looking for a convenient traffic school to attend to get my ticket off my record.

[dantodd]

most counties accept online traffic schools now. check 'em out. It's really easy!

[Cal Jeff]

Too bad we couldn't get one traffic school in the bank just in case. We could all sign up and BS about our rides for a few hours then we'd have a get out of a ticket free pass. :gr_patrio

[redx]

Thanks Dan, I'll look on line for a school. Sure beats spending a Saturday in a stuffy classroom.

[Got35s?]

driving around the denver area....most fuzz keeps Ka band in use...most using POP technique....most CO state troopers carry lasers

i've been lased 7 times in the 3 yrs i've lived here....luckily no tickets....Ka warning saves my life

running a Escort Passport 8500 here :D