Driving in New Jersey? WATCH OUT!

**cwlondon** · 03-17-2006, 05:57 PM

Just when I thought I had seen it all in New Jersey, I am noticing a few new things.

First of all, I dont think I am imagining it, but I would swear that the traps mutliply towards the end of the month in both NJ and upstate NY.

Hmmmmm.......

I guess if there was any doubt in your mind that this was not about MONEY?!?! and more about public safety or something, than put any guilt right out of your mind and go upgrade your radar detector.

Secondly, I have spotted what in my opinion is a particular devious trap on the Palisades Parkway, just before the gas station in the central island when heading North towards the New York state throughway.

In this trap, it appears to be a state trooper facing the oncoming traffic, with the rear of his car pulled up almost into the weeds, so he can quickly do a u turn and join the direction of traffic in his pursuit.

Now I dont know all the laws here, but I thought I read one thread about the use of running or parking lights whenver a cop was pulled over and set up in his radar trap?

Well for a couple of nights in a row now, I have noticed NOTHING. This guy's car is blacker than midnight, and there is not a single light in sight. Is this legal?

Farther North, picking up Route 17 in the direction of Harriman, the cops hang out in little residential side streets, shooting radar down Route 17.

In these cases, at least they have the courtesy of using their parking lights.

So you have been warned. And I would love to compare notes with anyone or learn more about legal/ethical vs illegal/unethical radar traps.

**tomoc** · 03-17-2006, 07:38 PM

cwlondon-

I was on Palisades Parkway twice today and saw a bunch of traps. Don't know if they were ethical or not, but they were there.

In the moring, I got off the Parkway heading south at exit 4 and continued heading south on the road that runs parallel to the Parkway, just 50 yards west of it, called route 9W I believe - it's a scenic route with no traffic. Exactly at palisades Parkway Exit 2 southbound, there was a cop on the grass checking speeds of cars passing south.

In the afternoon, I entered the Parkway North at Exit 1 and took it up to 287. Between exits 1 and 2, there was a cop backed into a narrow path in the woods, in the median. Don't know what he was doing there.

Further up the road, into New York State, just before the gas station you wrote about, there was a NYS cruiser that had pulled someone over in on the median.

My advice is do not speed between exits 1 and 3 unless you have a great rabbit and detector.

In New York, around that gas station, watch it again.

**411** · 03-17-2006, 08:50 PM

And to add to the pain : if caught in NYS for any violation/s that cumulate more than 6 points in a 18 months period = you are entitled to a DRA = driver responsability assessment with a cost of $300.0 uscy / this is over and on top on your ticket/s .

Even for outsider states................including Canada............

6 points example = 29 over PSL

I paid , I know.

**cwlondon** · 03-18-2006, 04:43 AM

tomoc and 411

Had you had any success with detectors in these areas?

Last year, I used a Valentine once in a while with some success, but didnt get too much range, perhaps because it was mounted too low.

The only good news about the constantly present, constantly changing and often devious traps, is that they seem to use the relatively easy to detect, constant on X Band?

Further North, pass the throughway and on to Route 17, I think they are more likely to use Ka, and once in a while I have seen instant on and maybe a laser or two.

But generally, just good old fashioned radar traps.

So my tactic has been to always use a faster car as a shield (is that what "rabbit" means?) and to NEVER speed on the inside lane, close to the median, especially before blind corners.

In that case, you can still make progress on the Palisades.

Another interesting point:

Most of the time, I just keep it below 60, but judging from most cars going much faster, I think they probably dont start to write tickets until at least 12 -15 MPH over the limit.

Well hope that helps and welcome any more info or suggestions that this might bring to mind for you.

**tomoc** · 03-18-2006, 06:51 PM

I just bought a Bel RX65 but think I am going to return it, because after seeking opinion from many users on this forum, I think the V1 is worth the extra money and performs better.

I was on the Palisades Parkway again today (Satruday AM,) Jersey cops were out there and giving tickets between exits 1 & 2.

Last night police were busy on Rt. 17 south in Mahwah, just south of 287, I saw three police chases in the same spot last night over a two hour period (I wasn't driving)

I've had great luck in New Jersey for years with a cheap detector, X-band always reveals itself well in advance; but LeadFoot (another forum user) suggested I'd be crazy to speed in NJ without a V1, so I think I'll take his advice.