Radar detectors legal in all states?

[jdreynss]

Hey everyone, came across this..interesting.
"It is not against federal law to recieve radar transmissions with a radar detector. The communications act of 1924 guarantees your right to receive radio transmissions on any frequency. Local laws that contravene this act, while illegal, may be enforced by your local law enforcement officials until, and unless they are prohibited from doing so by federal court action"

So, since we know that Federal laws, and regulations superceed state and local laws, this means that the ban of radar detectors inVa, and other states is technically illegal, and could be fought in court.

What are everyone's thoughts on this??

[bauzer71487]

Its revenue dude, you might fight and win - but you won't get the law repealed. Its a no point thing - to aid in not having people fight this useless ticket. its 90 dollars and purely for revenue.


But seriously, I really dunno. That would be cool to be able to win that ticket though.

[Space Wrangler]

If this was fought and lost in federal court more states would pass the "Virginia" law. I believe this is why the RD manufacturers have not fought it, better to loose Vigrinia than all 50.

[CactusMan]

Hey everyone, came across this..interesting.
"It is not against federal law to recieve radar transmissions with a radar detector. The communications act of 1924 guarantees your right to receive radio transmissions on any frequency. Local laws that contravene this act, while illegal, may be enforced by your local law enforcement officials until, and unless they are prohibited from doing so by federal court action"

So, since we know that Federal laws, and regulations superceed state and local laws, this means that the ban of radar detectors inVa, and other states is technically illegal, and could be fought in court.

What are everyone's thoughts on this??

I believe that very statement is on the inside back page of the V1 manual.

[SmaartAasSaabr]

If this was fought and lost in federal court more states would pass the "Virginia" law. I believe this is why the RD manufacturers have not fought it, better to loose Vigrinia than all 50.

Well actually they did. Several RD makers formed a lobby group called "RADAR" (Radio Association Defending Airwave Rights) in the mid 80's to early '90's and lobbied several states to repeal their bans. Connecticut was one of those states. I guess VA was too much of a nut to crack, or maybe their (pretty-sweet) fines weren't worth it (hey $90 and they don't even take it away from ya, no argument from me).

There seemed to be a pretty big pro-motorist push in various lobbying efforts in the USA at the time. After the NMSL laws fell and the states put their limits higher, and the Montanabahn came about, it all kinda disappeared. NMA is all that's left.

[Road Warrior]

If this was fought and lost in federal court more states would pass the "Virginia" law. I believe this is why the RD manufacturers have not fought it, better to loose Vigrinia than all 50.

Well actually they did. Several RD makers formed a lobby group called "RADAR" (Radio Association Defending Airwave Rights) in the mid 80's to early '90's and lobbied several states to repeal their bans. Connecticut was one of those states. I guess VA was too much of a nut to crack, or maybe their (pretty-sweet) fines weren't worth it (hey $90 and they don't even take it away from ya, no argument from me).

There seemed to be a pretty big pro-motorist push in various lobbying efforts in the USA at the time. After the NMSL laws fell and the states put their limits higher, and the Montanabahn came about, it all kinda disappeared. NMA is all that's left.

Cause you enjoy analyzing the RD history in the States 8) can you come-up with some constructive arguments WHY the above "movements", lobbyists, motorists associations, etc. have NEVER ever existed, took place in Canada, any similar efforts in Canada, so WHY, what's missing in our country to be like Americans (ok, I'm talking about RDs here, otherwise all liberals will call on Hezbollah to send me a registered KatyushaLada with a big sign on it, FREE STI from The Pres. of Iran )... so go ahead, your turn now... :wink:

[SmaartAasSaabr]

Ah but there have been... Several times they've tried to beat down the law in Ontario, especially Beltronics doesn't like that law at all :wink: Even Sonny S is still at it, hey Sonny what's up?

Alberta had a ban on detectors until 1986 IIRC. But of course other laws have been created after, for example Quebec had them legal but they were banned in 1990.

[Road Warrior]

Ah but there have been... Several times they've tried to beat down the law in Ontario, especially Beltronics doesn't like that law at all :wink: Even Sonny S is still at it, hey Sonny what's up?

Alberta had a ban on detectors until 1986 IIRC. But of course other laws have been created after, for example Quebec had them legal but they were banned in 1990.

So why Conservative Alberta, the province with the lowest tax in the entire country, has legalized RDs in 1986 when the most liberalo/separatist/socialist/anti-war/anti-American and anti-Israel province in Canada with one of the highest sales tax in the country has banned them in 1990 :roll: :roll: :roll:

[stealthJamal]

If this was fought and lost in federal court more states would pass the "Virginia" law. I believe this is why the RD manufacturers have not fought it, better to loose Vigrinia than all 50.

Actually, you win if you use a radar detector in Virginia. 8)

[Road Warrior]

Lowest taxes? Hell they pay YOU taxes , $400 cheque every year...

I don't know if it's that anti-Israel, wasn't there a big rally with a bunch of Israeli guys *and* Lebanese people (there are a lot of Lebanese in Montreal that's for sure) who were condemning the actions of Hezbollah? How could you support those idiots anyway... "ok let's kidnap some Israeli soldiers for no reason". "Hmm Israel is angry, they want their soldiers back, what do we do? Oh I know, let's fire 20 year old Soviet rockets at them!!!" "Oh it seems Israel is destroying our country and blowing us to hell, what do we do? No we can't stop now, we still have two thousand rockets left!"

Anyway back on topic...

apparently it was the police who pressured the gov't into making the law... to protect from the "velocity terrorists"... bah.

police is everywhere, in BC, Alberta, SK, MB, ONT, QC, NB and the rest of Canada, as well as in TX, NY, FL, MI, OH, VA of course, etc, so it's not just the police (where the law enforcement has pushed hard for banning the use of RDs), it's also the WILL of the local government to change the society in making it more, way more dependable to the government, to fear the Big Brother, as much as possible and allow HIM (the Big Brother) to get more money from you while brainwashing you with the "speed kills" myth that's why keep the damn freaking low speed limits otherwise we'll get a freaking genocide on the road and MADD will be forced to serve cookies in Iraq... in TX a long stretch of I20 and I10, east of El Paso is now 80 mph and you can do easily 90 without being pulled over, I have not seen ONE accidents on the road, nor in other states with 75 (CO, UT, MT, etc.) or 70... so it's up to your local government to make the law pro-people or pro-Big Brother and the latter one is the case for Eastern Canada... case closed :wink: