Which detector for highway construction zones?

[mm6mm6]

aust333: That sounds like very good advice. That's what I figured too, but I just didn't have any experience. I called RadarBusters (the Radar Roy site) and spoke with one of their representatives. He said the same thing. I decided to go with the Whistler Pro 78. They highly recommended it for my needs without it being "overkill."

Thank you everyone for all of your advice. It is greatly appreciated!

[allyoops]

Most of the photo radar vans in Illinois use GATSO Type 24 equipment on K band.





The Whistler unit should do you just fine for it.

These vans made a killing on the Dan Ryan Freeway project in 2006/7. At the moment you need to watch out for them in work zones on the Edens, on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), in Will County and near Champaign.



Other states use a different set up. If you're in AZ, or now also CO, then you'd probably want to be looking at V1, X50, STI-Driver, 9500i territory.

[jdong]

While all of the recommendations given are really good, the photo radar vans operate on k band and are really easy to pick up. I personally use a V1 and a RX65 but I can honestly tell you that it is over kill if these photo vans are your main concern. Bel 940 has your name written all over it. A very nice budget detector that will give you plenty of advanced warning against the photo vans. I have used an older Bel (purchased in 95) and the warning it provided against the photo vans was very adequate. All in all, I would suggest that you not spend the money on a high end detector if photo vans are your main concern.

Thanks for that info, that's something we didn't know. We were assuming it was like European photo radar where the V1 could barely give 15 seconds of warning, other detectors just beep in time for you to smile...

Given that, the XTR-690/Pro-78 or Vector 955 are your best bang-for-the-buck choices.

[mm6mm6]

allyoops: Wow! That looks like one of our Illinois State Police vehicles in front of the Chevy van and the plate on the van looks like a civilian Illinois plate. The "Stay Alive, Drive 45" with the orange ribbon emblem look like our stuff too. Is that, in fact, the Illinois van for photo radar?

If it is, now I really know what to look for!

Thanks!

[allyoops]

that's exactly what you're looking for.

[Nighthawk243]

Given the immense fines for first offense, and ESPECIALLY given the fines + suspension dealt with the second offense... its NOT overkill to get the V1... V1 will probably pay for itself the first encounter easily.

[aust3333]

Given the immense fines for first offense, and ESPECIALLY given the fines + suspension dealt with the second offense... its NOT overkill to get the V1... V1 will probably pay for itself the first encounter easily.

I see your point but it actually is overkill because these photo vans sit on the side of the road not trying to hide at all. They just blast constant on K band across the road and wait for drivers who are not attentive to cross the threshold and then.....bang, lights flash and your picture is taken and you receive a ticket in the mail. Because these vans are his main concern, he does not need the sensitivity of a any of the top RD's because they mainly prey on unattentive drivers. The K band they use can be detected a long ways out even by cheaper detectors.

[GTO_04]

I thought the photo radar vans used mostly low power Ka band. That is good news if they use K band. There are some speed camera vans in TN that use laser.

GTO_04

[mm6mm6]

I've done a bit of research on these vans here in Illinois. I even spoke with a guy who has been inside the vans while they were operating. It seems they have not been deployed in the area I travel...yet...but they're coming.

There will be a speed trailers displaying vehicle's speeds (these are already deployed...two of them, one northbound and one southbound - I have to make a note of the mile markers where they are on I94) and they will flash a vehicle's speed and then flash SLOW DOWN. Further up the road is where the van will be parked on the side. It also has a speed display on its roof.

The guy I spoke with said that the Trooper inside doesn't have to do much except monitor the equipment. The cameras take front and rear pictures of the speeding vehicles. In the press releases, IDOT states that the cameras will be set to record vehicles driving 11 mph over the limit (that would be 56 in a 45 construction zone). But the guy I talked to said that they were set at 15 over instead.

He said the cameras can get all four lanes of traffic in one direction. They can get mulitiple vehicles abreast.

Here's the kicker. Every ticket issued by mail is a "must appear." So you have to go to court. If the tickets are issued in Cook County on I294 (south of Lake-Cook Road), then there is an automatic $135 "court fee" in addition to the $375 "fine." Yep, that's a $510 fine for a first offense!!!

A second offense is a $1000 fine (+$135 court fee again) and a 3 month suspension of the vehicle's registered owner.

The guy I spoke with said that each ticket is reviewed at a later time. Each license plate is run. The photo of the driver is then compared with the height/weight/sex of the vehicle's registered owner. If it's a close enough match, the ticket is sent out.

So register your car's plates so that your wife's car registers to you and your car registers to your wife! Ha!

Leased or rented or business vehicles won't get tickets. That's what I was told. Hmmmmmmm.

Now I see why Illinois is so hardnosed about having you add your driver's license to your license plate renewal information!

It does sound like most people should have ample warning to slow down before seeing the van.

But I'm going to be using my Whistler Pro 78 anyway once it arrives!

[aust3333]

I've done a bit of research on these vans here in Illinois. I even spoke with a guy who has been inside the vans while they were operating. It seems they have not been deployed in the area I travel...yet...but they're coming.

There will be a speed trailers displaying vehicle's speeds (these are already deployed...two of them, one northbound and one southbound - I have to make a note of the mile markers where they are on I94) and they will flash a vehicle's speed and then flash SLOW DOWN. Further up the road is where the van will be parked on the side. It also has a speed display on its roof.

The guy I spoke with said that the Trooper inside doesn't have to do much except monitor the equipment. The cameras take front and rear pictures of the speeding vehicles. In the press releases, IDOT states that the cameras will be set to record vehicles driving 11 mph over the limit (that would be 56 in a 45 construction zone). But the guy I talked to said that they were set at 15 over instead.

He said the cameras can get all four lanes of traffic in one direction. They can get mulitiple vehicles abreast.

Here's the kicker. Every ticket issued by mail is a "must appear." So you have to go to court. If the tickets are issued in Cook County on I294 (south of Lake-Cook Road), then there is an automatic $135 "court fee" in addition to the $375 "fine." Yep, that's a $510 fine for a first offense!!!

A second offense is a $1000 fine (+$135 court fee again) and a 3 month suspension of the vehicle's registered owner.

The guy I spoke with said that each ticket is reviewed at a later time. Each license plate is run. The photo of the driver is then compared with the height/weight/sex of the vehicle's registered owner. If it's a close enough match, the ticket is sent out.

So register your car's plates so that your wife's car registers to you and your car registers to your wife! Ha!

Leased or rented or business vehicles won't get tickets. That's what I was told. Hmmmmmmm.

Now I see why Illinois is so hardnosed about having you add your driver's license to your license plate renewal information!

It does sound like most people should have ample warning to slow down before seeing the van.

But I'm going to be using my Whistler Pro 78 anyway once it arrives!

Great info. Last year an article read that the threshold for isssueing tickets was 61 mph. I know this can change at any time. I remember traveling to work last year and the van was lighting up like a Christmas tree. It must of flashed 5 or 6 times during my visual of the van and the time it took me to pass the van. People just don't pay attention. After all, this van has a huge sign on its roof registering motorists speed that can be seen for at least a mile away and people still don't catch on.