Quick Poll, help!

[Stilldrivin]

Hey guys, this is with the paper that is being written regarding the use of radar detectors and banning them vs. pro's and con's to keep them. Couple of questions if you guys could weight in your opinion.


Is a radar detector just a license to speed for you?

How has your detector allowed or helped you to become a better driver?



Thanks guys


Stilldrivin
Escort 9500i (not updated... yet.. X Band and POP OFF)
G4 Veil with laser shield

[9500ier]

Honestly...

1.) No, not at all but I used to pretend like it was until I met my first laser gun.
2.) It hasn't.

[BlinderGuy]

1) No it isn't a license to speed.
2) I actually think it makes me pay more attention because I tend to catch myself speeding and when the RD burps I snap back in and realize I am going to fast.

[YTCD]

I would write your essay for you but don't feel like typing that much, right now. In my head I have your essay but that would take a while so I'll some it up.

Not its deffinatly not a license to speed. Though I do use it in a way, which I will admit too. Instead of doing 5 over I'm able to do 10, nothing wreckless but the detector is there for in a sense security so I'm able to speed a little bit more than normal. Yes people misuse it, and yes I have done it before but in general I use it for more important reasons than to just be able to do a little extra over. But I use it mostly because a lot of times I find my self speeding and not intentionally doing it. An example would be a speed limit of 45. I go 5 over and that puts me at 50 miles per hour. Well little did I know the speed limit just changed to 35. Well instead of doing 5 over and having a very small chance of getting pulled over for that speed I'm now doing 15 over. People everyday that never speed, obey the rules get popped for speeding. Was it intentional... no but it doesn't matter they still were breaking the law.

2.) Yes it has made me a much better driver. I'm much much more aware of my sorroundings and whats ahead, to the side, and behind me. Not for the best reasons but... (looking for cops). And I am also allowed to drive at the limits when it is safe to do so because of it. I can practice TSD rally driving on back roads and not have to worry about cops. I'm not endangering any body else but by a small minescule percent because I'm doing it at the right times, doing it on roads that have a very low population, and more. I'm endangering my life but thats a whole nother case. Yes maybe not for the best reasons but there are many more reasons why it can make me anybody a better more aware driver.

edit: I'd like to say though that I do misuse it in some ways but for the most part I don't. I'm not really doing anything thats out of this world or stupid. But i'm not going to lie to you either because I would like to give RD's a better name. But what I stated backs up that detectors are useful and can make you a better driver. Yes in a way they give you a license to speed but more in the way of a secure sense of feeling. But I would like to also state that even though I just said they in a way give you a license to speed, there not to give you a license to speed recklessly. 10-15 over yes and sometimes more as long as your not putting other motorist in harms way.

[hockey005]

1. if used correctly with a rabbit and laser jammers it will give u a lot better chance against cops
2. it keeps ur eyes on the road when it goes off

[Stealth Stalker]

So... where's the poll?

[corkguykev]

So... where's the poll?

X2^

well over here a RD isnt going to save you much as its mostly laser but to answer the questions with regard to countermeasures in general (jammers also).............

1. you do have a lot better chance with them. theres always the time you have a wide open road all to yourself or with little traffic and youre in a hurry and need to make up time etc, so theres a peace of mind factor there.

2. i do find myself taking note of the PSL more since im running CMs (so i know what speed to drop to when lasered mostly) but if you are more aware of your speed then you will be more alert that you are over PSL than some idiot thats not paying attention while flying it .

also i now can concentrate on the road ahead more and not be looking out for LEOs so much when cruising so thats got to help also.

not that i was so busy in the past checking out every bush, etc, for a possible LEO in hiding that i was an unsafe driver but im sure you get the idea

[languy99]

It seems to me that I used to drive a lot faster in the past before I had a RD. There is this one highway in Michigan, US 131 that everyone goes about 75-80. I used to cruise at 90 but now that I have a RD and learned a ton about tactics the LEOs use, I actually don't speed much over 85 now. Weird huh

[TSi+WRX]

(1) Definitely not.

(2) Yes. If anything, being more involved in the speed-detections countermeasures community has made me much more aware of what tools and tactics enforcers may use to snag offenders, and towards that end, I've become much more aware of how many of these tools and tactics exist for which there are simply no good defenses against. The realization that these high-dollar speed-detections countermeasures are simple tools also makes one realize that it's the user who must optimize his/her usage of the device - unless the driver is alert and aware, even the best tool will not "save" him/her from a ticket.

[CJR238]

Is a radar detector just a license to speed for you?
No, it allows me to drive more responsibly without over speeding when desired and with better awareness.

How has your detector allowed or helped you to become a better driver?
I actually have toned down my speeding and drive more consistently & conscientiously.

Banning positives:
-More revenue from unknowing RD users.

Banning negatives:
-More time taken away from LEO's doing there real day to day job.
-A RD user wont be alerted to the knuckle heads ahead of him jamming on there breaks from the LEO ahead.
-A RD user is more aware of where the LEO's sit, and where they want the speeds kept down. (isn't that the purpose of catching speeders. Not every road needs to be monitored, nor are they)
-Crippling an industry, the STI would be the only RD sold.
-I have noticed some smart LEO's keeping there radar on when working an accident, this warns us RD users, and allows us, as well as the non RD users to slow down.

In ether case RD's will still be used banned or not, and speeders will speed with or without RD's.

Owning a RD makes you much more aware of your surroundings and a better driver because of it. If you abuse the use of a RD and speed irresponsibly (too fast or in bad areas to speed) you will get busted no matter what RD you have.