Radar detectors to be made illegal

Cyclone · 17-01-2005, 09:58

The government has a measure in a bill under consideration to make laser and radar detectors illegal. The reason, sometimes they 'interfere' with the speed detectors.

They originally took someone to court using that argument, and it was thrown out as a passive detector in no way 'interferes' with a transmission, it simply recieves it.

They also argue that this will stop "extreme speeders" who use them when street racing from benefitting from the devices.

how stupid are the people proposing these reasons.

If someone is breaking any number of laws to street race cars, a ban on radar detectors a) will not stop them using them, and b) I expect that they don't use them anyway, they probably check the road in advance and don't race where there are speed cameras.

So, what will the law actually do. In my opinion it stops the legitimate use of these devices. Afterall speed cameras are only situated in dangerous areas right? So an audible warning when you approach one of these locations makes you doubly aware that you should be cautious and reminds you to be aware of your speed and the conditions.

Stats indicate that drivers with these devices fitted have 27% less accidents (figure from memory, may not be 100% accurate).

nick2 · 17-01-2005, 10:02

My mates Tom-Tom tells him where the speed cameras are without using a radar detector, will he have to have it changed so it doesn't tell him where they are ?

jackthedog · 17-01-2005, 10:28

The GPS (tomtom etc) things have the camera sites programmed in. They dont detect cameras as you approach them, so I reckon there's nothing wrong with that.

So I suppose the law wouldn't cover them. You could just say you have them programmed in as areas of special interest - the same way you might have museums, or even Burger Kings or Little Chefs programmed in...

The radar detectors are for mobile speed traps more than anything these days, surely?
What with the proliferation of Truvelo, surely they aren't that effective anymore.

Cyclone · 17-01-2005, 11:04

Quote:

Originally posted by jackthedog
The GPS (tomtom etc) things have the camera sites programmed in. They dont detect cameras as you approach them, so I reckon there's nothing wrong with that.

So I suppose the law wouldn't cover them. You could just say you have them programmed in as areas of special interest - the same way you might have museums, or even Burger Kings or Little Chefs programmed in...

The radar detectors are for mobile speed traps more than anything these days, surely?
What with the proliferation of Truvelo, surely they aren't that effective anymore.

quite true, gps only devices will not be covered.

and yes, for mobile traps, as they don't detect truvelos and the other more modern types.

They are also considering having to compensate everyone who owns one. Which is only right I think.

mr.blaze · 17-01-2005, 11:42

To be honest I'm suprised they were ever made legal in this country. Things like this are very rarely made available over here. It doesn't come as a shock to me they are trying to ban them at the slightest.

I have friends with Jammers/Detectors/Scanners etc and when you get pulled over you get just as much grief for the cop not being able to get a reading on his gatso. Banning them won't do anything as people will still be able to get hold of them.

Cyclone · 17-01-2005, 11:53

Quote:

Originally posted by J-Blaze
To be honest I'm suprised they were ever made legal in this country. Things like this are very rarely made available over here. It doesn't come as a shock to me they are trying to ban them at the slightest.

I have friends with Jammers/Detectors/Scanners etc and when you get pulled over you get just as much grief for the cop not being able to get a reading on his gatso. Banning them won't do anything as people will still be able to get hold of them.

things don't have to be made legal, fortunately things are legal until they are explicitly made illegal, not the other way around.

If you have a jammer then you are breaking the law and the grief will include a trip to the station and being charged.
Banning them will prevent most law abiding motorists using them. I certainly won't be risking a £1000 fine because a policeman happens to glance through my windscreen and see it.
They are already illegal in France, and apparently lots of British motorists are caught out by this. They are generally then escorted to a cash point by the french police to pay the "fine".

jackthedog · 18-01-2005, 07:50

Check this out:

http://www.pistonheads.com/speed/def...p?storyId=9728

mr.blaze · 18-01-2005, 08:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Cyclone
things don't have to be made legal, fortunately things are legal until they are explicitly made illegal, not the other way around.

If you have a jammer then you are breaking the law and the grief will include a trip to the station and being charged.
Banning them will prevent most law abiding motorists using them. I certainly won't be risking a £1000 fine because a policeman happens to glance through my windscreen and see it.
They are already illegal in France, and apparently lots of British motorists are caught out by this. They are generally then escorted to a cash point by the french police to pay the "fine".

Actually I think things brushing the lines of breaking the law have to be given the OK before going on sale. I've been in a car when a Police officer has failed to take a speed reading and all he said was "Have you got anything on your car?" We said no and off we went.

Cyclone · 18-01-2005, 09:17

Quote:

Originally posted by J-Blaze
Actually I think things brushing the lines of breaking the law have to be given the OK before going on sale. I've been in a car when a Police officer has failed to take a speed reading and all he said was "Have you got anything on your car?" We said no and off we went.

firstly, who decides what's brushing the line. If your product doesn't break an existing law then you can sell it.
secondly these don't brush the edges of the law, they are perfectly legal at the moment.

neeeeeeeeeek · 18-01-2005, 09:23

Radar Jammers are already illegal and the copper must have had more pressing matters to not search your car and prosecute you if they thought you had one. They really don't like such things!

Cyclone · 18-01-2005, 09:40

Quote:

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
Radar Jammers are already illegal and the copper must have had more pressing matters to not search your car and prosecute you if they thought you had one. They really don't like such things!

yeah, sorry, i meant detectors were legal, jammers are not.

mr.blaze · 18-01-2005, 11:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Cyclone
firstly, who decides what's brushing the line. If your product doesn't break an existing law then you can sell it.
secondly these don't brush the edges of the law, they are perfectly legal at the moment.

I'm not going to start bickering with you but I think you will find if you have a new product that doesn't currently exist for sale in a country you have to check whether sale of that product is allowed. Breaking current laws or not, introducing a new product that's brushing the lines of legality would no doubt be the cause for new laws.

Cyclone · 18-01-2005, 11:30

Quote:

Originally posted by J-Blaze
I'm not going to start bickering with you but I think you will find if you have a new product that doesn't currently exist for sale in a country you have to check whether sale of that product is allowed. Breaking current laws or not, introducing a new product that's brushing the lines of legality would no doubt be the cause for new laws.

check with who? if it's not breaking any laws, what are they going to say. Well it's legal, but we'd rather you didn't sell it. Or what do they do if a company doesn't check? Check themselves, find out that it's legal and do nothign because it's not illegal.

Of course a company might choose to consult it's legal department to confirm that it's not illegal, but once that's done there is no requirement to inform any government department that it will be for sale.

mr.blaze · 18-01-2005, 11:51

OK I'll give you an example.

A company currently selling high powered paintball guns as training rifles to law enforcement agencies accross the globe. The rilfes have recently been made available to the public in a number of places. These rifles fire at a rate of up to 650fps.

Now these guns are not real guns they are just paintball guns. So this must class them as toys. Yet they have the power to do serious injury. As there is currently no law on high powered paintball guns would it be fine to ship them to other countries? Checking with law enforcement wouldn't be neccisary as there's no law against them. It's just something that could possibly kill. Must just be a toy then eh.

neeeeeeeeeek · 18-01-2005, 11:56

OO, getting confusing this! Jammers ARE already illegal. Detectors are NOT illegal. Jammers will contravine some radio law or other where as detectors don't emit anything so currentry are not against the law. So how much will they give me for my snooper then??

mr.blaze · 18-01-2005, 11:59

They say they are going to be made illegal blah blah but if you have it well hidden in your car I'm sure they are not going to pull over every driver on the road to check if he has one.

If you do get caught just play ignorant; "Illegal officer? I had no idea"

Cyclone · 18-01-2005, 12:01

Quote:

Originally posted by J-Blaze
They say they are going to be made illegal blah blah but if you have it well hidden in your car I'm sure they are not going to pull over every driver on the road to check if he has one.

If you do get caught just play ignorant; "Illegal officer? I had no idea"

well hidden means it has no chance of picking up laser and a much reduced chance of picking up radar.
If it's passed i'm sure they'll publicise it, so ignorance will be no defence.
I guess i'll be getting a GPS only version if it's passed.

t020 · 18-01-2005, 12:15

If you abide by the speed limits/ the law, you don't need one at all.

mr.blaze · 18-01-2005, 12:17

Quote:

Originally posted by t020
If you abide by the speed limits/ the law, you don't need one at all.

Words from a wise man. Speeders deserve what they get imo.

1Man&hisBMW · 18-01-2005, 12:33

As all things go, they will make them more advanced, you wont even see the unit in your car, it will just make an audible sound through the cars speaker system, and will have a sensor fitted behind the front grille, and the rest of it behind the head unit to allow for the sound to come over the ICE.

Even a search of the car wont find it, bit like the TRACKER system which DOES emit a signal.

Hmm, not a bad idea me thinks