Radar Detector Suggestions/Recommendations Needed

[jerry S]

Tailgating

On a side note, why is it that cops always tailgate you?

When I was 19, I had a broken tail-light I didn't know about on my old Buick LeSaber and was being tailgated by a car at about 11:00 pm. Unbeknownst to me, it was an unmarked police car and was right on my bumper. I figured I would teach him a lesson so I hit the brakes. He hit me from behind and then hit his lights and siren after the fact. I pulled over and realized I was in trouble. Big trouble. Thinking fast, I slumped over the wheel. The cop came up to me screaming in rage until he saw me "unconscious" at the wheel. Then he started with the in pants defecation because he knew that the camera in his car recorded everything and would not paint him in the best light. He radioed for a supervisor then for an ambulance. Tells you his priorities. I refused a ride to the hospital. He and the supervisor kept asking me why I suddenly stopped. I acted dazed and then blurted out that we had to find the dog. "Where is the dog? Is he ok?" "What dog?" They asked, "The dog that ran in front of me before I was rear-ended," I told them. Both cops looked completely dejected. They wanted to know if they could call my parents. I handed the cop who hit me my dad's business card from the glove box, the one that says "Attorney at law," and asked if he could call my dad. He turned white and handed it to his supervisor who muttered "Fuqh" under his breath.

This is how I turned the tables on a testosterone jacked-up cop looking for trouble and found it. It was my ability to think on my feet and turn a bad situation into a favorable one that helped make me the awesome litigator I am today.

 

[skywalker]

When I was 19, I had a broken tail-light I didn't know about on my old Buick LeSaber and was being tailgated by a car at about 11:00 pm. Unbeknowest to me, it was an unmarked police car and was right on my bumper. I figured I would teach him a lesson so I hit the brakes. He hit me from behind and then hit his lights and siren after the fact. I pulled over and realized I was in trouble. Big trouble. Thinking fast, I slumped over the wheel. The cop came up to me screaming in rage until he saw me "unconscious" at the wheel. Then he started with the in pants defecation because he knew that the camera in his car recorded everything and would not paint him in the best light. He radioed for a supervisor then for an ambulance. Tells you his priorities. I refused a ride to the hospital. He and the supervisor kept asking me why I suddenly stopped. I acted dazed and then blurted out that we had to find the dog. "Where is the dog? Is he ok?" "What dog?" They asked, "The dog that ran in front of me before I was rear-ended," I told them. Both cops looked completely dejected. They wanted to know if they could call my parents. I handed the cop who hit me my dad's business card from the glove box, the one that says "Attorney at law," and asked if he could call my dad. He turned white and handed it to his supervisor who muttered "Fuqh" under his breath.

This is how I turned the tables on a testosterone jacked-up cop looking for trouble and found it. It was my ability to think on my feet and turn a bad situation into a favorable one that helped make me the awesome litigator I am today.

I'm glad to see someone able to turn the tables on a cop like that. Sorry, there is ZERO excuse to be tail gating someone like they do. I've had one claim to me it is so they can better read our tag. Pardon me but, huh? I can read tag from a respectable distance. If they can't, then they might want to got the optometrist.

 

[Ozsum2]

It may be true, that staying with the flow of traffic is the safest way to drive in a high traffic situation, but studies show that there are more accidents in rural areas. It is more wide open, and folks who speed aern't prepared for the unexpected. What is wrong with everyone abiding with the law and not speed? And as far as speed traps, what is that? If you are speeding, and get pulled over, is it just because you feel trapped that it has that name? Does it make you feel vindicated?



My insurance is actually $30 a month cheaper since I moved from a rural farm area to the Rockies where I could slide off a mountain because of icy roads and never be heard from again. The insurance boys have crunched the numbers and know the facts. If you speed, you are at a higher risk of dieing.
And, if you speed around me, I am at a higher risk of dieing because of a possible accident you may cause, or because of my road rage when I forced you off the road, and they stick a needle in my arm.

 

['03 6-Speed]

And as far as speed traps, what is that? If you are speeding, and get pulled over, is it just because you feel trapped that it has that name? Does it make you feel vindicated?

Well, some speed traps are a joke, but I have actually seen police officers pull the following on drivers: A high traffic area of town is the point of interest. The Police set up a pedestrian to step onto the crosswalk, on the left side of the street (not the end closest to the drivers they are targeting). The pedestrian puts one foot onto the crosswalk immediately as an automobile is passing through, the cops tag him and the sirens are off. That is what real entrapment is. Another that I have seen is when the police will set-up a school bus to have its red flashing lights and the stop sign sticking out, park the bus for about an hour and have a police unit directly infront of the bus so that the drivers cannot see it. Once they pass the bus, boom, they are busted. This wouldn't be so unbearable if they wouldn't sit the bus parked for an hour, thats just BS.

 

[skywalker]

It may be true, that staying with the flow of traffic is the safest way to drive in a high traffic situation, but studies show that there are more accidents in rural areas. It is more wide open, and folks who speed aern't prepared for the unexpected. What is wrong with everyone abiding with the law and not speed? And as far as speed traps, what is that? If you are speeding, and get pulled over, is it just because you feel trapped that it has that name? Does it make you feel vindicated?



My insurance is actually $30 a month cheaper since I moved from a rural farm area to the Rockies where I could slide off a mountain because of icy roads and never be heard from again. The insurance boys have crunched the numbers and know the facts. If you speed, you are at a higher risk of dieing.
And, if you speed around me, I am at a higher risk of dieing because of a possible accident you may cause, or because of my road rage when I forced you off the road, and they stick a needle in my arm.

I believe I specifically said that back roads are a different story. Everything I said applies to highways and freeways only. rural roads, side streets...all that is a different story.

Speed traps...okay, you're not fromt he south are you? There are places here where the police look for people from different counties and states, and they'll pull them over for doing 1 mph over the limit and fine them $300 for it after a session in a kangaroo court where the sheriff who pulled you over is the judge, prosecutor and jury. Sound like it is from a movie? Guess what, those places exist.

There is a town in souther Georgia where the speed limit constantly goes between 55 to 25. Why? Easier to catch people speeding with swing likes that!

 

[skywalker]

[QUOTE='03 6-Speed]Well, some speed traps are a joke, but I have actually seen police officers pull the following on drivers: A high traffic area of town is the point of interest. The Police set up a pedestrian to step onto the crosswalk, on the left side of the street (not the end closest to the drivers they are targeting). The pedestrian puts one foot onto the crosswalk immediately as an automobile is passing through, the cops tag him and the sirens are off. That is what real entrapment is. Another that I have seen is when the police will set-up a school bus to have its red flashing lights and the stop sign sticking out, park the bus for about an hour and have a police unit directly infront of the bus so that the drivers cannot see it. Once they pass the bus, boom, they are busted. This wouldn't be so unbearable if they wouldn't sit the bus parked for an hour, thats just BS.[/QUOTE]

There is a an area here where there is alot of woods and the speed limit is set to 25 (would be plenty safe at 45 as it it a basically empty road and is coming off of another area where it is 45) and the motorcycle cops will hide their bikes behind the trees and clock folks. The moment they find a guy doing 36mph, they'll pull him over. They especially love to do it at night when it is impossible to see them.

I used to work right down the street from this place and was within visual range. I sat in my store window and watch the guy pull someone over within 1 minute of getting back into place. So he probaly nailed...7 or 8 guys in that hour for probbly 36-37 mph in a 25.

Speeders on main thoroughfares are not the problem. reckless drivers on main thoroughfares and speeders on side streets and back roads...those are problems. But you never see a guy weaving getting pulled over and you rarely see a cop in the boonies.

Traffic citations have so little to do with public safety and so much to do with public funds. For those of you whose city provides them with a trash service or other such goodies, remember that the next time you get a ticket that costs you $300 or $400.

 

[gp001]

Unlike the US most of Europe (germany inparticular, it's where I heard it) tickets those who weave dangerously in and out of traffic as skywalker mentioned, they focus less on your speed and more on your maneuvering.

History Channel, "The Autobahn"

I onced watched and interview with Hans Stuck (For those who don't know, Hans Stuck has driven and won in just about everything Le Mans, Touring Cars, F1, Trans Am, etc..) done entirely from his Porsche while driving on the Autobahn on his way to the Nurburgring for a test session. He explained that the ONLY passing was allowed to the left of a vehicle, NO exceptions. At one point he comes up on an AMG Mercedes and flashes the lights, hits the horn, all with no luck. He laughinly describes how Mercedes drivers think they own the road. When the interviewer asks why he does't pass on the right (there were 2 lanes in his direction) he said that he doesn't want to LOOSE his license AGAIN. He describes how he was caught doing the exact thing and they took away HIS license (Keep in mind his long and illustrious career racing the worlds fastest machines). At one point in the show he hits close to 180 and the interviewer asks him to slow down. He looks into the camera and laughs "You don't know my boss, I can't be late". Another point he comes upon a horse drawn cart and says "see, this is why we drive so fast when we can". The guy pulls the cart off to the right just a little and WOOSH, Hans is off again.
Other things I remember and have always thought funny is that it is illegal to stop on the shoulders or ramps,tailgating IS allowed, and it is ILLEGAL TO RUN OUT OF GAS
Here (the US) any moron can get, and retain, a license. In Germany they don't care who you are. Break the rules you loose the license

 

[pyroman]

I've only had really one experience for being pulled over, and I wan't to know what you guys think. I'm really not sure if I was right or wrong so I want to see what you guys think:

Ok I'm a couple of friends on a Friday night couple a years ago. We're bored so we go out driving, I'm in my stang with my brother and two of my friends are in a VW Fox. So we decide to head over to the high school and do one race. The parking lot is huge and when we get their it's completely empty. After debating for a while, we decide to run with our lights on. As SOON as we finish I see flashing lights headed our way. The cop eventually lets us go with a warning.

Maybe an influencing factor to him pulling us over was the fact that it was prom weekend and he probably had to be on his toes. So what do you guys think?

 

[pyroman]

He explained that the ONLY passing was allowed to the left of a vehicle, NO exceptions. At one point he comes up on an AMG Mercedes and flashes the lights, hits the horn, all with no luck. He laughinly describes how Mercedes drivers think they own the road.

Ok this is a little off topic but I want to shed some light on an experience the other day.

I was driving down a State Highway (one of those you can pull a U-Turn on), crusing at about 75 in the left lane, when suddenly I see a pickup truck about 200 yards in front of me slam on his brakes and soon I have to do the same thing. I see the truck move into right lane and see what the obstruction was. There in front of me there is a seriously old Dump Truck going down the road at literally 10 MPH and keep in mind this is a highway with a posted speed limit of 70 mph. I finally was able to get around him in the right lane; he never did move over and never went any faster! How do these cars on the road, I'm trying my best to get a very reliable and safe 89 Merkur to pass an inspection. Why don't cops crack down on this sorta stuff!? I imagine many of these come from Mexico since I live in Texas, but how do they get on to American soil?!

 

[Ozsum2]

There is a an area here where there is alot of woods and the speed limit is set to 25 (would be plenty safe at 45 as it it a basically empty road and is coming off of another area where it is 45) and the motorcycle cops will hide their bikes behind the trees and clock folks. The moment they find a guy doing 36mph, they'll pull him over. They especially love to do it at night when it is impossible to see them.

I used to work right down the street from this place and was within visual range. I sat in my store window and watch the guy pull someone over within 1 minute of getting back into place. So he probaly nailed...7 or 8 guys in that hour for probbly 36-37 mph in a 25.

Speeders on main thoroughfares are not the problem. reckless drivers on main thoroughfares and speeders on side streets and back roads...those are problems. But you never see a guy weaving getting pulled over and you rarely see a cop in the boonies.

Traffic citations have so little to do with public safety and so much to do with public funds. For those of you whose city provides them with a trash service or other such goodies, remember that the next time you get a ticket that costs you $300 or $400.

One more time................."Any speeding is a concern." If you speed, you are not only wasting fuel, but are traveling at an unsafe speed,and are breaking the law. I have seen speeders cause wrecks in heavy Interstate traffic so don't even go there. Most speeders, especially young ones feel they are Mario and the only way to get them to slooooooooooooooooooow down is to hit them where it hurts. Like in their pocket book. If public revenue is a bi-product of it, so be it. If you want to play, you WILL pay.

 

[skywalker]

One more time................."Any speeding is a concern." If you speed, you are not only wasting fuel, but are traveling at an unsafe speed,and are breaking the law. I have seen speeders cause wrecks in heavy Interstate traffic so don't even go there. Most speeders, especially young ones feel they are Mario and the only way to get them to slooooooooooooooooooow down is to hit them where it hurts. Like in their pocket book. If public revenue is a bi-product of it, so be it. If you want to play, you WILL pay.

First off, just because you are speeding does not mean you are travelling at an unsafe speed. Speed limits are, no questions about it, set much lower than the actual safe speed.

Second, were those speeders just speeding and staying in one lane, or were they weaving, tail gating, and otherwise driving wreckelssly? I'll be very surprised to hear that they were simply speeding. I'll also be inclined not to believe you.

It is very rare to see someone cause a wreck and the only illegal thing they were doing was speeding. I've never seen it in fact.

Sorry, I have state troopers, and local cops (including my best friend) who will tell you that ticketting speeders on the interstate is generally a waste of time as far as public safety is concerned.

I'm not saying speeders ont he interstate can't cause an accident just from speeding (although it'd be hard to do and would have to be mixed with at the very least, not paying attention to the road IMO) but it is rare.

 

[Ozsum2]

First off, just because you are speeding does not mean you are travelling at an unsafe speed. Speed limits are, no questions about it, set much lower than the actual safe speed.

Second, were those speeders just speeding and staying in one lane, or were they weaving, tail gating, and otherwise driving wreckelssly? I'll be very surprised to hear that they were simply speeding. I'll also be inclined not to believe you.

It is very rare to see someone cause a wreck and the only illegal thing they were doing was speeding. I've never seen it in fact.

Sorry, I have state troopers, and local cops (including my best friend) who will tell you that ticketting speeders on the interstate is generally a waste of time as far as public safety is concerned.

I'm not saying speeders ont he interstate can't cause an accident just from speeding (although it'd be hard to do and would have to be mixed with at the very least, not paying attention to the road IMO) but it is rare.

What's hard for you to believe? That traveling in excess of the posted speed limit causes greater stopping distances? Things happen on the roads, somethings are unforeseeable. Reaction times are reduced. etc.....etc.....etc. Besides, IT'S BREAKING THE LAW!!!!!!!!!!



I am surprised that a "Marine" that was sworn to uphold the Constitution, and as a direct result of that the federal and state laws of the land has such a negative mindset towards safety. Back to the brainwashing for you son.

 

[WORTH]

If I may be allowed to add my 3 1/2 cents (inflation you know).

Speeding, as in driving faster than the speed limit is seldom the problem. Reckless driving is more likely the case in an accident.

I generally stay just above the flow of traffic, if the traffic is doing 70, I'm more comfortable at 73ish. It keeps me awake, alert, and on top of my game. After driving a couple of million miles without an accident, I would say it's been working out pretty good for me.

 

[skywalker]

I don't have a negative mindset towards safety. Believe me, I have safety pounded into my head every time that I go into work. But as a Marine I was also trained to think for myself while obeying orders: I do not go faster than the flow of traffic and I don't break the law IOW. But I also am not one to do so blindly. If you think Marines go around just upholding our laws without questioning them you've got the wrong impression. Marines are not stupid people generally speaking and we know how to think.

I know things are unforeseeable, but things are unforeseeable at any speed. A "safe" speed is one in which under standard driving conditions (no inclement weather, or heavy traffic etc) the car and driver can pass the road safely on.

That's why we have citations for things like "to fast for conditions" or "impeding the flow of traffic" for situations in which the conditions do not warrant in the speed limit, or in which the driving was going below or at the limit but this was impeding the flow of traffic. Greater stopping distances yes...but as a driver you should also be aware of inreased stopping distances and keep a farther distance between you and the driver ahead of you in that case.

Things are unforeseeable at anyspeed, and those unforeseeable things are unlike to be much effected by speed. IOW, if the person in front of you locks up there brakes suddenly it isn't going to matter to much if you're going 65 or 85 if you don't see it quick enough.

This is why they teach you "defensive driving." Your'e supposed to look for other people's unsafe behaviors (putting on make-up while driving, people weaving, tailgating) and drive in such a manner as to try to avoid an accident. This means also keeping a proper distance between you and the driver ahead of you.

There's a reason why the federal government wants citations to be focused on wreckelss drivers and local and state governments want to focus them on citations: the federal government only gets money from tickets on federal property such as a military base so money isn't an issue for them as it is for state and local governments. I reiterate: speed limits are set low than the actual safe speed for the express purpose of bringing in revenue.

I'm not advocating breaking the law (although doing so has been known to cause the DOT to raise a posted speed limit.) But I am saying that most speed limits are straight up bulls--- and cops should be pulling over the wreckless tailgaters and weavers and distracted drivers who are talking on their cell phones and putting on make-up.

 

[skywalker]

If I may be allowed to add my 3 1/2 cents (inflation you know).

Speeding, as in driving faster than the speed limit is seldom the problem. Reckless driving is more likely the case in an accident.

I generally stay just above the flow of traffic, if the traffic is doing 70, I'm more comfortable at 73ish. It keeps me awake, alert, and on top of my game. After driving a couple of million miles without an accident, I would say it's been working out pretty good for me.

And for the record, I've recieved one speeding ticket, which I nearly got out of because it was for speeding in a school zone, but the normal speed on the road was 55 and I was going 49 and school was not in session (labor day 2 years ago)...go figure. Atlantans can probably guess where I was.

I've never been in a freeway accident. I once had my car washed away during a flash flood, I was hit by someone in a parking lot, and I was nearly killed by a red neck in an F-150 while I was sitting in a turn lane and he came across the itnersection at the speed limit (45) and made a left hand turn right into the door of my intergra.

 

[Ozsum2]

The reaction time between 65 and 85 mph is quite considerable. In your own words, traffic laws are
"orders" and if you speed, you're disobeying direct orders. Is that being a "good" marine? Most speeders do indeed tailgate, because when they come fogging up on someone, and they can't just zip around them, they tailgate. Is that safe? I think not. I have come up on too many situations where excessive speed was the cause for the accident. We here it on the news every evening. In the end, some drivers are capable of driving while breaking the law, and they may get away with itfor awhile, but I feel they are rolling the dice and increasing their chances of being caught in or even causing an accident. If someone ever causes me to be in an accident because of the careless way they drive, (and speeding is careless) (you simply don't choose to care to uphold the law and give a crap about the other cars on the road) then there will be no place to hide for you.

 

[skywalker]

And I said I obey orders. I'm not saying it is okay to break the law. You are missing the point sir! The point is not whether or not it's "okay" to drive over the legal speed limit. The point is whether or not those limits are put there for an issue of public safety or for an issue of revenue.

The fact that many (i'll disagree with the term most) speeders tailgate is irrelevant to the problem of whether or not speeding causes accidents. If most speeders tailgate and rear end someone, then their going 85 and the car in front of them doing 85 is irrelevant to the fact that the rear car was doing 85 and tailgating when the lead car doing 85 hit his brakes. The speed didn't cause the accident, the following to closely did! The same result would have occurred at 45mph as did at 85mph since tailgating was involved. If the rear car had beend oing 85 and staying about 6 car length behind him, then it could have been avoided. Of course if drivers would do what is safe and drive towards the right or at least get out of the way of people going faster than them, tailgating probably would exist only in cases of road rage. That doesn't make tailgating okay either.

And BTW, the reaction time from 65 to 85 is significant, but if you're driving in a proper manner keep a proper distance for your speed, it really won't matter that much in an emergency situation now will it?

Hey, if you don't like that guy tailgating you on the freeway...if you're in the right lane he'll easily go around you and in the left lane, get out of his way. You can usually do just as much to avoid an accident on the freeway as the person who was "at fault."

 

[Ozsum2]

Your words sound good, but they do not wash. It is not the duty of law abiding drivers to get out of the way of any speeder just so the speeder can go around him. It is good practise however, because the unsafe speeder may kill him. It is your soap box about whether the speed limit is to produce revenue or not. NOT mine. I am simply saying by speeding, you are FU--ING UP! ANY speeder has tailgated. I don't need your approval to make that statement. It is fact! To disaggree is your right, but face it, you are a speeder, and I don't believe you when you say you just have a problem with beurocrates. I sense that you are a rebel of sorts, and just enjoy stiring to scalding pot. That make us 2 of a kind. Just to clarify, you say that speeders are safe drivers, and it is the responsibility for law abiding drivers to get out of your way. You say that a drivers reaction time is of no matter regardless of the speed he is traveling. And what ever happened to the old saying, "Mine is to not question why, but to do or die." Sounds a little hipocritical. And if you say it is rare for something to happen, means that it is improbable and if you haven't seen it, then it never happened. You must get around, all knowing,all seeing. Perhaps, if you could get in writing from your "suposed" cop friends their true feelings about traffic laws, you know, the ones where they think speeding laws are crap, then you could mail me a certified copy so that I could see that their subordinates received it.

 

[gp001]

Your words sound good, but they do not wash. It is not the duty of law abiding drivers to get out of the way of any speeder just so the speeder can go around him. It is good practise however, because the unsafe speeder may kill him. It is your soap box about whether the speed limit is to produce revenue or not. NOT mine. I am simply saying by speeding, you are FU--ING UP! ANY speeder has tailgated. I don't need your approval to make that statement. It is fact! To disaggree is your right, but face it, you are a speeder, and I don't believe you when you say you just have a problem with beurocrates. I sense that you are a rebel of sorts, and just enjoy stiring to scalding pot. That make us 2 of a kind. Just to clarify, you say that speeders are safe drivers, and it is the responsibility for law abiding drivers to get out of your way. You say that a drivers reaction time is of no matter regardless of the speed he is traveling. And what ever happened to the old saying, "Mine is to not question why, but to do or die." Sounds a little hipocritical. And if you say it is rare for something to happen, means that it is improbable and if you haven't seen it, then it never happened. You must get around, all knowing,all seeing. Perhaps, if you could get in writing from your "suposed" cop friends their true feelings about traffic laws, you know, the ones where they think speeding laws are crap, then you could mail me a certified copy so that I could see that their subordinates received it.

What about people driving slower than the posted speed limit, aren't they law breaking dangers as well

 

[Ozsum2]

What about people driving slower than the posted speed limit, aren't they law breaking dangers as well

Yes they are. I think you may be referring to the spring break ticket that I received in Cali during spring break. I'd like to go on record (again) and clarify the matter. I was doing 60 in a 60 I believe. The Chippy apparently was trying to pass between me and another car with no lights on. I actually saw him turn them on after he crapped his pantaloons. He lied and said I was doing 54 in a 60 and was empeeding traffic. So, the cop is a liar, and an unsafe driver as well, because he was passing in between 2 cars with no emergency equipement showing. I have concluded that he must have been a former Blue Angles pilot and liked to fly (ride) up close.