Avoiding tickets

[Scott5114]

Hmm. Might have to drop in next time I'm needing gas and around Alameda.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

My dad (a cop) said that by the time a radar detector goes off, the they've already gotten your speed. So there's pretty much no point in having them.
BigMatt

Knowing a cop personally, I've tested this theory.  It's not entirely (i.e. mostly not) true.  The only place it can prove even remotely close to truth is a flat, straight roadway with absolutely nothing sitting between you and the cop.  And in that situation, the only reason it's true is because that condition usually means you're practically the only one on the road and the cop is using Instant-On/POP mode due to the extremely low traffic volume.

Protip: radar waves travel much further away than the maximum lock distance, i.e. the point that you become close enough for the gun to lock onto you and, thusly, clock your speed.

also, if you drive slowly through small towns, you get to see more interesting stuff.  "Hey, is that a cutout junction marker on the side street??"  I tend to go about 2-3 below the limit through towns, and I avoid the suburban arterials if I can because those tend to be boring and choked with traffic.

This.  The speed limit on Court St. through downtown Florence is 40(!) and I drive 25.

[Truvelo]

My dad (a cop) said that by the time a radar detector goes off, the they've already gotten your speed. So there's pretty much no point in having them.
BigMatt

Knowing a cop personally, I've tested this theory.  It's not entirely (i.e. mostly not) true...

With radar I believe a detector can pick up the scatter giving you advance warning before you're in the cop's line of sight. The most useless device is a laser detector as there's no stray signal to pick up before you're in the line of sight. Laser can be jammed quite easily though and jammers are freely available over here. Radar has been virtually abandoned over here in favour of laser.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

With radar I believe a detector can pick up the scatter giving you advance warning before you're in the cop's line of sight. The most useless device is a laser detector as there's no stray signal to pick up before you're in the line of sight. Laser can be jammed quite easily though and jammers are freely available over here. Radar has been virtually abandoned over here in favour of laser.

The radar guns just emit a spray of waves.  Those waves will travel quite a ways, but in order to be clocked you have to be within something like ~1000ft of the gun.  The waves can travel a mile (5,280ft) or more depending on the frequency and the terrain...