R asked:


Ok i am starting a new job and i have to travel about three days a week to see new clients. Should i get a GPS so i can find the places rather then looking at some print up from map quest, or should i get a radar dector to know where the speed traps are

Vijay

Dhiraj Bandurkar asked:


Radar Detectors

For most of the drivers in the United States, radar detectors are common electronic devices that are widely used in the cars to determine if the speed is monitored by the police radar unit. The interesting part is that studies claim that the vehicles using radar detectors have a reduced threat of accidents whereas the police believes that vehicles using radar detectors have a greater risk of accidents. That it why, use off the radar detectors is illegal in some parts of the United States and most parts of Canada and other countries such as Australia. So before you want to buy a radar detector it is better to check with the legal guidelines on the use of it, that are prevailing in your state.

Lets understand how a radar detector works. In most of the cases, the radar unit bounces a radio wave off a moving vehicle with help of a radar gun that in turn determines the speed of the vehicle. With the change in the technology, the new speed detection devices used by the radar units are based on pulsed laser light, which is commonly referred to as LIDAR, rather than using the radio waves. Similarly the modern radar detectors have been upgraded to alert to the infrared light emitted by such LIDAR guns. But the new radar detectors are not always effective to detect the LIDAR detection. This is mostly so as the output beam produced by the LIDAR guns is very focused. While radar’s radio waves can expand to 85 feet across at 1000 feet from their source, LIDAR’s light beam expands to only about 6 feet making it very difficult to detect them. And that is why most of the time, the driver is caught unaware of the beams and they commit mistakes.

So many of the new age radar detector fail while detecting the focused beams produced by the LIDAR. They do not scramble or absorb the many or all of their products do not affect radar and laser signals in any way. And if by any chance these products do transmit any type of radar scrambling pulses, then they are completely illegal and can invite legal action against the motorist. So actually, actively transmitting on an FCC licensed frequency without a license is a violation of FCC regulations and a felony. LIDAR jammers are legal in most states and are regulated, much like police LIDAR guns; by the FDA as Class I laser devices.

There are many companies in the manufacturing of radar detectors. The popular of them are Escort, Cobra, Whistlers etc. When buying a radar detector, ensure that you are buying a model that has been approved by the concerned authorities. Also look for the advanced features and go in for product comparisons wherein you can read the product reviews and also check with the pricing of the radar detectors.



Jane

Jason Gadayan asked:


Chances are if you have your license then you have been issued a speeding ticket. For the most part most people think that there is nothing they can do to beat a speeding ticket, because after all if they was speeding that made them break the law. There is a old wise tail that I found to be true a few years back when I receive a speeding ticket for 67mph in a 55mph. The theory was that if the police office did not lock your speed into the radar then you were as free as a bird. The police officer would have no proof to issue you a speeding ticket. I found this to be true. One of the first things you should do when you get pulled over for speeding is to ask the police officer to see the radar and see what speed he had you locked in at. I found that a lot of police officers do not lock the radar after catching someone speeding. Because most people when asked “Do you know why I pulled you over?“ They reply with “Yes I was speeding a little”. Saying that you know why you were pulled over is just the same as saying your are guilty, and the police officer does not have to have your speed lock it at all now. With out this lock there is no way for them to prove you were speeding even if you were speeding. So more than likely that without your speed being locked it will just get thrown out of court (if it goes that far)

There are many other ways to get of a speeding ticket that I found may be very useful. The first thing you are “NOT” to do is say you were speeding and plead guilty. In the USA there there is a saying that people use all the time, “innocent until proven guilty“, so let them do there job and prove it. Do not get angry or start arguing with the police officer. This may irritate the officer and they may issue you speeding ticket. The best approach I can suggest is to ask the officer the reason you were pulled over and be very polite. Hey even being nice and kind with no smart comments can even get you out of a speeding ticket sometimes. The police officer has a great deal of discretion and can just decide to issue you a warning in lieu of a speeding ticket. Again do not admit to the officer that you know why you were pulled over and ‘Don’t argue and get nasty “. There is no point in admitting guilt at this point. OK, lets say your speed was locked into the radar and it was recorded on paper and the officer has decided to issue you a speeding ticket. Now you have to go to a court hearing to find out what your fine is. You’re thinking that there is no way out of it at all. That is where you are wrong. The first thing to do is call for as many continuances as you can. This is when you are unable to make it to the court hearing due to being sick, out of town, or not able to get off work. The longer you can hold off the court the more likely you are going to get out of the ticket.

Now you’re still are going to have to go to court sooner or later, but there is still a way out. The longer you can hold off court the more likely the police officer that pulled you over will not be able to make it to the court hearing. Without the same police officer that issued you the speeding ticket being there in person to give the judge his sworn statement, the court has has no witness to the traffic ticket incident. See this is how it works. When the police officer writes you the ticket when you get pulled over, he bases the court date around his schedule. That way he is able to make it to court. With you calling for a continuance, this throws his schedule off and more than likely he is not going to be able to make it, and I don’t think he is going to make it a point to change his schedule around just to go to a boring court hearing.

Now there is another way to get out of a speeding ticket, and that is to not get a speeding ticket at all. Avoiding a speeding ticket is the 100% way to getting out of a speeding ticket. There is a few tricks to help improve your chances of not even getting pulled over. A good way to help avoid a speeding ticket is to know how many points you have left on your license. Trust me if you are about to loose your license with one more traffic violation and you know it, then you are going be extra careful when driving. In turn this is going to heighten your senses and make you a better and more safer driver on the road. There is a rumor out and about. I am sure you have seen police stickers that you can put on your vehicle. The ones that say you support the men in uniform. Yes, well this could be a good way avoid a speeding ticket. If I was a police officer and I was following someone because I was ready to pull them over and I see a sticker on their vehicle that said that they “support me”, I might just let them go. Just as long as they were not speeding way over the limit. This shows the police officer that you support then and he might just may let you go with a warning or not even pulling you over at all. The local PBA’s or FOP’s around the US depend greatly contributions. If one of their officer’s issues a speeding ticket to a person that has contributed to their organization, believe me the police officer will hear about it. They usually think twice about giving speeding tickets to contributors and supporters of their local union.

Scanning the road ahead of you is another big way to avoid getting pulled over for speeding. You have to think like a police officer. Where would you be sitting at? Some places police like to sit and wait for speeding is behind over passes. This is one of those I see you and you don’t see me things. They also and sit at the top of a on ramp to the freeway. By the time you pass he has you speeding. You are expecting to look up and almost behind you for a police car. You have to take use caution where you would think they might be hiding and waiting.

In some cities now they have red light cameras up that are snapping pictures of people speeding and sending the violator a ticket in the mail. There really is no way out of this but to say you were not the one driving it, it was your friend. All that you might attain with this, is the ticket being pushed off to one of your buddies. These cameras can be found on over passes on the freeways, street corners, and stop lights. They are even found by school zones. There is a product out on the market that you spray on your license plate and then when the camera snaps a picture of your car, the license plate is blurred out and in turn there is no ticket. I have never used this so do your own investigation and use at your own risk.

NOTE: This article is not a 100% way to get out of a speeding ticket. It just simply states what might happen in the event of getting pulled over by a police officer.



Jane

jmac asked:


I have a cobra XRS-9685, is it worth upgrading to a XRS-969? Is the XRS-969 better? If so, how is it?

Nick

Jusme asked:


I’m using a Garmin C330 and thinking of buying an Escort X50.

Jane

Ted Gaurnero asked:


Selling your home requires that you open your house to strangers and allow them access to areas that would normally only be open to trusted friends and family. Unfortunately, we can’t trust everyone, even those who “look okay”. Securing your home and property against crime is a good step to take, especially when you are allowing people you don’t know to come inside. Protecting the interests of your real estate agent is also a big step in this endeavor.

One of the best things you can do is engage the services of a Realtor, who will escort people through your home and keep an eye on them. An experienced agent will screen people at the office and take precautions against criminals gaining access to your home. Real estate professionals are often in the business of escorting strangers through houses and many have become more knowledgeable about crime prevention in this situation. It’s a smart thing to ask an agent what kinds of crime prevention policies they have in place before hiring them.

Many agents will not conduct an open house, house tour or meet people without first having an in-office interview and taking down information, such as a copy of the driver’s license and perhaps the license plate number of the car. This is mainly to preserve their safety, but it can also help preserve yours and that of your home. More than one person at a house tour or showing means that there is less of a chance of someone trying to take advantage of as single representative. This also means that they are less likely to try to steal your property or vandalize your home.

There have been cases where agents have been killed and homes have been burned or otherwise damaged, so take what your agent does for safety seriously. Your agent deserves to be as safe as possible and anything you can do in that regard is well worth your time. In addition to the horror of having someone robbed, raped or murdered in your home, the stigma of being the site of a serious crime could make the value of your home come crashing down. Support your agent and encourage them to take all possible steps to secure their safety.

When your home is being shown, put all valuables away in secure containers. Some people go so far as to rent a storage locker for excess property when staging their homes; your valuables can go here as well. Otherwise, place them in inconspicuous containers and place them well out of sight. Make sure your agent knows all the entrances and exits from your home and property, so s/he knows where to check and what to secure after a showing.

Don’t accept impromptu tours from strangers. Be friendly and polite, but insist that they go through your agent. Some unscrupulous people use a home sale to gain access to a home, either to steal, visit violence on the home’s occupants or to scope the home out for a future burglary. Legitimate buyers will not have a big problem with going through your agent to see the property. If the person acts odd, insists that they ‘need’ to see the house immediately and/or gets violent or abusive, call the police.

Be extra vigilant when the For Sale sign is placed. Many criminals look for a home sale to check the house out for lack of security. Many people turn off their security alarms and leave things unlocked that are normally secured. If you surprise someone who doesn’t belong on or around your property, call the police. Security lights can be a relatively inexpensive install that will also be a selling point for your house. Trim your bushes back; not only will it improve the landscaping; it will also make hiding and sneaking harder.

Security systems, barking dogs, guns, baseball bats and pepper spray are some popular methods of home security, but unless you know how to control that barking dog (and make him shut up once intruders leave), handle a gun safely, or where and how to apply a baseball bat to someone’s head (keep in mind that unless it’s very clear that you were acting in self-defense, you could be liable), these items are more likely to harm you or your family than they are to protect you.

As much as we would like to trust everybody, it’s not a safe world. Taking precautions and encouraging your agent to do likewise is a smart home sales step. Your agent will appreciate your support and concern, you will be less likely to be victimized and your home will benefit from the extra attention.



Nick