Nahshon Roberts asked:


A photo radar is designed to photograph drivers who travel five to ten miles per hour over the speed limit. These photographs, along with particulars such as date, time, location, and vehicle speed, are then mailed to offenders.

Anatomy of Photo Radars

How does photo radar work? Photo radar is made up of the following:

● a high speed traffic camera and flash unit

● a narrow beam, low-powered Doppler radar antenna aimed across the road

● a computer that records information, such as date, time, speed, and location of the violation

Photo radar works this way. First, the system is hoisted onto a police vehicle that typically patrols areas where overspeeding is a problem. Then, it catches speed demons and those who run against red lights. Drivers can see their vehicles’ speed from a reader board found in the back window of the police unit display.

Beating Photo Radars

Many disgruntled drivers have successfully parlayed their dislike for photo radars into a lucrative business. They produce products that supposedly protect drivers from being photographed by photo radars. Below are some of the products and a brief description of how they are used.

● Radar Detectors

A radar detector detects the presence of photo enforcement devices. Accordingly, it assists drivers in beating photo radars by warning them of photo radar presence. This gives drivers time to slow down. Many claim radar detectors are effective. One problem with radar detectors, however, is that these do not work with red light cameras that measure speed using sensors embedded in roadways.

● Flash-back device

What senses the flash of a photo enforcement camera and immediately flashes its own strobe light onto the license plate to make license numbers invisible to cameras? Why, a flash-back device, of course! Flash-back devices are highly popular, especially because they’re cheap. A study, shows however, that flash-back devices are ineffective in beating photo radars when Redflex sensor-based photo enforcement cameras are used.

● GPS-based warning systems

Radar detectors are illegal, and in some states, use of flash-back devices are implicitly prohibited. What do drivers interested in beating photo radars without breaking the law do? They buy GPS-based warning systems. These devices, which are very popular in European markets, has just recently become available in the United States.

This is how a GPS-based warning system works: you download the location of speed enforcement cameras into a GPS system. Because your system now has a map of camera locations, it warns you to slow down every time you are close to a photo radar.

While a GPS-based technology may seem infallible, it is not without its faults. To be effective, it relies on your knowledge of photo radars’ locations. This is knowledge you may not always have. All it takes for you to get a citation is one speed camera unregistered in your GPS system.

● Plate covers

Plate covers are cheaper alternatives to the three technologies I have previously discussed. These covers go over your license plate, keeping it visible to anyone who is directly behind your car. In certain angles, however, a portion of your license plate cannot be seen. Some states, particularly Washington, D.C, penalize the use of these covers by as much as $300. Other states are silent regarding their use. Should you ever decide to go for plate covers, note that they do not work with motion video cameras.

● Photo spray

This is the least effective method for beating photo radars. It is sprayed onto license plates. Its high gloss finish is said to reflect the light flashed by cameras, resulting in overexposure of photos. Experts warn that photo sprays are only 45% reliable in reflecting camera light. Furthermore, though photos are overexposed, a quick scrutiny of their negatives will yield the exact sequence of a license plate’s numbers and letters.

Beating photo radars requires cunning and the proper tools. When caught, you would be held legally accountable. You must, therefore, carefully consider what technology to use and whether you are ready for repercussions. Then, and only then, should you use any of the above-mentioned technologies.



Jane

snuggles24_04 asked:


My radar detector is always going off with those but I’m not real sure what they mean!! Also VG2 alerts…Thanks

Mike

Jenna D asked:


is it illigal in michigan?
How would you get caught on using it?

Jane

MIKE SELVON asked:


If you have ever been pulled over for traveling above the speed limit then you know how important a radar detector can be. These tiny devices can greatly reduce your chance of getting pulled over for speeding but do you know how they work? It is one of the technological advances that we seem to take for granted.

Most of us have no clue beyond plugging them into the cigarette lighter and mounting them on the dashboard. But are they legal? How do they work? Those are just a few of the questions that you should have when it comes to radar detectors. This is your lucky day.

This article will cover the basics of radar detectors and hopefully by the end you will have some idea of why a radar detector can mean the difference between a speeding ticket and getting to keep your money and your insurance rates low.

What is a radar detector?

A radar detector is a device that measures the radio waves bounced off your vehicle. Police officers use a radar gun that gives off radio waves. When the waves hit your vehicle they are returned to the gun to determine how fast you are going. The radar detector measures these waves and alerts you to the presence of someone using a radar gun to detect your speed.

What is a radar jammer?

A radar jammer is a device that will scramble the radar waves and the LIDAR that are aimed at the vehicle. It is important to know that radar jamming is illegal in the United States and if you get caught with a radar jammer you are facing a fine and possible felony conviction for using one. It is definitely not worth the risk to own one.

What are some brands of radar detectors?

There are several different brands of radar detectors on the market currently. You can choose from a Beltronics BEL RX54 radar detector or you can go with the Whistler XTR-690 Radar/Laser Detector. The choice is up to you and it may come down to what guarantees the company offers along with the price.

Is there a guarantee that I won’t get a speeding ticket if I use a radar detector from a certain company?

There are companies that will guarantee that if you purchase their radar detector and still receive a ticket within a year, they will pay for the cost of the ticket. This guarantee is not offered by every company so you will need to check the fine print before you purchase one if this is something that you are looking for in a radar detection company. The company may also have some fine print about paying for the ticket so read, read, read the instructions and guarantee before purchasing.



Mike

BobbyBoy asked:


For this particular radar detector, I need to know the different sound alerts and what they mean. And the different visual signals and what they mean. Thanks to anyone who can help.

Mike