OPP pick up bounty of radar detectors

[sharkman]

If I know I'm perfectly capable of driving faster than the posted speed limit then it doesn't take long for my frustration to build if I'm impeded. I live in a very rural area and I often encounter little if any traffic on the way to work. Our highway is fairly curved so only a few passing opprtunities exist. I've been driving the same road for nearly 30 years and I know it like the back of my hand and if the conditions are good I'll often toodle along at 30 kms over the posted speed limit. Occasionally I'll come across somone who insists on driving the speed limit and typically I blow on past them. Sometimes however I'll come across two or more cars that are maintaining the speed limit. This is not a problem if the cars ahead of me leave sufficient space to pass them one at a time but if they all bunch up close to one another...the phrase lead, follow or get the hell out of my way quickly springs to mind and I find myself passing two three and even four cars at a time.

Its not surprising to often find the slowpokes speed up to match my speed when this happens. I guess they must be thinking to themselves that it'll be safe for them to speed now because it'll be me who gets caught by the radar trap.

People are sure funny animals.

Whether you are capable of driving faster than the speed limit has nothing to do with the issue. There may be funny animals out there, I have met a few myself, but you are a dangerous animal.

Passing up to four vehicles at a time and going over the limit by 30 km just because you become frustrated is stupidity plain and simple. You are the type of driver for whom the 'drive defensively' campaign is aimed at, we all have to watch out for you and your frustrated road rage.

[Wilber]

Driving at high speeds as in Europe requires training, discipline and a code of road ethics that everyone buys into. In the main, North Americans just aren't there on all counts.

[eyeball]

Whether you are capable of driving faster than the speed limit has nothing to do with the issue. There may be funny animals out there, I have met a few myself, but you are a dangerous animal.

Passing up to four vehicles at a time and going over the limit by 30 km just because you become frustrated is stupidity plain and simple. You are the type of driver for whom the 'drive defensively' campaign is aimed at, we all have to watch out for you and your frustrated road rage.

You'd probably be amazed how often people pass me. I'm actually quite safe I think, I've driven emergency vehicles at high speed and have only been in one accident in 35 years (it was ruled the other guy's fault). There are MLA's in BC that have suggested that remote sparsely driven highways should have no speed limits on them.

My point is, if I know I am perfectly capable of driving safely at a high speed I usually do. If I can't I do feel a sense of frustration. Not rage as you put it, just frustration. I pass vehicles if I can safely, not because I'm frustrated. I'm certainly not the kind of driver that tailgates or agressively pushes slowpokes around. By the same token, when I know I cannot drive fast, like if I'm in the city I don't feel any frustration at all. I've seen the kind of frustrated rage you describe and I agree its a dangerous thing and I think its unfortunate that we need to guard against it. I actually do support radar traps although I know I'm not likely to see one where I live. When police do set them up everyone knows about them within minutes and signal one another by flashing their lights at each other.

Until such time as driving becomes completely automated I'd support the mandatory application of engine speed governors and other devices designed to physically stop people from speeding. At the very least we should be requiring this for new young drivers, especially males, and anyone who exhibits a prediliction for road rage.

There is also the question of slow vehicles that impede others. There is evidence that some people may intentionally drive slowly out of some misguided sense of duty to protect society from speeders. I know a couple that basically got divorced over the constant fighting between them when it came to driving speed. She insisted on doing the speed limit all the time no matter what and he insisted on just going with the flow, which is often 10 - 30 kms over the speed limit around here. I usually fall asleep whenever my wife drives.

Its unfortunate that driving can bring out the worst in people. I really do think automating the chore is the ultimate answer. Taking it off our hands will also take a lot off people's minds and that's probably the best reason I can think of for doing so. For their sanity not to mention their safety.

Edited June 2, 2008 by eyeball

[Leafless]

They are legal in BC. I've owned a couple of them but haven't used one for several years. If I'm going to stick something on the inside of my windshield a GPS is far more useful. Radar detectors really are of limited value. They work well with the constant on sets the police often use while driving their cars but these are old technology and will eventually be replaced. They are not very useful against the instant on radars or laser guns that police most often use in radar traps. In that case your only chance of detecting them without getting caught is if they happen to zap someone else when your detector is in range. Anyone who thinks that they are safe from getting caught because they have a radar detector is living in a fools paradise.

There is protection against laser guns that record your speed in .25 secs.

There is the Passport Escort, model 9500ci that detects both radar and laser and as an added bonus jams laser.

This jamming is illegal also and can result in an possible obstruction charge if you are caught.

But on the bright side the officer could think he has a defective reading and forget about it.

BTW - Maybe you are aware of this but laser can be rigged.

The defence also alleged that the Prolaser could be manipulated by getting it to read distance rather than speed.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&am...90734772L321514

[Remiel]

There is something about engine speed regulators that has always bugged me. The idea of someone getting killed because they were unable to speed up when it was necessary... bothers me. I suppose it might be a bit irrational, because the number of people that were effected negatively in such way would likely be far less than the people affected positively, but that knowledge does not lessen my unease.

[Wilber]

There is protection against laser guns that record your speed in .25 secs.

There is the Passport Escort, model 9500ci that detects both radar and laser and as an added bonus jams laser.

This jamming is illegal also and can result in an possible obstruction charge if you are caught.

But on the bright side the officer could think he has a defective reading and forget about it.

BTW - Maybe you are aware of this but laser can be rigged.

Carry on. I think that anyone who needs to spend over $1600 on a radar detector is someone likely to kill himself or someone else eventually.

[Leafless]

Carry on. I think that anyone who needs to spend over $1600 on a radar detector is someone likely to kill himself or someone else eventually.

You are viewing that from the wrong perspective, as it is the principle that matters.

This has nothing to do with speeding but what should be your constitutional right.

Regardless there are other jammers available at a more reasonable price.

[Leafless]

There is something about engine speed regulators that has always bugged me. The idea of someone getting killed because they were unable to speed up when it was necessary... bothers me. I suppose it might be a bit irrational, because the number of people that were effected negatively in such way would likely be far less than the people affected positively, but that knowledge does not lessen my unease.

In the same manner you can get caught in a 'speed pack'.

That is a group of vehicles all speeding, in the same direction in a multi-lane highway.

In this case you to must speed to safely maintain the same rate of speed as the flow of traffic or risk an accident.

This sort of condition can also apply in a single lane highway and is identified by vehicle after vehicle passing you even though you can be travelling over the posted speed limit.

Again it is best to safely as possible maintain the same rate of speed as the flow of traffic or risk an accident.

[Leafless]

Uh, oh.

Radar detectors won't be enough to detect these guys.

Forget Keystone -- meet the Kardboard Kops.

Vancouver police unveiled life-size replicas of a traffic officer Thursday. Pointing a radar gun at oncoming traffic, the cutouts will be used to help cut down on speeding.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/s...02-598828faf609

On a serious note, MOST roads are overcrowded so why take chances speeding and taking unnecessary chances associated with speeding.

Slow down and help preserve lives and not further promote highway carnage.

[peter_puck]

No radar detectors do not help drivers break the law.

They help drivers avoid being CONVICTED of breaking the law.

I suppose you could say the same thing about guns.

Edited June 11, 2008 by peter_puck

[Leafless]

I suppose you could say the same thing about guns.

Absolutely not.