Radar/Lazer Jammers

hogger999 · July 21, 2002

I'm kickin' around the idea of getting one. Last time I checked they were about $250 for the jammer/detector. I think this sounds like a fair price (long as they work :angry: )

The brand I'm looking at also says if you get a ticket while using it they will pay the ticket as long as your not doing 20 mph over the posted speed. One of the reasons for that I guess could be that there is a punch through range of about 100 feet. I suppose if your doing 20 over, you may not get slowed down in time.

Anyone have, or know someone who has used one? I'm not real sure that I buy all of it.

Mattz · July 22, 2002

I heard an ad on the radio today about one of those, and that they'd pay your ticket if you got one.

My dad is a cop, and he said by the time your detector goes off, the cop already has you. Sometimes I think they do work, but I hear a lot of people saying that they are worthless.

carguru · July 22, 2002

Save your money. They don't work.

MarkD · July 22, 2002

Ditto Guru, Save the money.

Get a GOOD radar detector. To me, the only one in the category is the Valentine One.

gmcjoe · July 22, 2002

Ditto Guru, Save the money.

Get a GOOD radar detector. To me, the only one in the category is the Valentine One.

I agree. You have to combine a driving with a radar detector with good driving habits too.

Buddies on the force tell me about the guys who are constantly speeding and changing lanes as well as the guy who stays in the Left lane blasting down the highway. They bring more attention to themselves than the realize.

carguru · July 22, 2002

Right lane (on 4 or more lane road) most of the time with the V1 on. Try to keep a couple of blocker cars (people who want to prove they are a little faster than you ) a short distance ahead. This has saved my butt many a time.

ekonk · July 22, 2002

Right lane (on 4 or more lane road) most of the time with the V1 on. Try to keep a couple of blocker cars (people who want to prove they are a little faster than you ) a short distance ahead. This has saved my butt many a time.

That's more or less my strategy, although I don't bother with the radar detector. For the most part, good driving habits like staying in the right lane when you can, not passing on the right, not changing lanes too frequently, and overall just not driving stupidly works best. Having a blocker or two way out front helps a lot, but just remember to check the rear view now and then.

chevy4x4trucks · July 22, 2002

I agree, most of the time on the freeway you can use the other cars as radar detectors. On 45 north the speed limit is 55 and around 6 or 7 in the afternoon the cars blast down at around 70-75mph (when it gets to 65 they all seem to do 60mph, why, I don't know) and I will go w/ there speed, but if I try not to end up out front or in back the group of cars, then you are a prime target for cops. I usually play it safe and lock in the cruise at 5 over and hang out in the middle lane if it's 3 in the morning and no one else is on the road, since cops are usually trying to pick off drunk drivers at that time.

But, I've heard Valentine One is the best and only brand to get as far as lazer detectors.

carguru · July 22, 2002

I've been pretty happy with the V1. I had an old Escort Passport for years. It still works pretty well today. I still use the Passport around town. I usually try not to do much more than 8 to 9 over. Best strategy is to not make stupid moves. It has worked for me for many, many years. I still have zero deserved speeding tickets (knock on wood) since I've had my license. Speedtraps have gotten much more tricky these days with laser, instant on, stopwatch, aircraft, etc. Either that or I'm just getting old.

hogger999 · July 22, 2002

I have a hard time passing up a good blocker . There are just times I get hung out there by myself or I'm on the ole two lane. I just thought that if they really worked they would be worth that price. What I have found now is that an "active jammer" (One that sends out a constant FM chirp) DOES WORK. However an "active jammer" can be quite expensive. Since I've gone 2 yrs. since my last "driving award" by just keeping my eyes open. I think I'll pass. ;)

carguru · July 22, 2002

The active jammer is said to work, but it is not very consitent. A lot of it depends on the angle that the radar is hitting you at. Plus it would raise quite a bit of suspiscion if the radar all of a sudden displays a slow speed or error when you go flying by. Just might get you in a little bit more hot water.

hogger999 · July 22, 2002

The active jammer is said to work, but it is not very consitent. A lot of it depends on the angle that the radar is hitting you at. Plus it would raise quite a bit of suspiscion if the radar all of a sudden displays a slow speed or error when you go flying by. Just might get you in a little bit more hot water.

Jammers are legal here in Illinois in non-commercial vehicles but that doesn't mean it won't p#ss off the guy holding the gun. I'm sure he'd be happy to give me a ticket for my window tint.

This may sound strange but I know guys who have hooked up a small florissant light in their semi's. They will either put them in the back of the sleeper or on the dash. They say that it works as an effective jammer but getting a truck driver to admit his "gadget" is junk is never easy.

carguru · July 22, 2002

A good friend of mine used to keep balls of aluminum foil in the hubcaps of his little Chevette. He was pulled over a couple of times because the cop's radar gun got an error signal one time and registered 103 and then 45 the other. I was in the car the latter time. The officer was not a happy camper, he searched the car for a jammer, finally found the aluminum foil balls in the hubcaps. Needless to say, my friend got a nice 45 minute lecture by the roadside from the officer.

GreenRado · July 22, 2002

Wifey calls the "blocker cars" weed eaters, and I kinda liked that one.

As mentioned earlier, I believe that a laser detector probably isn't going to work very well unless they can detect stray reflections, so if the HP is targeting you, you're caught before (or @ the same time) as your detector warns you. Maybe I'm not aware of recent technology, though.

Mattz · July 22, 2002

The active jammer is said to work, but it is not very consitent. A lot of it depends on the angle that the radar is hitting you at. Plus it would raise quite a bit of suspiscion if the radar all of a sudden displays a slow speed or error when you go flying by. Just might get you in a little bit more hot water.

Jammers are legal here in Illinois in non-commercial vehicles but that doesn't mean it won't p#ss off the guy holding the gun. I'm sure he'd be happy to give me a ticket for my window tint.

This may sound strange but I know guys who have hooked up a small florissant light in their semi's. They will either put them in the back of the sleeper or on the dash. They say that it works as an effective jammer but getting a truck driver to admit his "gadget" is junk is never easy.

So the bright lights in the cars make it harder to be clocked? I see a lot of those bright lights inside of cars usually driven by teens.