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11/29/04
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papercuts

papercuts

Albany, NY
September 2003

NOV 28, 2004 10:51 PM

i'm going on tour with my band this winter, andi was wondering if anyone knows what kind of tricks cops us to catch speeders if they have any ,like hiding behind bridges or whatever. anything will help thanks

silverstreak

silverstreak

Fort Wayne, IN
October 2004

NOV 28, 2004 11:06 PM

Depends on what part of the Midwest. If it's the flat parts, then yes, bridges and overpasses. If you're in the parts with lots of trees, then it depends on the area and their devotion to "revenue enhancement".

For my part, most of lower Michigan is safe to go whatever speed on the highways, although since you're touring in the winter the whole snow and ice thing will be a factor. In upper Michigan, if you speed on the Seney Stretch (the straight part of 28 between McMillan and Munising) you're pretty much guaranteed to get a ticket.

Look out for deer, too.

pygmy

pygmy

Portland, OR
July 2004

NOV 28, 2004 11:08 PM

speedtrap.org biggrin

[Edited on Nov 28, 2004 by pygmy]

Doghouse_Reilly

doghouse_reilly

I'm lost
February 2004

NOV 28, 2004 11:17 PM

hehe... running the red state gauntlet. biggrin Good luck.

When I was in Chicago recently I noticed they had vacant police cars sitting on the side of the road in strategic places. Kind of like scarecrows, I thought.

My advice: never speed excessively over the crest of a hill. They set up in the grass median and can nail you from half a mile or more away. Also, parking lots adjacent to the freeway are a frequent cop haunts.

Eponine

Eponine

Denver, CO
March 2003

NOV 28, 2004 11:42 PM

don't speed on i-80 in ohio. i was going about 16 over and the ticket was $140, but even going 1-14 over the ticket fine would have been $120.

i wouldn't recommend going to ohio anyway, though.

_MrE_

_MrE_

Santa Cruz, CA
July 2004

NOV 28, 2004 11:46 PM

One thing I have noticed in my travels from east to west is that not many west bound drivers get pulled over...the eastbound drivers on the other hand are more likely to have drugs in the vehicle so they get pulled over for just about anything.

_schmoe

_schmoe

Flint, MI
November 2003

NOV 29, 2004 12:52 AM

[sarcasm] and make sure that you let the cops know you're from a coastal state and that those living in the fly-over are therefor automaticaly dumber than the enlightened sea dwellers. this would go a ways to explaining why traffic laws in the midwest are so different, and you should therefor be let off. [/sarcasm]

stay under 10 over and you should be fine. they'll hide whereever they can and like the semi-unmarked cars. i've found that the shittier the town you're in the less cops care about speeding. they have more important things to care about.

surreal

s5

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

NOV 29, 2004 01:03 AM

just get one of these:

http://www.valentine1.com/



it pays for itself the first time it goes off.

_schmoe

_schmoe

Flint, MI
November 2003

NOV 29, 2004 01:06 AM

s5 said:
just get one of these:

http://www.valentine1.com/



it pays for itself the first time it goes off.



make sure you have it in a place you can hide it quick just in case. if a cop pulls you over and sees one of these he'll write you a ticket that'll make you walk funny for a week.

s5

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

NOV 29, 2004 01:13 AM

_schmoe said:
make sure you have it in a place you can hide it quick just in case. if a cop pulls you over and sees one of these he'll write you a ticket that'll make you walk funny for a week.



you'll never get pulled over if you have a valentine one, trust me on this.

but even so, back when i was still using a radio shack model (which are crap, by the way), a cop pulled me over and when noticing that i had a radar detector, he brought over his radar gun and started setting it off just for fun. he even gave me tips on how to adjust it properly. he still wrote me a ticket, but i was pleased to know that they aren't particularly uptight about it.

oh yeah, the valentine one has a concealed operation kit, just in case you're paranoid.

really, i can't express how amazing this product is.

_schmoe

_schmoe

Flint, MI
November 2003

NOV 29, 2004 01:26 AM

does it detect frequencies that other scanners don't?

s5

s5

STAFF

San Francisco, CA

NOV 29, 2004 01:34 AM

have a look at the site. it detects all the bands that cops are likely to use (which in my travels around the US is almost always Ka), but more importantly, it tells what you what direction the radar is coming from (in front, from behind or to the sides), and how many different radar bursts are coming at you. so you get a better idea of how you should adjust your driving and whether or not an alert is a false positive or a real speed trap.

_schmoe

_schmoe

Flint, MI
November 2003

NOV 29, 2004 01:43 AM

i was asking because i my friend got nailed while using one a few months ago. don't know the brand or how good it is, but it worked like a charm until then. we were driving in the middle on nowhere with no traffic. went by a billboard with a cop behind it, and the thing didn't go off until we were past the cop. he got really pissy about the scanner and didn't give any break on the ticket.

Snottlebocket

Snottlebocket

Netherlands
March 2004

NOV 29, 2004 06:07 AM

why am i the only one inclined to just say don't speed surreal

Sen

Sen

USA
January 2004

NOV 29, 2004 06:40 AM

No, you're not Snottle...

rottenart

rottenart

Norman, OK
February 2004

NOV 29, 2004 06:45 AM

Snottlebocket said:
why am i the only one inclined to just say don't speed surreal



Argh! NO! breakin' the law, breakin' the law! arrrggghhh!

xRedDan

xRedDan

Valparaiso, IN
December 2003

NOV 29, 2004 06:49 AM

I wouldn't be speeding on midwest highways this time of year in a big van and trailor.

I've known several bands that are lucky to be alive after flipping their vans. They lost all their equipment too...

[Edited on Nov 29, 2004 by xRedDan]

SexyBeast

SexyBeast

Covington, LA
July 2004

NOV 29, 2004 07:05 AM

Snottlebocket said:
why am i the only one inclined to just say don't speed surreal



Have you ever driven across the country, it makes it very tempting. Not saying everyone that drives long distances speeds, but on some long empty roads it makes it hard for me not to. I drove from NewOrleans, LA to Sacramento,CA and I got a ticket in west Texas somewhere.

Buaku

Buaku

Seattle, WA
April 2004

NOV 29, 2004 07:15 AM

Becareful on days with nice weather. The cops will have someone in the air checking speeds.

SnakePlissken

SnakePlissken

Corvallis, OR
December 2002

NOV 29, 2004 07:18 AM

If you just drive fast enough in the first place they won't chase you. Seriously, just try it.

Corneilus_Wright

Corneilus_Wright

Denver, CO
October 2004

NOV 29, 2004 07:25 AM

Radar detectors are ok, but the best thing that I have found is a cb radio. Get one of those and listen to the trucker band. They will tell the other truckers where the cops are. You can get them cheap also.

Ryan_Dipietro

Ryan_Dipietro

Naples, FL
April 2004

NOV 29, 2004 09:12 AM

K40 laser and radar detectors
Granted, it will cost you several thousand dollars more than a V1.


[Edited on Nov 29, 2004 by Ryan_Dipietro]

Shal

Shal

Los Angeles, CA
October 2002

NOV 29, 2004 09:23 AM

Cops in Illinois, Missouri, and parts of Indiana sit on overpasses watching traffic. The cop you see on the overpass may not be running radar, but if he sees you going faster than the pace of traffic, he may radio his buddy sitting a mile up the road to hit you with the radar gun and pull you over.

If your touring vehicle is old and/or has lots of stickers on it, be prepared to be pulled over for a "dim light check." The cop will tell you it looks like one of your brakelights or headlights is dimmer than the other and that you should probably get it checked out next time you get a chance. This is the cop's way of seeing if you've been drinking, or if you look or smell like you've been smoking marijuana or might be carrying it, or if you're acting in any suspicious manner, in which case they will try to search your vehicle. Have fun.

Keep the speed under 10 mph over the limit, and you'll be fine.

Stiles

Stiles

Oakland, CA
November 2002

NOV 29, 2004 10:13 AM

I've run a Valentine One for years, and it's a great asset if you drive a lot. Probably the best detector out there. It's semi-worthless against laser, though -- but so is every other laser detector. I have measured my V1 against actual instant-on radar and laser guns, courtesy of my law enforcement clients in several jurisdictions. The V1 works very well, but any driver should understand the following:

If you're the only car on the road and the cops are using instant-on anything, you're done. The detector will tell you you're getting pulled over and that's about it, since nobody else gets hit in front of you and creates a "splash" to set off your detector. Trust me when I tell you this -- laser guns in particular lock on very, very fast -- far faster than you can slow down. If you do get clocked, don't slam on the brakes when your detector goes off, especially on a clear road. That's an obvious sign that troopers look for.

Never be the fastest car on the road. Always let the other guy go who is in a big hurry and keep an eye on him, 'cause he's going to collect the ticket first.

Look for brakelights coming on for no good reason ahead of you. Something up ahead is causing people to slow down for a reason, whether it's an accident, a hidden cop, or a muffler in the road, you want to slow down too well before you get there.

No radar detector will protect you from timing (called VASCAR detection), either from a plane or a guy in a car. Look for white lines painted across the lane, spaced about 1/4 to 1/2 mile apart on the freeway, closer on local roads.

Pay attention to the speed limit, especially coming into or leaving a populated area -- the limit may suddenly drop by 10+ mph for no good reason well before town. This would be where the local cops pop those who aren't familiar with the signage.

Good luck, and remember to drive safely for your conditions and the capabilities of your vehicle.

[Edited on Nov 29, 2004 by Stiles]

sidewalker123

sidewalker123

Kalamazoo, MI
January 2004

NOV 29, 2004 12:07 PM

My family just puts a FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) sticker on the window.

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