PDA

View Full Version : Queston for CHP and CA LEO;s



Danhercules
06-21-2006, 06:39 PM
Are radar detectors legal in CA? I have a few peeps tellin me they are not, and others that are not sure.

RitcheyRch
06-21-2006, 06:41 PM
They are legal in CA.
Are radar detectors legal in CA? I have a few peeps tellin me they are not, and others that are not sure.

Kilrtoy
06-21-2006, 06:49 PM
Yes they are legal,
But radar jamming devices are not legal and it will cost ya in court
but what do I know Im know 830.1

Boatcop
06-21-2006, 06:51 PM
They're illegal everywhere for OTR commercial trucks. Federal Law.

CBadDad
06-21-2006, 06:52 PM
Yes they are legal,
But radar jamming devices are not legal and it will cost ya in court
but what do I know Im know 830.1
LMAO - nice disclaimer, but you forgot to tell him that no one uses radar anymore... :220v:

Beer-30
06-21-2006, 07:06 PM
Detectors are perfectly legal. But, a good 830.2 will not have it on - just to be sneaky.

YeLLowBoaT
06-21-2006, 07:38 PM
If you don't speed, you don't need one. :rollside:

SurfOnH20
06-21-2006, 08:25 PM
Legal but worthless. With instant on/off radar and laser, they wont do you any good. Sure you hear of stories about people saying it prevented a ticket. But it's like winning the lotto, they are few and far between. I would just buy a laser/radar jammer.

hallett21
06-21-2006, 08:28 PM
Legal but worthless. With instant on/off radar and laser, they wont do you any good. Sure you hear of stories about people saying it prevented a ticket. But it's like winning the lotto, they are few and far between. I would just buy a laser/radar jammer.
i completeley agree and also the majority of cops use laser so a radar detector is almost worthless

MagicMtnDan
06-21-2006, 08:44 PM
Legal but worthless. With instant on/off radar and laser, they wont do you any good. Sure you hear of stories about people saying it prevented a ticket. But it's like winning the lotto, they are few and far between. I would just buy a laser/radar jammer.
That's simply bullshit. Most CHP's keep their radar on most of the time and a good radar detector will act as a CHP-detector :)
If you drive the "open freeways" (like to/from the Bay Area from SoCal) such as the 5 or 101, you'll find a radar detector a worthwhile investment. If it only saves you from one ticket and the years it's on your record (assuming you've already been to traffic school) then it's very worthwhile. :cool:

SurfOnH20
06-21-2006, 09:16 PM
It will pay for itself with just one ticket..Yeah maybe. You are more likely to get a ticket first..Most depts now (including mine) use laser. Radar is becoming a thing of the past. laser can have instant lock from 3000 yards and beyond (most used at 600-200 yards). Before you have a chance to brake and slow down it's over with. As far with the CHP leaving the radar on all the time, havn't a clue. But city driving is where you will probably be cited.

Parker Dreamin
06-22-2006, 08:52 AM
That's simply bullshit. Most CHP's keep their radar on most of the time and a good radar detector will act as a CHP-detector :)
If you drive the "open freeways" (like to/from the Bay Area from SoCal) such as the 5 or 101, you'll find a radar detector a worthwhile investment. If it only saves you from one ticket and the years it's on your record (assuming you've already been to traffic school) then it's very worthwhile. :cool:
I agree.. I use mine from Torrance to the River and it is a great CHP and Parker LE spotter. It has saved me more then once. Not that I am halling ass but I am going over the speed limit at times.

Froggystyle
06-22-2006, 09:02 AM
As far with the CHP leaving the radar on all the time, havn't a clue. But city driving is where you will probably be cited.
Who speeds in the city? Not me....
I have a detector and it has paid for itself a hundred times. I tow about 62mph... seven over the limit. Driving from San Diego to Yuma, there are myriad places where the CHP sit on the back side of on-ramps, underneath overpasses etc... and just run the gun the whole day pointing it down the road at vacationers. I personally don't consider the 55 mph rule trailering reasonable, as the same exact freeway thirty feet across the border is 75 mph trailering. So, I keep my speed where I can react and drop down to 55 if needed, and do so about three times a trip when my "CHP detector" goes off.
Hardly a liscense to drive 120 in the fast lane, but mine has dropped me down to compliance probably 20 times this year alone. Who knows if I would get a ticket at 62... probably not. But I don't have the patience to drive it without the detector.

Hardly Satisfied
06-22-2006, 09:23 AM
driving up to havasu I was driving 10 -12 over the speed limit now I drive about 5-6 over much safer and what little time you save is not worth getting a ticket for

plaster dave
06-22-2006, 10:35 AM
They are great I have one that picks up x and k band, and also laser. Works great.

RiverDave
06-22-2006, 10:41 AM
Fact of BS?
Years ago their was a product called the "Bear Tracker" and it actually worked by picking up radio signals from the handheld radios to the reciever in the polie car or bike. It'd tell you approximately how far away a cop was, but I don't believe it would give you direction..
Anyone ever heard of this? I had a couple of friends that used to talk about them all the time. It was explained to me they were outlawed for some reason or another.
Did These things actually exist?
RD

Jordy
06-22-2006, 10:45 AM
Did These things actually exist?
RD
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=8000
Essentially just a scanner, assuming that they're talking on the radio. Personally I like my Valentine 1 that tells me where they are and how many there are as well. ;)
Apparently they're still around:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Bearcat_BCT8_BearTracker_Warning_System_with_800MH z_Trunktracker_111/4505-7846_7-31474506.html?tag=coco

LOWRIVER2
06-22-2006, 10:47 AM
So these things are reading 800mhz and encrypted channel activity? That's pretty good.

RiverDave
06-22-2006, 10:55 AM
I was under the impression that the radio between the car and the handheld were always talking to each other, which is how the product worked.. Like I said from what I heard it couldn't give you a direction, but it could give you a pretty much exact distance from where you were to how far a cop was.. Which would be pretty handy on the road.
Jordy I clicked that link, and didn't come up with any real info on the product.. Got anymore links?
RD

Froggystyle
06-22-2006, 11:13 AM
So these things are reading 800mhz and encrypted channel activity? That's pretty good.
Encrypted is still a signal. You can't understand it... but it still is radiating.
The thing probably works like a direction finding station tuned to the police SHF frequency of 800+ Mhz. Since they are pretty much the only folks on that range (military is before and after... most civilian freqs are in the VHF range etc...) you could accurately figure out if one was radiating close by and logic pretty much dictates it would be LE...

Jordy
06-22-2006, 11:28 AM
Jordy I clicked that link, and didn't come up with any real info on the product.. Got anymore links?
RD
Ask and you shall receive:
http://www.bearcat1.com/item0010.htm
I can't imagine they're going to go into too much detail on how it all works. I googled the Bearcat Bear Tracker and pretty much just got sales links to it.

RiverDave
06-22-2006, 11:32 AM
So wouldn't this thing be more or less a "full proof" way of knowing when a cop or CHP is in the area (within 3 miles)? I think it would be better then a radar detector for cruising out to the river when your out in the middle of nowhere?
RD

Jordy
06-22-2006, 11:44 AM
So wouldn't this thing be more or less a "full proof" way of knowing when a cop or CHP is in the area (within 3 miles)? I think it would be better then a radar detector for cruising out to the river when your out in the middle of nowhere?
RD
Quite possibly, however it's been my experience, between my radar detector, and the fact that there is always someone else in more of a hurry than I am, that the detector is sufficient. The V1 picks them out far enough on the long straight stretches that you start to think it's a false alarm. Even if they're instant on'ing people, usually someone else is on the road with you. You just have to drive proactively.
Also, I'm not sure how the Beartracker works exactly, but it seems that you'd have to spend alot more time listening, instead of watching flashing arrows and LED indicators, and that might cut into the movie that you're watching. :D :D :D

RIPPINGNOLEGSKROKER
06-22-2006, 11:46 AM
Since driving age I have tried a lot of the gagets, Bel,Passport,BeartrackerI and II, k40. It is no joke Valentine One is hands down the best I have used, in fact it is amazing. The original Beartracker worked but was the size of a 8 track player, The second version was not as good in my opinion, I got a ticket with it on the wrong setting and CHP made a wish crack, result 62 in a 55.
Regardless its a numbers game, How many miles do you drive a year and how often do you break the law.

Danhercules
06-22-2006, 02:19 PM
i completeley agree and also the majority of cops use laser so a radar detector is almost worthless
I disagree, well kinda, depends on the situation. If you are the only one on the road, your up the creek. But if are behind some one and the LEO is locked on the car infront of you, you get the warning you need. I have the Valintne one, and it works great. If I am the only one on the road, I dont speed. I let someone else be the bait! :crossx:
Thanks for the replys.

RitcheyRch
06-22-2006, 02:53 PM
I just bought a Valentine 1 last week. Looking forward to seeing how well it works.