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One I've wondered about myself, and I don't know the answer, after over 2 1/2 years with my detector. I mount it just above the dash, that way the power cord is not running down the middle of the car. Of course if you hard-wire or have a battery powered device, that need not be a problem. The one thing it is easy to do with one is become complacent and think you are invincible - don't do this, because, especially with a proliferation of unmarked vehicles, you are still vulnerable to methods of enforcement other than radar. I have got to suspect a cop who clocks you will be less than thrilled at seeing your beautiful $250 electronic device mounted up front, no matter how much you like it. I was driving through Gorham, NH last summer while on vacation, alone in the car at the time. I had just turned left at a T-intersection where I had to stop at a light... as I accelerated away from the light (relatively slowly, I wasn't in a huge hurry, I was in the middle of a town, and I was driving my ex-girlfriends automatic-non-turbo Volvo) I noticed a cruiser parked on the right hand side of the road, facing traffic coming against me. The radar detector started going crazy, so I made sure I wasn't speeding (I wasn't). Then the individual with the donut crumbs pointed at me to pull over! I did, and parked at an angle where he couldn't see what I was doing, I took down the detector before he got to the car. He looked at the front of the car, and saw no radar detector, then he went berserk! I swear to God, the guy went nuts... I thought he was going to start swearing at me or something. 'You don't need to take down your radar detector because I stopped you! The law allows you to have one, so I can't do anything to you for having one. You have a radar detector because you don't care if you kill someone!!!!! (he told me that three times) I can't write you a ticket because I don't know what speed you were going, I had my radar pointed the other way.' I tried to reason with him, attempting to assure him that contrary to his belief, I did care if I killed somebody, and that I have a radar detector because I don't want to get a ticket for being 10 mph over a speed limit somewhere because I miss a sign. Before somebody jumps up to tell me that I won't get a ticket for being 10 mph over the speed limit, in many of the places where I drive, yes I will! So to come back to your question, I suspect you are less likely to recieve leniency form a cop who sees a radar detector, but you are also much less likely to be pulled over in the first place. A detector has definitely saved my ass on a few occasions, so I definitely favor using one. If you only get pulled over once a year, and you are not obliterating the speed limit, I would think you won't get crucified for having a detector. I think if you really are going fast (say 20 mph +) over the limit, then they will view you as considering having a radar detector as a licence to drive however fast you want, and punish this percieved arrogance. But if you're 20 mph over the limit, your ass is probably grass anyway.
posted by 141.154.12...
, Sat, 20 Apr 2002 15:02:19
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