SPEEDING, THE FUZZ AND POINTS!
SPEEDING, THE FUZZ AND POINTS!
Author
Discussion

jamesm

Original Poster:

1,499 posts

246 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
Dear all,

On Friday evening I passed a dark blue van on the side of the road with blacked out windows doing 55-mph in a (temporary) 40 zone while some road works 'had' once been carried out on a Dual Carriage Way.

So more fool me for speeding, and as I already have 3-points it's time I took some action with 3 more on the way... Reduce my speed yes - but what about a speed camera detector/ mobile lazar detector etc etc?

I here so much about Tom Toms with downloadable software, other units which detect mobile lazars before they get you (Quite how this is possible I'm not sure?) and other technology which scrambles their signals? I understand the legal loop hole in this is that the kit used also happens to be the same as the kit people use to open their garage doors... If only I had a garage door!

So, please please can I start this post by asking who uses what, how much did it cost and would you recommend it?

Thanks guys!

k50 del

9,770 posts

258 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
Depends on exactly what you need.

If you want a GPS based camera solution then the Origin B2 is your man - this comes as standard with a laser detector, has an optional radar detector and will directly interface with your garage door opener.
You can buy all the bits on E-bay second hand, brand new budget about £750.
Whichever route you take you'll need to budget about £50pa for the updates.

If you go the sat nav route then Tom Tom running the pocket GPS database is probably the way to go. This costs £2.99 pcm for the updates but it's probably not as complete as the origin and also has no capability for laser, radar or garage door opening.

As you correctly surmised the laser / radar detection is of limited use without the garage door option as unless you're very lucky, by the time the unit goes off you've been got.
The only way you can get lucky is if the laser detector picks up spurious laser signals that have bounced off a car in front / to the side of you - this is rare!!

Major Bloodnok

1,561 posts

245 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
Aren't the detectors (as opposed to GPS-based solutions) going to become illegal soon?

catso

16,527 posts

297 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
Major Bloodnok said:
Aren't the detectors (as opposed to GPS-based solutions) going to become illegal soon?


Speeding is illegal but if you are prepared to break that law then I really can't see the morality of not using any 'protection'.

Or is it somehow 'not cricket' to try to have some advance warning, perhaps an 'edge' over what is all too often a political and spiteful enforcement of an unjust limit, probably recently lowered for no valid reason (other than to fund a corrupt, parasitic industry created by an even more corrupt government) and that we should just take our 'medicine' with a British stiff upper lip. rolleyes

vonhosen

40,597 posts

247 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
catso said:
Major Bloodnok said:
Aren't the detectors (as opposed to GPS-based solutions) going to become illegal soon?


Speeding is illegal but if you are prepared to break that law then I really can't see the morality of not using any 'protection'.

Or is it somehow 'not cricket' to try to have some advance warning, perhaps an 'edge' over what is all too often a political and spiteful enforcement of an unjust limit, probably recently lowered for no valid reason (other than to fund a corrupt, parasitic industry created by an even more corrupt government) and that we should just take our 'medicine' with a British stiff upper lip. rolleyes


Other than of course when it's introduced you'll get points on your licence for traveling under the speed limit if you have a detector on board.

percy flage

1,770 posts

252 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
vonhosen said:


Other than of course when it's introduced you'll get points on your licence for traveling under the speed limit if you have a detector on board.


Really, Mr FromHoses?

catso

16,527 posts

297 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
vonhosen said:


Other than of course when it's introduced you'll get points on your licence for traveling under the speed limit if you have a detector on board.


Or points for travelling over the limit, hanged for a Sheep or a Lamb....?

But if one was travelling under the speed limit it is unlikely that one would be stopped - and who would be doing the stopping? a Gatso?

beer

vonhosen

40,597 posts

247 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
catso said:
vonhosen said:


Other than of course when it's introduced you'll get points on your licence for traveling under the speed limit if you have a detector on board.


Or points for travelling over the limit, hanged for a Sheep or a Lamb....?

But if one was travelling under the speed limit it is unlikely that one would be stopped - and who would be doing the stopping? a Gatso?

beer


If Police suspect or can detect the device, then there is every chance you could get stopped.

jamesm

Original Poster:

1,499 posts

246 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
k50 del said:
Depends on exactly what you need.

If you want a GPS based camera solution then the Origin B2 is your man - this comes as standard with a laser detector, has an optional radar detector and will directly interface with your garage door opener.
You can buy all the bits on E-bay second hand, brand new budget about £750.
Whichever route you take you'll need to budget about £50pa for the updates.

If you go the sat nav route then Tom Tom running the pocket GPS database is probably the way to go. This costs £2.99 pcm for the updates but it's probably not as complete as the origin and also has no capability for laser, radar or garage door opening.

As you correctly surmised the laser / radar detection is of limited use without the garage door option as unless you're very lucky, by the time the unit goes off you've been got.
The only way you can get lucky is if the laser detector picks up spurious laser signals that have bounced off a car in front / to the side of you - this is rare!!


Thanks for the info, I think the Tom Tom running GPS is a good option. It's always made my laugh about these laser detectors as in my mind if the laser has set the device off - it's surley already got you!

How much do the GPS compatable Tom Tom units go for?

irm

2,423 posts

251 months

Wednesday 21st February 2007
quotequote all
vonhosen said:
catso said:
vonhosen said:


Other than of course when it's introduced you'll get points on your licence for traveling under the speed limit if you have a detector on board.


Or points for travelling over the limit, hanged for a Sheep or a Lamb....?

But if one was travelling under the speed limit it is unlikely that one would be stopped - and who would be doing the stopping? a Gatso?

beer


If Police suspect or can detect the device, then there is every chance you could get stopped.


or visit you later to find out why you gave an error signal

someone (not sure if its folk law) but they are supposed to have been arrested for having a garage door opener. It gave an error reading when the gun was activated even though the limit was not being broken apparently a data base was checked and hey presto that same vehicle had given an error message before, bib visited him and there was the device fitted to the car. The full or correct version is floating about somewhere on a web site, if its true it shows the lengths they will go to which is rather petty but there you are society today.


fluffnik

20,156 posts

257 months

Thursday 22nd February 2007
quotequote all
vonhosen said:

Other than of course when it's introduced you'll get points on your licence for traveling under the speed limit if you have a detector on board.


Best to get a laser designator for the orbital weapons platform then.

...and vote to sack all the fascist muppets, starting May.

fluffnik

20,156 posts

257 months

Thursday 22nd February 2007
quotequote all
irm said:
The full or correct version is floating about somewhere on a web site, if its true it shows the lengths they will go to which is rather petty but there you are society today.


It's tales like this which show the necessity of electing a government willing to sack ACPO en masse...

jwo

989 posts

279 months

Thursday 22nd February 2007
quotequote all
The only real way to be protected from the scamera vans is to invest in some garage door openers. The gps based systems will fag up 'accident blackspots' where the van may be - but after a while you get so used to a van not being at the blackspot you get complacent or annoyed at the beeping! The laser detectors just let you know you have been nailed! The best thing is good observation and take extra care (with speed) when driving in unfamiliar areas.

ps I have gps camera jobbie and sat nav with up to date camera database - i still often come across vans that shouldn't be there!!

Edited by jwo on Thursday 22 February 12:42

BIG DUNC

1,925 posts

253 months

Thursday 22nd February 2007
quotequote all
A blocking device will give a no reading ( or an error ), hence giving them a reason to be suspicous.
A radar detector is a passive device, so other than spotting it on your dash board, there is no way of knowing it is there. Generaly they are quite small, and these days more and more people have sat nav & gps based detectors, so unless you are pulled over, the chances of getting caught are preety small.
Also, I think it could still be some months before this bill gets through and they are finaly not legal. Until then I will use it. Want I ( and I am sure quite a few others ) want to know is the maximum penalty for getting caught with a detector. When I know that, I will decide whether I keep using it.