Radar/Laser Detector

[old phart]

So I've been pulled over twice but haven't gotten a ticket. Going on the offensive. Purchased a unit and am waiting for my first 'alert'. Anyone have experience with these things they'd like to share? With your laws, across the pond, can you even use them?

Do you 'hit the brakes' when it alerts or is a gradual deceleration ok? Wondering how long they need a steady speed to get a lock.

Distances? How close does a patrol car need to be to get a good lock?

I'm guessing with it on my windshield, if I get pulled over there is a 100% chance they will write me up as it will be obvious I'm trying not to get caught.

[vankypanky]

as long as it doesnt scatter the signal they arent illegal here as far as i am aware.
in france yes

[Jon39]

Not legal in UK.
I can remember a post about an Aston owner, who instructed his dealer to fit some kind of gadget (or so he said in court) and a radar detector was fitted. It was later reported that he was found not guilty.

The authorities here have all manor of fancy equipment to catch speeders, mostly fixed equipment. It raises a great deal of money.

We like paying our taxes here, and even pay about 80% tax on petrol. Politicians go on and on about, "Hard working people", "Schools and hospitals", "Smart motorways".

To make a 'Smart' motorway, we are first told it is going to be widened to four lanes. Take away the breakdown lane (hard shoulder), use that as the extra lane, put up signs so the speed limit can be instantly changed, and fit numerous cameras and speed traps.
Then hope that you don't breakdown.

[SidJames]

Aston driver charged

I had one on a Mustang a few years ago, and it saved me a couple of times.

Mobile scamera van at the bottom of a hill about 200 yards away, got an alert instantly (was doing 20mph above speed limit) so jammed the anchors on and went past at a normal speed.

Various forums in the UK on legality and prosecutions (failed mainly), but seems to be a register for "cars caught with errors in speed traps". i.e. possible laser jammer fitted.

[divetheworld]

Laser detection and laser diffusion\jamming are two very different things.
A laser detection device is completely legal in the UK, a jammer is not.
Jammers are referred to in the above po'po stuff.

Laser detectors pick up light in a specific wavelength that speed traps use. If it goes off, either your already nicked or it has picked up some laser scatter from someone else very close that has been targetted.
Bottom line, its a long shot by the time it goes off that it isn't you who is caught. If it goes off, middle pedal... hard....