TexasCHLforum.com

Well, once again, I got pulled over in my company vehicle for speeding.

Driving back from Pryor, OK I looked in my rearview and realized there was a Trooper behind me. I pulled over to the side of the road and had my DL, CHL and insurance handy. Once he approached I informed him that I was legally armed, and my firearm was on my right hip. He just asked me to not reach for it or make any sudden movements.

He informed me that I was doing 87 in a 65(ouch) and informed me I would not be getting a warning today.

He was back in a jiffy with my credentials and citation. He chatted with me for a few moments about what I do for a living and was on his way after shaking(trying to crush)my hand.

Nice guy though, Knocked it down to 80 in 65.

Very professional and by the way he shook hands he could probably tear my head off no problem.

You need to get a Valentine One radar/laser detector. It will give you plenty of time to slow
down, as long as the LEO isn't using his speed detection device in "instant on" mode.

You drive too fast to get by on your good looks. :-)

SIA

surprise_i'm_armed wrote:You need to get a Valentine One radar/laser detector. It will give you plenty of time to slow
down, as long as the LEO isn't using his speed detection device in "instant on" mode.

You drive too fast to get by on your good looks. :-)

SIA

Wouldn't a better course of action be to SLOW DOWN? The state has the rectangular signs with numbers on them mounted on the side of the road. You match those numbers up with the numbers on your dash and viola, no ticket.

jbarn wrote:

surprise_i'm_armed wrote:You need to get a Valentine One radar/laser detector. It will give you plenty of time to slow
down, as long as the LEO isn't using his speed detection device in "instant on" mode.

You drive too fast to get by on your good looks. :-)

SIA

Wouldn't a better course of action be to SLOW DOWN? The state has the rectangular signs with numbers on them mounted on the side of the road. You match those numbers up with the numbers on your dash and viola, no ticket.

The only way that works if the state would introduce a law to raise said numbers with the inflation rate.

Got stopped once by DPS in Grayson county also. Had a lake car in storeage that I was bringing into the shop to get an expired safety sticker renewed. Two blocks from the dealer when he stops me and tickets me. Not a nice guy like yours and I actually ended up reporting him as he was a true you know what. When you have a car in storeage and are trying to get an updated tag what do you do? Anyhow, paid a fairly large ticket. I guess I was supposed to tow the vehicle on a trailer or something. License tags were good.

jbarn wrote:

surprise_i'm_armed wrote:You need to get a Valentine One radar/laser detector. It will give you plenty of time to slow
down, as long as the LEO isn't using his speed detection device in "instant on" mode.

You drive too fast to get by on your good looks. :-)

SIA

Wouldn't a better course of action be to SLOW DOWN? The state has the rectangular signs with numbers on them mounted on the side of the road. You match those numbers up with the numbers on your dash and viola, no ticket.

A common misconception is that all folks who use radar detectors use them to actively evade police and "get away" with speeding.
While some may do that, many use them for other purposes.

I use mine to:
1. Alert me when there is a police officer conducting a criminal investigation by gathering evidence....I like to know what the police are doing when in close proximity to me.

2. Remind me that maintaining a safe and prudent speed is difficult to do sometimes; when it alerts, I recheck my speed to see if I've wandered into unsafe territory - regardless of the "flow of traffic".

3. It's a type of entertainment.
Good for keeping me engaged and alert during long drives, vacation trips or just heading to the store.

Police who use radar or lidar can and do make mistakes on the cars they target.

Just because you're not speeding doesn't mean the officer won't give you a ticket.
If you're aware of him and the situation, that could help when you fight the ticket in court.
For example, knowing (and remembering) the fact that traffic density was very high when you get a radar based ticket might go some way to helping you get a reduced charge or get a dismissal.

I have a Valentine 1 with a concealed display. I use it 100% of the time I'm driving in my car. I make no apologies for its presence or use in my car.

Regards,
LabRat

LabRat wrote:

jbarn wrote:

surprise_i'm_armed wrote:You need to get a Valentine One radar/laser detector. It will give you plenty of time to slow
down, as long as the LEO isn't using his speed detection device in "instant on" mode.

You drive too fast to get by on your good looks. :-)

SIA

Wouldn't a better course of action be to SLOW DOWN? The state has the rectangular signs with numbers on them mounted on the side of the road. You match those numbers up with the numbers on your dash and viola, no ticket.

A common misconception is that all folks who use radar detectors use them to actively evade police and "get away" with speeding.
While some may do that, many use them for other purposes.

I use mine to:
1. Alert me when there is a police officer conducting a criminal investigation by gathering evidence....I like to know what the police are doing when in close proximity to me.

2. Remind me that maintaining a safe and prudent speed is difficult to do sometimes; when it alerts, I recheck my speed to see if I've wandered into unsafe territory - regardless of the "flow of traffic".

3. It's a type of entertainment.
Good for keeping me engaged and alert during long drives, vacation trips or just heading to the store.

Police who use radar or lidar can and do make mistakes on the cars they target.

Just because you're not speeding doesn't mean the officer won't give you a ticket.
If you're aware of him and the situation, that could help when you fight the ticket in court.
For example, knowing (and remembering) the fact that traffic density was very high when you get a radar based ticket might go some way to helping you get a reduced charge or get a dismissal.

I have a Valentine 1 with a concealed display. I use it 100% of the time I'm driving in my car. I make no apologies for its presence or use in my car.

Regards,
LabRat

Labrat, I take you for your word, but are you saying you don't speed, and do not do so more egregiously and often than you would without a Radar Detector? And if you have a RD and are stopped, you pretty much guarantee yourself a ticket. I know yours is hidden, a sharp officer can deduce the use of a RD at the moment he clocks your speed.

As a former LEO, I worked traffic. I never saw anyone found not guilty because they remembered traffic was heavy, nor because of their radar detector.

I have an Escort 8500 radar/laser detector. I don't deliberately set out to speed most of the time....I set out to drive at whatever rate the flow of traffic is moving at, unless traffic is moving slower than the limit and I can work my way clear of it. Then, I'll increase speed to the limit + 5mph and cruise from there until I get some space between me and the clot of cars, after which I'll slow down to the limit. If I have cruising room, I'll use cruise control.

For me, the detector not so much about speed trap evasion, as it is keeping my eyes open. Often, a radar alert is an alert to something happening on the shoulder of the road, and I need to be aware of it. It is a caution in case I gradually "wander" into higher than posted speeds. The detector has saved my bacon more than once on long downhills where, even with cruise control on, the car can gradually gain speed above the limit.

About the ONLY time I purposely drive at what might be considered "elevated" speeds—say 80-85 mph—is on those long open sections of Interstate where the limit might be 75, and where my detector will pick up the police car before its radar can pick me up. But I only do that on the long barren stretches, where there aren't any other cars around me..........unless they are going 80-85 too...... But even in those situations, I usually just set cruise control to whatever the limit is and go by that. My vehicle (2002 Pathfinder SE 4x4) doesn't get great fuel economy, and so it usually just doesn't pay for me to speed.

jbarn wrote:The state has the rectangular signs with numbers on them mounted on the side of the road. You match those numbers up with the numbers on your dash and viola, no ticket.

I tried that once. The officer said that those numbers were the route number and I could not go 95 MPH. He also said something about being glad I was not on 183 at the time.

srothstein wrote:

jbarn wrote:The state has the rectangular signs with numbers on them mounted on the side of the road. You match those numbers up with the numbers on your dash and viola, no ticket.

I tried that once. The officer said that those numbers were the route number and I could not go 95 MPH. He also said something about being glad I was not on 183 at the time.

Oops!

srothstein wrote:

jbarn wrote:The state has the rectangular signs with numbers on them mounted on the side of the road. You match those numbers up with the numbers on your dash and viola, no ticket.

I tried that once. The officer said that those numbers were the route number and I could not go 95 MPH. He also said something about being glad I was not on 183 at the time.

That used to be a standard joke about the 101 in California. "But Officer I Was Going As Fast As I Could!"

I drove fast before and after my full time stint in LE. I find keeping your focus can avoid a lot of speeding tickets.

gigag04 wrote:I drove fast before and after my full time stint in LE. I find keeping your focus can avoid a lot of speeding tickets.

You can avoid a lot of trouble with good situational awareness.

I'm another one who uses a radar detector all the time, an Escort 9500ix. Like the others have posted, I don't use it to speed but I like to know when I'm being clocked, and as a reminder to check my speed. We all make mistakes and getting a little lead-footed due to inattention does happen.

My detector has actually saved me from two tickets.

One because I was inadvertently speeding when the detector went off. I got pulled over in a safe spot before the cop even got turned around. When he got to my car, the first words out of his mouth were, "What happened?" I told the truth and admitted I had no reason to complain about getting a ticket. He laughed and let me go with a written warning.

On the second one, I wasn't speeding but the cop told one lie after another. I had my fiance' and sister in my vehicle at the time. I explained to him how the waters were parted and my rant ended with an invitation to write the ticket, so I and my two witnesses could enjoy watching the judge bust his chops. He let me go with a sheepish, "Watch your speed."

Dori wrote:

gigag04 wrote:I drove fast before and after my full time stint in LE. I find keeping your focus can avoid a lot of speeding tickets.

You can avoid a lot of trouble with good situational awareness.

Couldn't agree more with both of these quotes. A good set of eyes will make a world of difference. No radar detector needed. I've used this practice for years and years. Certain vehicle types and certain colors, looking far down the road at all oncoming traffic. Hint, hint!!