Radar Detectors & Road Safety

Long piece on Radio Wales today regarding a massive increase in speed cameras and the like. We were told, at length, that the only reason for installation of the same was to promote road safety - it was absolutely nothing to do with the Police receiving the bounty from the fines or for this being "lazy policing".

Now, I am as keen on road safety as the next. As the police are going to put cameras only to promote road safety I would like to get a radar detector so that I can know in advance where these accident blackspots are and adjust my driving accordingly, thus assisting the Police in their quest.

Does anyone have any experience with these radar detectors, what are their opinions upon them, and if there is sufficient interest amongst us, could we get a bulk discount?

"As the police are going to put cameras only to promote road safety I would like to get a radar detector so that I can know in advance where these accident blackspots are and adjust my driving accordingly, thus assisting the Police in their quest."

Do we have a classic quotes section on the website yet??

I was simply repeating what the Police and road safety interviewees had said!

PS I really did believe them, too!!!!!

[noiseboy]

The thing that the government are keeping to themselves is that.....

GATSOs cause crashes. The statistics bear this out. Most accidents are caused by Dangerous Driving, Inexperience or Drink/Drugs NOT speed (actually accounts for only 7% of RTAs).

The "Safety Cameras" are in the opinion of many simply a cash cow by authorities not wishing to spend money on proper policing (which would also cover the drinking/drugs/dangerous stuff).

The thing is - when people see a gatso, they brake, and sometimes the people behind them crash into them. If the gatso wasn't there then people would not be braking...... so the gatsos are in some cases becoming their own accident blackspots.

The number of gatsos is due to triple - so if you want a radar detector then now is the time to get one. If you are looking for a recommendation then I would say try a top of the range Snooper.

Best Regards,

Phil :-)

Hi,
I Agree with Phil. Speed cameras only punish someone breaking the speed limit, not dangerous drivers.

I travel 90 miles a day on the M4 and see speed traps every week. But I've never seen a Traffic car pull over the moron tailgating me at *0mph whein I've got a safe gap in front of me.

Have a look at this site <http://www.tuftufclub.com/>

Its a dutch site but there is an English translation link on the top line.

I don't condone what they are doing. But then I have to say that !

Andy F.

'95 Yellow T5-R Saloon

[Peter Milnes]

It seems like a Tuf-tuf Club member visited Pontyclun, about five miles away from me quite recently as the Gatso was losing it's balance and looking most precarious!

All the best, Peter.

They visit Hoofddorp, near Schiphol, frequently 4 Gatsos on the ringroad ina 2 1/2 years.... Started with spray painting then went to full blown destruction - great! Worst thing has to be the police stiing up at night in black cars, with no reflectpors in the run saftey run off areas - even with main beam you don't see them until you are on top of them..

Stu

Hi,

I have a Snooper SD815iS on the dash and a Snooper SLD920 Laser Diffusser in the front air intake under the number plates. The total cost was about £ 450 but well worth it.

On its own, the 815 tells me about live Gatso's ( NOT all of them are live of course ) as I approach them. It also unfortunately tells me about traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, road works traffic lights and also automatic door opening sensors ( on supermarkets etc.) It also warns of a laser beam being pointed at you but it doesn't stop you getting a ticket, because by the time that the 815 beeps to warn you, they have already got a reading of your speed.

That is where the SLD920 comes in useful. This is 2 small black lenses that are mounted in the front of the car. When a laser is pointed at your car, this beeps a constant tone to warn you but also calculates the frequency of the laser, and emits a jamming laser back out to lock up the police laser gun. You are supposed to slow down when it beeps to just below the speed, switch the unit off and allow them to get a reading of your speed, now of course, below the limit.

When I first bought and installed this, my brother, who is a traffic cop, tested it for me by zapping me from 3/4 mile away. The tone went off and I left it on right up until I pulled up behind the traffic Volvo. He could not get a reading from me AT ALL, :P not even when I was 10 feet behind him. What's more, he said that it didn't even tell him that I had a jammer on board, it just gave him a tone as if his gun was not receiving a signal back.:D

Then about 2 months ago, it went off again, this time for real.x(
I looked into the distance and saw the red van with one window missing parked up on a bridge over the dual carriageway about a mile away. I left it on and slowed down to 65 ( from about 80 ) and went right under them, with a smug grin on my face. :D It worked, the 14 days came and went with no sign of a NIP. What a relief.

So my verdict is, go for the top of the range detector, but that on its own will not save you from the lasers that they are using more and more often these days, it will only give protection from Gatso's. SPEND THE EXTRA £199 AND GET THE DIFFUSER AS WELL.




Regards,

Marcel
'95 850 T5 Estate Auto.

I'd agree that some cameras do end up causing more crashes than before in the same location. There is one traffic light camera on the junction of Western Ave. Cardiff, outside Tesco's. Since it has been erected I have noticed a regular increase in the amount of car lens glass, bumpers and other bits of car adding to the decor.

The opposite direction doesn't have this problem because there is no camera. I am also guilty of slamming on my brakes as soon as I see them (the lights) change, even if it almost too late, because I don't want a ticket. I'm sure many others do this, explaining the numerous crashes there.

It might have actually been safe to go through with no ticket if it hasn't changed to red, but it's not worth the risk. It's like the people who slow from doing 50mph, in a 40 mph zone, to 30mph just to be sure they don't get a ticket.

A good website that I use, especially when travelling to another part of the country that I don't know, is:
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/
They also have a section about detectors, which I think the original poster wanted.

Al