They Tried To Ban Radar Detectors - The Reason Will Shock You!

Ironic the law to ban a device that indicated you're being targeted and monitored by the government is enacted in 1984...

They got banned here in many states in Australia. Most if not all of the speed detection stuff here now is Laser, both front AND rear facing. Detectors suck for rear facing, generally once you're past it you're done anyway. Even front facing they were a bit hit and miss with the Ka band Multinova cameras in the early 2000's, if you were going fast enough...

I would've have assumed that if you're effectively using my vehicle as a repeater, then the transmitted signal was intended for me.

I still have a trapshooter 3. My detectors constantly went off around malls and other stores due to their automatic doors and security systems. I haven't used a radar detector in at least 10 years or so.

If someone is entitled to direct radio frequency energy at me, I am entitled to see it.

The governments argument falls apart however, if you note that the entire purpose is getting people to slow down to below the limit. Having a detector can only make drivers slow down sooner. If not, the police can still get revenue.

Radar detectors are legal to own and USE in Pennsylvania (USA) except for commercial vehicles.and "police scanners" are legal to own and use here too.

When your lawyer needs a circuit schematic in order to tell whether you're going to jail

It’s interesting how the Wireless Telegraphy Act comes up so frequently on this channel! 😅

In Australia the laws are covered under traffic laws and not radio law. So offences have to be in the context of road or vehicle use. The specific wording of the law has been successfully challenged in some states but the onus is on the person to prove their innocence, which means you have to disprove the traffic offence. Something that is much harder to do. The police have misused the law written for radar detectors in other situations. Usually the police would just use the huge fine to scare the motorist into a much lesser fine. The police used a unit called a VG2 (which might make for another good video) which detected the local oscillator of radar detectors. The use of radar detectors stopped overnight, even though some detectors used a number of different methods to avoid detection. Using a different local oscillator frequency, microwave isolators, frequency hopping and code spreading and even well designed and isolated units with zero leakage. When the police stopped catching radar detectors, they stopped using VG2 units which couldn't be used at the same time as the radar itself. Some radar units had a RDD function in them, but extra cost and no detections made them worthless. These days police don't bother looking for radar detectors as the public assumes they will still get caught. On the rare occasion people do get caught it's because their behaviour of actually speeding and suddenly slamming on the brakes betrays both of their infringements. They're easy pickings. Fixed speed cameras and other reporting apps have largely replaced radar detectors and I think the various governments missed a very big opportunity to make radar detectors work in favour of road safety. It would be very cheap and easy to false flag known road accident blackspots or work zones where a simple microwave beacon would slow down traffic as they would not know if it was a beacon or police. Same thing for school zones, turning a beacon on acts as another warning on top of flashing lights and signs while reminding drivers of possible police radar. On top of that, radar detectors could have been made to receive traffic advisory messages, given the motorist more detailed information with their alert.

Seem to remember you could buy radar jammers that worked very well by firing a beam back that would mess up the readings at the receiving end, not sure you can still get them?

Lazer based fixed speed camera? no such thing. thats a camera and infra red doing average speed checks.

The more I learn about the UK the more it looks like a young North Korea. In America we are critized for being to lax and choosing freedom over safety. The thing is we all try bend and break small rules a little. And we all let our guards down and make mistakes. Our lax laws allow everyone to be human, to occasionally break the speed limit, maby accidentally break the speed limit. We are able to breath and relax and be human without constant stress and fear of being tossed into a prison camp. Freedom is worth the price.

'There is freedom of speech, but I cannot guarantee freedom after speech.', Idi Amin.. Don't know why but this came to mind.

In South Australia the law re wireless telegraphy got around the message part ( UK) by the argument that if you slowed down then you were using information received ie a message

These don't work in the UK now (so I understand) as GATSO and Truvello changed how they use RaDAR on their units??

It's got zero to do with safety there are many other ways to calm speed other than scameras. All to do with revenue!

I still have the updated version of the Cobra Trapshooter. Mine has a bidirectional laser detector. Haven't used it in decades.

Remember they make the rules up as they go along

One thing to note is that some of the radar units used frequencies assigned to amateur bands so it would be interesting if a licenced user was trying to be prosecuted and some detectors were modified into transceivers at least in Australia.