What is a radar Detector?

A radar detector is a small electronic device used by some drivers to detect the presence of police radar units and laser speed cameras and laser speed guns. Ideally, the device will pick up the radar/laser gun's signal before the driver speeds past the police officer using it. Avoiding a laser gun speed reading using a radar/laser detector is a difficult feat, because a laser speed reading is obtained in milliseconds, long before the driver has had time to react. In contrast, radar guns spray a radar sign in a fan shape which can barely be called directional. This spray of radiation can be picked up by radar detectors at reasonably long distances, giving the driver enough time to react and check speed if necessary.
Radar for speed detection is falling out of favour with most police departments, due to inherent errors and reflection that make this type of speed detection prone to errors and false readings.
Radar detectors and laser detectors can best be described as tolerated in some states and countries, and illegal in other jurisdictions. There is no restriction on the use of radar detectors or laser jammer in Western Australia. Most drivers who use one keep it attached to the visor or other inconspicuous area.

Radar Detector Detectors:

Some makes and models of radar detector can be vulnerable to detection by a device used by police called a “Radar Detector Detector” (R.D.D.) in states where radar detections are illegal. This is a rather sneaky piece of equipment which is capable of detect the functioning radar detector and alert the office to your equipment. It is most important for drivers to purchase a radar detector that is NOT detectable by police R.D.D devices.

Function:
 
A very basic radar gun sends out a radio signal at a specific frequency, which bounces off a metallic targeted object (a car's body or number plate for example) and returns to the radar gun. This signal moves at the speed of light, so a computer unit can calculate the time it takes for a signal to return. Radar guns typically take slightly longer to generate a speed reading than laser guns. This is most likely due to error control functions within the gun that require a consistent reading over a short time period before a reading is displayed. If the target object is moving towards the radar gun, the returning signal frequency becomes higher due to a phenomenon called the Doppler shift. This means a moving police vehicle can accurately calculate the speed of a car approaching it. Police laser guns are required to remain stationary by the side of the highway to detect speeders; however there are some models of radar detection such as “moving mobile radar” fitted to a police car. The mobile radar is able to take into consideration the speed of the police vehicle when calculating the speed of a targeted vehicle. 

A radar detector is tuned to the same radio frequencies used by most radar guns, In the same sense that a car radio can pick up the specific signal on an AM or FM channel, a detector can sense an active signal on a police radar frequency before the car gets into its enforceable range. When activated, a radar detector sends out both an audio and visual signal to the driver, who should have enough time to slow down to a legal speed. 


Detection Distances:

Alert distances depend heavily on the police officer's operating the radar gun. A smart police officer will point the radar gun at the ground while waiting for a target vehicle to approach to within the speed detection zone before raising the gun to target the approaching vehicle. Using this method, a driver will have little if any time to react. Fortunately, many police officers hold their radar guns up for too long, there-by sending stray radiation signals far down range which can be easily detected.  The same issue occurs with the use of mobile radar. Prescient police officers, leave the radar system on standby until a vehicle is within a reasonable range, then targeting the vehicle with a short bust, to obtain an accurate speed reading.  If a police car comes up quietly on a speeding car before activating the mobile radar, a radar detector won't offer much protection.
Modern radar guns and speed detections systems use “quick burst” radiation to avoid alerting radar detector users down range.  Sophisticated radar detector can still pick up on these quick burst signals if there are enough reflection off metal objects or a good line of sight. Considering that an average speeding ticket can cost quite a bit of money and a significant increase in insurance rates, the price of an advanced detection device may seem worthwhile to those drivers who tend to stray over the limit.
The latest trend in speeding detection uses laser light instead of soundwaves. A system called LIDAR  (LIght  Detection And Ranging) can be set up by law enforcers to detect speeders automatically through more accurate laser measurements. Because the laser signals are so narrowly focused, a standard radar detector cannot sense the signal before arrival. Although a radar/laser detector may pick up a laser speed gun, there will not be enough time to do anything about it. A speed reading will be obtained in milliseconds. In this situation a radar /laser detector would more accurately be called a “Speeding fine detector” a useless brick better used as a door stop.

 

The only option to drivers is to use a “laser jammer” or more accurately called a “laser black-out device” A device like the HP-905 from Blinder Australia can trick a laser gun into thinking that the car it is fitted to is INVISIBLE. The 3 or 4 seconds warning before automatic switch will often afford you time to slow down and avoid a speeding fine.
As with radar detectors, poor quality laser gun jammers can be detected on some models of laser gun giving off jamming codes. The Blinder HP-905 does not give off any jamming signals and is capable of jamming all laser guns used in Australia. You can own a high quality laser “black-out” device at a price that will make you smile. Blinder.com.au

What is a Speed Trap?

A speed trap is a section of highway or road along which traffic laws are heavily enforced. Usually, speed traps are located in areas where motorists tend to travel above the posted speed limit. Often speed trap locations are chosen due to an anomaly between the posted speed limit and the speed that drivers feel comfortable taking into account the road and traffic conditions.
This type of mismatch between the posted speed limit and good road conditions for a faster speed offers rich pickings for wrongheaded traffic police keen to hand out a book full of tickets. This type of speed enforcement alienates drivers and highlights stupidly low posted speed limits.
Rarely is a speed traps setup in relation to high crash statistics or other safety concerns. Police officer will often park next in a trap and pull over speeders who have been driving above the posted speed limit. Normally a vehicles speed will first be estimated by a police officer as visually driving above the speed limit. A traffic police officer can become very accurate a estimating speeds after a few years practice. Judging a vehicles speed at a distance of 100m within 5km/h is not unheard of among traffic police. After estimating the speed of a vehicle as travelling above the speed limit, an officer will train a laser or radar gun on the suspect vehicle to obtain a more accurate speed reading. (Estimation a vehicles speeds before training a laser or speed gun on a suspect vehicle is a necessary part of the “legal process.” Failure to “estimate” the speed first was necessary as most radar guns give false readings from time to time. If a police officer worked of the radar speed only, the driving public would be at risk of being charged falsely).

In heavily trafficked downtown areas, for example, speed limits tend to be low so that drivers do not inadvertently hit pedestrians or other motorists. Downtown areas tend to have greater potential for accidents because of sudden stopping and starting, quick lane changes, or other hazards such as pedestrians and school children. In other areas such as the open highway, speed limits are set higher to reflect better driving conditions with fewer vehicles and hazards.
In country areas, police tend to target visitors or people passing through. Traffic Police who live in a town, tend to avoid upsetting local town residents too much as they often socialise and live in the town. In many areas, locals are well aware of where these speed traps locations, which means that law enforcement tends to apprehend mostly out of town visitors more than locals.
In the United States, it is rare for police to charge drivers under 10 to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit. However, in cash strapped Australian states live Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, it is not uncommon for police to issue speeding tickets at a fraction of this speed at 4 kilometres per hour over the limit (about 2 and a half miles per hour).  

To highlight this absurdity, perhaps state governments could one day switch over to measuring speed at metres per hour enabling high fines for 1000m per hour over the speed limit (1km/h) with fines of $200 to $300  I’m sure that this will fill their pockets with enough cash to balance the budget.
Law enforcement agencies do have a legitimate job to target speeders who travel at excessive speeds. In 1985, the normal target minimum speed was 18+ km/h over the posted speed limit. As drivers have modified their behaviour and reduced average speeds in response to speed cameras, the minimum targeted speed has also reduced, making a mockery out of the system that now targets drivers for 3 to 4km/h over the posted limit. This wrongheaded approach to targeting drivers has generated a generation of “Speedo watchers” more intent on watching their speed dial than the road and traffic hazards.
Cash strapped state governments seeking quick and easy revenue, now target motorist as their “Cash Cow” to fiscal nirvana. Worse still is that this “highway robbery” is done under the banner of “road safety.”  

Some law enforcement officials believe that drivers who exceed a posted speed limit are putting themselves and other drivers at risk.  From my experience, I believe that most experienced intelligent traffic police believe this to me a myth, perpetuated by those with a vested interest.

The average motorist is no more a danger to himself or other motorists driving 5 to 10 km/h over the limit than driving 5km/h under the limit. In fact I can think of several reasons why a clever motorist may well be safer travelling 5 to 10km/h over the limit.

Checkout Blinder.com.au for your anti-laser equipment designed to save your licence and your wallet.

What is a Laser Jammer?

LIDAR guns are used by many law enforcement traffic police officers to quickly and easily determine the speed of a vehicle travelling either towards or away from the laser gun. These laser guns function using the "Doppler effect" in a similar way to radar based devices. The laser light pulses are reflected off the vehicle bodywork, headlights and number plate returning to the laser gun in extremely short time periods measured in Nano and Pico seconds. The laser gun firmware logs the time it takes for the laser signal to bounce back and uses this time to calculate the speed of the target vehicle. There are several makes and models of laser gun used in Australia at this time (April 2014)

•     LTI Ultralyte 20/20
•     Kustom Pro Laser III
•     LTI Ultralute 20/20 Compact 125 pps
•     LTI TruSpeed
•     LTI TruCAM
•     LTI Truspeed S (2000pps)
•     VITRONIC PoliscanSpeed Tripod/Vehicle mounted laser speed camera

A laser jammer is a device typically used by motorists in an attempt to counteract or confuse the use of invisible light detection and ranging (LIDAR) speed detection devices often used by law enforcement to hand out speeding fines. A LIDAR jammer is a device that operate at blindingly quick speeds to react to incoming laser signals and then return a carefully designed and timed signal that makes the LIDAR gun miscalculate the speed of the vehicle or tricking the laser gun into believe that it isn't aiming at anything at all - just thin air.

A laser jammer is not necessarily illegal for use by motorists in all areas, though some countries and regions have outlawed their use. Western Australia has no specific laws banning the use of LIDAR jammers or radar detectors. New South Wales has laws against the use of laser jammers, however their law allows for other equipment that my accidentally interfere with laser speed detection equipment.

 It is interesting to note that the light spectrum that is used for laser speed detection is NOT licensed to the police or anyone in particular. It is a free light spectrum and the frequency and can be used by any manufacturer in their devices. Examples of this light spectrum being used are Parking Assist devices which use LIDAR to detect stationary objects. Because this light spectrum is open to the public to freely use, it is ludicrous that some states have outlawed "inadvertent interference." (www.blinder.com.au Laser Park Assist)

Also called laser scramblers, a laser jammer sends out a carefully crafted signal that mimics the returning signal of the LIDAR speed gun. Laser jammers with poorly crafted signals, may cause an alert to be generated on the laser speed gun, alerting the police officer that his speed reading is being disrupted. A modern European designed laser jammer should never give off jamming error codes.

LIDAR guns are not prone to "reflection errors" that plague radar guns readings. Hence laser speed readings are replacing radar as the preferred method of obtaining a speed reading. Police Officers prefer the fast operation of laser speed reading devices that can obtain a reading in fractions of a second.  A laser jammer sends out a light signal that effectively "tricks" the laser gun, so that it is unable to properly calculate and display a correct speed. While the laser jammer is communicating with the laser gun, it also sends out an audio alert to warn the driver that someone is attempting to gain a speed reading of the vehicle. 

Laser Jammers from Blinder even tell drivers the make and model of the laser gun threat through voice alerts. Once the signal is detected and alert sounds, the driver has 3 to 5 seconds to take remedial action, check the speed of the vehicle and if necessary, reduce speed and the switch off the laser jammer. When used by an expert, this "brake and switch off" event can take less that 4 seconds. 

The sensors for a laser jammer can be mounted in the grille or bodywork of the vehicle. Although most speed readings are obtained from the front of the vehicle, many drivers also mount sensors to the rear of the vehicle to avoid speeding fines from rear aimed laser guns. 

The use of a laser jammer is not necessarily illegal in all areas, though some regions have passed laws to ban the use of such devices. While many countries have laws that forbid the use of radar jammers to disrupt the use of older radar speed detection guns, these laws do not necessarily cover the use of laser jamming devices. In the US, individual states have begun passing laws to ban the use of a laser jammer. This means anyone driving from state to state and using such a jammer should be aware of the legality of using such a device in each state. That being said, the sensor sfor these devices can be very discrete and difficult to notice. Some drivers use "lift kits" that elevate the sensor out of view when the laser jammer is switched off. You can use an old computer DVD player as a cheap Lift Kit with the sensors attached to the slide tray.

Many motorists with high end vehicles are more than happy to fork out the $600+ to necessary to purchase a full Quad sensor system from Blinder Australia. Over time, the accumulated savings from avoided speeding fines, can make the initial outlay look cheap in comparison to demerit points and a lost driver's licence.

If you have any questions, please ask you Blinder representative (blinder.com.au)