Re: Detection of detectors AD #822

["C.M. Smith" <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

can they detect when you have a detector on board???? 
Gordon 
'99 GTV V6 - driven cautiously!


You bet they can.

Super heterodyne detectors (all the current ones) emit small amounts of
radar waves which can be detected by radar detector detectors readily
available to enforcement officers. All the decent radar detectors use some
sort of "stealth" to conceal these emissions from the sniffers. Adds an
intriguing new dimension to the whole idea of "us v them".

The older detectors are not stealthy. Also, the older detectors are
sensitive to the emissions so some falsing is caused by excessively noisy
detectors in other people's cars!

In Alberta, where we are free to detect undetected, it matters not which we
use. In other areas, such as Ontario and definitely Quebec ( ask the locals
about the Quebec Surete), stealth is essential. Bel makes a very good
stealthy detector, apparently.

 When X band ruled the roads and detectors were illegal in Alberta you
could speed with impunity (with a detector on board) because the
constant-on X band could be heard for miles. The legalisation of detector
possession coincided with the acquisition of neato K band and pulse
equipment by the Mounties so the game resolved back to "can I see you
before you pull the trigger?", Quite entertaining really, and sort of fair
in a twisted way.

Laser detection is very controversial. As in the early days of pulsed K
band, (and now with the wide band Ka popping up), you can find you have a
ticket announcer on the dash, really handy.

Of course, if someone could actually produce some convincing scientifically
based evidence that high speed motoring really is more dangerous than
slower speed motoring I would consider slowing down and jettisoning the
detector. So far, all the "evidence" I've seen proves only that some pretty
horrific crashes occur at high speed (duh). If it's bad crashes we're
worried about maybe we should resurrect the old British rule that horseless
carriages must be preceded by a man on foot carrying a red flag during
daylight hours and a red light at night, no speed limit required! I prefer
the strange idea of not crashing in the first place, and using a seat belt
to reduce the risk if someone makes a mistake.


Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner 

------------------------------