Re: Laser Detection?! What's the point?

[Scott Miller <sdmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Mike, I just saw your Laser Detector question.  If you are the lead
car and your laser detector goes off, you're pretty much dead meat.  At
least you pretty much know they got you and not someone a quarter mile
away, as can happen with radar.

If you are not the lead car, you might (but probably not) get some
warning that the car ahead was lasered, but this is not likely.

I was lasered once in a state park in Marin County (CA).  I was only
going 10 MPH over the limit at the time.  The only thing that saved me
was that it would have been too difficult for the officer to chase me
down.  I was going up the side of a canyon, with switchbacks, about a
mile past an intersection.  The officer was a like distance up, the
opposite direction from the intersection.  At the time of the laser
incident, our cars were about a quarter mile apart, but the drive to
catch me would have probably endangered every pedestrian, bicyclist and
motorist in between us.  So, I got nailed but I got lucky.  And I slowed
down, in case our paths crossed again later.

But, in my opinion, if you get a laser warning, chances are better than
90% that it is too late to save yourself.  At least you get a little
time to think up a good excuse!   :^)

Scott Miller
Golden Gate Chapter
BMW CCA #44977

>Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 16:11:37 EST
>From: "Phid Bombadier" <phid_bombadier@domain.elided>
>Subject: Laser Detection?! What's the point?
>
>Question regarding Laser detectors?  Is there any point to having laser 
>detection on your Radar Detectors?  I thought laser was an instant on / 
>focused specifically at on coming cars sorta deal.  So if you were 
>tagged (or picked up the signal, perhaps same thing) that it was >already too late.
>
>Any comments?  
>
>The reason I ask is, I was driving up to VT this weekend with my 
>familiy and we picked up laser in upstate New York and although we slowed down, 
>we had a "friendly" encounter with the local State Trooper.   
>
>Luckily she only gave us a ticket to pay a fine and not have any 
>insurance points.  Ahhh, Christmas spirit...
>
>- --Mike 
>  96 328is BL/SS/ERK w/Rob Knob
>  BMWCCA NJ

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