Are radar detectors legal in your State/Province?

willys

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Sorry to correct your comments about radar detectors being illegal in Alberta.... but they been legal since 1985. Laser is common in cities along with Photo radar and K band most other locales and rural RCMP detachments.

-just dont come to Edmonton where we are the highest ticketed major center in North America
 

willys

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HAD A '01 GLS JETTA, STUCK WITH A PRIUS :-(
Sorry to correct your comments about radar detectors being illegal in Alberta.... but they been legal since 1985. Laser is common in cities along with Photo radar and K band most other locales and rural RCMP detachments.

-just dont come to Edmonton where we are the highest ticketed major center in North America
 

rforce1

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May 25, 2001
Location
British Columbia
I'm just curious where radar detectors are legal/illegal these days? In particular for Washington & Oregon, as I'll be taking a trip there in the near future.

In British Columbia they are legal. In Alberta & Ontario they are illegal.

Thanks,
Rforce1
 

rforce1

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Location
British Columbia
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by willys:
Sorry to correct your comments about radar detectors being illegal in Alberta.... but they been legal since 1985.(<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oops! I must have been thinking about one of the other provinces.....I remember the sign at the border saying R.D.'s are illegal. (Maybe one of the prairie provinces, but I won't harbour a guess....one mistake is enough!)


Thanks,
Rforce1
 

einsig

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Jul 9, 2001
Location
Philly, PA
There are only two US states in which radar detectors are illegal. One is Virginia (which includes Washington DC). I think the other may be New York, but I cna't remember. When you say you are going to Washington I take it you mean the state and not Washington DC, which abides mostly by Virginia Commonwealth law.
 

T5TDI

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Here in England I think it is quite legal to sell them but illegal to use them! Weird eh? But then we are a bit weird here;-)
 

GotDiesel?

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Radar detectors are legal in Washington state, but the state patrol has taken to using laser guns as well. Everything I've read so far about laser detectors says by the time it goes off, they already know how fast you're going.

Typically, one trooper will set up shop in the median (sometimes in a fairly difficult to spot location) and take the readings.

Blatant offenders get to meet some of our finest a few miles down the road. I've seen as many as 8 patrol cars involved in such an operation.

I have it on good authority that the state patrol sets their guns to ignore infractions less than 5 mph over the limit.
 

Eolair

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Brodie:
Here in England I think it is quite legal to sell them but illegal to use them! Weird eh? But then we are a bit weird here;-)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Same here in Germany. They are illeagal, you won´t get a fine using them, but the cops may take it away from you (so the fine for using a Radar detector is a Radar detector :)
 

rforce1

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GotDiesel?:
...Everything I've read so far about laser detectors says by the time it goes off, they already know how fast you're going.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I think you have to be pretty lucky to evade the laser also, but it is possible. I was 'enhancing' my speed one day when the "Laser" detection went off. I immediately slowed down, thinking for sure that I had been identified, however I was not pulled over. My thinking is this.....I either picked up residual Laser off of a car in front of me, or the fine man in Blue (or Red up here in Canada) was taking aim at me from too far away (approximately 2km or 1.25mi). If it was the latter, I think that he may not have been able to get a firm reading right away. Does anyone know the range of a Laser radar gun?

Back to Topic: Is NJ the other State which is Illegal for Radar Detectors to be used within? (I can't remember if I read something about that or not).
 

banzai

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East Overshoe, ME
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What are good brands-
I got a Cobra- dunno how good it is-
the X band goes off everwhere- from stores and burglar alarms
K band is usually a cop- yesterday my fiancee blew past a Maine State pooper sitting in the median- we were doing 90mph when the detector went off- no we did not get a ticket!!!

People are pretty good about flicking their high beams when they see a cop- worst part of my commute is I95 in NH- they sit in the ditch.
www.speedtrap.com
 

BawlsyTDI

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Radar Detector are legal here in CT. I've had one in my car(s) for 5 years or so. Of course I've never been pulled over since getting the detector......

Perhaps they are I don't know.

EAR
 

Powder Hound

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If you could, get a bunch of people to contribute to the ACLU and get them to file a class action lawsuit against CT. Depriving you of a radar detector is essentially depriving you of your right to know if you are being searched, the search being conducted without probable cause usually. Confiscation of the 'offending' device constitutes theft without due process, also prohibited by the U.S. Constitution.

If you have the legal horsepower to fight back (read: cubic $$$) then you can cause them lots of problems.

Otherwise, buy K-Y Jelly in the large economy size, 'cuz its BOHICA time!
 

The Ripster

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UP of Michigan
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None at this time
As far as I know there are only two stateside places they are illegal, Virginia
and District of Columbia, unless the laws have changed they are legal everywhere else.
Virginia has a very easily spotted sign upon entering the state that they are illegal, and they search for them with electronic devices. Valentine detectors, in my opinion are unbeatable, except when there are aircraft overhead, or the instant on switch is being used. I use mine for entertainment, and still keep the speed down to no more than 10 over the posted speed. In the past year I have been hit with the instant on, being the lead vehicle, and have been right where they are not interested in stopping. Heavy rain
will, in most instances, render radar inoperable. But then speeding during heavy rain will put you in the ditch or worse.

[ July 16, 2001: Message edited by: The Ripster ]
 

Mass. Wine Guy

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Virginia and Washington, D.C. are the only illegal states. Connecticut formerly was but now it's legal there. I find a detector most valuable not for highways, but for driving around my small, prehistoric-minded small New England town and surrounding roads. I refuse to get stopped for driving 15 to 20 mph over the limit on a clear, wide road with no other cars.
 

banzai

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NH small towns are real bad for that too- especially if you have MA plates-

Another good thing is to let a faster driver blow past you- no matter how fast you are going someone wants to pass you- I figure a guy going 15mph faster than me deserves the ticket more.
 

Mass. Wine Guy

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That was you I passed? NH drivers are sure slow. Guess it's that they all usually drive TDI tractors.

Originally posted by banzai:

NH small towns are real bad for that too- especially if you have MA plates-
Another good thing is to let a faster driver blow past you- no matter how fast you are going someone wants to pass you- I figure a guy going 15mph faster than me deserves the ticket more.
[/QUOTE]
 

MITBeta

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I think they are illegal in 2 states only: Virginia/Washington DC, and Connecticut.
 

tadc

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I have owned several name brand detectors in the past, and over time each one has become increasingly prone to falsing and being set off by other radar detectors in the immediate area, especially on Ka band.

Currently running a Valentine One. Definitely better quality and less false alarms than the other units. Also the direction-sensing and bogey-count features are great. OTOH they are pretty spendy ($400 bucks when I got mine, dunno if the price has changed) but will probably last much longer. My previous unit was a Uniden that I paid $250 for and it became unuseable due to near-constant Ka band alerts after a couple years.

That being said, having a radar detector does not give you a license to speed... I have 2 speeding tickets since I bought the V1 to prove it.
 

tdibugman

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Mar 16, 2001
Location
Forked River, NJ
detectors are legal for sale in NJ, and it is legal to have them in your car (and mounted) but not legal to have it on. But, on that note, I've never known or heard of anyone getting a ticket for having it on.
Go figure.
 

banzai

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East Overshoe, ME
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NB TDI
Hey WineGuy!
I am one of the speedy New Hampsters- I drive I495 everyday to Billerica,MA-
I did 90mph most of the way there- never see copz out there-(well-on the end by I95)

I hate driving in NH when i am in MA Mode (drive fast and crazy!)
 

kato258

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i've had cobras, whistlers and i am know running BELs in each of my three vehicles. i am very satisfied.
i've heard valentines and escorts are better but i don't think their worth the extra cost. i always get alerted way before they're visible.
 
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