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The advice offered here is that of attorney Norman G. Fernandez

A radar detector is a very important piece of equipment which will allow you to stay one step ahead of the traffic officer. First off, you need to know that radar detectors are illegal in Virginia and the District of Columbia. In those two areas of the countries, anyone who has a radar detector accessible to the driver or the passenger with available power is facing a $300 fine in the District of Columbia, and between $25 and $100 in Virginia.

      You may have the other consideration that police in those areas will probably confiscate the evidence until your trial. Radar and laser detectors are not legal ANYWHERE in this country for commercial vehicle drivers. Remember that a radar detector does not make you invincible. You are still subject to the laws of this country, and a patrol officer usually will not give a warning to someone if they have a radar detector. The detector however, is your best defense against getting a ticket.

      Radar detectors are changing on a weekly to monthly basis nowadays, and being upgraded periodically. They are getting better. When shopping for a radar detector, there are several factors that you should consider. First, get the widest range of detection that you possibly can, and try to include XK and Ka bands. Have different indicators for each one of these bands. A separate light or sound for each. Make sure that the unit has a good visual display and either a mute or volume button so that you can adjust it according to the ambient sounds in your vehicle. Try to find a unit that has at least a hundred and ten decibels (dB) sensitivity. And remember that the most expensive unit is not always the best. Your unit should be mounted on your windshield in a high position, near the vicinity of your rearview mirror. This gives you the widest possible detection range. Use your detector at all times. It's not just for that long trip, or for highway driving. A speed trap can be set up in the city just a block or two from your home, so be prepared for any eventuality.

      One nice thing about keeping your radar detector on in the city is that the more traffic there is, the more often the police officer has to activate his unit. Every time he activates his unit you should be able to know that he is around. Police officers nowadays are moving more and more to the instant on type of radar detector. Using this piece of equipment, the officer just has to pull this trigger when you're in sight and he gets an instant reading on what your speed is. He feels that this is accurate, but we'll show you later as you read on in this manual that there are some pitfalls with this method.

     If you do get caught in an instant on situation, don't slam on the brakes. You can take your foot off the accelerator and decelerate slowly. If the officer notices that you are screeching to a halt he'll know that you've been speeding. And he's got you! He'll also know that you have a detector and if you're in one of these areas of the country where it is not permitted, he's got you for that ticket also. 

      The most important consideration is the fact that you should get a good radar detector, place it high up on your windshield, and use it at all times. The benefits of the utilization of your radar detector will be far greater than any of the subsequent pitfalls that may occur.

JAMMERS
      There are two types of jammers available on the market today. Passive and Active. There are two main areas of differences in these two types. Passive jammers are legal because they do not transmit any radio frequencies, and active jammers do transmit and are quite illegal. 

      Lets look at these two types a little bit more. The bottom line on passive jammers is, don't waste your time or your money with them. They are not going to be as effective as an active jammers. Take money that you would have spent and get a good detector. Get one that you feel will work as advertised.

     Active jammers transmit, they work, and they are illegal. If you are transmitting a radio beam you must have an FCC license. Your police departments and your local townships are licensed, but the officers don't actually need to be individually licensed. The radar units that police are using can tell when they are being jammed. Imagine racing down a highway and you're doing 85 to 90 and your jammer is showing a steady 35 to 40 to the officer in his unit. The officer knows that you're speeding. He knows that you're jamming him. You are obstructing justice and breaking the law at the same time. Are you getting the feeling that perhaps your speeding ticket will be a lot less important to him than all the other laws you're breaking at the same time?

     Laser detectors are legal. Since laser is a form of a light beam and not a radio frequency. One good investment for your car would be a laser license plate cover. The police generally aim for your license plate since that is an excellent reflector for their radar unit. Usually your license plate is white and it is highly reflective, giving them a good readout. You can typically buy one of these laser plate covers for about $30.