How not to get pity or explain a ticket to the safety man...

[Fozzy]

we had a driver get a ticket yesterday;

71 in a 65

&

Radar Detector in a commercial vehicle.

The terminal manager asked the driver why when he was in the process of being pulled over, did he he not just pull the radar detector off the dash? The driver (without missing a beat) answered......

I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO GET MY SEATBELT ON!!!!

The terminal manager sent him home for the rest of the day to "think about it"

[shyykatt]

Nice. You should have posted this in the comic forum

[mapleleaf_1]

I've never used a radar detector, but if you are using one doesn't it show a reading in the police cruiser?? Drive safe everyone.

[BanditsCousin]

Cheap radar detectors will show up, as they must emit some radar to do their job. I was at a mobile audio place a few days ago getting a CD player in my personal vehicle, and the owner explained to me the benefits of the expensive system they sell that actually 'absorbs' radar, making it useless. Its not a "jamming" device either.

BTW- chrome (or anything reflective) is what they shoot radar at Some are switching to laser now too for radar.

Anyways, 71 in a 65 is petty, but a serious matter nonetheless.

[Sealord]

"emit some radar" Not. What is radiated from many radar detectors is their local oscillator (LO) frequency which is picked up by a radar detector detector. Better radar detectors have a broadband pre-amp ahead of the mixer so the LO isn't detected. The pre-amp also precludes the mixed frequency(ies) from being detected. BOL

[redsfan]

Funny stuff there!

Reminds me of a story from when I was with Maverick. A driver went through the wash bay and as you exited you had to turn left because of a light pole off to your right a little bit. It wasn't hard to miss, in fact it would have been tougher to try and hit it. Anyway, one driver managed to clip it with the tractor, knocked the light pole down and proceeded to run the truck all the way up onto the cement base that the pole sat on before he finally came to a stop.

He, of course, was questioned by safety about it and they told him that it was one thing to clip the pole to begin with, but they asked him why he didn't stop?

He said, "Because I couldn't.". Their response, "What do you mean you couldn't?" "I couldn't because I wasn't in my seat..."

The impact had bounced him clear out of his seat onto the floorboard because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt... Nice...

[Mr. Ford95]

I gotta ask, but I know the answer is, "because he is plumb dumb." Why didn't he put the seatbelt on while coming to a stop and as soon as he stopped, yank the detector and toss it into the sleeper while the cop was still walking up to the cab?? What a fool, reminds me of the guys at the former Southland Corp who would pull the throttle control stick out and use that as cruise control for going down the road only to run into the back of someone. They'd claim they couldn't stop because the cruise control would not kick out and that's why they hit them.

[DD60]

71 in a 65? :shock: Was this on the slohio turnpike?

[Fozzy]

This was in the middle of nowhere in Oklahoma at a hwy intersection. They had at least three DOT bears and a few troopers scattered all over in this area, everyone knew there were there and that there were "open for business. We drive day cabs hauling non pnuematic, pneunatic tankers, we have enough electronic doo dads that running a radar is just kind of silly. The trucks have Vorad radars and a soon to be activated satillite communications system.

[NWRally]

The trucks have Vorad radars

Sorry to threadjack, but how do you like the Vorad? (isn't that the device that warns you if traffic has slowed or stopped ahead?)

I'm very curious about this.

[Fozzy]

It's good if you can take constructive criticism...

It warns you with colored lights and beeps, It's not really annoying to me, but I like things like this. It does really help you to see when you are following too closely. It also has a side sensor that will alert you to things on the right side of the truck. If you turn a signal on with something beside you, it will again warn you with a light and a louder beep.

http://www.roadranger.com/Roadranger...tems/index.htm

[homer]

i got a passport 8500 radar detector by escort and i wont drive with out it.300 $ at pilot or anywhere.havent had a speeding ticket since 1986. hardly ever makes a false alarm.range is at least 1 mile. i forget how old it is.it started failing when it was 5 years old and i decided to call but planned to buy a new one.escort convinced me to mail it to ohio and they updated it and reprogrammed it and mailed it back for 50$.i will buy another one when it fails. they have cordless models now.
motor trend says the only detector that is better is the valentine which is 400$. its worth 300 on a credit card if it prevents 1 ticket and the resulting insurance increases.some times i forget to take off the dash on the scale or in the yard but only drivers have noticed so far

[homer]

i know im following too close dont need some vorad

[GMAN]

Why don't you just slow down?

[redsfan]

i know im following too close dont need some vorad

And what's wrong with having an added safety device that works?

Vorad is probably a discussion that deserves it's own thread without completely highjacking this one, but it's certainly a benefit. I'd like to know the number of times it's saved a driver's butt because of it's ability to prove that another driver cut him off and caused an accident. Lock it down after the accident and it will show if you were following too close when traffic stopped in front of you or if that car came out of nowhere and suddenly slammed on the brakes like you said they did.

[Fozzy]

Most people who say things like that really do NOT know how close they are driving to other people. The VORAD is a good tool to train you to stay off people's butts without too much trouble and with little intrusion. It's a reminder and it really does work. When the VORAD picks up a slow mover to the front and gives you an audible warning, it really helps you get focused on the fact that there is a potential problem ahead in the dark or fog or whatever, before your having to get on the brakes.

[Mr. Ford95]

I have seen a verison of the Valentine that is around $800 and when installed on the vehicle, you would not notice it as it looks similar to Vorad on the front end. Buddy has one on his Acura Integra, it's mounted just over his front license plate and rear license plate, looks like a plate holder unless you already know exactly what it is. It's amazing how many people get busted in VA where they are illegal just because they were too dumb to hide them properly. They leave them sticking in the front window where it is easily seen. My brother got a fine for having one in his Mustang because even though it was not plugged in, it was within his reach and the law says that is illegal. He was too dumb to simply have it under his seat where he could still hear it or mounted to his roof where the cop could not see it unless he stooped way down and then looked up. The power cables are easy to hide.

[Orangetxguy]

I'm just wondering when Vorad got it's bugs fixed.

We had Vorad installed in the T-800's at the company I worked for in Seattle, back in 1995...the things were always sreaming...even though there was nothing close. Eventually the shop disconnected them...Vorad never could make them work right. BTW..they were mounted for front, rightside and rear, alarms.

[homer]

i would slow down if i wasnt the slowest thing on the road. radar detector is good for me on two lanes where i run 8 over. never tail gait except when pulling a grade as im always loaded over 100000 with 8 axles. i think its obscene to tailgate as there will always be traffic some where

[homer]

i think vorad is too much. how much stuff can you put on a truck and keep everything working.i think less doodads would be better. i try to carry enough stuff in my daycab so i dont have to stop. now im burnt out and i gotta to stop and bs the store lady or the barista on my route once a day.