Friday, August 10, 2007

Avoiding Speeding Tickets With Radar Detectors

Radar detectors have become very popular over the last four decades. For many people, radar detectors are the only thing that is between them and multiple speeding tickets. Before you drive like Mario Andretti you might want to find out how radar detectors work.

Police officers have been using radar guns for more than 30 years. A radar gun has a radio transmitter and receiver combined. The transmitter transmits the electromagnetic wave through the air. The receiver picks up the electromagnetic waves with an antenna. Radio waves move at a constant speed. Since these waves move at a constant speed the echo that bounces back off of your car is used to measure the distance between the radar gun and your vehicle. As your vehicle moves the distance changes. The radar gun is able to tell how fast your vehicle is moving by the changes in the distance over time. Radar guns can even be used in moving police cars. The speed of the police car is determined by the gun included in the formula to determine the speed of the offending vehicle.

Recently a new type of speed detector using light instead of radio waves has been adopted by many police departments. These are called Lidar Guns (Light Detection and Ranging). Police use these guns often in small, handheld, versions along with cameras. In fact, many cities are installing fully automated Lidar guns at busy corners and on traffic lights. These Lidar guns have cameras that photograph the license plate and the driver. Speeding tickets are then sent through the mail.

Having a basic radar detector in your vehicle is one way of preventing speeding tickets. Radar detectors are setup to pick up specific frequencies and alert you to the possibility of radar guns. People who use radar detectors to keep from getting speeding tickets are warned when radar guns are detected in the area that they are traveling in. Usually, police officers have their radar guns on for long periods of time before the target a vehicle. However, it is possible to have police officer drive up behind you and turn on his radar gun at the last minute, just before he pulls you over. When this happens conventional radar detectors aren't much help.

Modern radar detectors are more proactive than the conventional radar detectors. Modern radar detectors include jamming signals. Jamming signals make it difficult for radar guns to read the signals that are bouncing back to them by adding radio interference. This keeps police officers from being able to tell how fast vehicles are moving. Another feature modern detectors include is a light sensitive panel. Light sensitive panels detect beams from Lidar guns. Unfortunately, by the time light sensitive panels are able to detect the beams and it's often too late.

Laser jammers are also available which works basically like the radar jammers in that they jam the laser signal making it difficult for police officers to tell the actual speed of the vehicle. As technology improves police officers are finding more and more ways to catch speeders. The best way to prevent getting any speeding tickets is to slow down.

Monday, August 6, 2007

How to Beat a Speeding Ticket

If you have driven for any period of time and haven't received a speeding ticket, you are very lucky. Most people tend to go over the speed limit from time to time. Some people go faster than the limit most of the time. If you are one of the latter, you should know or learn how to beat a speeding ticket. Most states have a point system that adds up as you get the tickets and after so many points you could lose your license. Not only can you lose your license, but your insurance can go up.

One of the best investments you can make to avoid speeding tickets is a radar detector. Police can be anywhere at anytime running radar. If you come around a curve too fast, they may be there. If you come over a dip in the road, at about the time your stomach is in your throat, there they are. A radar detector will let you know before it's too late that they are in the vicinity with a radar gun. These detectors are illegal for commercial vehicle drivers anywhere and for anyone in the state of Virginia or the District of Columbia. Having one of these detectors mounted high in your car as near to the rearview mirror as possible can alert you to the presence of officers checking for speeders. This is only one example of how to beat a speeding ticket.

Another way to avoid the fine and possible points against your license is to purchase a radar jammer. There are two types, active and passive, the active jammer is illegal and the passive jammer is legal. The downfall to this is that the passive jammer does not transmit radio frequencies so it is really not of any use for the purpose you want it for. The active jammer does the job but it can get you into more trouble than a speeding ticket if you get caught with it. If you are weighing the options on how to beat a speeding ticket using this device, you need to be aware of one fact. If you are speeding, the officer sees you and his radar gun is showing you're not speeding, he is not going to be amused. You may be begging for just the speeding ticket before he is done.

You may be able to talk your way out of a ticket if you follow a few simple courtesies when you are stopped. Make sure, when you are stopped, you put your hands where the police officer can see them. Don't ever get out of your car unless asked by the officer. Give him your license and insurance when asked and be polite. "Yes, sir" is a sign of respect and this lets him know you respect his position. Don't whine. Explain in a calm and rational manner that you would really appreciate a warning instead of a ticket. If anything, how to beat a speeding ticket by being polite and respectful, instead of defensive and argumentative, may save you a hefty fine.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

How To Read A Speeding Ticket

A speeding ticket is one thing that almost anyone would like to avoid, but there are always consequences whenever a law is broken. Even though some feel they need to speed in order to get to work on time or to pick a child up from school, speed limits are set for the safety of all drivers and they must be abided by. Driving only one mile over the posted speed limit is against the law, but most cops will usually be lenient and only issue a ticket if the driver is at least five miles over. The consequence for speeding is a ticket, which normally involves a negative mark on your driving record and a pretty expensive fine.

A speeding ticket may just seem like a headache to some, but it contains a great amount of important information that should not be looked over. It is a citation presented by a police officer, which by law has authority over lawbreakers. The police officer will include information about the defendant, all of which is included on a valid drivers license. Additional citations will be issued to drivers without a valid drivers license. It is important to make sure the officer has copied down all correct information on the ticket, in case any court documents need to be mailed to you. Information about the car will also be noted, which is necessary in case the car needs to be identified for any reason. The color, make, model, year, and license plate number will be recorded, along with the registration information that is required in most states.

The police officers also must record information about the violation that occurred, including information about the location and offense. The cop will note why the citation is being issued, and how many miles over the speed limit the defendant was driving. The location that the defendant was caught speeding will also be noted, since locations near schools or areas with construction sometimes come with higher consequences. The time of the incident will be noted, along with the speed limit of the area. All of this information is crucial to bring to court, because even when a citation is issued some drivers try to fight it.

The most important information included on the speeding ticket is the information about what to do next. Most states will require that a fee be paid for each speeding ticket, and the amount should be enclosed in documents sent through the mail. Defendants may also choose to appear in court and pay the fine prior to receiving the court documents, but it must be done before a certain time set out by the court. The ticket will contain the timelines set out for the procedures the defendant must follow, and also information about who to contact about any questions or concerns.

The bottom of the ticket is a very important part to not look over, because it requires a signature that creates a legal document. You are required to sign each speeding ticket that you are issued, even if you feel that you did not break any laws. Signing the ticket does not mean that you are admitting guilt to the violation that you are being charged for, but that you are promising to abide by the procedures set out on the ticket. Failing to appear in court or pay fines will result in further punishment. The police officer is also require to sign the ticket, in order to certify that he or she properly explained the reason of the citation and also provided a copy of the ticket to the defendant.

A speeding ticket contains a great amount of information, and should not be passed off as just another piece of paper. It contains crucial information about your rights as an American, as well as obligations that you have to your country. If you are issued a speeding ticket, make sure you read the entire ticket over to prevent any further consequences.