Laser Detection - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Jeph · 03-11-2006, 07:56 AM

Last night I experienced something I thought was unusual. While criusing down the highway at a 70+ in a 60mph, my Passport X50 exploded with news of Lasers afoot! Naturally I drilled the brakes. Sure enough, within seconds I spotted the sneaky fellow hiding on an on-ramp. He did not persue me.

Here is my question: Do you suppose he was looking for bigger fish to fry, or did my X50 beat him to the punch?

Other factors:

No front license plate
I was the first car in a row of 3 or 4, all not too far behind
Dimly lit highway at night (I don't think that matters, but it sure helped him hide)

03-11-2006, 08:01 AM

Maybe good Karma??

MNBoxster · 03-11-2006, 08:10 AM

Hi,

Most Police Radar/Laser units have a setpoint they can set which will trigger an alarm if this point is exceeded by the Target. This prevents them from chasing every guy who's just a couple miles over the Limit.

Here in MN, they usually set this point at 9mph over the limit, but I've seen them have it at 12mph. This way, it doesn't disturb their Naptime...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Perfectlap · 03-11-2006, 10:54 AM

careful from trailing Lazer too.
thats the guy you have to watch out for and not Mr. Nap time.

I had a state trooper hounding me for a few miles from behind. The Valentine One went off twice before he gave up and jumped back into the fast lane and pulled over a guy in an M3 down the road.

Hmm...Porsche, M3 see a pattern emerging?

RandallNeighbour · 03-11-2006, 11:50 AM

I've had laser alerts go off on my V1 a bunch of times and it was only really laser one time... I heard that some LED tail lamps can set them off, such as those being used in Lincoln Navigators, etc.

Anyone know what can create a false laser alarm?

Perfectlap · 03-11-2006, 12:02 PM

yeah those new SUV like the Infiniti are a annoying new trend. As if those stupid dangerous cars wasn't enough they now screw with my lovely $400 toy.

Careful though, never second guess a Lazer alert. Best to get on the brake/lift each time. Its easy to start ignoring and being distracted from your detector.
A trip to court recently taught me this lesson. What a hassle rearranging ny scheudle to take a trip to a town I never go to and sit there for 3 hours just to avoid points on my license. Well worth it though no points in 11 years.

SD987 · 03-11-2006, 07:52 PM

I get that LED taillight issue quite a bit on mine, and laser hasn't really become prevalent yet in SoCal. I have mine mounted low in the Box and I think the way the hood slopes is conducive to getting these falsies, as I don't have the same problem so much in the Merc or BMW (high-mount in this one.)

I think as the unit ages it's also more prone to this, as I get more falsies in my three-year old unit then I seem to remember when new.

KRZTACO · 03-11-2006, 10:42 PM

My cell phone sets off the laser alert sometimes too, something to consider.

KRZ

JackG · 03-12-2006, 06:24 AM

On a trip down I-20 eastbound out of Atlanta a few weeks ago, I was leading a group of cars, all running 80+. I had cleared a slower car and was back in the right lane, with the tailing cars still in the left and about to start their move back over, and the laser alert went off. I was in the Box.

He was on an overpass ahead, and had a couple of cruisers working the trap with him. He clocked them, they stopped and wrote them. They must have all been busy because I was doing at least 84, as were the rest, and none of us got stopped.

Then again, it's not unusual to see cars doing 90mph on those long stretches of I-20. Maybe they were looking for bigger fish, huh?

Jeph · 03-12-2006, 11:45 AM

To you people that have radars going of from cell phones and Lincoln Navigators (or other LED vehicles): What kind of detectors do y'all have?

KRZTACO · 03-12-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeph

To you people that have radars going of from cell phones and Lincoln Navigators (or other LED vehicles): What kind of detectors do y'all have?

This is my radar detector from their business line (supposed to be a higher quality than consumer line)

http://www.beltronicspro.com/rx65.html

KRZ

tqtran · 03-12-2006, 05:20 PM

Most LEOs follow this:
If the speed limit is over 55mph, then you get +6mph until you can be cited.

If its not a school zone, high pedestrian traffic area, etc you'll usually find the LEO's giving you +15mph.

Jeph : Since you are in Texas, you are aware that a lot of roads in Texas do change speed limits at night, without notice right?

luxury1 · 03-13-2006, 10:52 AM

Definitely do not count on the laser detection saving you. The reason we get such great radar detection is because the radar is so sloppy and it bounces off of lots of other things whenever it is activated (including cars, pavement, tree's, signs, etc. A laser is very refined, it is a very tight beam so by the time you hear it then you are most likely already being clocked. Think of it like a flash light vs a laser pointer.

I have a built in K40 in my Mercedes and have been VERY pleased with the results but I have not been clocked with a laser yet (knock on wood). It has what they call is a laser diffuser which is supposed to act like a laser jammer but I have no idea if it works... Radar jammers are illegal in most (if not all) states.

03-13-2006, 03:24 PM

[*]No front license plate

Jeph this sounds like more important than 5 mph over the speed limit, why don't you have a number plate on front of your car?

my radar detector goes off from cctv camera systems, specially the ones on petrol forecourts

Jeph · 03-13-2006, 04:05 PM

tqtran,
Speed limit postings in Dallas/Ft. Worth (or DFW to those in the "metroplex") and surrounding areas are usually marked when the speed limit changes at night. And it's typically where the speed limit is 70mph (65mph/night), which is outside the city.

olly986,
I don't have a plate on the front because it looks relatively uncool. It is required by law, but generally police don't hassle you for it unless they're looking for a reason to pull you over. I have been pulled over by a State Trooper for not having a plate, but he just told me to fix it.

bhduxbury · 03-13-2006, 04:41 PM

in california, the meter maids ticket you for no front plate while you are parked. sucks!

blinkwatt · 03-13-2006, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhduxbury

in california, the meter maids ticket you for no front plate while you are parked. sucks!

That must be in southern California only. Up here in nothern California I park my car everywhere with meter maids and never once had I had a front license plate on any other cars I drove. Even the times I received tickets for where I parked no mention of how I do not have a license in the front.

RandallNeighbour · 03-13-2006, 06:24 PM

Jeph, same thing happened to me. I was driving to San Antonio and I was stopped by a Texas Department of Public Safety Highway patrol officer. Gave me a written warning for no license plate.

The wife was with me and I got a dirty look for not having a front plate. I put one on and it fell off in the garage when I grazed it with my pant leg. Lousy bracket. Never put it back on.

jeeter15 · 03-14-2006, 08:16 AM

I got pulled over last weekend on I-10 in Texas. The trooper did a u-turn quite a ways behind me. I saw him, so I pulled over into the slow lane in front of 3 other cars. He pulled up to the car in back, looked inside the car and then eased up to the next car. He repeated this with every car until he got to me. I was going 72 in a 70.....figured that was safe. I was wrong. He forced his way in behind me and flipped on his lights. Needless to say, after he checked my CHL I got out of the car, he ran my pistol and then gave me a warning for 73 in a 70. Total Porsche profiling in my opinion. He could have pulled over anyone, but he picked me. I had my younger brother in the car and we both probably looked a little young for that area.

Time to get a detector, and from now on if the speed says 70.....I'm gonna go 68 when I see a cop.

70Sixter · 03-14-2006, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbth

http://www.k40.com/tech_rada.html

And before you purchase a passive radar jammer that claims to be FCC legal, do the research. In tests conducted by almost every major news agency, including the Associated Press, NBC, ABC, CBS, as well as others, no passive radar jammer has ever been proven to jam police radar in any capacity. They don’t work.

Laser jammers, like our Laser Defuser, are legal, however, because unlike radar, laser is governed by the Food and Drug Administration and not the FCC. Currently there are no federal laws banning the use of laser jamming devices.

Ther are three states that ban lidar jammers, I think. KahleeforNIa I'm almost certain is one. This site has the info, and also agrees that passive jammers don't work. Laser is one more good reason for no front plate, even if esthetics weren't.

http://www.radarbusters.com/default.asp