Radar Detectors

[Beatle]

Are these still illegal?   In all States and Territories?

I was going through some old boxes and found the RD-9 detector I used in the '80s.   In fact my parents bought it for me for my 19th birthday (to use in my '79 GTV).  Still have the alloy visor clamp I made up to hold it in place.  Can you imagine the irresponsibility of a parent doing that these days!!!!

The thing used to squawk going past an automatic door so I imagine these days with all the extra 'noise' from electronics, mobile phones etc, it would have a melt down.  But thought it might be cool as a period display in the 90 (along with the tape deck).

[MD]

After coping a$450 fine and having my $1200 detector confiscated I have to say that they are illegal, **8^^%$*0@!1##&*% !!

All should know that the fuzz have equipment that can detect that you are using a detector and best of all, it's an Aussie invention that is being exported to law enforcement overseas ! Don't even think about it..

[Beatle]

All should know that the fuzz have equipment that can detect that you are using a detector ..

Sure, but are their detector detectors tuned into 1985?  Surely the software load wouldn't be backwards compatible to the days of analogue photos, music, telephones and DeLoreans?

[Evan Bottcher]

They are illegal to use in a moving vehicle (as stated by the traffic laws in) SA,[5] NSW, ACT, NT, Queensland and Tasmania. In the state of Victoria it is an offence to sell, use or possess a radar detector, and police may confiscate such equipment if found in a vehicle.[6] Heavy fines apply, ranging from $200 – $1200 AUD, up to 9 demerit points, and confiscation of the Radar Detector. However, importing a unit is permitted under Australian customs regulations. Queensland = up to 40 penalty units (approximately equal to $3000) for being in or on a vehicle whether or not the device is operating or in working order.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar_detector)

[Paul Gulliver]

All should know that the fuzz have equipment that can detect that you are using a detector and best of all, it's an Aussie invention that is being exported to law enforcement overseas !

Just as a matter of interest how is that bloke polling in " Australian of the Year"

[MD]

Rumour has it that he had been offered 500,00 free vasectomies on Facebook just last week..

[MD]

Paul B,

Radar frequencies don't get stale from lack of use and remain detectable for eternity.

On the other side of the coin, it is doubtfull that the sensitive band of your detector is any longer in use so if you get a cheap fix from garage doors tripping your detector for the od pants wetting thrill when you are actually exceeding the speed limit you know what to do..could be expensive if you get sprung by the fuzz. ( as you know, it's always painfull to get sprung by the fuzz  )

[Beatle]

I've done some more googling.  While Wiki says NSW only outlaws RDs in moving cars, another site shows the legislation and you can still get pinged having a RD in a stationary car 'on any road or road related area'

Believe it or not, there are radar-detector detector detectors  These are the true 'stealth' RDs and supposedly will warn you, and also change the RD signal sufficiently to avoid detection by a radar detector detector...........................

[Evan Bottcher]

Was interesting to read that it's been like electronic warfare - the radar detectors keep getting better, and so do the detector detectors and detector detector detectors.  Remarkable number of countries in the world where they are legal still...

[colcol]

Some of us in the Alfa Club coming back from a Winton Sprint meeting, a whole group of us were pulled over, because, they detected, someone had a radar detector, we had no idea who it was, but the Police knew it was someone, and they had a portable device that found it, built into the steering column of an Alfetta GTV, this happened in the late 80's, before speed cameras become the Goverments major source of revenue, cannot remember who the member was, but the fine must have been nasty, radar speed devices were usually on or near a Police car, and were harder to conceal, nowdays speed cameras are everywhere, try a G.P.S. and it goes off all the time telling you of a hidden fixed camera, that is still hard to see, if we lived in France, camera detection applications in G.P.S.'s are illegal, how long before some crankpot pollitician or suburban busy body wants the same for Australia, Colin.

[MD]

Basically it goes a bit like this. Highway patrol cops know the deal. It's not like you are going to invest in an expensive detector to put into your 1974 Peugeot and go terrorising the roads. When the police scanner gets a signal that somebody in the vicinity is using a detector, they are going to be on the lookout for a vehicle that looks like it has the goods to be a high performance car. Then they start pulling people over until they find it.

If you don't tell them where it is in the car, they are usually authorised to pull it apart until they find it. Is that a risk you want to take?

These days it's far cheaper just to get on the track and let it rip..

[aggie57]

Some of us in the Alfa Club coming back from a Winton Sprint meeting, a whole group of us were pulled over, because, they detected, someone had a radar detector, we had no idea who it was, but the Police knew it was someone, and they had a portable device that found it, built into the steering column of an Alfetta GTV, this happened in the late 80's, before speed cameras become the Goverments major source of revenue, cannot remember who the member was, but the fine must have been nasty, radar speed devices were usually on or near a Police car, and were harder to conceal, nowdays speed cameras are everywhere, try a G.P.S. and it goes off all the time telling you of a hidden fixed camera, that is still hard to see, if we lived in France, camera detection applications in G.P.S.'s are illegal, how long before some crankpot pollitician or suburban busy body wants the same for Australia, Colin.

I can remember that Colin, assuming what i remember was the same incident. Can remember who the member was too but not saying...

But it was very interesting to watch how they isolated the car in the group. The cop was in a plain clothes car.  He slowly drove up and down the group in the fast lane, dropping back behind and then slowly easing to the front car again. Eventually when he got a handle on the suspect car he slid in behind, then in front, and finally they pulled us all over.

The back seat area of his car was full of kit. No doubt nowadays its a dashboard unit 6" square!

[Beatle]

It's my understanding that GPS receivers (Navman, TomTom) don't have any capability to detect a camera or other speed recording device, neither do the GPS's themselves.  They simply have their maps programmed with the locations of the devices as derived from data sent in by users, or from publicly accessible sources.   This is evidenced by the cameras being removed, or the road re-routed slightly, but the GPS still giving you a warning.   Likewie, a new camera installed, even with signage, but the GPS giving no warning (until you update your software)

This is why the speed camera warnings are still legal in a GPS, but real-time radar detectors aren't (except in WA).

[colcol]

As far as i know, the G.P.S.'s have preloaded maps with fixed speed camera's, the mobile cameras are another story, one of my G.P.S,'s has a function to tell me that between starting and finishing your trip, how many speed camera's there are, between work and the Alfa Club meeting in South Melbourne there are 12!, if i remember, Colin.

[oz3litre]

All should know that the fuzz have equipment that can detect that you are using a detector and best of all, it's an Aussie invention that is being exported to law enforcement overseas !

Just as a matter of interest how is that bloke polling in " Australian of the Year"

I reckon there should be a special kind of purgatory for the guys who invented speed cameras, speed humps, radar detector detectors and of course for anyone in the anti fun squad or nanny state brigade, where they have to experience the negative consequences of their inventions and rules for eternity. For example, Mr Speed Humps should have to drive over speed humps in a low slung car forever.