Reflective Stickers

[Sherman]

Many of us have those large rear facing reflective stickers on our side cases for safety. Don't they greatly increase our radar signature? I have heard that some of our members occasionally exceed the posted speed limit, and wouldn't anything that increases someone's chances of getting a certificate be a bad idea? The rear LED's seem like a smarter way to go.

 

[ponyfool]

They don't affect the radar signature, but do greatly enhance the lidar return.

 

[Wolfhound]

Thanks for the update ponyfool, even though I wish it wasn't true ! I've got the stickers also and hate to be seen by any gun pointed my way . . . .

 

[Ignacio]

They don't affect the radar signature, but do greatly enhance the lidar return.

And if I get hit from behind by lidar without knowing about it.....I either deserve to have those stickers reflected.....or the cop is truly a good Big Game hunter and can hang my head on his trophy wall.

 

[AethonFJR]

How prevalent are LIDAR detectors now? Are they use in a few states, most states, all states?????

I assume the reflectors would also enhance LASER returns from the rear also….

 

[Geezer]

How prevalent are LIDAR detectors now? Are they use in a few states, most states, all states?????
I assume the reflectors would also enhance LASER returns from the rear also….

I have been hit by Lidar three times in the past tree years in NY. It has always been a major speed trap, with many chase cars just over the horizon, set up to snag a lot of people in a one or two day period.

 

[ponyfool]

If you have a Lidar detector (V1, Escort, etc), and it's mounted up front, you will likely never know you got tagged from behind with a lidar unit. The beam pattern is so small, the chances of stray signals getting to your unit are remote.

Now, you want good lidar "protection"? I put it in quotes because it's misleading. But the best way to know if your bike is getting painted by a police lidar unit, get one with remote sensors around the license plate and headlights. That's where we get the best return on a motorcycle, so that's where we're going to aim.

But, even with the best units on the market, by the time your lidar detector goes off and have time to react to the warning, I'll most likely already have your speed.

 

[Checkswrecks]

How prevalent are LIDAR detectors now? Are they use in a few states, most states, all states?????
I assume the reflectors would also enhance LASER returns from the rear also….

Lidar and laser are the same in this context. Prevalent? It's become "the norm" on the east coast, for most State Patrols, and near most metro areas.

The officers will sit far enough ahead that you won't even see them at first when your detector gives you an alert, and like Ponyfool wrote, by that point you're done. Your Escort/Valentine/etc is good for detecting the radar-based speed and red light cameras around here, but that's about it.

 

[ionbeam]

New Hampshire has several LIDAR teams the prowl the main highways. LIDAR guns are starting to trickle down to smaller towns, but LIDAR isn't as convenient for everyday, small town use. I only see LIDAR locally when they are doing a specific speed crack-down program; otherwise it's a steady diet of radar.

Maine has really gotten into LIDAR on the major highways. They love to put a cruiser or two on the enterance ramps, and place an officer on a bridge over the highway. As you emerge from under the bridge the officer paints your butt, then signals the hounds, err, chase cars to go bag you. You are dun-fer by the time you know there are police in the area.

I have had better luck having my LIDAR detector go off in a somewhat usefully way when they've been shooting rear plates, rather than head-on shots.

What you need to be observant for:

Tail lights R good!

 

[LDRydr]

Those are some classic photos. And a good reminder that sometimes the best defense is a good offense. In other words, sometimes it's better to just have your eyes open rather than relying on a radar-detector. That said, I do have a V-1 detector and it works great at night, when my eyes aren't as good. Here in WA I find almost all LEO's are using oncoming radar, be it in the city, rural roads, or highway.

 

[ponyfool]

If you were ever on the lookout for me when I was a patrol officer, you'd have never found me! I would typically sit on a freeway over pass and shoot you from behind with the lidar.

Yes, lidar=laser in this context. lidar is LIght Detection And Ranging which is the same basic acronym for radar (RAdio Detection and Ranging), just not with a radio....

 

[SockMonkey]

If you were ever on the lookout for me when I was a patrol officer, you'd have never found me! I would typically sit on a freeway over pass and shoot you from behind with the lidar.

Sneaky bastard...

 

[Ignacio]

If you were ever on the lookout for me when I was a patrol officer, you'd have never found me!

Hunting for that big lion bwana? Were in your marked or standard issue non-marked car?

If so, I'm reasonably sure that the disciplined habit of passing an overpass, headcheck right for the ramp and rearview mirror view of overpass would provide enough cosine effect to get things slowed sufficiently for SMD verification.

I haven't rolled through Portland enough to test this theory mind you....and am probably avoid it now to be sure, but avoided multiple stater and locals with the discipline. One feels like a lucky gazelle as a dude with a funny hat drives by and a focused stare as if to say, "I almost pulled the trigger...but will get you another day." h34r:

 

[LDRydr]

If you were ever on the lookout for me when I was a patrol officer, you'd have never found me!

All the more reason to watch for the "brake light domino effect" and tire smoke from the :asshat2: cages, the same ones that cause the traffic slowdowns while they rubberneck the other cage that's already been pulled over. Speaking of that, can you tell I'm really looking forward to driving to Seattle again this weekend. Last Friday it took 3 hours to go the first 100 miles as I was leaving Seattle, 5.5 hours for 170 miles total.

 

[frayne]

I have heard that some of our members occasionally exceed the posted speed limit, and wouldn't anything that increases someone's chances of getting a certificate be a bad idea? The rear LED's seem like a smarter way to go.

Who you been talking to ? We are law obiding citizens here. :sarcasm:

 

[k7lvo]

If you were ever on the lookout for me when I was a patrol officer, you'd have never found me! I would typically sit on a freeway over pass and shoot you from behind with the lidar.

Yes, if an officer really wants to "work" the radar, (s)he can be very hard to spot. Fortunately, :lol: a lot of officers leave the radar on and listen for blips of high doppler. Since the huge majority of the motoring public don't use detectors and traffic on the open road is always at least +10, they get plenty of business - just not the thrill of the hunt. :coolsmiley: Even with the ones who "work" it, you still have a good chance of spotting them because they "shoot" at a LOT of targets, not just the ones that look really fast. And if they're moving the radar still has to pulse now and then to track its own speed, especially if its speed is not steady.

On I-5 here in Oregon, the troopers have taken to "hiding in the open." You'll see a patrol car parked in the (wide, grassy) median, pointing toward the opposing lanes and hidden from them, but - suprise, suprise! He's acually working traffic going YOUR direction!

Then, there's the stretch of freeway with a wide. grassy median with the grass trimmed neatly - except for an occasional clump of brush about, oh, 5' tall and 20 feet wide....

 

[AethonFJR]

My laser detector has only gone off half a dozen times in the +/-4 years I have owned it. (Terwilliger curves on I-5 in PDX twice, Salem I-5 and I-84 near Pendleton…. All in cage) And to date only one performance award and detector didn’t go off…… EEERRRRRR!!!!

As for radar…. I can’t count the number of times my detector has paid for itself….

I think it is prudent to use a combination of strategies… .not the least of which is as Iggy described being aware of your surrounding; knowing the characteristics of your equipment and being selective where you choose to move above the flow of traffic.

My preferred supplemental level of defense is in addition to being alert and using a little technology; is to have someone running interference for me…. .far enough ahead of me that a lone officer friendly light him up before I ever enter the picture. Hard to gauge that optimum distance especially on winding roads…… (and frequently hard to find someone that wants to take and keep the lead at good cruising speeds.)

 

[Harald]

If you were ever on the lookout for me when I was a patrol officer, you'd have never found me!

All the more reason to watch for the "brake light domino effect" and tire smoke from the :asshat2: cages, the same ones that cause the traffic slowdowns while they rubberneck the other cage that's already been pulled over. Speaking of that, can you tell I'm really looking forward to driving to Seattle again this weekend. Last Friday it took 3 hours to go the first 100 miles as I was leaving Seattle, 5.5 hours for 170 miles total.

Be carefull when approaching the 317th Street exit in Federal Way (south of Seattle on I-5). This is a carpool/bus only exit with on and off ramps in both directions merging into the carpool lanes (next to fast lanes). The WA state revenuers setup on this overpass and on ramps almost daily. They are shooting LASER head on and from behind! Even knowing this, I got nailed on my Blackbird last year because the sneaky bastard motorcycle cop was parked on the overpass and hiding behind a huge traffic sign. It's hard to spot just his head poking out. It pisses me off because he probably wouldn't have gotten me if I had known to look there. My headlight had Laser Veil on it which reduces Laser effectivity (you need to be closer before they get a positive return).

BTW, a couple hundred bucks to a good Seattle traffic lawyer took care of the ticket. You won't find it on my record.

 

[evilmedic13]

There's always a Laser jammer in conjunction w/ a radar/laser detector. I know of some that use this method and it works for them. V1 goes off on laser ,theyslow down and shut off jammer so LEO can get lock of now legal speed. What brand/kind they use, I have no idea, too expensive for my pocket and I don't get stupid in unknown or suspicious "enforcement" areas. My instincts have served me well on many occasions, no need to ruin them w/ technology like some of my "tech" friends. They have waayy more tickets than me, I've had 1 mover since 1995, and that one was a pacer ticket by Georgia county trooper I shoulda avoided by watching my 6.