Radar Detectors: Making The Right Choice

Anyone looking to purchase a radar detector will find several choices available to them. There are several different types of radar detectors available, each of them with their own special features and functions. It is important that you choose the one that best suits your needs. This article aims to help you understand how to choose the right radar detector for your requirements:

Probably the most common form of speed detection is radar detection. The technology has remained unchanged for many years, and radio emitted by the radar gun are sent towards the vehicle, from which they bounce off and return to the gun, allowing the vehicle's speed to be measured. While this may sound like a complicated process, it is rather simple to accomplish. A radar detector will alert a driver to any radar gun being used in the nearby area, which warns the driver to slow down until the danger is past.

In certain areas, however, a different form of speed detection is used. In these cases, a laser is used in order to determine the speed of passing vehicles. Known as LIDAR, or more commonly as laser detection, the system makes use of pulsed laser light instead of radar. It works in a similar manner to a radar gun, however, bouncing a laser beam off a moving vehicle in order to determine its speed. This is a very expensive piece of equipment, yet many police departments have it as insurance companies fund the purchase of many of these detectors. There are laser detectors available to warn of laser detection nearby, but these detectors are more prone to failure than radar detectors.

One product that seems to provide a solution to the problem of laser detection is one that absorbs laser light, preventing it from bouncing back to the detector. Often, police officers will point the laser gun at the license plate of a vehicle because it is fairly reflective and will give a better reading. Laser veils or screens can be placed over your license plate, thus preventing the laser light from bouncing back to the officer's gun, making it impossible to get a reading.

When you get a radar detector, you must ensure that it will work against the type of speed detection being used in your area. Keep in mind that it is illegal to use radar detectors in some areas and you should be familiar with your local law on this issue. While you should do your best to obey the traffic rules of your area, if you are in the habit of receiving tickets for speeding, then a radar detector may be the solution to your problem.