since when are radar detectors illegal?

 

It depends on the state, driver, vehicle, etc.

E.g, in CA, detectors are legal for drivers with a Class-C License. However, it's illegal to mount it on the windshield (which is what most people do).

If you're caught with one and you're a Class A/B driver, it's gonna be a VERY expensive ticket (and they do have radar detector-detectors.)

Results in other states vary.

 

Mike is right and google is your friend.
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i <3 google.

 

In this instance it was perfectly legal. He gave me a ticket for "obstructed vision" for having the radar detector on my dashboard. At the time, the officer told me it was illegal to have anything on my dashboard, which was essentially a half truth. Actually, you can't have any items on the dashboard which obstruct your vision of the road. He also nicely suggested that I remove it from my dashboard because I probably didn't want to have him confiscate it.

When I had my day in court the judge asked me what was obstructing my vision. I told him I didn't know and let the officer explain it to him. After he finished describing the radar detector "as a device used to circumvent police radar", I told the judge that my understanding was that a radar detector was perfectly legal and it in no way obstructed my vision. Shortly thereafter he dismissed the case.

Now granted this radar detector was big, but obstructed vision?

http://www.guysoflidar.com/museum/bearfinder.html

 

I put mine in the left corner at the very bottom of my windshield, I dont think they can say it obstructs my view at all. I got pulled over once and the cop was like "Radar detector huh?" I just said ya and he proceeded to ask me to pop my hood to see if I have any "illegal" mods.

 

They are getting really chickens**t here in SoCal. It used to be that if you did not have a front plate, the only time you would get cited is if you were pulled over for something else. These days not so. After 13 years of having no plate on my 1995 Corvette (currently for sale), I was pulled over by a motorcycle cop solely due to lack of front plate.

You have to put the plate on, go to an authorized inspection place (in my case that was the police station adjacent to the court house in Van Nuys), then take the inspection certificate inside the court house to pay one fee, then go to the clerk to pay another fee. All together is was about $25 and a waste of an hour or so.

I am now taking my chances again with a 2005 Jaguar XKR I bought from a private party without a front plate. It would really kill the looks to install the plate so I will wait until I am cited.

Doug
Los Angeles, CA

 

well...heres my ticket story.

I work in downtown Chicago. after work I come to my car and I had 2 tickets on my car for no front plates. Oh well I go home and I park and a few hours later I come out and there are two more tickets on my car. I say to myself Ill take care of it the next day. I go to work the next day and after work there is one ticket on my car. 4 tickets for no front plate and 1 ticket for havng a blueish tint on me rear plate(it looks nice with the athens blue color)

I contested all the tickets it was just BS that they could do that I claimed harassment cause all the tickets were by same cop. My friend told me that in Chicago a cop can give you a ticket every 30min for the same violation, anyone know if thats true?

 

A no plate ticket in TX is about $100.

No commercial driver may possess a radar in any commercial vehicle over 10000 lbs GVWR in any state. They are completely illegal for all drivers in VA and DC.

 

I don't think I have EVER seen a front plate on a late model vette.

 

Yes, you can be legally ticketed multiple times for parking violations in Chicago during a one day period. I see it all the time.

Remember it's probably the same officer who makes each round and they're doing what they are instructed to do (and a few are a bit overzealous). The beauracracy of the system makes it that much more difficult to contest and you can't just complain that you're being harassed because the tickets are from the same officer.

I'm not sure if it's still the case but in the past a high percentage of parking ticket challenges in a Chicago court resulted in a dismissal.

 

That's pretty much right. In fact in the SoCal area there are a plethora of high end/exotic cars and you rarely see these defaced with a front plate. I guess I was just unlucky enough to happen upon a cop that was short on his ticket quota for the day.

Doug

 

Damn..... HPD seems to leave us alone though. I think its the State Troopers we have to worry about.

 

I had my new car drilled at the dealer for a front license plate. It hurt, but I don't want to bring more attention to my car while passing the police. I got pulled over for no front plate in IL on my last car and got ticketed. It's pretty lame to get pulled over for it, but they have every right to do it as it brings in revenue.

I also don't want to have a beer or two and get pulled over for no front plate. Even being within the legal limit for alcohol, I don't want to draw more attention to my car. It's not worth the risk.

 

I'm quite pleased about this. Sorry but here in Chicago its $50 and we have a problem with hit & runs and such that I want to be able to see the jerks plates. Its safe and for the best. You drive an infiniti, don't have correct plates and your complaining about $25. Wow!