Laser jammers - fact or fiction?

[bentrod]

I've used Escort radar detectors for over 20 years and have the new 8500 with GPS et al. I've been stopped twice now and clocked on LIDAR laser guns. I want to install the Escort laser jammers, but I keep getting feedback and stories that they don't work. Can anyone verify or deny these actually are effective and are worth the $500? Thanks

[g35Stylez]

not100% sure but i heard that when you "jam" the laser it will return a reading to the cop of like 250 mph or 0. and their gun will show a reading that they've been jammed(space balls). hahah seriously though

[Beancooker]

The Shifter ZR3 will help for a second, but that's it. I have a passport, but for what the ZR3 gives you, it's not worth the money IMHO.

[snwbrdr435]

how about the blinders i forget who makes them my friend has them on his wrx ill have to ask him.

[Jacko3]

Laser is just a type of light. To evade police laser, you will have to have a material all over your car that continuously absorbs the light as if it had an infinite absorption rate and intensity or have a material that accelerates the return information to the police radar so that the final data is far higher than what the machine should technically be reading. Lasers are generally more accurate at greater distances than radar. Such a material that can do either evasive actions from lasers (infinite absorption or accelerated return), could generally be more expensive, per square inch, of the car you are driving. Lasers are just like a video game to a cop. They can target it anywhere on your car and start get a reading that is close to perfect. I maybe wrong on this one. Can anyone clarify a little more on this topic for us?

[smockers83]

Laser is just a type of light. To evade police laser, you will have to have a material all over your car that continuously absorbs the light as if it had an infinite absorption rate and intensity or have a material that accelerates the return information to the police radar so that the final data is far higher than what the machine should technically be reading. Lasers are generally more accurate at greater distances than radar. Such a material that can do either evasive actions from lasers (infinite absorption or accelerated return), could generally be more expensive, per square inch, of the car you are driving. Lasers are just like a video game to a cop. They can target it anywhere on your car and start get a reading that is close to perfect. I maybe wrong on this one. Can anyone clarify a little more on this topic for us?

Proved wrong on Mythbusters.

[TeflonG35]

Lasers (or ladar) have to be used with the windows down. So if there is bad weather cops will either not use them or use them with the windows down. Also the range of lasers are decreased in rain and fog because the light gets reflected off the water.

[snwbrdr435]

they aim for your front plate if you have one or your headlights they need to aim at something that will reflect the beam back

[Jacko3]

O.k Smockers, so what's the real deal on laser detection devices?

[Beancooker]

I spent a lot one one of the best detectors available. It will pick up radar from about 3/4 to 1 mile away.

It isn't really great at getting thge lidar (laser), since it is sucha small beam. It can hit the front bumper, and never set off the detector in the front window.

The detector relies on it hitting other cars, and reflecting/refracting to hit your detector.

Once the cop hits your car, it's too late.

[ImpliedConsent]

All I can do here is to quote some of the class-room books. I'm not a scientist, but to answer whether it works or not, not sure. I seriously doubt it. I've never not been able to obtain target/speed.

The speed detection Laser Gun utilizes two simple facts in Physics: 1) speed of light is much faster than the speed of vehicle, and 2) distance can be found by the distance-time formula (internally calculated by the computer of the laser gun). The Laser Gun determines speed by measuring the time of flight of very short pulse emitted by the Laser gun. This method is different from another well known speed detection Radar that is based on the Doppler frequency shift. Consider one laser pulse, the time of flight for the pulse to travel to and reflect back from the target vehicle can be measured by the time difference between the pulse leaving the Laser and the time the returned pulse detected by the receiver. Since the speed of light is constant (about in air), the distance of the target from the Laser Gun can be calculated using the distance-time formula. Now, if the Laser Gun sends a series of pulses (as many as sixty pulses) towards a moving target, the positions of the target at different times can be mapped out. With this information, the speed of the target can be calculated by taking ratio of the change of distance over the change of time or from the slope of a plot of distance vs time. Since the speed of light is much faster than that of automobiles, the measurement can be finished within a very short time, typically around 1/3 second, fast enough for almost instantaneous speed measurement. In order to produce accurate speed results, the Laser Gun has built in sophisticated software to perform the speed calculation and to eliminate faulty data. Thus, the software can be considered as the “brain” of the Laser Gun and dictates the performance of the Laser Gun.

I'll also point out that Laser is 'line of sight'. If you can see me, I can surely see you. Also, and this is important: it is impossible for a police officer to aim at vehicles straight ahead, there is an angle between the line-of-sight of the Laser Gun and the traveling direction of targeted vehicle. Thus, the speed measured by the Laser Gun will be less than the target's “true” speed. The larger the angle the lower the measured speed value. This phenomenon is known as the “Cosine Effect”. Therefore, it is important to keep this angle small so that the speed measured by the Laser Gun is closer to the true speed.

[snwbrdr435]

Radar/Lidar detectors and laser jammers should just be used as a secondary line of defense against getting tickets. The first line is always using common sense when driving, not driving like a *** and putting a bulls eye on yourself helps. Don't weave in and out of traffic etc.

[Jacko3]

Snowbird:

You are right! I always remind myself about a few things before I start driving.

1. Don't be the rabbit (always let another car be the rabbit)---the day I forgot this rule, I was lasered.

2. Remember end of the month--cops are busy meeting their monthly quotas.

3. I am the Gazelle--the hunted and the cops are the Leopards---the hunter.

[CYO44Baseball32]

Lasers (or ladar) have to be used with the windows down. So if there is bad weather cops will either not use them or use them with the windows down. Also the range of lasers are decreased in rain and fog because the light gets reflected off the water.

+1 I see cops here in Jacksonville standing on the side of the road holding lasers all the time.

I spent a lot one one of the best detectors available. It will pick up radar from about 3/4 to 1 mile away.

It isn't really great at getting thge lidar (laser), since it is sucha small beam. It can hit the front bumper, and never set off the detector in the front window.

The detector relies on it hitting other cars, and reflecting/refracting to hit your detector.

Once the cop hits your car, it's too late.

The Beltronics Vector 995 Radar/Laser Detector is fantastic. It picks up laser and regular radar from a mile+. Its saved me so many times.

they aim for your front plate if you have one or your headlights they need to aim at something that will reflect the beam back

Lol hence why the laser doesn't pick me up, no front plate and tinted headlights.

[Beancooker]

Baseball, your sig makes me LOL. I forgot I said that...