Tags: Radar Detectors
Legislation Would Put Ban on Radar Detectors
There is proposed legislation going through the Senate right now that will ban the use of radar detectors. According to the legislation, it’s supposed “to protect the public from drivers who think they can speed with impunity by using radar detection devices.”
The legislation, sponsored by Senator Steve Oelrich of Gainesville, Florida, would make using a radar detector a secondary traffic infraction, which means you could be ticketed were pulled over for another offense and found to be using a radar detector.
Ken Underwood, President of the National Safety Commission, is praising the bill. I suspect that Mr. Underwood is not a radar detector user:
“This bill is a positive step to protect Florida families on roads and highways from speeding drivers.”
Mr. Underwood went on to say that “Radar detectors give drivers a false sense of security that they can speed as much as they want without facing the consequences of breaking the law,” Underwood said. “Speed limits are important because they are proven to help prevent accidents and save lives, and using a radar detector encourages people to drive at unsafe speeds.”
According to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, in 2005, more than 380 Florida drivers were killed in accidents where excessive speed was the major contributing factor in the crash. Apparently to reduce the danger caused by speeding, nine other states have prohibited the use of radar detectors, including Illinois and Virginia.
Mar 2nd 2007
*********** ONLY FOR FLORIDA **********
THIS ARTICLE IS WRONG!
PROPOSED BAN IS ONLY FOR FLORIDA! NOT A NATIONAL BAN!
THIS ARTICLE IS MISLEADING. PLEASE CORRECT IT ASAP!!!!!!
Mar 2nd 2007
Florida’s two US senators are Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson. “Senator Steve Oelrich of Gainesville, Florida” is only a Florida State senator!
http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Members=View+Page&District_Num_Link=014&Submenu=1&Tab=legislators&chamber=Senate&CFID=29637520&CFTOKEN=80970801
So, this proposed ban is STATE LEVEL ONLY, NOT NATIONAL!
Mar 2nd 2007
Here is a link to the bill:
http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/view_page.pl?File=sb2228.html&Directory=session/2007/Senate/bills/billtext/html&Tab=session&Submenu=1
Mar 2nd 2007
Thanks for pointing this out, we’ve updated/edited the article.
Mar 2nd 2007
IL has not banned radar detectors. And last I heard, only 2 states have them banned, Virginia and DC (OK, so 1 state and 1 not state). You were probably looking at Radar Jammer bans, which indeed, 9 states have on the books.
Mar 3rd 2007
I think that we can see the real motivations of this bill considering Oelrich represents Waldo, FL, home of one of the most infamous speedtraps in the country.
How infamous? The AAA posted a billboard outside of town warning of its speedtraps:
http://www.oaaa.org/news/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=1372
Since revenue from the tickets (just about 1 ticket PER resident) makes over 100% of the police departments budget, I think the sign is justified. In fact, if EVERYONE went the speed limit, Waldo would go broke!
Mar 5th 2007
I have seen the sign in person. And the many of cops in Waldo. .. We the people have rights.. If i want to detect radar i will. And some fat politician is not going to stop me.
Mar 25th 2007
The Article is still misleading as it does not specify FL Senator and FL Senate, also what good would it do to ban radar detectors when most police agencies use laser speed meters anyway. The dangerous people out on the road are still going to use radar detectors and speed reguardless of if radar detectors are banned or not. All the ban would do is put money into the government’s pocket, no one would be any safer. Its like a gated community, once your inside the gate people dont ask questions is just a false sense of security.
Apr 9th 2007
Looks like another politician looking to make a name for himself at our expense. Banning radar detectors will not reduce traffic deaths by one, I suspect. He is picking on one miniscule area of transportation that will gain himself some attention and something to tell his grandkids and to hold court at parties about, but will be as useless as wings on a pig. What we don’t need are ever more and ever-increasing laws governing everything we do, everything we say, and in the future, probably everything we think.