The Pros and Cons

Many people who often find themselves in a rush invest in radar detection equipment. This technology sends out a signal beam of its own that detects the presence of police radar activity.

RADAR DETECTORS?.

The upside of this device is somewhat obvious. Because these can usually detect radar from one to three miles away, you can simply adjust your speed when it goes off and wait until the coast is clear once again.

The more advanced devices will inform you as to how close the radar is to your location, by displaying a number or beeping more faintly or loudly, so it will be difficult for them to catch you off your guard.

There are a few drawbacks to this system. First of all, these can be somewhat expensive, and cost a few hundred dollars each (about the price of a single ticket, so many argue that it pays for itself.)

Secondly, in the case that you are still pulled over for speeding, these devices are very difficult to hide, and the officer will notice that you are in possession of one. In my experience, this will automatically lead to the highest degree of ticket possible because he will assume that you are a belligerent speed-hound.

A simple internet search will inform you of all that you need to know regarding the range of prices, size, and installation of these devices. I’m not here to promote any specific model, but I will say that what you pay for is often what you get when you’re dealing with this technology, so be ready to make an investment if you’re serious about avoiding radar.

Read the Road

Police and highway patrolmen try to disguise their location as best as they can in order to meet that quota. Even though they usually do a pretty sneaky job, they change the pattern of traffic in such a way that you can guess where they’re hiding.

After a few weeks of simply paying greater attention, I gained the ability to spot probable hiding places and alter my speed accordingly, and you can too. All you need to do is train yourself to pay closer attention to the following items and you’ll drastically cut down the number of tickets you could get.

1. Pay Attention to Other Drivers:

Study the road ahead of you. Do you see a bunch of brake lights, or have the other drivers slowed down for no apparent reason?

If so, then there’s a good chance that they’ve spotted the cops and are trying to slow down.

Instead of hitting the brakes after he’s spotted you, watch the road for signs that other people are spotting him and reduce your speed before you get into his radar range.

2. Watch for Friendly Signals:

Look at the cars travelling in the other direction.  Are any of them flashing their lights (usually two or three times) or their brights (if it’s already dark and their lights are on)? This is a universal signal for “cop ahead, watch your speed.” Heed their warnings, as they’ve probably seen a cop parked in the median or off the side of the road and are telling you what’s to come.

3. Guess their Hiding Spots:

Ask yourself this question: if you were a police officer and you needed to start racking up numbers, where would you hide your vehicle?

Sharp and sudden curves, breaks in the forestry, and areas that provide cover that disguises them are the most common places.

If you learn to pay attention to the road, then you greatly reduce your chances of zipping right on by his speed trap and seeing the red and blue lights in your rearview.

4. Study the Median:

On interstates and highways, police officers will often simply park their cars on the median that separates the two directions. They do this for two reasons: so they can monitor both sides of the road, and because they know that most people don’t look at the median when they’re driving. If you need to get somewhere fast, don’t lose sight of the median. Check it every time there’s a curve in the road to make sure that there aren’t any cops lying in wait.

5. Use a Decoy:

If there’s someone in front of you that is really zooming along, then it’s easy to get away with driving at an elevated speed.

Simply ensure that you aren’t driving any faster than the other car is. If you both enter a speed trap, the cop will tag your decoy and let you go by untouched!

This method is most effective when you’re behind a large commercial truck (which tend to confuse radars) or a sports car (especially a red one, these are the most ticketed cars on the road.)

Train yourself to study the behavior of other drivers and use it to your advantage by driving in close proximity to someone who’s really asking for

6. Know your Area:

Usually, cities are too large and there are just too many roads for officers to effectively catch everyone who speeds.

This is why we speed: because we know that the odds are in our favor that we won’t get caught.

The simple fear of getting a ticket is often enough to dissuade people from driving too fast, even if there isn’t a patrol car for many miles.

In order to instill this fear, law enforcement officials will often select a few busy streets and a few speeding-prone intersections and set up speed traps there.

If you’ve lived in the same area for a long period of time, you should start to notice which streets the cops patrol and which ones they neglect. If you monitor your speed on the streets where you know you’re at risk, then you greatly reduce your chances of being ticketed.

7. Know the Schedule:

While there are always police officers on duty, there are substantially less of them at night or early in the morning. They’ll still try to catch you, but their range will be that much more limited. If you must speed, try to do it in the hours when you know your risk of encountering a law enforcement unit is lower. You’ll find that you’re able to speed in more areas during these hours, and that many of the streets that are frequently patrolled in the daytime are completely neglected at night. Just be sure to be careful, as the darkness makes it harder to see impending obstacles and increase your risk of getting into a dangerous

If you’re Pulled Over

Even if you implement all of my methods, there will still be times when you’ll get caught.

While it’s certainly possible to talk an officer out of giving you a ticket, it isn’t very likely.

Most cops already decide whether or not to issue a citation by the time they’ve looked up your record.

However, there are a few things that you can do to increase the likelihood that they’ll let you off easy.

Be Polite: Don’t act surprised or incredulous that you got pulled over. Instead, treat the officer with kindness and respect. Do not, do not admit to speeding or going a certain MPH. Just apologize without saying anything that can be used against you in court as evidence of speeding  (I’ll discuss why a little later in the book.)

Be Patient:

Don’t cut him off or rush him if he’s in the mood to give you a lecture. Let him say his piece, and act attentive the entire time. Respond to pauses in his speech with small acknowledgements (“yes sir” or “I understand, sir”) and don’t seem fake or overly friendly (as they’ll think you’re trying to get away) and you may just come away with a warning.

Don’t Exceed Fifteen MPH Over the Speed Limit:

If you’re caught driving at ludicrous speeds, then no amount of smooth-talk is going to save you. You’re going to get a ticket.

Turn on the Dome Light:

Officers are more likely to dish out punishment if they aren’t totally relaxed. Remember, every time an officer pulls someone over, they have to be fully aware of their situation, as any minor traffic stop could result in a potentially dangerous situation. Let them know that you aren’t hiding anything by turning on your dome light, and don’t reach for anything unless they specifically direct you to do so (for all they know, you could be reaching for a weapon.) If they realize that they’re in no danger, then they will be less uptight and more open-minded to the possibility of letting you slide.

Speeding-Ticket-Excuses

Don’t Make Excuses (Unless they’re true):

Unless you’ve actually got an emergency situation worth addressing, don’t bother trying to make up a story. Police are pretty good at recognizing liars, and they’ve literally heard every excuse in the book. They won’t work, and they’ll be offended that you think they’re stupid.

If you incorporate my tips into your driving routine, you will learn to see the road differently, and you’ll wake up one morning to discover that you haven’t been ticketed in years. If you’re unlucky and you still get cited, or you already have a citation and want to know how to avoid paying for it, then read on to the next chapter.

Why Does My System Work?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *