PorKen

Laser is quickly becoming the revenue generator measurement device of choice here, and probably where you are too.

I have read that pointy nose cars such as ours are difficult to measure from the front, especially dark painted ones. Also, while the laser is instant, determining a speed reading, especially at a distance, takes a second or two for the gun to verify.

I would guess that I have a low reflection rate on the front, with my hidden headlights, painted sidemarkers, and flappy license plate. However, I have tired of the current placement of the license plate, and wish to solidly mount it in the center, but lower than stock.

I am considering mounting both the front and rear license plates at a downward angle, any thoughts on effectivity vis-a-vis laser? The rear plate lights are quite far back, so it would allow a decent angle and still be lighted.

Other more aggressive ideas:
*Reduce the reflectivity of the rear reflectors in the taillights.
*Foglights: remove, cover, or replace with smaller.

Any other ideas?

PorKen

Since my car is white, I suppose a nose bra, even mirror bras, would help.

I don't like them, but now that I think about it, for long trips it might be cost effective, but leave them off around town.

It might look silly, but how about a rear bra for highway trips?

PorKen

I wonder if the Stronguard transparent bras, and/or the headlight/foglight covers give any protection?

Could they be made to do so; ie. IR absorbing?

Some interesting reading: "Frequently Asked Questions on Police Lidar"

GoRideSno

If it were in the back shouldn't it be called a girdle or panties instead of bra?

PorKen

Similar to the 'Wonderbra Bottom'. Wünderbüm?

Jessa

Are the laser guns' reading still legally valid in court? I thought the technology had proved to be too unreliable in its reading.

Based on my very limited understanding of the stuff, the license plate would need to be at a fairly signifigant rake for it really throw off the reading, which may be enough to pull you over and issue a fix-it ticket for anyways.

Maybe attaching the front plate just in front of the grill to the backside of the bumper cover would be a good place. It would be front and centre, therefore it would look reasonably harmless. The overhange of the tip of the bumper cover might shield some of the nice flat plate surface from speed guns, and it would also making it harder for cameras to get a viewable shot of it, since they tend to be mounted high. The other important benefit, of course, is that no visible holes must be present in the front of the bumper cover to do this.

Mark

They do make IR absorptive lic plate covers. Senn 'em on eBay!

Parnelli Joneser

An extensive article in Car & Driver a couple of years ago worked through the legal case then pending over the accuracy of all elements of laser: the narrow beam width versus the user's aim as well as the electronics themselves. The claims of the manufacturer seemed dubious then, but it's obvious that they've been legitimized, that's all I've been seeing used for over a year.

As for photo tickets in the USA... a lawyer friend(yes I'm aware its oxymoronic) advises simply to never acknowledge it when it comes in the mail, key word never. Sounds overly simple to people who don't commonly deal with the courts, but it works, here. Europe is different.

I could rant here (I got a laser ticket in Feb) but I won't.
I remember reading that not all the tradional radar avoidence techniques apply to laser. The subtleties of deflection and refraction, etc. escape me at the moment, but the cursory websearch I did seconds ago for "laser gun speed enforcment" made it clear that this is a big big topic for everyone. A slick shape like the 928 gives us a leg up on minivans but I think that in the modern driving enviroment on freeways where laser is most commonly used makes trying to jam it frivolous.

Driving smart seems to work best, but my perspective might be skewed by the fact that I've mostly driven vehicles invisible to cops for the past 10 years- Subaru Legacy wagon, grey w/ hubcaps, I could pass a cop @ 90 and not get a look, or my appliance white F250 short cab, not a 928...

My reality comes out as a ****ty Yogi Berraism- The circumstances of the ticket I got.... I was driving the early RAV4 of a friend's, a narrow car by any standard and i was following a full-size MAV(mall-assault vehicle, think Hummer H2) etc. etc. I could of had every jammer on the planet and I would have been clipped for a lame *** 71mph just inside a reduced, urban 55 mph zone, i.e. a quota filler.
If you're gonna get a ticket, you're gonna get a ticket.
Oops, I was ranting wasn't I? The doctor said the pills take a few days to start working...

Kaz

Just last weekend on PCH I got hit with Laser and might've been a few mph over the limit. Anyway, the motorcycle officer hit me twice then took a long look at me as I passed. Looked a little annoyed actually. He then pulled out and nailed a minivan that was probably traveling at the same speed. We were all headed downhill and I was the lead car.

PorKen

Parnelli Joneser,

I agree, that most of the time it's just being aware of your surroundings that will avoid a problem. The only times I've been pulled over is when I was not paying attention.
...

Kaz - I bet he couldn't get a good reading off you.
...

Quite easy mod. I took off the plate bracket, and in a vise, bent only the lower legs as much as I dared, so as to not block the plate lights totally, and remounted the plate to the bottom two holes:



I shined a red laser beam at the plate from across the street. Compared to the neighbor's plate, it was hard to tell a difference.

When I got closer though, I could see the reflection of the laser on the ground (about one foot behind the plate), so light is being reflected down. At 2000 feet, it might very well help, but damn those plates are reflective.

Might make photo radar photos a bit more difficult to see too.

PorKen

One more thing that might be unobtrusive.

I've seen on a movie set, a 'Nicotine' spray, for dirtying up things. Makes things look like they've been in a bar for 20 years. Fairly certain it washes off.

Anything to take the sheen off.

Jim_H

Ken,

I have never had a front license plate on my Porsches and never been pulled over for it. I don't think they're too **** about that in OR.

John Struthers

I am a firm believer in the Valentine radar detector system...BUT...
I think the Escort (Passport?) 8500 series is the only system
out there that can confuse and possibly defeat Lidar.
Currently the Lidar Jammer component is an add on and costs as
much as, or more than the 8500 detector itself.
It is a plug and play system piggybacked to the 8500.
To the best of my knowledge: while there are states that have
outlawed radar detectors and states like Texas where there are severe penalties for radar jammers -DPS in Texas currently has detector and jammer detectors-. However, while the Transportation Department
has the authority to make laws, policy, and rulings on the private use of Radar and radar detectors it has no standing on Lasers, laser detectors,
laser jammers. Lasers come under the purview of the Food and Drug Administration for some reason or another. Hence, you can jam away.
You can figure at some point or another that this will change, no doubt, to protect freedom and democracy.
But more importantly, the fun loving DPS will be more than happy to have you kneel in a patch of stickers, mesquite, or, goatheads while they disassemble you sHARk, and perhaps offer you the chance for a free rectal exam with no co-pay involved...

Niels Jørgensen

The problem with lasers is not the technical challenge of detecting or jamming them as both is certainly possible, but the fact that only detection is legal (AFAIK, jamming is illegal because it interferes with police business), and detection of laser-guns is about as usefull as a solar-powered flashlight.

http://www.blinder.dk (haven't tried this, and I'm not going to either, but FWIW)...

Old & New

Laser jamming is legal here.

http://www.escortradar.com/srx.htm