This is just the weirdest thing. So, as you know in the states of, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, and New York; Having a police scanner that is active in your car is illegal, because it will make it easy to circumvent speed traps...which is literally the same exact thing radar detectors do but there legal in those same states? I just don't understand, i've had this question for a while ever since I learned about this. To me, this is the weirdest legal bias i've ever seen. Could anybody explain why this is a thing?
Police Scanners illegal, but not radar detectors?
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DVINTHEHOUSEMAN
Up North
I think part of the reason scanners are made illegal in a car is because you can get a very advanced warning with a scanner and have a chance to take a different route whereas for a radar detector you've already said cheese for the camera by the time it goes off.
Why is that? I've been wondering that all my life.
The WAZE app for your phone is a great way to avoid speed traps. With regards to scanners, it seems it would be easy enough to hide a scanner in your vehicle and listen to it via a Bluetooth ear bud.
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Probably because they would have had a fight on their hands.
Trying to go up against federal rules would be a challenge. Hams/CB'ers/GMRS users would all have legitimate and legal reasons to have a radio in a vehicle.
Drawing the line between a scanning receiver and a scanning transceiver gets a bit hard to do when looking at the reasons for these laws.
And, it's just stupid, out of date, and pointless. Kind of like the "cellular blocked" scanners. No reason to block it as the scanners can no longer hear anything useful.
Then again, no real reason to lift it, as the scanner can no longer hear anything useful anyway.
DeeEx
Member
Isn’t a radar detector a scanner? Or perhaps technically a frequency counter? It’s detecting RF and processing the presence of the signal in a way that the end user can be informed of the presence of the signal…isn’t that what a scanner (or frequency counter) does?
🤣 yeah all my scanners are bricks 🧱 ever since you were hired. Thanks for ruining the hobby you bully!!!
Strange laws in different states...
Be safe
Be safe
RichM
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In my state of Michigan scanners in vehicles were illegal for decades because bootleggers in the 1930’s used police radios to out wit law enforcement. Bootlegging was a big business here because of the proximity to Canada which had no prohibition. Many years later, people traveling from out of state to Michigan Speedway with their race scanners kept getting tickets for having scanners in their cars. This eventually led to the repeal of this antiquated law that was still on the books. I still have my scanner in vehicle permit issued to me by the state police from back then.
It’s still illegal to use a scanner in the furtherance of a crime and I suspect that is why some states still don’t allow scanners in cars. Also radar detectors are easily defeated by instant on radar and other methods so that may be why they don’t bother to outlaw them as well.
It’s still illegal to use a scanner in the furtherance of a crime and I suspect that is why some states still don’t allow scanners in cars. Also radar detectors are easily defeated by instant on radar and other methods so that may be why they don’t bother to outlaw them as well.
I had one of those Scanner Radio Permits from the Michigan State Police...I believe they referenced "Shortwave receiver", no scanners!
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This actually makes sense, it's just how the law is worded that doesn't.
Except in Virginia, they make it clear when entering the state that radar detectors are illegal (there are even radar detector detectors), although as far as I know, you CAN have a scanner in your car...
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Joel
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I have driven through every one of those States except for Minnesota with a scanner in my car. I have never had a problem including the one time I was stopped in New York City for making an illegal left turn. I had a portable scanner on the seat next to me.
Even radar detector laws are silly now that Police use lidar for the most part instead.
As noted Waze gives you a lot better traffic information including where the accidents are so you can avoid them. If I remember correctly police in somewhere in New York state wanted to ban ways because it was giving away the location of speed traps or something stupid like that. That idea got laughed right out of existence.
Even radar detector laws are silly now that Police use lidar for the most part instead.
As noted Waze gives you a lot better traffic information including where the accidents are so you can avoid them. If I remember correctly police in somewhere in New York state wanted to ban ways because it was giving away the location of speed traps or something stupid like that. That idea got laughed right out of existence.
At times they can promote safe driving by causing numerous drivers to slow down when a speed trap is exposed, where they otherwise would not have slowed down.
That is more plausible than some may think.... I haven't seen it recently, but they (them) used to park unoccupied police cars at strategic locations to slow people down. Once in New Jersey, after a particularly high speed part of route 80, a police car in front of everyone turned their flashers on and weaved back and forth across the highway to slow everyone down before a new construction zone. I don't know if that's standard practice, but in this case it worked.At times they can promote safe driving by causing numerous drivers to slow down when a speed trap is exposed, where they otherwise would not have slowed down.
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Joel
Right! That's why people buy 'em.At times they can promote safe driving by causing numerous drivers to slow down when a speed trap is exposed, where they otherwise would not have slowed down.
Do your research and you will find states band scanner’s shortly after someone recorded newt Gingrich talking down south somewhere on his phone and posted it.
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