Radar detectors

The Times has a piece today on the government making these illegal.

Apparently the GPS-only types will remain legal, but anything that detects
whether or not a camera is actually present (ie radar or laser) will shortly
become illegal with a fine of up to £1000.

You could ask, with it all being done by camera, how are they going to tell
if people are using them or not, or will it be yet another diversion for the
police who can't even enforce the mobile phone ban at the moment?

 

There is a system the police have bought (I think already) called "VG-2
Guard" which will detect a radar detector being used. Unfortunately for
the users of VG-2 all the latest radar detectors have radar detector,
detector, detector systems built in that shut down the radar detector
while it is being scanned by a VG-2.

I find a radar detector very useful in the car as it gives me an
advanced warning that the car in front is going to hit his brakes for no
apparent reason. I've found they do this even when travelling within the
speed limit.

 

They're not passive[1]- google for superheterodyne.

[1] I used to own a radar detector that *was* a passive[2] device
[2] No local oscillator- so insensitive it was nearly useless.