Some kind American has offered me one of these via spam e-mail. Sorry I cannot post the link as it did not work. However.....
Radar detectors were de-criminalised some while ago and while I know the police would not look kindly on a jammer I cannot, off the top of my head, think of a piece of legislation which would make having one of these illegal.
Anyone care to disabuse me?
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Don't know what law they contravene but I'm almost 100% sure they are highly illegeal. Interfering with a police 'broadcast' perhaps?
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HH, I'd have thought you knew this, but there's a difference between a radar detector, which merely receives signals and provides a warning, and a jammer, which provides false signals of its own, and still are illegal I believe.
They are governed, at least for the time being, by the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, although I can't remember the relevant section number sorry.
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Sorry - I should have been more specific. It would be illegal to USE one of these gismos but not necessarily illegal to HAVE one! In the old days it was illegal even to possess a radar detector but no longer.
Similarly, you may OWN a TV without a license but not use one.
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Actually, I should have read more carefully. Rereading in context, you make perfect sense.
Still, now we've established that... I can't think of anything that would actually prevent possession either. I think it's the same situation for one of those FM radio broadcasters that pick up a CD player or iPod or whatever and broadcast to your car stereo.
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Did anyone see the BBC2 programme tonight with Jeremy Clarkson?
I turned over half way through, and saw the guy who had a homemade RADAR warning sign to place at the side of the road, after which he proceeded to photograph the police vehicle and operatives, until they drove off, after which he posted photo's on his website!!!! (thought the programme was about Belgium, but this turned out to be in Holland I think?) He had reams of photo's of destroyed cameras too.
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Just to be pedantic. Possessing or use of a radar detector has never been illegal. The police thought it was illegal and confiscated/fined people who had them until someone took them to court and the court found they were perfectly legal. The police thought they were illegal as they deemed them to be transmitting devices and thus covered by the Wireless and Telegraphy Act. The judge said they did not transmit (they recieved) so they were fine.
A laser jammer does transmit and on this basis the police believe these devices to be illegal but (without going in to the details too much) to be an illegal tranmisson it has to contain legible information which it may or may not, that is for the court to decide not the police. As far as I know the police have not tried to prosecute anyone for owning one yet and no case has come before the court so the matter is still unclear.
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Almost dead right there Thommo - however it wasn't that the Police thought they were transmitting devices. It centred on the fact that a radar detector is exactly that. It doesn't "process" or receive the signal which is the illegal part. In the same way it would be illegal for you to listen and decode military broadcasts, a box which tells you they are present (as a radar/laser detector does) is not illegal.
A Laser jammer is absolutely illegal because you are broadcasting on a restricted waveband. I reckon if you got caught with one they'd probably go for the "obstructing a policeman in his course of duty" line though...
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Transmitting at the required frequency to Jam a radar detector is illegal and you will not abtain a license to transmit at this frequency. A jammer can often trigger the doppler detector and cause a photo to be taken anyway. In the US some major highway cameras have jammer detectors and a photo is taken noting same.
Regards Peter
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If you read 'Ghost Rider' by Neil Peart, he describes being caught
using a radar jammer....the police in Canada also use the detectors
and give a ticket for their use.
Ian L.
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A laser system uses light, not radio waves, so should not be covered by the wireless telegraphy act. I think you get done with the 'attempting to pervert the course of justice' bit, which is a bit more serious.
No matter what it says about laser/radar detectors begin legal - don't foget to remove them before venturing into France and Belgium!! - not just switched off - removed.
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There was a case a few years ago involving a chap, nabbed for speeding, who set up a few hundred yards ahead of the police trap to warn on-coming motorists. I think he was charged with obstructing the police or perverting the course of justice - cannot remember which.
Had he come before me I would have been swayed somewhat by his argument that he was preventing the commission of an offence. However, I may be wrong of course - I am sometimes! Poor fellow lost his case.
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