It began with a bunch of Arabs with attitudes. It ended with a law forbidding us from traveling over our highways, many of which were designed to be safely traversed at 75 or more miles per hour, at a maximum speed of 55.
The 1973 oil embargo changed history. It forced the passage of energy saving laws, or perhaps laws that intended the saving of energy might be a better description.
The public wasn't nuts about it. Imagine being forced to drive 15 or more miles per hour slower in the name of energy savings that may or may not be taking place. It was certainly an inconvenience for commuters in general, but for the nation's trucking industry, which was based on getting loads hauled to distant locations as quickly as possible, it was intolerable.
Even worse, the radar units themselves could give whacked readings, so you might find yourself being hit in the pocketbook by a device that misread your speed. Guess whose side the judge is going to take with THAT argument!
So a market was quickly created and addressed for devices that would warn all, especially truckers whose livelihood depended on speed, of invisible radar waves that could cost you a hundred or more bucks. Thus was born the Fuzzbuster.
Radar detection is as old as radar itself, born in the 1930's. In the early 70's, inventor Dale Smith created a portable unit small enough to sit on the dashboard and plug into a cigarette lighter. It was also fairly cheap, the price of a couple of speeding tickets.
So it wasn't long before Fuzzbusters were seen all over the country. And they certainly helped in the struggle of cop vs. speeder.
What's sad is that the nation took this turn in the first place. Did the law save lives? Arguments could be made both ways. Did it save gasoline? Probably, although, once again, the evidence is not clear. But there's no doubt that what it DID do was turn the average American into a lawbreaker. And that was a nefarious effect that should have been taken into consideration before clamping down on highway speeds.
So, alongside truckers, average Joes started equipping their vehicles with radar detectors.
The police fought back. New radar technology was undetectable to X band radar detectors sold early that decade. Instant-on guns caught speeders red-handed at strategic locations where cops could hide. And lawmakers got in on the act, too, banning radar detectors in certain states.
Now I live on a normally quiet street that turns into a shortcut for hundreds of speeding commuters in a hurry to get home from work at 5:00. I hate it when speeding takes place in residential areas where people could get run over. But I also believe that if a police officer has the right to detect a driver's speed via radar, the driver has the right to know when he's doing so. So I feel statewide bans should be tested for constitutionality.
That being said, many of us who drove during the polyester decade did so with the assistance of small electronic units that let us know when our speed was being judged by radar waves.
Comments (5)
During the early days of Vietnam, F4 Phantom pilots needed a way to detect launches of radar-guided missiles as soon as possible, prior to the missile locking on and tracking the airplane. They soon discovered that Fuzzbusters, modified only slightly for frequency reception, could give them the few moments they needed to successfully evade the missiles. Fuzzbusters rode on many a combat mission glareshield until the government produced something better.
Posted by yobro | June 22, 2007 9:40 AM
Posted on June 22, 2007 09:40
We had a hillbilly family(the henry's)that
lived 5 houses down. Mrs. Henry put up a giant antenna on the roof, and "broadcasted"
every damn evening.
basically, my whole childhood consisted of
hearing mrs. henry in the most annoying raspy southern accent say, "Hey goood buudddee, thats a 10-4.
etc".....my old man would fume, throw stuff at the tv, and fall back asleep. Somewhere in the universe her nasty redneck voice is still beckoning truckers
off the interstate....I think its reached Alpha Centuri and this point...I'm not sure yet what the aliens take on her is.
Posted by Scott | July 12, 2007 9:30 PM
Posted on July 12, 2007 21:30
Radar detection is as old as radar itself,
Posted by Martina | August 11, 2008 4:36 AM
Posted on August 11, 2008 04:36
Those were the days, when speed was tolerated.
But here is why I detested the reduced speed limits, allegedly on the basis of saving energy. Cars run far less efficient that is readily possible and had been for many years. So they are not really concerned at all about energy savings. So why are they doing it?
Further, we a low lots of building in big cities and allow little towns to forbid business building so that they will not have any traffic. Actually, they have more since now they all have to commute and have great traffic congestion and pile ups that waste enormous amounts of fuel and energy because they all have to commute on the same roda out of town to the big city. Small towns died when mills closed that kept them home. But if we allowed new business to come in, they could get jobs right near where they lived. Maybe they could even walk, bike, or take the bus, no less.
Again, clearly it is not about saving energy and fuel. So why do they do it?
I think they want to get us used to letting them decide what is in our best interests, even when it clearly is not in our best interest when the big picture is considered.
But I certainly remember 9th grade, 1973 when that first BS fuel shortage came along. Turn those thermostats down says Nixon. Oh please. But one reason us boomers are often a cynical bunch is that we have seen and heard this crap too many times to be either fooled or amused by it. Its like one of those crappy songs on old AM top 40 radio stations that plays every 2 hours in the rotation. You want to kill when it comes on. Even hearing the title, “The Night Chicago Died” makes me froth at the mouth.
I loved Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t drive 55!” Sammy does not like BS either.
Posted by Scott Irv | June 3, 2009 5:42 PM
Posted on June 3, 2009 17:42
I remember back in the day when interstates in Maryland used to have maximum speed at 70 mph. Then they eventually dropped it down to 55mph. Radar Detectors are still illegal in MD, VA and DC. I always wanted one, but was afraid to have one because they say Police know if you have one on. The worst that can happen now if your caught with one is confiscation. I saw more truckers with RDs more then general public, especially back in the day. Now they have compined GPS technology with radio detection technology.
Posted by Rivers End | June 21, 2009 9:38 PM
Posted on June 21, 2009 21:38