4 ms·

"have" and "own" aren't always the same thing, especially in intent-based legal systems. I can own a blue flashing light. I can operate it in my house. I can

by soneil 5y ago

"have" and "own" aren't always the same thing, especially in intent-based legal systems. I can own a blue flashing light. I can operate it in my house. I can't operate it attached to my vehicle on a public road. There is a very high chance this is also true in your country/state. Context is king.

mindslight 5y ago
Of course there's a legal distinction, otherwise the state wouldn't be able to make such laws. The question is whether such laws are logically reasonable to have. Your blue flashing light example makes sense to prohibit because it is misleading other people. Whereas a radar detector is increasing your own senses. Should there be aspects of your personal physical reality that you are legally prohibited from finding out? Or alternatively, what basic tort would using a radar detector be similar to?
vel0city 5y ago
Still, outlawing the operation of such a detector in a vehicle seems a bit of a stretch to me. Operating a blue flashing light on a car on a public road is partially impersonating an emergency vehicle or police officer. You're directly affecting the people around you with that. A radar detector is a fancy radio receiver that beeps when it sees certain wavelengths. Its not directly affecting anyone else. I do agree things like radar jammers should be illegal to operate in public spaces, which they are already separate from anything about attaching them to your car, as that's directly affecting other people especially with modern car safety features utilizing radar and laser systems. Public radar jammer operation is illegal though under FCC rules, so there's already things in place to punish those operating such equipment. FWIW in Virginia and D.C. it really is illegal to possess a radar detector. The police will confiscate them. I imagine there are other places in the world which have similar rules.

by soneil 5y ago

mindslight 5y ago

Of course there's a legal distinction, otherwise the state wouldn't be able to make such laws. The question is whether such laws are logically reasonable to have. Your blue flashing light example makes sense to prohibit because it is misleading other people. Whereas a radar detector is increasing your own senses. Should there be aspects of your personal physical reality that you are legally prohibited from finding out? Or alternatively, what basic tort would using a radar detector be similar to?

vel0city 5y ago

Still, outlawing the operation of such a detector in a vehicle seems a bit of a stretch to me. Operating a blue flashing light on a car on a public road is partially impersonating an emergency vehicle or police officer. You're directly affecting the people around you with that. A radar detector is a fancy radio receiver that beeps when it sees certain wavelengths. Its not directly affecting anyone else. I do agree things like radar jammers should be illegal to operate in public spaces, which they are already separate from anything about attaching them to your car, as that's directly affecting other people especially with modern car safety features utilizing radar and laser systems. Public radar jammer operation is illegal though under FCC rules, so there's already things in place to punish those operating such equipment. FWIW in Virginia and D.C. it really is illegal to possess a radar detector. The police will confiscate them. I imagine there are other places in the world which have similar rules.