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From: gritz@homxa.UUCP (R.SHARPLES)
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.legal
Subject: Radar Detector Legislation
Message-ID: <1081@homxa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 10:51:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: homxa.1081
Posted: Tue Aug  6 10:51:34 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 11-Aug-85 07:19:02 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 37
Xref: linus net.auto:6518 net.legal:1637


  I heard on the news today that a NJ assemblyman for Middlesex County
  (Schwartz I believe) has introduced legislation making the sale, possession
  and use of radar detectors illegal in New Jersey.  As I am not a resident of
  NJ I cannot contact my representative and complain but I urge all of you
  netters in NJ and everywhere to fight this sort of legislation.

  Radar guns should be unconstiutional but the case has never made it to the
  Supreme Court.  Radar guns are electronic surveillance devices that the
  police use at random on citizens who are driving motor vehicles.  Most
  motorists obey the speed limit (more than half), a few speed (less than
  half, the %s don't matter). However, the police indiscriminately use
  electronic surveillance devices to sample the speed of all cars.  They then
  apprehend the drivers who are exceeding the limit.  A radar detector is the
  citizen's only defense against this invasion of privacy (unwarranted search
  and seizure).  Not to mention the fact that the police radar signal is a
  publicly broadcasted radio signal which, according to the FCC, can be picked
  up by anyone.

  If the government outlaws the use of radar detectors as Schwartz (sp?) has
  proposed, it will be an additional slap in the face for citizens' privacy.
  If the government believes it has the right to use electronic surveillance
  devices on all motorists to catch speeders, what will stop it from using
  electronic surveillance devices to monitor all conversations in public
  places in an effort to catch drug dealers?

  Not only must we fight the government's efforts to confiscate our only
  protection against these electronic surveillance methods but we must fight
  against the USE of these surveillance methods.

  You may flame me for sounding paranoid, but I am angry at the fact that each
  year the government tries to enact more unconstitutional laws to control our
  behavior.

  Russ Sharples
  homxa!gritz