Radar detectors have come a long way over the past couple of decades. I remember the first few models that hit stores like Radio Shack in the early 1990s. These little machines were a long awaited dream come true for those of us who took long trips on the highway.

The speed limit in most states was fifty-five miles per hour. Cars were becoming more and more sophisticated and some of them had features that made driving faster easier. It also made driving faster tempting as well, especially on those long trips on the highways. The emergence of radar detectors couldnt have come at a better time.

The radar detectors were not cheap and many of us couldnt afford them. However, we couldnt afford speeding tickets either. In the early days of radar detectors, some drivers used a driving technique similar to drafting in NASCAR. Basically, one brave soul would lead a pack of chickens.

The head of the pack would have his cruise control set on a relatively high speed, about an average of ten or fifteen miles over the fifty-five miles per hour limit. These leaders often had radar detectors that alerted the entire pack of cars when to slow down. Sometimes they didnt.

When the leader of the highway pack was risking a ticket, we all were. The gamble we all took in the drafting process was that the leaders didnt have radar detectors and were traveling on gut and instinct alone. Actually, they were driving on gut, instinct and bravery.

Those leaders who didnt have radar detectors were taking risks not only for themselves but for those masses that followed them. Some police could be found directing traffic off of the highway to give a bunch of us tickets. Everyone is responsible for his own behavior and telling the police officer that you thought the people in front of you had radar detectors will not get you out of a speeding ticket. I know. I tried.

After being part of a crowd of four cars pulled over by a pair of state patrolmen, I decided to shop for some radar detectors. If I would have had one to begin with I wouldnt have lost the gamble on the highway.

Getting a speeding ticket is not fun. It can be very costly and it can have serious adverse effects on your driving record. Your insurance might skyrocket with just one or two infractions on your record. Radar detectors can really save you a lot of money in the long run. After all, gambling should be left in the casinos, not on the roads.