Take FAQ's of legal requirements with a big grain of salt. What you see here is a big CYA from the officials. If they tell you, it's OK to turn it off in clear conditions and there is a situation where it could have been helpful, the blame can get pushed back on them.   It's a lot like if someone randomly slams on thier brakes while going down a wide open highway and you rear end them. Doesn't matter if you were leaving a perfectly reasonable distance that would never result in you being pulled over, by default you were following too close because you had a crash.   Obviously if it's foggy or otherwise limited visibility, you should have your radar on. If you are in the middle of a lake with no one in 5 miles on a clear day, it's probably reasonable to turn it off...but if you miss seeing somone and there is a halfway reasonable expectation that radar would have shown them, you will get the equivilent of that following to close ticket.   By the way, the same thing goes for the VHF, binoculars and any other "safety devices". If you have them and don't use them, you could get the equivilent ticket or law suit.   Mike & Tammy Valhalla II