Radar Detectors. How many people actually still run these things? Why?
Most cops ride around with their radar and vascar on standby which your detector can't pick up until they hit the button to activate it and lock the speed in. There are some occasions where they sit stationary and leave it on, but if they do get you and you have a detector in your car, they are gonna write you a citation where they may have been in a good mood and let you off.
Just curious.......
Radar Detectors
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S13Convertible
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hm
I thought radar detectors were not illegal unless you have them ON. 
If I were to get one, I'd go with the V1 or nothing.
If I were to get one, I'd go with the V1 or nothing.-
EZcheese15
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EZcheese15
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Yeah, I agree with Kcar here 100% (take note, this is the first and probably last time I will agree with him 100%). But I've gotten speeding tickets even with my V1 on. It's not full proof. But it's a DAMN good aid.
But I do what he said, always make sure there is other traffic around. Even if a cop is using instant-on radar, the V1 will still pick it up before he is in eyesight. And if the cop can't see you, he can't prove it was you speeding.
But I do what he said, always make sure there is other traffic around. Even if a cop is using instant-on radar, the V1 will still pick it up before he is in eyesight. And if the cop can't see you, he can't prove it was you speeding.
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EZcheese15
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s0ldats wrote:what is a radar that you would recommend? i don't want to spend TOO much money...
I honestly wouldn't recommend anything but the best. And that's gonna be either the V1 or the Escort Passport.
My friend has the passport, and it has nice features. But one thing it lacks against the V1 is directional arrows. The V1 will tell you which way the signal is coming from, which is a VERY nice feature. One that I don't know I could live without anymore.
But for more info, go to http://www.radartest.com
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EZcheese15
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I'm not saying the V1 is the best. I'm saying it's one of the best.
And as for the directional arrows, it's not just marketing. My friend has the Escort Passport. He bought it simply because I have the V1 and he wanted to compare. Both him *and* me like the Passport better for almost everything. However, the directional arrows on the V1 are the one thing that keeps us both liking the V1 nearly as much. He complains every day that he doesn't have the arrows. They truly are useful.
But like I said, the Passport is definatly just as good if not better than the V1. Eventhough I still prefer the V1, but that's just because that's what I'm used to.
And as for the directional arrows, it's not just marketing. My friend has the Escort Passport. He bought it simply because I have the V1 and he wanted to compare. Both him *and* me like the Passport better for almost everything. However, the directional arrows on the V1 are the one thing that keeps us both liking the V1 nearly as much. He complains every day that he doesn't have the arrows. They truly are useful.
But like I said, the Passport is definatly just as good if not better than the V1. Eventhough I still prefer the V1, but that's just because that's what I'm used to.
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EZcheese15
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JESTER
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I didn't know they were illegal in any state. Even if I dont like them, you should have the right to run them.
The thing K-car said is true. If you are in traffic the radar has a hard time picking out a particular vehicle. It will bounce back and forth between differnt cars.
I just dont think they are worth the money. If a cop stops you for speeding and see the detector, you are gonna get a speeding ticket reguardless. That is the way it is. They figure if you have one than you are a habitual speeder and need a ticket.
I would deffinetly like to know more about the jammers. Like to get one to try out against radar and vascar to see if they work like they are suppose to. How much do they go for?
The thing K-car said is true. If you are in traffic the radar has a hard time picking out a particular vehicle. It will bounce back and forth between differnt cars.
I just dont think they are worth the money. If a cop stops you for speeding and see the detector, you are gonna get a speeding ticket reguardless. That is the way it is. They figure if you have one than you are a habitual speeder and need a ticket.
I would deffinetly like to know more about the jammers. Like to get one to try out against radar and vascar to see if they work like they are suppose to. How much do they go for?
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EZcheese15
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JESTER wrote:I just dont think they are worth the money. If a cop stops you for speeding and see the detector, you are gonna get a speeding ticket reguardless. That is the way it is. They figure if you have one than you are a habitual speeder and need a ticket.
Not true. I was told this before I got my radar detector, but since then I've discovered this is a myth.
I've been pulled over probably 10 times with my radar detector in the past 5 years. Probably 8 of those times were for speeding. Only twice have I gotten tickets (compared to the like 4 tickets I had the previous year before I bought one).
Normally if a cop pulls you over for speeding with a radar detector, they don't even notice it (if you turn it off when u get pulled over). And I've even been pulled over by one cop that used instant radar, and was so impressed at my reaction time of my radar detector going off and me hitting the breaks, he let me go with a verbal warning. He clocked me at 74 in a 65, when in reality I was doing about 95-100 when the detector went off. This isn't true for all cops, but a good majority of them (in my experience) if anything, compliment you on how well the radar detector picked up the signal. It's weird, I know. But I swear it's true.
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nnkfws333
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Go to www.speedzones.com
I didn't have money for the V1 so I got the beltronics 940 and gonna see how well it performs.
I didn't have money for the V1 so I got the beltronics 940 and gonna see how well it performs.
EZcheese15 wrote:A radar jammer doesn't detect radar, it just jams the signal. I don't know much about them, but check your state laws, they are illegal in many states.
I've always had a question about jammers. If you're flying like doing 90/100, and the cops radar jams, then he sees you flying by, won't he know whats up? Or do jammers work differently than that? I can't see them as having a long range...
I just got my V1 and tried it out today. I love it. I spend months actually researching, and finding the best because the crappy ones do not work, and there's no point in wasting money on them. It was a very hard choice I must say, and I came very close to getting the 8500, but after research and checking epinions.com to see what owners have to say, I picked the V1 (even though I live in the city, and the passport falses less on x band thus is better in the city). I couldn't make up my mind between the 8500 and the V1, but the arrows caused me to go with the V1. They are in no way a marketing gimmick. To me it is important to know where the signal is comming from, to determine weather the signal is real, or false, so next time I travel on the road I'll know weather it's the door opener to the target at mile marker 41, or a speed trap. With the 8500 I would feel lost, and have no idea where the signal is comming from. I can't tell you much more information on the V1 because I just tried it out all today, but so far I love it, and am using the arrows to search for speed traps on frequently travels roads. Oh, and the X band that would be flooded with door openers and alarms is still actually used in my state (NJ). I saw a trooper on the side of a state highway today with a car pulled over, and thanks to the arrows I knew he was the one giving me the x band signal, and not the store down the road. I think that's the worse, cops using x band on state highways flooded with strip malls and false x band signals.
Passport and V1 get my vote, hell I couldn't decide but it's realy up to you. I felt the arrows were more important to me than the falsing that came with V1, and I could care less about falsing. I rather have a false signal, than a miss a signal and have a trooper up my ***. The V1 is said to be better on interstates without stores because it would false less, have longer range but based on the reviews, the v1 only has a problem with falsing, but like I said it didn't bother me, and wasn't constantly beeping. I'm in the NYC metro area, so I should have had it the worst, though I didn't notice it much except when shopping at the mall, and that was only x band, logic mode was quiet. Car and driver did a test on the radar detectors and the V1 one. C&D test is also said to be the least biased of the tests, and there was something about radartests.com's test not being accurate or based on real life, I'll find that information if you want, but I don't feel like looking now, it's somewhere on epinions.com.
sory 4 d bad gramR n speling
EDIT: o yea, a nice thing to know is Mike Valentine was the co inventor of the Escort, so you know they are both excellent radar detectors.
Passport and V1 get my vote, hell I couldn't decide but it's realy up to you. I felt the arrows were more important to me than the falsing that came with V1, and I could care less about falsing. I rather have a false signal, than a miss a signal and have a trooper up my ***. The V1 is said to be better on interstates without stores because it would false less, have longer range but based on the reviews, the v1 only has a problem with falsing, but like I said it didn't bother me, and wasn't constantly beeping. I'm in the NYC metro area, so I should have had it the worst, though I didn't notice it much except when shopping at the mall, and that was only x band, logic mode was quiet. Car and driver did a test on the radar detectors and the V1 one. C&D test is also said to be the least biased of the tests, and there was something about radartests.com's test not being accurate or based on real life, I'll find that information if you want, but I don't feel like looking now, it's somewhere on epinions.com.
sory 4 d bad gramR n speling
EDIT: o yea, a nice thing to know is Mike Valentine was the co inventor of the Escort, so you know they are both excellent radar detectors.
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AZhitman
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I drive many miles on the Phoenix freeways and surface streets every day, and I travel statewide for weeks at a time. I don't have a detector, and haven't had one for years. I drive 75-95 (more for short blasts when it's safe) on the freeways and typically 5-10 mph over on surface streets (again, when it's safe).
Not having a detector trains your eyes to distinguish differences in traffic patterns and to look for "typical" hiding places for radar operators. Haven't had a ticket in 7 years as a result (knock on Formica).
That being said, I'd love to have a V1. My fear is that it lulls drivers into a false sense of security AND distracts the otherwise observant driver, making him rely too heavily on electronics to do what the human brain is pretty adept at.
However, maybe I'm just sour grapes 'cuz I don't have a new V1...
Not having a detector trains your eyes to distinguish differences in traffic patterns and to look for "typical" hiding places for radar operators. Haven't had a ticket in 7 years as a result (knock on Formica).
That being said, I'd love to have a V1. My fear is that it lulls drivers into a false sense of security AND distracts the otherwise observant driver, making him rely too heavily on electronics to do what the human brain is pretty adept at.
However, maybe I'm just sour grapes 'cuz I don't have a new V1...
Day two with the V1
First time I ever received a laser warning. Looks like strobes in windows sets it off, or something in the store set it off (Kind of like a spencer gifts). Driving downtown there was an oncoming police car with it's lights on pass me. V1 went wild, which surprised me. Why would the Police car set it off if it were downtown? Why would his radar be on, if it was on, I think K band? I don't think they set up speed traps on city streets?
Can't stop loving the arrows, can't wait to take it on the interstate where real speed traps are.
First time I ever received a laser warning. Looks like strobes in windows sets it off, or something in the store set it off (Kind of like a spencer gifts). Driving downtown there was an oncoming police car with it's lights on pass me. V1 went wild, which surprised me. Why would the Police car set it off if it were downtown? Why would his radar be on, if it was on, I think K band? I don't think they set up speed traps on city streets?
Can't stop loving the arrows, can't wait to take it on the interstate where real speed traps are.
Speaking from personal experience. I do a lot of driving (131K miles on a 99' G20). Mostly highway but a fair amount of city driving.
I will say that the Valentine One is by far the BEST radar that I have ever owned. Ive used Escorts, Cobras, Bells, etc...etc... The directional indicators are truly one of the best features, but its sensitivity and accuracy are smiply amazing.
For city driving, the V1 has three levels of sensitivity, the lowest setting only the strongest signals are reported. This is for all bands.
One thing that hasnt been mentioned about the V1. It will report multiple radar sources. For instance, there was a speed trap on I-40 going into Albuquerque one day, the V1 picked up the first cop (front arrow light up). As I passed the directional indicator went to the rear, and a second cop was up ahead a bit further. The front indicator lit up , the rear indicator stayed on, and the LED indicator read *2*. Nice thing about the V1, the strongest signal out of a bunch will blink, (when you get one, youll understand).
At Home Depot, Walmart, Staples, all of which are in the same shopping center, my indicator maxed out at *9* different sources...and BTW most of these were in the K band.
As far as making me a less *observant* driver with the V1, Id have to say that isnt so....keep in mind some radars are *instant on* and give you very little warning....so you still have to remain observant with traffic and the surroundings.
Another goodie that the V1 has as an option is the remote display. Simply a readout exactly like the radar has but you can mount anywhere, once activated the lights on the main unit shut off. Handy for night time driving when you dont want people following you when they see your little lights (we all have done this) I have mine mounted underneath the radio.
Another benifit, V1 will upgrade your unit when new technologies come out. They have been using the same form factor since day one.
Lastly: I will say to anyone...save your money and buy a V1 if you are serious about detection. No compass, no girly voice, no flashing led patterns, nothing.....but the accuracy and sensitivity I expect from a high end radar. Built specifically for one purpose and one purpose only.
http://www.valentineone.com
I will say that the Valentine One is by far the BEST radar that I have ever owned. Ive used Escorts, Cobras, Bells, etc...etc... The directional indicators are truly one of the best features, but its sensitivity and accuracy are smiply amazing.
For city driving, the V1 has three levels of sensitivity, the lowest setting only the strongest signals are reported. This is for all bands.
One thing that hasnt been mentioned about the V1. It will report multiple radar sources. For instance, there was a speed trap on I-40 going into Albuquerque one day, the V1 picked up the first cop (front arrow light up). As I passed the directional indicator went to the rear, and a second cop was up ahead a bit further. The front indicator lit up , the rear indicator stayed on, and the LED indicator read *2*. Nice thing about the V1, the strongest signal out of a bunch will blink, (when you get one, youll understand).
At Home Depot, Walmart, Staples, all of which are in the same shopping center, my indicator maxed out at *9* different sources...and BTW most of these were in the K band.
As far as making me a less *observant* driver with the V1, Id have to say that isnt so....keep in mind some radars are *instant on* and give you very little warning....so you still have to remain observant with traffic and the surroundings.
Another goodie that the V1 has as an option is the remote display. Simply a readout exactly like the radar has but you can mount anywhere, once activated the lights on the main unit shut off. Handy for night time driving when you dont want people following you when they see your little lights (we all have done this) I have mine mounted underneath the radio.
Another benifit, V1 will upgrade your unit when new technologies come out. They have been using the same form factor since day one.
Lastly: I will say to anyone...save your money and buy a V1 if you are serious about detection. No compass, no girly voice, no flashing led patterns, nothing.....but the accuracy and sensitivity I expect from a high end radar. Built specifically for one purpose and one purpose only.
http://www.valentineone.com
I believe the only way to jam radar is to use a active jammer, not passive like all these companies want to sell you, and active jammers are illegal so good luck finding one. Any company offering a working *radar* jammer is only gonna give you a little plastic box that *might* detect radar, if your lucky, but proabably won't even do that. *Laser* jammers, however, are real and they retail for somewhere around $300. I think the Laser Echo is the best tested one, but that's only gonna save you when Mr. Motorcycle wants to give you a ticket, not when a cop is shooting radar. I think the passport escort 8500 is rated better than all the others, so if I'd prolly start there. But then I believe in that whole radar detector = ticket thing, and I need no help getting tickets - i seem to do fine on my own : )
I have to say I'm a V1 believer. I've had mine for a few years now and it's paid for itself several times. I don't know if anyone else mentioned this, but it's upgradeable too. If some new technology comes out, you can send it back and update the software in it.
I think I read somewhere about radar jammers. Unless you want to jam a cop 3 feet from you, they are a waste of money. They are just not powerful enough. I've also heard of truckers strapping fish finders to thier rigs, I kind of doubt this works either, but I don't know for sure.
One other thing about the V1. It's totally shielded. It is not supposed to "leak" at all. Leaking detectors will be picked up by detector detectors. On road trips I have to ask my friends to turn off thier detectors sometimes because the V1 will pick up a leak from thier Wal-mart special. Not that I'm slamming Wal-mart, good store. Lots of excellent car accessories you can't find at K-mart OR Ames.
I think I read somewhere about radar jammers. Unless you want to jam a cop 3 feet from you, they are a waste of money. They are just not powerful enough. I've also heard of truckers strapping fish finders to thier rigs, I kind of doubt this works either, but I don't know for sure.
One other thing about the V1. It's totally shielded. It is not supposed to "leak" at all. Leaking detectors will be picked up by detector detectors. On road trips I have to ask my friends to turn off thier detectors sometimes because the V1 will pick up a leak from thier Wal-mart special. Not that I'm slamming Wal-mart, good store. Lots of excellent car accessories you can't find at K-mart OR Ames.
Ditto ditto on all the V1 praise. 4 years of using it, and I will never use anything else. After you use it for a while and get to know what causes what, the arrows and visual signal band and strength will *tell* you, quite clearly, what is out there, where they are, and whether they're approaching you or stationary. It's cool when there's a radar either in front of you or behind you in your lane...the detector just beeps and beeps, at the same pace, and you know what's going on. As far as instant-on radars, again, you have to know the detector to figure out where they are. If you're on a rural road and you see a "blip" out of nowhere from up ahead that disappears, and then another, stronger "blip" a few seconds later, then that's a good sign there's a radar ahead. Nothing is guaranteed. You just might be the only one on the road that day, so always keep that in mind.
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Onizuka
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i thought only state troopers were allowed to use radar. maybe thats only in PA. cops in my area dont seem to car about speeding. I have driven by several cop cars in excess of 80 mph with no reproccusion. one time me and my friend got behind a cop doing 75 on a 55 road and followed him 18 miles to the exit we got off no radar detector for me!!
no radar detector for me!!