Recommendation for a Radar/Laser Dectector

[SFBayQ45]

I'm sure this subject has been discussed before here, however the information is old. With all the new devices that have come to the market, what's the best dectector for the buck? Also has anyone tried installing one of those clear license plate shield that supposedly deflects the signal in a different direction, thus distorting the actual MPH reading with success?

[qship96]

valentine one,when only the best will do.has saved me many,many times.

[Jesda]

Apparently Escort makes one thats just as good for much less money. I forgot the model number.

[911/Q45]

Valentine 1 is worth every penny, will pay for itself after only one avoided ticket. The license plate gadget would only work against laser, if that.

[russg]

Valentine One. No others need apply. Once you've owned one, you'll understand. If maximum situational awareness is what you're looking for, Valentine is what you want.

Russ

[squeefoo]

Look into laser jammers too. A friend has one and swears by it (lost his lic. 4x). The insurance lobby has set up a "foundation" which buys these for PDs, and it's a win/win for the cops and the insurers for revenue enhancement. The cops get the revenue and split it with the state, and put it on your record so your ins. rates go up. I've got an el cheapo which works fine for me, I'm lucky -So Far!

Try this: http://www.radar-detectors.com
Modified by squeefoo at 11:14 AM 9/9/2004

[szh]

I agree with everybody who has recommended a Valentine 1. It is by far the best!

Z

[maxnix]

Like my Escort 8500 X50 Blue. Has POP detection, which Valentine does not.

I thought CHP didn't use radar?

Check out http://www.radartest.com/ and http://www.radarcity.com/ and http://www.radarguys.com/ and http://www.radarbusters.com/ and http://www.stealthhog.com/about.htm for starters.

V1 was the best for a longtime, but its technology is in serious need of an update.

[szh]

I thought CHP didn't use radar?

They do on highways and back streets (more common), although the more used method on fast open highways (like 5 down to LA) is still to follow for a few miles or use aircraft.

V1 was the best for a longtime, but its technology is in serious need of an update.

They have updated it many times. The one I have now is physically different from the first one I got (they offer lower cost hardware swap-outs) - I did mine to get a new and improved laser detector sensor. And, you can get software updates too. Other manufacturers do not offer any such hardware or software update service!

Z

[VA99Q45]

I read it some where that the Escort 8500 X50 Blue is rated higher than V1. The X50 blue is half the price of a V1, which you can get it for $229.

[russg]

V1 was the best for a longtime, but its technology is in serious need of an update.

_______________________________________

It's not just about range. Once you've had the benefit of Valentine's directional arrows, you'll never want to do without them. An alert is nice to have, but better still to know where it's coming from. As I said earlier, it's all about maximum situational awareness, and the relative location of the bogey is critical for this.

An extreme analogy: Can you imagine a fighter pilot be warned that he has been locked onto by an incoming missle, but not given the vector of the incoming? Or a ship's Captain, piloting in limited visibility, being advised by radar of traffic on a collision course but not being told of its bearing? Same deal, albeit a bit less critical. I find that knowing whether the officer is ahead of me or behind me is very valuable information, and I don't think anyone offers it other than Valentine

RG

[SFBayQ45]

The examples given are valid for its intended purpose, but is it applicable to driving? I would say NOT. You're certainly not facing a life and death situation in the air or manuvering through open water without any boundaries and depend on a guiding system. I'm just searching for some warning device to avoid the guys in uniform. Regardless of where the signal is coming from, the reaction is still the same: slow down and let go of the gas. When the warning signal stops and I can safely assume I'm out of range, then I can resume speeding. I don't think it's critical to know the direction, however I would openly agree that the added feature is a welcome addition...however not at twice the cost [refering to comment of previous post] of a competitor's.

[russg]

The examples given are valid for its intended purpose, but is it applicable to driving? I would say NOT.

___________________________________

You certainly have a right to your opinion, but it is not based on actual experience. Like many things in life, the tangential features of the Valentine must be directly experienced to be fully appreciated. So I won't try and explain it any further. But ask ANYONE who has actually owned a Valentine if they would be willing to trade it for any other detector on the market, and you might begin to understand the fierce loyalty to the product. That is precisely why they get the money they do for them.

And by the way, the small amount of money that the Valentine costs over lesser products ($200?) is chump change when you start to add the direct, and more importantly, the indirect costs of even a single citation. I've owned mine for 10 years, and have owned many other detectors previously, starting with the original Fuzzbuster from the mid 70's. If my Valentine were to disappear today, I'd have a new one FedEx'd to my front door no later than tomorrow.

[Jeff Williams]

Russ, you sound like a die-hard fan.

I remember the Fuzzbuster, with the big red light, and the fake woodgrain. That thing was great. You could even get covers for them.

i have had literally hundreds of radar detectors, over the years. Never had a Val 1, but did like the Escorts. Usually had a Uniden, which was crappy, but cheap. Got tired of them, when they started talking to me.

I stopped using them, when my company's policy prohibited their use. I really don't miss them. I drive 7 to 10 MPH over the speed limit, and never have to even tap my brakes, when I pass a speed trap. I probably give up 20 to 30 seconds, each day, in drive time, but I can relax, when I pass a clump of trees in the median.

[maxnix]

Other manufacturers do not offer any such hardware or software update service!

Z

Z, you should know better! The 8500 does offer software updates. Since Escort purchased Bel-tronics out of bankruptcy, there is a corresponding Bel model that features voice.

When is the Valentine update to detect POP radar becoming available?

Valentine is very good, but I would leave it to others to provide the quantitative measurements and let you decide. While the 8500 does not have arrows, it will track multiple sources in multiple bands. Speed cannot be measured orthogonally to the vehicle's direction of travel anyway with any kind of doppler shift measurement device.

ADDITION: Evidently there is a V1 v1.8 with POP capability being sold now. However, how it displays a POP alert is somewhat ambiguous.

Modified by maxnix at 12:13 PM 9/11/2004
Modified by maxnix at 12:02 AM 9/15/2004

[szh]

Z, you should know better! The 8500 does offer software updates.

I stand corrected!

However, I will still strongly endorse the Valentine 1's aproach to tellling you where the radar is coming from and how signals it has locked on to. It has saved me on a couple of occasions wher a "non-directional" radar reading would have been misleading ... and probably "ticket-resulting".

Z

[szh]

You certainly have a right to your opinion, but it is not based on actual experience. Like many things in life, the tangential features of the Valentine must be directly experienced to be fully appreciated. So I won't try and explain it any further. But ask ANYONE who has actually owned a Valentine if they would be willing to trade it for any other detector on the market, and you might begin to understand the fierce loyalty to the product. That is precisely why they get the money they do for them.

I have owned and used Escorts (two models), Passports (two models - one was the battery powered Solo) and Valentine. I would NEVER consider changing my Valentine for another brand again. Ever!

Quote »And by the way, the small amount of money that the Valentine costs over lesser products ($200?) is chump change when you start to add the direct, and more importantly, the indirect costs of even a single citation. I've owned mine for 10 years, and have owned many other detectors previously, starting with the original Fuzzbuster from the mid 70's. If my Valentine were to disappear today, I'd have a new one FedEx'd to my front door no later than tomorrow.[/quote]Same here!!!

Z

[szh]

I drive 7 to 10 MPH over the speed limit, and never have to even tap my brakes, when I pass a speed trap. I probably give up 20 to 30 seconds, each day, in drive time, but I can relax, when I pass a clump of trees in the median.

Most of my normal day to day driving is the same - heck, given the traffic in the Bay Area in commute times, even reaching the speed limit is a good achievement! The radar detector only comes in handy for the fewer times that I decide to do something crazy (but safely), or on secondary roads that are grossly under-posted on their speed limit.

Z

[PoorManQ45]

I don't see the need for all these detectors. I figure, just go fast enough and they will leave you alone. I have passed a few cops when I was doing 70+ over the speed limit. Most of the time, they leave me alone. If they don't leave me alone, I'm 1/2 a mile down the road before they ever get started.

I know, I'm young and stupid. But seriously, I don't see the need for these devices.

Also, arn't radar/laser detectors illegal in most states?

[Rex]

From a random online resourceQuote »the good news is that radar detectors legal states far outnumber those where there use is illegal. Basically, detectors are legal in every state except Virginia and are not legal in Washington, DC, and that ban, by default, extends to jammers. [/quote]

[911/Q45]

I know, I'm young and stupid.

I certainly wouldn't argue with you on this point.

[Jesda]

I have possibly the most colorful driving record on all of NICO. I've come to accept the speed limit as a strict guideline instead of a challenge I have to beat.

And the cheap detectors never do anything useful for me. I suppose you spend big or dont bother spending at all.

[maxnix]

1.) I don't see the need for all these detectors. 2.) I figure, just go fast enough and they will leave you alone. 3.) I have passed a few cops when I was doing 70+ over the speed limit. Most of the time, they leave me alone. If they don't leave me alone, I'm 1/2 a mile down the road before they ever get started.

4.) I know, I'm young and stupid.

5.) But seriously, I don't see the need for these devices.

6.) Also, arn't radar/laser detectors illegal in most states?

1-3 together with 5 and 6 at least confirm the second statement in 4.

[maxnix]

I've come to accept the speed limit as a strict guideline instead of a challenge I have to beat.

And the cheap detectors never do anything useful for me. I suppose you spend big or don't bother spending at all.

Exactly, and still drive legally whenever safely possible.

[PoorManQ45]

1-3 together with 5 and 6 at least confirm the second statement in 4.

Wow, I just figured that out.

Read my signature, it tells you everthing that you need to know.

[maxnix]

1.)Wow, I just figured that out.

2.) Read my signature, it tells you everthing that you need to know.

I doubt 1 is true as 2 confirms it is not.

Dumb questions are quite different from attempting to pass dumb statements as fact.

[911/Q45]

Brian, I'm afraid the troll got us both going.

We must remember that when you wrestle with a pig: #1-You can't win #2-You get covered with poop #3-The pig enjoys it

[elwesso]

I doubt 1 is true as 2 confirms it is not.

Dumb questions are quite different from attempting to pass dumb statements as fact.

Hmmm, doesnt this seem like a familiar thing that another friendly troll has said???

However, I think 911 said it perfectly..... :

[maxnix]

Brian, I'm afraid the troll got us both going.

We must remember that when you wrestle with a pig: #1-You can't win #2-You get covered with poop #3-The pig enjoys it

Well, someone has to wash the slop and hog poop off the floor after the pigs are through playing.

[PoorManQ45]

I dont understand