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school me on radar detectors

post #1 of 17
10/25/07 at 9:38pm
Thread Starter 
I got a speeding ticket a few weeks ago. Story aside, it ended up costing me a lot more than I was happy to forgo.

Now, I've been researching these sites that deal with radar detectors, but they all seem biased, as if they were owned by the manufacturers themselves, or at least paid by them.

Anyone have any recommendations on what to look for? I know that speeding excessively is stupid, but getting ticketed for going 8mph over is ridiculous.
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post #2 of 17
10/26/07 at 12:24am
Valentine One is the final word in radar detector. It's $400, but you get free software upgrades and all kinds of accessories. I haven't gotten a ticket in years since I got it.
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post #3 of 17
10/26/07 at 12:27am
I have a V1 and like it, but people like the Escort 8500/9500 as well.

Keep your eyes open and be aware of what's around you --- a radar detector is by no means a panacea.

--Andre
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post #4 of 17
10/26/07 at 1:14am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxRLyiBs3XA Towards the end it gets interesting.
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post #5 of 17
10/26/07 at 1:17am
Some window tints (metallic?) can affect performance, so do more research if you have tinted windows.
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post #6 of 17
10/26/07 at 1:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by VMan View Post
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxRLyiBs3XA

Towards the end it gets interesting.

Damn, I want the night vision system on my 5er

The lights, cannot possibly be legal to turn on while on a public road.
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post #7 of 17
10/26/07 at 12:20pm
Some people believe they are immoral....
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post #8 of 17
10/26/07 at 1:45pm
Not just immoral, also illegal in many places. Check your local laws first before buying one.

JB
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post #9 of 17
10/26/07 at 1:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by inviscid View Post
I got a speeding ticket a few weeks ago. Story aside, it ended up costing me a lot more than I was happy to forgo.

Now, I've been researching these sites that deal with radar detectors, but they all seem biased, as if they were owned by the manufacturers themselves, or at least paid by them.

Anyone have any recommendations on what to look for? I know that speeding excessively is stupid, but getting ticketed for going 8mph over is ridiculous.

Depending on where you live, you may also want to look into a laser jammer. More and more police departments are using laser, which is often not detectable until you are targeted (in which case, it's too late.)

Escort and Blinder sell effective laser jammers. The Escort models interface with their radar detectors, so you can use the same control panel for both radar detector and laser jammer.

If you don't want the laser jamming protection, the Valentine radar detector is a good choice. The directional arrows that indicate the direction of the threat are a very useful feature that is unique to Valentine.

Some states (Virginia, D.C. and maybe some others) have outlawed radar detectors. A few other states (Utah, Colorado, Virginia D.C. and maybe some others) have outlawed laser jammers. Check your local laws before you spend the $$.


One warning: Don't buy anything made by Rocky Mountain Radar. Their products are all ineffective scams.
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post #10 of 17
10/26/07 at 5:00pm
I also have a Valentine One and it has kept me ticket-free for almost 10 years now. I really like the directional arrows on the V1 (so you can tell where the radar source is). I also like the upgradeability -- I recently sent my V1 back for the POP upgrade. I like not having to buy a whole new detector just to have the "latest and the greatest". I'm sure you know this, but: a radar detector is not a license to speed. It is merely another set of eyes, one that can see things you cannot. If you "unplug your noodle" and expect it to do all the work, you WILL get a ticket. You must maintain situational awareness and proper driving tactics at all times. The V1 will not do those jobs for you. It only helps you stay in condition yellow.
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post #11 of 17
10/26/07 at 7:14pm
Yep, you could always drive slower. I'm sure you find plenty of other ways to waste 5-10 minutes per day, so the time gained by driving faster is quickly wasted on something else. I'm afraid a radar detector would make me neurotic -- and the beeping can be annoying -- so the whole driving experience would be less pleasant. Cops will always be a little bit smarter than us *if* they're determined to catch speeders, plus they know where to hide.
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post #12 of 17
10/27/07 at 5:10pm
I have not found any radar detectors that I could trust. For trips longer than 100 miles, I use a CB radio. I have a small cb radio that connects into my lighter plug-in.
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post #13 of 17
10/28/07 at 4:16am
+1 for the v1.

Once learning that certain areas are very high enforcement, do not speed there.


See also http://www.guysoflidar.com/
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post #14 of 17
10/28/07 at 10:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kai View Post
Depending on where you live, you may also want to look into a laser jammer. More and more police departments are using laser, which is often not detectable until you are targeted (in which case, it's too late.)
Do you know of any studies that have shown these to be effective? Last time I looked (7 or 8 years ago), all the reputable places said laser jammers fell somewhere between ineffective and fraudulent. It'd be great if that were different now, though.
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post #15 of 17
11/3/07 at 11:34am
Thread Starter 
thanks for the reply guys. hasn't the v1 been around for about 10 years? I remember seeing ads about the v1 in car magzines in middle school and about the speeding.... i dont speed to save time, etc, it's most of the times i give into temptation and don't realize how fast i'm going.
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