what is a good radar/laser detector out there that will warn me on the freeway (or on the road) of speed traps? for the most part, I drive the speed limit, but those traps I always worry about...
Radar Detector?
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GTPhreak
Founding Member
Valentine 1 
I use a Cobra 9 band that is several years old now. seems to work out decent, but its no high end unit, then again I dont drive like a bat out of hell most of the time either, so its just there to instill paranoia in my mind when i do speed
I use a Cobra 9 band that is several years old now. seems to work out decent, but its no high end unit, then again I dont drive like a bat out of hell most of the time either, so its just there to instill paranoia in my mind when i do speed
V-1 is probably the best. If you have ever watched mischief 3000 or destroy from www.teckademics.com youll see how they work when they speed across country. When i get mine im goin for the Valentine-1.
i've got the escort pasport 8500. i love it. i have never been pulled over when they use radar on me, but its when it is off is when they ca get ya. i do a lot of highway driving. about 150 miles everyweekend, from galveston to houston and back. my friend has the cobra and we both agree mine is more accurate and another radar detector wont set it off like his cobra and the passport solo will(only 2 i've tested) but 300 bucks is kinda high. if i had to do it again and had more money i would go w/ the V-1 but i dot have that kind of money or speed that bad so the passport is good 4 me
KingDiamond
New Member
People that say that the Passport 8500 or V1 are the best don't know about the K40 radar detectors. They have a laser defuser that makes a cop unable to tell what speed you're going. The company will pay for your ticket if you get one.
GTPhreak
Founding Member
Well let me apply my expertise in this one. No radar detector works as it advertises. We have remotes on our radars that keep them off until we see the car and can activate the radar and lock your speed usually before your detector will pick it up and even if it does it's just going to tell you that you need to pull over and get out your license. The jammers and laser diffusers will disrupt them and make them show 00 which is going to let me know that you are jamming me and you are still going to get stopped. A lot of states are now using speed computers such as vascar to get your speed and it uses no radar signal at all so you are never going to know that they are using it. The only time that a officer will leave his radar in the On mode where it is emitting a constant signal that a detector will pick up is when he really does not want to write a ticket and is just doing it to get everyone that has a detector to slow down. So I would save my money and buy something that will make the car faster and now waste your money on false promises that radar companies make. Sure they will pay a ticket if you get one but that is only a couple hundred bucks. Call them up and ask if you get a ticket if they will pay your insurance as well for the nest three years and see what they say.
GTPhreak
Founding Member
That would apply if you are one of the only people on the rd. but if i am traveling in a pack of cars, i will know he is there, etc. instant on and you alone will most likely get rolled. what is "vascar"? i keep hearing about it but never heard what it is
GTPhreak said:
Vascar is basically a speed computer that uses the distance formula to figure the speed of the car based on how far you traveled in a specific time. They are also more accurate than radar since radar can vary 1-2mph. To get a 100% measure of speed with radar you and the police car would have to be in the same lane headed right at each other. This is well known and not a defense against a speeding ticket so that will not help anyone. But vascar can have you before you even know the police is there. Our SHP use it all the time and only use their radar when they need a quick speed on a car. With vascar they can follow you from a distance and pick a specific car and have you before you really know they are there. Another brand of this type of set up is ACCUTRAK but I am not really up on it but I assume that it is really similar to VASCAR. Now I know all about radar systems since I have grown up with a father that teaches radar classes to officers.
HoofnIt
Founding Member
Speeding tickets are nothing more than a hugh SCAM promoted by the insurance companies and the federal/state/local police. It's nice to know that your fine goes to pad the local judges retirement. Local law enforcement should spend their time and our money on deterring crime instead of setting up speed traps.
2L8ULUZ2 said:
Most of the time SHP are looking for other people that are being tagged with radar. As long as your not the only person speeding your radar detector will alert you that a SHP is using radar. Everyone knows that if a cop uses radar on u your fawked already. But when they are pinging everyone else and you have a V-1 it gives u warning.
http://www.valentine1.com/ http://www.valentine1.com/demo/Demo2.asp
radar detectors are great when u travel in a pack like a long distance, when my firends and i go on vacation once or twice a year all 5 or 6 cars have radar detectors and its pretty cool b/c we are getting walkie talkies now so the guy in the front/back car tell us all if he picks up something. we just get really bored and like to play secret agent sometimes 
HoofnIt said:
You have any idea how much crime is prevented by routine traffic enforcement? You would not believe the guns and drugs that are taken off the street off just a little speeding ticket. Oh but wait that is just a scam thought up by insurance companies. Guess taking drugs off of the street does not qualify as fighting crime either. Just a little example for you. A buddy of mine who is a sheriff's deputy stopped a car for 68-55 and was just going to give the guy a warning until he noticed that the guy was acting strange. Come to find out he has 49g of pure cocaine in the car and three loaded weapons. Guess that insurance scam can lead to safer streets if you ask me.Sometimes it gets ridiculous tho. Some cops are just being dicks for no reason. Like doing 2 mphs over teh speed limit and sheet like that. I agree that getting drugs off the street is a good thing unless its my sheet, but some cops take things too far. Anyways this thread is supposed to be about Radar detectors.2L8ULUZ2 said:
I used to have a radar detector. The Escort Passport can't remember the number. I drove a Ford Escort LX auto, got more tickets than I could count. Radar detector's do what was said before, tell you when to pull over. Now I drive what's in my signature below and haven't gotten a ticket in 4 years. I feel this is because a) grew more mature b) slowed down about 5mph c) I know when to get on it and when to let off d) don't rely on the radar detector. I feel radar detector's are a false sence of security that will get you a ticket because you will rely on it instead of your senses and common sence. I also feel when an officer sees a radar detector on your windshield, it shows a sign of guilt. It's like going "you can't catch me" with your toung sticking out at him/her. Just my two cents.
For long trips your better off with a CB or even a scanner.
For long trips your better off with a CB or even a scanner.
mo_dingo
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Alright, it really depends on what you use it for.
If you use it while driving on the highway, then you need one that can detect radar from far away. Most county/sheriff's use X and k band radar. Lately they have been upgrading to KA band which is much harder to detect.
If you drive in the city, you need to find what model of gun is used. My city uses laser, but some cities still use radar. Since I have to worry about laser, I have to get one that will allow me enough time to slow down. That is where research comes in.
Now, speeding ALL THE TIME is completely stupid. Most people are lucky to know how to operate a car let alone drive well!!! I do not trust other drivers, and that is why I only speed (5-10 over) at 3 in the morning with no traffic. Other than that, I drive 1-5 over if I am lucky. If I saw my stang with a nice dent or worse with the engine on the ground, I would CRY!!!! Swerving in and out of traffic to show off for your friends is nucking futs!!! If I knew you and saw you doing that, I would get a baseball bat and break a couple of your ribs!
When it comes to racing at night and all that crap, the best detector in the world will not save you. If you are going 100MPH+ on the highway and you expect to be able to slow down to 55/65/75 in time, good luck!!!
There are a few spots in my area where you cannot speed. There is an adjacent city near mine, and they will pull you over for 1-2 over. A well known fact. What do I do??? Set the damn C.C. at the speed limit and drive!!!
But, sometimes you need to pass someone who is impeding traffic, and it is hard to only accelerate to the speed limit. Times like that are where they can nail you. Allthough I do not think it is fair, they can and do. Here is where a detector will save your ass!!!
If you do your research, you can get a good detector. But you need to be willing to take the time and do the research and also be willing to pay 300-400 dollars.
If it cost's under $100, you are not likely to get much in return.
But that doesn't mean that just because you pay a lot of money you will get good results. Remember, do as much research as possible before you select the detector.
The escort passport 8500 is one of the most popular radar/laser detectors on the market. It is a good buy and worth every penny ($300)
Here is the link to a shootout of different laser detectors/jammers. They show how some can cost a lot of money but produce absolutely no results. Then some produce exactly what they are supposed to do.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=8502
At the bottom of the article click on "view test results". That will show you exact distances at which the different detectors jammed the laser guns. This guide only tested the laser portion of the detectors.
Here is a link which compares a vast amount of radar/laser detectors.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=1024
This will also show you how each detector compares to each other. Look at the valentine-1. It has a terrible rating for false alarms!!! Who wants that???
My vote is for the escort passport 8500 or one of the BEL detectors. I do like the BEL lineup because you can get a great selection of audio/visual features whereas the escort has what it has.
Scott
If you use it while driving on the highway, then you need one that can detect radar from far away. Most county/sheriff's use X and k band radar. Lately they have been upgrading to KA band which is much harder to detect.
If you drive in the city, you need to find what model of gun is used. My city uses laser, but some cities still use radar. Since I have to worry about laser, I have to get one that will allow me enough time to slow down. That is where research comes in.
Now, speeding ALL THE TIME is completely stupid. Most people are lucky to know how to operate a car let alone drive well!!! I do not trust other drivers, and that is why I only speed (5-10 over) at 3 in the morning with no traffic. Other than that, I drive 1-5 over if I am lucky. If I saw my stang with a nice dent or worse with the engine on the ground, I would CRY!!!! Swerving in and out of traffic to show off for your friends is nucking futs!!! If I knew you and saw you doing that, I would get a baseball bat and break a couple of your ribs!
When it comes to racing at night and all that crap, the best detector in the world will not save you. If you are going 100MPH+ on the highway and you expect to be able to slow down to 55/65/75 in time, good luck!!!
There are a few spots in my area where you cannot speed. There is an adjacent city near mine, and they will pull you over for 1-2 over. A well known fact. What do I do??? Set the damn C.C. at the speed limit and drive!!!
But, sometimes you need to pass someone who is impeding traffic, and it is hard to only accelerate to the speed limit. Times like that are where they can nail you. Allthough I do not think it is fair, they can and do. Here is where a detector will save your ass!!!
If you do your research, you can get a good detector. But you need to be willing to take the time and do the research and also be willing to pay 300-400 dollars.
If it cost's under $100, you are not likely to get much in return.
But that doesn't mean that just because you pay a lot of money you will get good results. Remember, do as much research as possible before you select the detector.
The escort passport 8500 is one of the most popular radar/laser detectors on the market. It is a good buy and worth every penny ($300)
Here is the link to a shootout of different laser detectors/jammers. They show how some can cost a lot of money but produce absolutely no results. Then some produce exactly what they are supposed to do.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=8502
At the bottom of the article click on "view test results". That will show you exact distances at which the different detectors jammed the laser guns. This guide only tested the laser portion of the detectors.
Here is a link which compares a vast amount of radar/laser detectors.
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=1024
This will also show you how each detector compares to each other. Look at the valentine-1. It has a terrible rating for false alarms!!! Who wants that???
My vote is for the escort passport 8500 or one of the BEL detectors. I do like the BEL lineup because you can get a great selection of audio/visual features whereas the escort has what it has.
Scott
Valentine 1 is the best however they will only let you know when you are caught so my point is why bother. With police using instant on if you are the only one speeding you are caught. If you want to "keep up with the flow of traffic" then don't be the last one in the line. And my last bit of advice if you catch yourself speeding use your cruise control to stay at a decent speed.
KingDiamond
New Member
I use a Whistler pos $80 detector and have never gotten a ticket. I don't get what's with the cops here in Chicago, do they drive with their radar detectors on? Sometimes when a cop is driving a block or two in front of me the radar detector starts beeping. It beeps faster the closer I get to him, and then I realize that he's driving right next to me and the radar detector is going crazy. Then he turns on a side street and the radar detector stops beeping.
I dunno about the people saying these things don't work. It saved me from getting a ticket a lot of times.
I dunno about the people saying these things don't work. It saved me from getting a ticket a lot of times.
gcomfx.com
Founding Member
rudeone707 said:
The Mischief DVDs are sweet! I just bought Destroy last w/e actually. Most of the runners are millionaires with nothing better to do. One thing to note... they have EVERY gizmo there is Valentine, jammers, you name it.... but please note they STILL get tickets. In a pack or not, with walkie talkies or not.
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