Radar Detectors????

comet

comet

Joined
Oct 8, 2002
Messages
258
I am using an old whistler detector. I drive by the cops in their speed traps and the things never goes off. They must be using new bands or something. In addition, I get lots of false alarms. Any of you found newer models that do the trick?
 
Valentine 1 is probably the best. It's a bit large, so make sure it fits (along with you) in your car before buying - I would hit my head on the thing in my Corvette, although many 'Vette owners have V1's...I have an Escort, but paying attention has paid off for me more than being warned by a radar detector.

The main problem with radar detectors these days is that if the police use a instant-on laser or similar, your detector will be going off when you are getting shot...already busted at that point :eek:
 
Valentine One hands down.

The thing you have to remember is that you have to know how to use a radar detector. It's not just to put on your dash and run down the road like a mad-man. The main number one rule is: it's not for detecting radar/lidar being aimed at you, it's for detecting radar/lidar being aimed at everyone else. If you are the only vehicle on the road, drive appropriately.

--Chris
 
Double ditto what Saunterer said. I have a Uniden and have had no problems with it. Has front/rear laser-radar-VG whatever
 
Valentine One.

You detect instant on by watching for small blips from in front of you that gradually increase as you get closer to the cruiser. The dangerous part is when you're the first pack/car that he blips to check the speed (i.e. he just got to his hiding spot before you came around). In that case (and in most of driving) you should be relying on your intelligence and experience. Watch brake lights of all cars in your viewing distance. Slow down at underpasses and overpasses. Look over your shoulder every time you pass an on ramp. WATCH YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR.

Mark
 
Of course, one also has the option (entirely free!) of obeying speed limits...


One fellow locally made the newspapers.. He was caught in a large-multi jurisdictional speed enforcement effort. That night, he went out and dropped a couple of hundred bucks on a high-end detector.

He was stopped the next day, caught by officers using a helicopter to time drivers between two points.
 
mwerner said:
Of course, one also has the option (entirely free!) of obeying speed limits...
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This is true. I don't use my radar locator (you V1 users know this term...) to speed. Some studies have suggested that drivers that user radar detectors actually are better drivers and don't necessarily speed. But there are those times where people get cited for speeding when they were not. Most people don’t even go to trial for speeding violations and most departments take advantage of this. What’s cheaper a speeding citation or a radar detector? I figure it is cheap insurance and at a one-time fee.

Ever catch your mind wondering, and realized you were going above the speed limit? Was that Smallville PD unit’s radar gun calibrated before each speed measurement? When was it sent to the factory for annual factory calibration? Have you ever used a radar gun to clock a corn field and it measured 45 MPH?

Just my thoughts,

Chris
 
Know what I like most about my radar detector? The really nice, digital compass. As for the detection, I can only echo what has already been said. If you are by yourself, no detector is going to save you if you speed. Even the best detectors will only tell you that you just got caught.
 
Saunterer said:
This is true. I don't use my radar locator (you V1 users know this term...) to speed. Some studies have suggested that drivers that user radar detectors actually are better drivers and don't necessarily speed. But there are those times where people get cited for speeding when they were not. Most people don’t even go to trial for speeding violations and most departments take advantage of this. What’s cheaper a speeding citation or a radar detector? I figure it is cheap insurance and at a one-time fee.

Ever catch your mind wondering, and realized you were going above the speed limit? Was that Smallville PD unit’s radar gun calibrated before each speed measurement? When was it sent to the factory for annual factory calibration? Have you ever used a radar gun to clock a corn field and it measured 45 MPH?

Just my thoughts,

Chris
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It really doesn't matter if that Smallville PD unit's radar gun was calibrated before he caught you. When you get in front of the Judge, the policeman will testify that it was, and the Judge will take his side. Don't ask me how I know that. ;)
 
Last time I got a ticket about 15 years ago I was on a streach of interstate between Macon and Savanah Ga (not another car in sight). The officer was way off the road. Dector goes off full signal I pull over. GF asks why I was pulling over. Told her I did not want to make the cop mad by having to come after me too far:).
 
Danbo said:
It really doesn't matter if that Smallville PD unit's radar gun was calibrated before he caught you. When you get in front of the Judge, the policeman will testify that it was, and the Judge will take his side. Don't ask me how I know that. ;)
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Did you ask for a declaration of documents prior to your trial date? No one is going to take sides without some type of proof.
 
I would love to have A V-1,but my 4runner came with a cobra talking radar detector. This thing has saved my ass numerous times.
 
motor trend runs a test every few yrs, the valentine 1 usually wins w/the bel tronics close 2nd, i have to have a good one myself, i drive a vette and travel a lot, more and more by car it seems, and the best i have found is the valentine one, though more expensive, the valentine has a titanium case vs the pretty darned high ($275+) bel having a plastic case, which broke on mine in month 13 of a 12 month warranty, leaving me w/an expensive piece of junk lol. my car rides rough and the thing is always falling, which is what broke the case, point being the valentine one offers better construction, and also upgrades on the old ones, so ya should be set quite a while w/the valentine, barring theft. the valentine also has a directional signal which ID's the direction of the radar(to your right-left-ahead-behing ya), and also has a number of sources light( 1 source of radar, 2 sources, etc), which i dont think anyone else has, and they both are very usefull, have saved me when there were more than one source several times, on a normal detector ya would think the source is coming up, then ya pass it, then speed up when actually there is another ahead also, all in all imho the valentine is king of detectors, no doubt about it.
 
oh, and as far as laser not many use it because IIRC the unit cant be moving while shooting radar, they have to be stationary, also the laser has a fairly short range.
 
One down side is that there are cops who would have given you a break untill they saw the detector,or velcrow or lttle suction cup marks...

Keep in mind not all tickets come off of rader guns.Could be a roll though a stop sign,red light etc.Some guys once they see the detector think,"ok he's a speeder,I'll write him for this improper turn,instead of a warning".

Happened to my friend.He got stopped and put the unit under his seat well before the cop turned around,yet he saw the empty lighter and little suction marks.Firsts thing cop said was 'that detector did not help much",second thing was "I write eveyone with detectors."

Just something to keep in mind.
 
I have a Valentine in my Vette and really like it but... I'm in the market for a second one and I'll probably go with an Escort 8500 X50, their latest.

It's $100.00 less and just doesn't have the arrows. There has been extensive discussion on the Corvette Forum and I think I agree with those that say the arrows are a gimmick.

Both units are now upgradable, too.

Win
 
Win Heger said:
There has been extensive discussion on the Corvette Forum and I think I agree with those that say the arrows are a gimmick.
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What if there is more than one radar unit?
 
RARanney said:
What if there is more than one radar unit?
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The V1 will display the number of radar sources, and the arrows will blink according to which source is the strongest and/or on what band. Example: if you are driving near a grocery store and receive 4 X-band alerts and another source on Ka-band comes into range, the V1 will rank the Ka source as priority and indicate it's direction.


There has been extensive discussion on the Corvette Forum and I think I agree with those that say the arrows are a gimmick.
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I beg to differ. Once I was driving through Kentucky around 3 a.m. My V1 beeped just once and indicated a Ka source ahead. I was the only vehicle on the road, no other lights to be seen. For the next 5 minutes or so still saw nothing. Then all the sudden, instant-on and he was sitting under a bridge in the median. Without knowing that the source was ahead of me, I probably would have never known to be aware.

There's a difference in a radar detector and a radar locator. :D
 
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