eduacate me on radar detectors

[bud36light]

Ive got an old one but never had a laser detector. Do these things work or not? I did watch myth busters!!??

[vsop4me3.1]

I heard they don't work as well as police radar guns. I never had one but I never got caught by a radar either. I wouldn't even worry about buying one. save your money. I speed 200 miles a day and have never thought about buying one. I just keep my eyes open.

[Froggx]

Good write-up on this kind of thing.

http://www.speedzones.com/

[RednBlack]

I heard they don't work as well as police radar guns. I never had one but I never got caught by a radar either. I wouldn't even worry about buying one. save your money. I speed 200 miles a day and have never thought about buying one. I just keep my eyes open.

Some of the new detectors are very good. Since the law can only "shoot" what they see, most detectors now pick up signals for over 1/2 mile and can be adjusted to sensitivity. Also, the newer ones include road hazard warnings as well as NOAA weather. It can be a useful tool. But, in the case of all tools, you have to know how to use them. However, nothing can beat good old logic. Safety in numbers. If you are out on the road alone, you are a target. Also, most of the manufacturers of detectors,(or "Bird Dogs"), also make the radar guns. Hmmm...

[firechiken]

The Mythbusters thing was on ways to defeat radar. A radar detector doesn't even claim to defeat it, just detect it and give you a heads up. Vsop is right, just keep your eyes open and get to know the warning signs, and you'll be all right. But if you have your mind set, get a Valentine One. It's a little more expensive, but you can get it upgraded when new types of radar or laser come out.

[geoffinbc]

Cobra Electronics makes both the guns and the detectors

[ez112]

Mythbusters kicks ass.

And Valentine One. That's all you need....and $400....

[Lyle's GTP]

They work. Smart cops can still nail you. They don't do shit in the city, maybe on the freeway but no where else. I don't EVER use mine in the city. They all claim to have filters that take out, door openers, cell phones, etc. But I haven't seen one yet that works for the city. I have used lots, cheapest was an $100.00 Cobra and the most expensive one I have used was an $800.00 Whistler.

Basically it will save your ass on the highway. Saved mine plenty of times. But you have to know your roads too. Cause I have met ghost cars that use a different radar band than marked police cars. The bitch is that it is a band that you commonly pick-up junk on. I'm pretty sure that different cops use different bands. Like, city cops will use a different band from highway cops and ghost cars use another band, you get the idea.

But you have to consider that police radar isn't an exact science. It is very hard for police to pin point cars traveling in a group. So try to stay close to other cars. Sometimes you can get some asshole to follow you, he may or may not know you have a radar detector. Most of the time he does that's why he follows you. But sometimes he tries to use you as a decoy. But when your detector goes off and you slow down, maybe the cop is a long way ahead. So the asshole gets pissed off and passes you, then he gets pulled over. That's always priceless. Happend to me a couple times, very funny stuff.

But, one time my buddy and I were cruising about 40 over the limit on the highway. We were driving along and he seen the cop coming at us so he braked just then the detector went off. The cop pulled us over and said, "you were doing a pretty good clip there, I got you doing 30 over and you had already hit your brake."

What the smart (non-lazy) ones do is, they watch for cars that look suspicious, (probably color, sports cars, etc.) or they know you are speeding. When they know they have you they flip on their gun. Then they get you, and their is nothing you can do about it. They don't keep their radar on all the time so their is nothing to pick-up, until it's too late. I know this from family members who are cops and friends that have gone on "ride-alongs".

But I have only seen this once, and have been saved by my radar detector, probably 2-3 dozen times. All of these times I was alone on the highway and picked up his radar from a good distance. If conditions are right I've got cops 10+ km away. So, I'd have to say it paid for it's self time and time again.

As far as price goes, get one you think is good. My buddies $100.00 Cobra worked just fine, I wouldn't say as good as my $400.00 BEL, but whatever. It's your call. I say a good display seems to be an asset, and ones that talk to you are good, that way you know what band you are picking up. You will learn what bands to watch for and which ones to ignore.

Their, that's all I got. Good Luck.

Lyle

[Lyle's GTP]

HOLY SHIT!, I didn't realise that my post was that long.

Lyle

[Norm '88 GT]

I second the V1. I have used one since '96 and have had it updated. They are also programable as I can turn off the X-band(noisy retail doors) while in town. When I leave I just turn it off.

Also Ka sensitivity can be increased which is not represented in the independent testing.

Norm

Mythbusters kicks ass.

And Valentine One. That's all you need....and $400....

[bud36light]

Thanks guys for the replies. The mythbusters comment was a joke. I still use my old detector but was looking for comments on laser detectors specifically. Ive never been around a laser detector before and was wondering if its really worth buying one since laser is instant on and shoots a tight shot. Or so I have read. And everyone is right about using common sense when driving. Always be looking ahead(you should be anyway!)for something that resembles a cop. Used to you could look for specific types of vehicles but not any more.

[Froggx]

My city's local car forum has identified most of the unmarked cars used in the area. It's a good idea to build a registry for your town so you know what to look for.

[bud36light]

Seen on I-24 at I-57. Dark colored extended cab 4X4 Dodge pickup with strobes in the tail lights writing some guy a ticket. Tricky tricky tricky.

[TheProfessor]

i have a detector that was 50 bucks 4 years ago
i tell you what it works awesome
at least around here i know i can drive anyway i want and as long as i watch that bitch i wont get caught
one time i was racing a civic right in downtown Frankenmuth for those of you that know what that is and the detector saved my ass as well as many other races
last time i got busted was before i got the thing

[Froggx]

Seen on I-24 at I-57. Dark colored extended cab 4X4 Dodge pickup with strobes in the tail lights writing some guy a ticket. Tricky tricky tricky.

Agreed, they are tricky. I've seen 2 trucks so far that have strobes behind the grill on the front, almost impossible to see if not on.