Once you have a remote unit like the Escort SR7 or the Bel one, you'll never put up with a suction cup unit again!

 

Why not save money by not buying a detector, therefore save money on gas, therefore save money on tickets and therefore save money on insurance? Because, if you do not speed excessively, you won't get a ticket.

I never give a radar detector user a break and make special note on the ticket, for the judge, that one was in the car. Now flame away, BUT every time I write a ticket I drive up the stats insurance companies use to set the rates. They figure so many violations caught per cars registered equals so much risk at X number of dollar losses. I also have to pay for insurance and it is sad that most people who have radar detectors habitually speed and have higher claim amounts which drives up my rates. That is averaged out for all insurance holders. So quit speeding and cut out lawyers and insurance companies insane profits. :bang:
This is my selfish reason to not get tickets. I want to keep my money in my pocket. By the way, do you realize the same companies that make radar detectors make the radar units for police? They play both sides for the big bucks..

P.S. I don't use radar. I car clock or pace speeders. Their radar detectors don't work when no signal is transmitted.

 

My question is, do I have a right to know when a radar gun is in use? I see the signs along the road that say "Police use Vascar." Why even tell me? If they want to catch speeders just to make $$$, there's no sense in warning people, right?

Well, I think the answer is twofold: 1) they want people to drive safer whether VASCAR is currently in use or not; they don't have aircraft flying 24/7/365, so they rely on the sign as deterrence; and 2) (and I'm not 100% certain about this); perhaps they are required by law to tell people.

If you warn people, they might be less likely to speed. That deterrence cuts down on accidents, loss of life and property.

If the argument is that people who own radar detectors always intentionally use them to speed, I can understand why they should be illegal. They could then be considered a tool used only to break the law. However, guns are made to intentionally kill people, but it is our right to own them for our own defense. (hope I'm not making too giant a leap here for most of you). Perhaps an NRA sticker on my front and back door would make a robber think twice about breaking in, making my house safer! Do insurance companies give discounts for NRA stickers in windows?!

However, the individual states enforce their own laws. You can't own a handgun in NY, and you can't operate a radar detector in VA.

I purchased a radar detector for the first time after I ordered my '06 Mustang, even though I won't be able to use it 99% of the time (I live in VA). Why? Because when I drive up the east coast a couple times a year to visit family, I can (and do) easily fall into the trap of keeping pace with traffic. On the NJ turnpike, that pace is often 75-80 mph. I can get lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that I'm just going the same speed as everyone else. If a police car is shooting radar at a group of cars; a pickup truck, toyota camry, and a Mustang GT, what car do you think he'll aim at? I'm guessing if we're all keeping the same pace, he'll aim at the GT. This happened to me once in my gray '91 Ford Ranger many years back. I was keeping pace with a group of cars, and a white cadillac was in front of me. I looked in my rearview mirror, and there was a police car coming up fast behind me with his flashing lights on. I put on my blinker, moved into the far right lane and started to slow down. I thought for sure I was going to be pulled over. He went past me and pulled over the cadillac in front of me.

If my radar detector goes off, it hopefully will snap me out of that false sense of security, and I'll slow down.

The end result is, I'll drive more safely because of the radar detector. Police are doing their job by ticketing people who speed, and I won't argue if I'm pulled over for speeding (I have never got a speeding ticket, by the way, and I'm 43. That's not to say I've never deserved getting pulled over!). Those tickets are also a form of deterrence. The end result is the same, however, and I hopefully won't have to pay for a speeding ticket (that's the cheap part) and then pay my insurance company for 5 years (that's where it really adds up).

I think that's why 49 states haven't made radar detectors illegal. If you intentionally use it to speed, you're going to get caught. That's just the law of averages. But if you rarely speed, the first time it goes off and you slow down, it's paid for itself and made you a safer driver at the same time.

Just my $.02. Agree or disagree, that's your right too!

 

I've been doing some research on this lately and am planning to buy the Beltronics RX65 pro.



Its made by the same company that makes Escort 8500 X50. They use the same exact parts. The only difference is in their software. I heard that starting 2006 some police departments will start using Ku band. RX65 is capable of detecting the Ku band, while the Escort is not. You can program the 8500 to detect the Ku band, but for that you would need to send your detector to Escort and get it programmed by them. That costs time and money. So I feel that RX65 is a better choice. What do you guys think?

Here is a video that compares, both the Beltronics RX65 and Escort 8500 X50: http://www.radarbusters.com/products/escor...intro-video.htm

Here is a review that compares the top 3 detectors - Valentine One, Escort 8500 and Beltronics RX65: http://www.laserveil.com/en/ultimate-radar...5/introduction/

 

That is a 30-year old rumor that was as untrue then as it is now.

 

I hardwired my V1 along with my auto dimming rear view mirror and homelink by going into into the headliner area, across to the passenger side, down the pillar, down to the fuseblock. I used the add a fuse taps to 2 unused slots (1 constant hot, 1 ignition hot). Now my V1 comes on when I start the car. I have it mounted just to the right of the mirror and it picks up radar fine (coming and going). I can post up some pics if people are interested

 

I thought this was a good review:
http://motortrend.com/features/consumer/11...ar_buyersguide/

They show the Radio Shack exclusive BEL 895 as a best by for $200. Good info on lasers too.

 

2MFF,

Can you post a few pics and maybe a howto for hardwiring to the fuse box? I allwas add my mods on behind the radio. It would nice to have a fuse just for my mods. Thanks

Jon

:drive:

 

I have a Solo 2. Works great and has saved me 2 times already. I bought rechargable batteries which last about a month with constant use. Saves on battery cost. Also the Solo has the option to be corded and can also inner connect with the escort laser jammer. So .....you can have corded...hardwired to your car, or have it cordless.....best of both worlds at the same time

 

I have a Solo 2. Works great and has saved me 2 times already. I bought rechargable batteries which last about a month with constant use. Saves on battery cost. Also the Solo has the option to be corded and can also inner connect with the escort laser jammer. So .....you can have corded...hardwired to your car, or have it cordless.....best of both worlds at the same time

 

better pic

 

My new Escort 8500 told me I got a ticket right away. If you get a cop that understands the game, you're toast because by the time it alarms in an ambush situation, he's already got you clocked. My best advice is to not waste your money on any detector and go back to the good ole days and use rabbits and decoys. Got a ticket relying on an 8500 and haven't gotton one yet with the old method. Don't waste your money. DOC>> P.S., I rolled and totaled my silver 05GT M, last week, no one hurt though, TG.

 

well, I usually don't speed more than a few miles per hour, maybe 5 or 10 depending on traffic, but I got the detector to avoid speed traps, which I always for some magical reason get caught into... maybe because it is designed to trap drivers.. because there are some streets that are designed for higher speed than what it says in the speed limit, and so , naturally people tend to go a little faster there, and there are the speed traps.
So, basically I got the detector to keep myself aware of things like that.
also, since I got the detector, and there is police all around, I do go less fast believe it or not.
because that thing beeps pretty much.

Bill, if one day you get me, remember it is me, the nice guy from the white GT, and don't writte radar detector on the ticket

If to buy a detector, I would recommend the V1, because of the arrows that I found them very usefull.



Patan.-

 

Use NiMH rechargeable AAs for the Solo S2. It should last 2-3 months on standby, probably 1-2 months in normal use. Carry a few extras in your storage compartment. Heck, bring a charger with a cig lighter attachment with extra batteries... You can have fresh batteries all the time.

I'm thinking about the Solo S2 because of its portability. I could bring it with me on business travel when I use a rental car.

 

valentine 1 with the hidden display...hands down the best ever

 

Please note in the review of the V1 done by Bob (Veil) he is using a Valentine 1 that is a version 1.7 firmware 2.69 which is almost 3 years old now. Even with a 3 year old Valentine 1 it still performed better than the newer Bel and Escort.

KU band is NOT used in the U.S. at this time.
It has been tested in the U.S but has NOT been FCC approved and I doubt we will see anytime soon.

Either the bel or the Esocort will do a good job of protecting you but realize none of them are 100% fool proof.
If your state runs laser I would recommend you stay away from the RX 65.
In a lot of my testing the RX65 never would alert to laser unless I aimed the gun directly at the detector.
If I aimed it at the headlights or front of the car it would not detect 8 out of the 10 times this was done.
Of course if laser is a concern where you live you should have laser jammer.

 

How does the latest Escort 8500 x50 stack up against the latest V1?

 

Get the V1 and hardwire it. I also added their concealed display over the steering wheel so there's no sign I'm using a detector, even when the top's down. I bought a second hardwire kit from Valentine and did a duplicate install in my Ridgeline for the winter.

I posted pics and details of the entire install here: http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showth...cealed+display

It's really simple.

 

I have read that the V1 has outdated filtering technology compared to the 8500 x50 and RX65 (radarbusters) and was called the Chicken Little of detectors in a 2004 magazine review. Have there been any recent tests showing the V1 has improved in this area?

 

Roy (radar buster owner) is a good guy but he can not sell Valentine1 radar detectors so he does have to pitch what he can sell.

The magazine article you are talking about was done by Craig Peterson and while he is a good guy he has his own agendas as well.
Once again he can not sell Valentine 1 so he is going to pitch what he sells.

http://www.guysoflidar.com/
This link is done by members of the forum I moderate at.
This is all done with no influnce from any company and they are regular guys.
I have been involved with these tests and you will see more real world testing done here than you will any place else.
We do not just shoot radar,laser on a straight road or controlled testing.
We try to do real world testing using different roads, road conditions and weather conditions.
Take a look around at the site and see what we have been up to.

Please understand the Escort 8500 X50 is a fantastic detector, and it is a lot cheaper than the Valentine unit but I have own both and for me the V1 is a better unit.
Now is it worth the extra money for the Valentine 1 over the Escort?
For some like me yes I would say so,but for others they are going to say no.
It comes down to money and personal preferences.
You really can not go wrong with either one of them.