I've had 3 or 4 radar/laser detectors in the 23+ years I've been driving, including the much-acclaimed Valentine1. From the time I was 16 until I was 30, I received a speeding ticket about once every 18-24 months or so. Twice I was nailed while using a detector, once with instant-on radar in a hilly area with no other cars around, once with laser and the cop was pretty well hidden. Here in Ohio the highway patrol favors laser, as do a lot of the city cops, and detectors can't help much with that. If they hit you with laser, you're toast. They have you cold. The detector just tells you at that point you've been nailed.

I've found situational awareness to be a much greater tool in combatting speed enforcement than a radar/laser detector, but of course both will be even better if you stay diligent. I found that I was usually lulled into a false sense of security when using a detector, and failed to see other warning signs ahead. I still have a detector somewhere around here (I sold my V1 years ago) but haven't used it in years. I now typically drive 9-10 mph over the speed limit on the highways (5-6 in the city) and dont get a second glance from the cops. I do on occasion get up to 15-20 mph over the limit, but am very aware of my surroundings when I do so. I have gotten stopped a few times since I've been 30, but always get off with warnings, regardless of my speed, I guess my age, appearance, and clean record all sway the cops to warnings vs a ticket, because for the same infractions, I always got tickets when I was in my teens and 20's.

 

Is there anything useful against LIDAR? I believe all the State Troopers in MA use it and I do mostly highway driving. What I've read so far with LIDAR is, "Once anything could detect it the officer already has your speed."

 

What Ministang said. . .

And, I have a V1. I've had it for 12 years and I'm getting ready to send it in for an upgrade (something the others don't offer.) It cost me $400 12 years ago and it still works. It will cost me $200 to upgrade it. Way better than buying another one for $400.

As others have said, the V1, Beltronics 955 or the Passport 8500 x50 are all good detectors. Don't go cordless. I live in VA and don't regularly use mine (traffic pretty much prevents speeding anyway and if you are speeding, you're probably going with the flow.)

To whomever made the comment about picking a car out of a group with radar... I don't think so. The cop will use a combination of training and radar to pick a car out but the radar beam is too wide to single out the car in the middle of the pack. In fact, it usually bounces back from the first object it hits. The cop just notices that hte "middle" car (or some other car) is moving relatively faster than the first car and tags that driver.

Radar detectors are not licenses to speed. They're tools to keep you safe. Situational awareness (as previously mentioned) and letting someone else be the "rabbit" are complementary skills. You can intercept laser if the car in front of you is being tagged but if you're the only one on the road and laser hits you, it's because you were the target and you're already toast. You can get a jammer for this although it's illegal. (But so is speeding so do your own cost/benefit analysis on that one.)

In VA, speeding tickets are something like $55 + $5 * miles per hour over + $50 (or more) in court costs. The fine for being caught with a radar detector in VA is $200 and the officer MAY confiscate it as evidence until the court date but must return it after the judgment.

 

A couple of months ago I got a Beltronics GX65 and I really like it. My old detector had so many false signals it was driving me crazy. It's expensive but has quite a few nice features.

 

My grandma (rest her soul) used to have a radar detector and she had a method for using it in states where it was illegal. She had the wire hidden, used Velcro to attach it to her dash, and put a small Kleenex box over it with the bottom cut out. Never raised a question. I remember that being the noisiest box off tissues I'd ever seen when I was a kid. Good times.

By the way, grandma was fast in her Oldsmobile Silhouette. She even had vanity plates that read "OLD BAT".

 

Overboost, do you use one of these yourself? If so, how hard is it to remove the detector from the Blendmount or the Blendmount from the mirror?

 

i have a passport x50, and love it. I highly recommend one who is always on the highway, and goes 5+ over the limit. JUST BE SMART. if there is a place where a cop usually sits, SLOW DOWN. the detector is not going to get the ticket removed!!
here in florida its flat, and not hilly so the range is excellent. KA band, is around mile- mile and 1/2...
thats all that the cops use here, occasional lazer, or K band. Its easy to spot a cop in the middle of a median with his gun out... so lazer is rarely used.... just my $.02

 

Heres what you do, when your driving, just keep an eye out like I do. Never got a ticket and I drive faaaaaaaaaaast.

 

Good strategy. Ever leave town???

I drive all over the U.S. and there are some REALLY SNEAKY LEOs out there. I'm usually 5-10 MPH over the limit. Maybe 10-12 on the interstate or school zones.








(I posted the school zone thing just to see if anyone was actually reading... I don't speed in school zones. Period.)

 

And texting at the same time too, right???

 

I used the Passport x50 too and I thought it was awesome. I agree that you have to be smart when driving because it's not a 100% guarantee a cop will always be using radar/laser or be in a position that will make it harder for your detector to detect. The brand Escort that makes the Passport x50 has two newer and very impressive detectors; the 9500ix and the recently released Redline. The 9500ix actually uses GPS location to warn you to speed cameras and red light cameras using a stored database as well as allowing you to "save" signals to be either blocked if they're false or more sensitive if it's a known speedtrap. It will also detect whether a new signal is found if for some reason the cop chose to use a different radar or a previously false signal now has a new potential speed trap signal. I heard very good things about this detector but I'm actually considering getting the Redline model because it is supposed to be the longest range detecting radar detector without picking up everything (ie. automatic door openers, home alarm systems). They claim it can pick up a signal up to 13 miles away and I also heard good reviews about it. Although it does not have the GPS, I tend to drive more on the highway and would benefit more from earlier detection. IMO, radar detectors are mostly useful for longer distances trips or if you do mostly highway driving.

BTW, don't leave your detector out on your dash or the sun will cook and fry the internal components. I unfortunately went through 2 detectors because of it.

 

i was driving my POS corolla on a stretch of freeway here in san diego where the common driving speed is 80+, posted is 65. i didn't break 70 and i got a ticket for 80.

not sure how it is in other states, but an officer trained to use a radar gun in cali also has to be trained to estimate speed. his estimated speed holds up in court since he is considered an expert. however, an officer not trained on a radar gun (most fall in this category) cannot estimate speed. he can clock you against his car though, which is fool proof and toughest to fight.

 

If you have lots of money to throw away, get this: http://www.evoperform.com/shop/index...roducts_id=880

 

They're illegal here in Canada. So case closed. Since about a year now, they've been installing " photo radar" detectors all around the city. Soon we won't be able to go 1 mph over limit, or force a yellow light, or you'll get a nice letter through mail with you ticket and face on it.

 

+10,000

If a police officer wants you, he can get you.

FWIW, the Passport 9500ix is the stuff..has a GPS and monitors false alarms, known speed traps and red light cameras. False alarms after driving by the same place a couple times will go away. Thought about it for a while but never bought one.

No tickets in 20 years but I let a ricer run blocker for me. Works like a charm! Cheaper too.

 

I use this same strategy!!! Its flawless

 

As mentioned above, radar detectors will not help you with laser. My last two tickets were by laser(Tn & Ga). With that being said, are laser jammers worth the money?

 

edit. sorrrry

 

yeah, i should probably start storing mine away, FL heat may just kill mine soon.... I was lookin at the 9500ix but, the extra 300 i would pay to get it.. I rather spend it on some new golf clubs or something..

 

Nah, that's mostly for the 20-somethings. I email and fax.