goneskiian Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 I know I'm showing my age by calling them that. So be it! :lol: I've read a bit about Escort this, Valentine that, but I want to see if you folks have some real world recommendations. I've also heard the term lidar used, what is that? For instance the June C/D has a short blurb about adding a lidar detector/jammer to their long term Mazda 6s and that it was quite effective. Please chime in with all you know or with links if you don't want to repeat it! Thanks! -Ian (go fast newbie) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest *Jedimaster* Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 I recommend you carry a badge in the car like me ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtguy Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 If cost is no object, get a Valentine One, with a Uniden BearTracker. The former is the best radar detector, period. The latter is a scanner, really, pre-programmed to pick up the emissions from the secondary transmitters that all police vehicles (including airplanes) must carry, and have activated at all times. The Valentine's directional arrows are most excellent. It was fun to see it track the trooper from ahead, to beside, to behind me, then the beeping would stop. That thing rules. During my now-legendary run from Chicago, Il. to Boulder, Colo. in 12.5 hours, I used this combo. Pretty awesome. The jury is still pretty out on laser detectors, which still do a very effective job of telling you that (presuming the presence of laser) that you are about to get a ticket. :lol: Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUBE555 Posted May 28, 2004 Share Posted May 28, 2004 Sounds like Kevin was running a modified cannonball. But you're only averaging about 81mph. Oh well, that doesn't account for pit stops and such. So you must have been doing about 90mph. Was that done in the days it was 55 or 65mph limits out in the great plains? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtguy Posted May 29, 2004 Share Posted May 29, 2004 [quote name='SUBE555']Sounds like Kevin was running a modified cannonball. But you're only averaging about 81mph. Oh well, that doesn't account for pit stops and such. So you must have been doing about 90mph. Was that done in the days it was 55 or 65mph limits out in the great plains?[/quote] It was 75 mph out in the plains, so 90 was pretty much given a pass. The only guy I saw pulled over came by me (I was something around 100) like I was parked. VASCAR got him. I guess even though there was no traffic, the police still didn't dig it. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goneskiian Posted June 10, 2004 Author Share Posted June 10, 2004 Thanks Kevin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Monkey Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I personally, am partial to the Escort 8500. I've used the V1 as well also, mind you, but still prefer the 8500. Why? Well the 8500 is louder in terms of beeps and the V1 is just too soft sometimes to warn me. Also, the V1's arrows are quite pointless IMO and I never even really found a use for them. If the radar detector goes off, I slow down, period. I could really care less where the cop is hiding, I just need to SLOW down. To add to my argument, the 8500 is about $100 cheaper! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWColorado Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I have a Valentine One and wouldn't go back to anything without arrows and a bogey counter (I had a few different detectors before the V1). I've got my remote display mounted in the dash next to the speedometer, so I can see the arrows/bogey count real easy. Just the other day, the bogey counter saved me. A frontage road next to the highway has had one of those rader signs for a couple weeks, so I've gotten used to ignoring the radar detector going off in that area of the highway. 2 weeks ago, I noticed that the bogey count said 2, instead of 1. Sure enough state trooper was waiting around the curve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Monkey Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 FYI, the 8500 has a mutiple bogey counter with 2 meters to show the signal strenghs of each. Pretty useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brady_bunch Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I've had a Bel 980 and an Escort 8500. I like the 8500 better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7stars Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 I don't use one anymore, because it was a sure bet to get a ticket if you do get pulled over. I haven't gotten a ticket since I stopped using them. I've learned to drive a bit slower and speed smartly. I found that if you're not white, and you get pulled over, tune to a country station. That has gotten me out of 2 tickets so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Monkey Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 [quote name='7stars']I don't use one anymore, because it was a sure bet to get a ticket if you do get pulled over. I haven't gotten a ticket since I stopped using them. I've learned to drive a bit slower and speed smartly. I found that if you're not white, and you get pulled over, tune to a country station. That has gotten me out of 2 tickets so far.[/quote] :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brady_bunch Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 [quote name='7stars']I found that if you're not white, and you get pulled over, tune to a country station. That has gotten me out of 2 tickets so far.[/quote] Does it still work if you [b]are [/b]white, I wonder. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drift Monkey Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 [quote name='brady_bunch']Does it still work if you [b]are [/b]white, I wonder. :lol:[/quote] White people don't count. They automatically get away! :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brady_bunch Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Sheeyeah, right! I wish! :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firedawgs Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 [quote name='jedimaster']I recommend you carry a badge in the car like me ;)[/quote] And what kind of badge would that be? Updated my vBGarage: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest *Jedimaster* Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 I carry a badge from my local SO, as I'm an Instructor there. I also have some other ID's from a PD I worked at in what seems like another lifetime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSB Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 What's the story with radar detectors in Oz, are they legal ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trent Bates Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 My Valentine 1 is my 6th detector in 18 years. It has been well worth the cost and I'd buy another right away. We are considering getting a second unit for my Wife to replace her Passport 5000. She really doesn't need one though. My father has a Passport 7500. We took a trip to with two cars last year. Even though I was following him, I was picking up forward radar sooner than he was. (We were using FRS radios.) Naturally I was picking up rear radar MUCH sooner than he was. It generally seemed that I had around 0.5 miles more forward range than he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad21 Posted August 14, 2004 Share Posted August 14, 2004 [quote name='brady_bunch']I've had a Bel 980 and an Escort 8500. I like the 8500 better.[/quote] I've had pretty good luck with my Bel 980. I think the new model is a 985 and I believe might be a little cheaper than the Escort. Do a Google search for radar detectors. Valentine, Escort and Bel almost always come out on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 FWIW, Autoweek will be evaluating detectors in the upcoming weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan42025 Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 [quote name='MSB']What's the story with radar detectors in Oz, are they legal ?[/quote] Definitely not! They were made illegal many years ago. I can't remember the site but I did come across one in the US (I think) that detected and jammed laser guns - they worked by doing it for 10 seconds only - just enough time to slow down before the cop measured your speed. However, we do have a system based on GPS that warns the driver when coming close to a known fixed radar or other watchpoints (eg, the stupid 40 km/hr school zones on major roads - none on freeways yet :-). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meier motor sports Posted August 21, 2004 Share Posted August 21, 2004 valentine is the best then escort. nothing cordless then cobra bell and the other high end brands my buddy says his escort is better then my v-1 cause the escort beeps less. yes the v-1 beeps a lot. but with the modes it has u can decide what u want it to do on false alerts (bogies). but when the k or ka band beeps a few times and u see nothing. trust me slow down. about a mile up the road there is and unmarked cop car taking instant on radar. it happened to me. but i slowed down. the only bad part of the v-1 i supose is the sensitivity of the lasar band. the led 3rd brake light on chevy trailblazers tend to set it off. the manual describes this to u. but when your sitting behind the thing and the lasar warning blares. its a bit anoying. thats when i go ahead and pass the fricken suv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2006Specb122 Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 yeah.. pass the SUV until you realize it wasn't a false alarm and you get caught speeding UP! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.