Radar detectors

[Dammmittt]

Originally Posted by soeharyo

I've always heard people speeding through the 'back roads'.. what do you mean by them...

and where do you guys 'speed' the most (most comforatble strech of roads)? other than the track of course.

Back roads can be fun to speed on. There are all sorts of little country highways around here where the posted limit is 55...but the roads are straight as can be and you can see ahead a few miles...i've been about 60-70 mph over posted

[Rey]

I have had a Valentine for many years. I don't rely on it on highways with instant on and laser. I have settled down to driving 5-8 mph + on cruise control with no worries.
Where the Valentine has really helped me stay alert is driving blue highways and approaching strange towns that have radar traps where speed limit drops.

[normtrum]

Originally Posted by Rey

I have had a Valentine for many years. I don't rely on it on highways with instant on and laser. I have settled down to driving 5-8 mph + on cruise control with no worries.
Where the Valentine has really helped me stay alert is driving blue highways and approaching strange towns that have radar traps where speed limit drops.

Exactly - I don't use my Passport as an excuse to speed (which was voiced earlier by someone). I use mine for BS speed traps in local areas/towns. For example my son just got a ticket for doing 27 in a 25. This is why I own a RD.

[magicogar]

Most of the time I speed up to past grandma drivers. This is where I get tickets from...passing motorists. I have a passport 8500 and it saved me numerous times.

The Passport tends to have less falses than V1. But the V1 has the arrows that everybody likes.

I've learned the way my Passport works now to where I don't need arrows. I can tell if they are in front with the radargun or from the back. Knock on wood, it's been 6 years since I had a ticket.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by AlanL

I had a V1 years ago and ..............
gave it up.........................

I finally came to the conclusion that driving with this in my car was actually less gratifying because I always had to take the attitude that if I heard anything at all, I had to slow down immediately or possibly face another ticket. ..................
BTW - I do typically get TONS of high speed driving time at my local track where no one cares the speeds I drive unless I am holding them up

I agree completely.
I went through the same thing a few years ago.

The only time I'm tempted to use one now is on long runs, outside of built up areas.

[takedown8]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

I agree completely.
I went through the same thing a few years ago.

The only time I'm tempted to use one now is on long runs, outside of built up areas.

How can you have one intgr8r? They're illegal in Ontario and the cops have detector detectors with serious fines/points if you're caught with one.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by takedown8

How can you have one intgr8r? They're illegal in Ontario and the cops have detector detectors with serious fines/points if you're caught with one.

Beltronics STi is undetectable

[Rey]

I wonder if the so-called "detector-dedector" used in Ontario is a myth, or used very sparingly. All radar detectors use a matching program, which matches known frequencies within the detector. Old detectors used to "leak" a bit, and that leakage is what registers on the detector-detector. Contemporary detectors are leakproof.
For a detector-dedector to really work it has to find very small emissions, which in turn means a huge amount of false alarms, particularly in urban areas. Then the officer has the problem in dense traffic of identifying exactly which vehilce has the offending radar.
I have concluded that dedector-dedectors are not a threat when I visit Ontario, so I just leave the Valentine turned on. While my experience is only as a traveler there, I have had very few hits in Ontario.

[takedown8]

Originally Posted by Rey

I wonder if the so-called "detector-dedector" used in Ontario is a myth, or used very sparingly. All radar detectors use a matching program, which matches known frequencies within the detector. Old detectors used to "leak" a bit, and that leakage is what registers on the detector-detector. Contemporary detectors are leakproof.
For a detector-dedector to really work it has to find very small emissions, which in turn means a huge amount of false alarms, particularly in urban areas. Then the officer has the problem in dense traffic of identifying exactly which vehilce has the offending radar.
I have concluded that dedector-dedectors are not a threat when I visit Ontario, so I just leave the Valentine turned on. While my experience is only as a traveler there, I have had very few hits in Ontario.

I saw this news segment where they were talking about this. They had an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer on talking about the fact that no matter how good new radar detectors are, they, within a few months, will have a detector that can detect them. He then shows this "Wall of shame" full of dozens of different radar detectors that have been confiscated.

If you get pulled over and they even suspect that you have a radar detector, by law they're allowed to search your vehicle for it in Ontario. The fines are heavy and they take the radar detector.

That bit on the news may have been all for show, and they're exaggerating their claims. All the same, I don't think it's worth it to have them here because our police are usually pretty reasonable here about pulling over speeders. And if you do get caught, they almost always knock the speed down so there are no points.

[995]

Any experience of detecting laser by Vector 995?

[ZEEFOUR]

Have not gotten a ticket since i stopped using a radar detector

[rabman5]

Originally Posted by takedown8

Do any of you use radar detectors in states/provinces where they're illegal? Have you gotten caught?

I use a V1 also. I only use it on long trips and it has saved me many times. Last year on the way to homecoming, it detected 4 different radar guns at one time in Tennessee. I slowed down in time but a Z3 m roadster was not as fortunate.

However, when in Virginia, I put it away. The VA police also have radar detector detectors and will give you alot of problems if they catch you with one.

[spiderman]

stinger dsi
*radar
*laser
*GPS

and not to detect

[Cmick]

Originally Posted by 995

Any experience of detecting laser by Vector 995?

I've had the laser warning go off several times but I haven't seen any traps in the area. I'm guessing they have been false alarms.

K, Ka and X Band warnings are really good.

Funny thing......I travel to New Orleans frequently and when entering from the west on I-10 the laser alert always goes off near the airport. Not sure what it detects.....

[RaDaRkInG]

Originally Posted by Cmick

I've had the laser warning go off several times but I haven't seen any traps in the area. I'm guessing they have been false alarms.

Funny thing......I travel to New Orleans frequently and when entering from the west on I-10 the laser alert always goes off near the airport. Not sure what it detects.....

Supposedly, high-power air search radar and possibly wind shear sensors at airports are what cause the laser false alerts.

For the Valentine, you used to be able to send the detector back in to them for an "airport mod" to eliminate false alerts from these sources. They would go to some extreme lengths to improve the ground connection between the laser detector circuit board and the magnesium case. Basically they would smooth the connection, add some conductive epoxy and then bake it in an oven.

Whether the mod is still required, I don't know. Worth looking into if you frequently drive near airports.


http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...rt+laser+false

This is a post from a member named "JadeRaven" from New Orleans.

Originally Posted by JadeRaven

My v995 killed me with laser falses at a nearby airport, and whenever I would be on something high up like a bridge or high overpass (around where I live everything is flat).

I mounted both high and low and didn't see much difference.

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...rt+laser+false

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...rt+laser+false

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...ht=995+airport

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

High powered, slow-repetition search radar or wind sheer sensors are what cause the false alerts. You can see Outrun's video of radar at airports causing false alerts HERE.

The photodiode in the detector is very sensitive and will pick this stuff up, especially if the detector isn't shielded well. A while back, Valentine would do a free "airport mod" if you requested it, where they would fill in some gaps with conductive epoxy and bake the unit in the oven. This supposably did away with falsing from strong RF sources at airports. Since that time, I believe they have updated their design so that the airport mod is no longer needed.

[rosierobins2003]

Interesting reading....especially since i got my first speeding ticket ever...which is kinda embarassing to say that...meaning aren't you supposed to get them when you are young?

Floridaboy, you got off by being polite? I had a short skirt on and I was polite and I still got my ticket....I even tried the truth, which was that I've never been stopped before. Heck you think that driving this many years without one would get me off on a warning.

Dammit, 60 to 70 over the posted? Do you mean 60 or 70? How can you go that far over the posted?

Zeefour you got more tickets when you had a radar detetctor?

Also, please advise on this, but a cop friend said that you can go over the posted speed limit if it is safe....well it was midnight and the only car in sight was a quarter mile ahead. What coulda been safer? Maybe I should fight it on that account?

Rosie

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by rosierobins2003

Interesting reading....especially since i got my first speeding ticket ever...

Also, please advise on this, but a cop friend said that you can go over the posted speed limit if it is safe....well it was midnight and the only car in sight was a quarter mile ahead. What coulda been safer? Maybe I should fight it on that account?

Rosie

When I had one (won't say how long ago),
I just didn't enjoy driving as much.
I spent so much time on hi alert for radar, I was no long just enjoying the ride.

I've found the same thing Rosie....
Late hours, or when there's no traffic is the MOST likely time to get zapped.
On the daily drive, you can drive as fast as you dare without worry of radar.
(...just the idiots on the road)

[hollasrj]

Due to these outrageous speeding fines in VA ($3000+), I've purchsed a Belltronic STi. However, I need a good DIY or professional install to conceal it. Any suggestions?

[rosierobins2003]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

I've found the same thing Rosie....
Late hours, or when there's no traffic is the MOST likely time to get zapped.
On the daily drive, you can drive as fast as you dare without worry of radar.
(...just the idiots on the road)

K, I'll just try to be more careful when it seems to be a VERY good time to take it up a notch.

thanks for the advice.

Rosie

[enfield]

When I lived in the US I had a detector. I would agree with the posts that state that the detector can be a major Pain in the rear end. I stick to the flow of traffic, try to stay within 10kph of the limit in the city and do most of my high speeds of up to 150kph in the right or middle lane of the highway. I am usually never more than 20kph over the limit (highway limit is 100kph) in the passing lane and am ALWAYS careful around bridges and ramps. I never speed alone.

[em2b96p]

when i first started driving (age 16) i used one but now i dont. after a while you pick up on "how to avoid the coppers!" ive noticed if you use the radar detector too much it becomes the "car alarm syndrome." this is when it goes off soo many times that you ignore it.

If you must speed...

1) ALWAYS chase the rabbit and give atleast 2 car lengths
2) no lingering in the left lane
3) no speeding past overpasses and ramps
4) no speeding past slow clumps of cars
5) slow down when you see the cherry
6) no speeding alone
7) watch the no U turn center grassy median areas
8) no speeding past lone parked cars on the freeway that look like unmarked coppers
9) obviously dont try and pass a copper or chase after them when they blow by breaking the speed limit themselves
10) memorize headlights and tailights of copper cars so you can spot them at night. ( i can spot crown vics from miles away but i need to learn the new light patterns of the chargers and new impalas)