Networking automobile Radar detectors

[RobertNashville]

Does anyone really think a radar detector will save you from getting a ticket?

I don't have to think a radar detector will; my detectors have saved me form many tickets over the years...what they won't save a driver from is his/her own stupidity.

[E4 No More]

I don't have to think a radar detector will; my detectors have saved me form many tickets over the years...what they won't save a driver from is his/her own stupidity.

+1

[NRA]

Any LEO officer that wants to write a ticket does not leave his radar on. What happens is LEO will leave it off and then turn it on at the last minute as an offender is in range (busted). If it went off and "saved you" from a ticket the only real thing it did was to slow you down, the LEO did not want to write you in the first place just slow you down. You are very mistaken if you think a radar will save you from a ticket. Take it from me it never really "saved" you from anything.

[G27]

Any LEO officer that wants to write a ticket does not leave his radar on. What happens is LEO will leave it off and then turn it on at the last minute as an offender is in range (busted). If it went off and "saved you" from a ticket the only real thing it did was to slow you down, the LEO did not want to write you in the first place just slow you down. You are very mistaken if you think a radar will save you from a ticket. Take it from me it never really "saved" you from anything.

Whatever.

I can't count the number of times an officer was hitting cars with instant-on and I read it from the splash / spread from cars ahead of me.

Yah, if I was the only car on the road, I was speeding and the officer hit me with an instant burst, I'd get a ticket.

But I live in the real world and I know it's saved my bacon a few times.

You sound like someone who hasn't learned how to use a good radar detector...

[NRA]

OK enjoy your real world then just trying to help.

[E4 No More]

Any LEO officer that wants to write a ticket does not leave his radar on. What happens is LEO will leave it off and then turn it on at the last minute as an offender is in range (busted). If it went off and "saved you" from a ticket the only real thing it did was to slow you down, the LEO did not want to write you in the first place just slow you down. You are very mistaken if you think a radar will save you from a ticket. Take it from me it never really "saved" you from anything.

Again, I am a former RADAR instructor, and what you say is true: however, the vast majority of LEO's operating RADAR aren't good enough at speed estimation to determine a target vehicle is on the edge of their enforcement threshhold. If their enforcement threshhold is at 10 MPH over they hit people at 9 MPH over and in thus doing they warn everyone else in the area that has a RADAR detector.

[RobertNashville]

Any LEO officer that wants to write a ticket does not leave his radar on. What happens is LEO will leave it off and then turn it on at the last minute as an offender is in range (busted). If it went off and "saved you" from a ticket the only real thing it did was to slow you down, the LEO did not want to write you in the first place just slow you down. You are very mistaken if you think a radar will save you from a ticket. Take it from me it never really "saved" you from anything.

Well, I rarely just "take" something as fact from someone I don't know and even more especially from someone I don't know on an internet forum.

Unless you have some substantial, empirical data to support your opinion then I'll rely on my 40 years of driving history and using detectors since my the first FuZZbuster that I bought in 1976.

[kb4ns]

I've got to agree with NRA on the fact of being undetectable when I really want to write a ticket. If I'm in the mood, I'll sit and watch hundreds of cars go by before ever estimating a speed high enough to activate my radar. If I had to guess, probably about 15 to 20 cars I stop each month are sporting radar detectors. And you can bet that everyone I stop for speeding that has one loses any chance they might have had of getting a warning (except for crimsonaudio. I like him). Of course, if I'm using my lidar, I get plenty of folks with radar detectors that have no concept of beamwidth and how lidars/detectors operate. I've sat there on the side of the road giving drivers a quick lidar class to explain why their detector never went off.

There are plenty of officers who will either leave their radar transmitting or clock every single car that appears on the horizon. And yeah, that'll set a radar detector off in enough time to warn you to slow down. Just don't let that lull you into a false sense of security that you'll be able to detect every radar or lidar signal you may be coming across.

[G27]

Of course, if I'm using my lidar, I get plenty of folks with radar detectors that have no concept of beamwidth and how lidars/detectors operate.

Yah, I turned lidar detection off on mine - it's pointless. If it goes off, just turn on the blinker and look for a place safe to stop.

Just don't let that lull you into a false sense of security that you'll be able to detect every radar or lidar signal you may be coming across.

Yah, believe it or not I obey the speed limit 95% of the time (heck I generally only use my detector on trips anymore). Trying to speed everywhere you go is a recipe for disaster - and I'm not talking about speeding tickets.

[strickj]

I was once given a really nice detector by a salesmen trying to get us to carry his brand.

The only thing I discovered by using it was the detector was no where as accurate as my eyesight. You see a cop sitting, slow down. You see break lights on the interstate, slow down.

Of course, this method is way too simple and cheap for the masses to ever pick up on...

[Chadastrophic]

My escort, and knowledge, has saved my butt (wallet) a few times.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

[RobertNashville]

I've got to agree with NRA on the fact of being undetectable when I really want to write a ticket. If I'm in the mood, I'll sit and watch hundreds of cars go by before ever estimating a speed high enough to activate my radar. If I had to guess, probably about 15 to 20 cars I stop each month are sporting radar detectors. And you can bet that everyone I stop for speeding that has one loses any chance they might have had of getting a warning (except for crimsonaudio. I like him). Of course, if I'm using my lidar, I get plenty of folks with radar detectors that have no concept of beamwidth and how lidars/detectors operate. I've sat there on the side of the road giving drivers a quick lidar class to explain why their detector never went off.

There are plenty of officers who will either leave their radar transmitting or clock every single car that appears on the horizon. And yeah, that'll set a radar detector off in enough time to warn you to slow down. Just don't let that lull you into a false sense of security that you'll be able to detect every radar or lidar signal you may be coming across.

No one is claiming that a detector is going to save your ass every time...BUT...technology like this moves the needle just a bit toward toward the citizen.

[analog_kidd]

Funny, but the older I get, it seems the slower I drive. I don't intentionally slow down, and I used to drive really fast when I was younger. But, now I catch myself not even driving the speed limit. Can't tell you how many times I've spotted a cop at the last minute, and hit the brakes then look down at the speedometer only to see I was already doing 5 under. My wife calls me Mr. Magoo. She on the other hand, I kiddingly call her Mario, which is a combination of Mario Andretti and Mario Kart.

Guess I'm just not that in a hurry to get anywhere these days.

[E4 No More]

I've got to agree with NRA on the fact of being undetectable when I really want to write a ticket. If I'm in the mood, I'll sit and watch hundreds of cars go by before ever estimating a speed high enough to activate my radar. If I had to guess, probably about 15 to 20 cars I stop each month are sporting radar detectors. And you can bet that everyone I stop for speeding that has one loses any chance they might have had of getting a warning (except for crimsonaudio. I like him). Of course, if I'm using my lidar, I get plenty of folks with radar detectors that have no concept of beamwidth and how lidars/detectors operate. I've sat there on the side of the road giving drivers a quick lidar class to explain why their detector never went off.

There are plenty of officers who will either leave their radar transmitting or clock every single car that appears on the horizon. And yeah, that'll set a radar detector off in enough time to warn you to slow down. Just don't let that lull you into a false sense of security that you'll be able to detect every radar or lidar signal you may be coming across.

Lidar detectors are indeed useless. By the time your detector goes off you're had. There are blinder products out there that people swear by, but I've not known of anyone with personal experience with them saving them. Perhaps it's because Lidar use is fairly rare around town.

I used to feel the same way about people with RADAR detectors as you do. I felt that having one demonstrated that they were predisposed to speed, so there was no such thing as a warning with them. In later years I realized that nearly everyone speeds at one time or the other - even cops and judges - and many RADAR detector owners use them like I do: to remind ourselves to slow down. I find that the detector's don't allow my mind to focus on things other than my speed with its alarming reminders, (even false alarms). It is constantly reminding me to check my speed so that I tend to drive slower with one than without one.

[RobertNashville]

Funny, but the older I get, it seems the slower I drive. I don't intentionally slow down, and I used to drive really fast when I was younger. But, now I catch myself not even driving the speed limit. Can't tell you how many times I've spotted a cop at the last minute, and hit the brakes then look down at the speedometer only to see I was already doing 5 under. My wife calls me Mr. Magoo. She on the other hand, I kiddingly call her Mario, which is a combination of Mario Andretti and Mario Kart.

Guess I'm just not that in a hurry to get anywhere these days.

Well...I've slowed down too...at least somewhat (you aren't likely going to see me under the limit unless I'm slowing down for some specific reason)...however...these days, I leave 95% of my speed/performance driving where they belong; track events and autocross courses.

There is something to be said for maturity - maturity such as what speed is truly safe based on the road, the weather, other traffic, etc. Of course, like virtually ever other law ever passed, "speed limit" laws can be very political in nature and even if they aren't, they are generally based on the lowers common denominator. Therefore, what may be a truly safe speed may be above, or even below the "posted" limit.

[10-Ring]

I break speed limits on a daily basis, I don't like them, I don't agree with them, especially when the proper surveys have not been conducted on a road and the government sticks an arbitrary number up as the speed limit. I see no reason to drive a road at 30 MPH when I can safely travel that road at 65MPH. I've had extensive performance driving training and I drive a high performance car. I don't use a telephone when I'm driving, I don't read the newspaper, shave, etc. I drive, when I'm driving I'm 100% focused on the road. I promise you at 3X the posted speed limit I'm safer than someone who is doing the speed limit and is not paying attention because they are playing with their phone or watching a movie in their car. I used radar detectors at one time, yes, they are useful when the officer is using instant on on cars in front of you that is about it. I found it better to be very aware of police cars running radar and to watch cars in front of you seem to brake hard for no apparent reason. For the record I haven absolutely zero accidents or tickets on my record. It's all about knowing when and where you can probably get away with it and when and where you can't and need to slow down.

[RobertNashville]

I break speed limits on a daily basis, I don't like them, I don't agree with them, especially when the proper surveys have not been conducted on a road and the government sticks an arbitrary number up as the speed limit. I see no reason to drive a road at 30 MPH when I can safely travel that road at 65MPH. I've had extensive performance driving training and I drive a high performance car. I don't use a telephone when I'm driving, I don't read the newspaper, shave, etc. I drive, when I'm driving I'm 100% focused on the road. I promise you at 3X the posted speed limit I'm safer than someone who is doing the speed limit and is not paying attention because they are playing with their phone or watching a movie in their car. I used radar detectors at one time, yes, they are useful when the officer is using instant on on cars in front of you that is about it. I found it better to be very aware of police cars running radar and to watch cars in front of you seem to brake hard for no apparent reason. For the record I haven absolutely zero accidents or tickets on my record. It's all about knowing when and where you can probably get away with it and when and where you can't and need to slow down.

If you are routinely driving 2 or 3 or more times the posted limit then there is no radar detector that can help you other than, perhaps, to tell you to get your wallet out of your back pocket. Moreover, I don't think driving that much over the posted limit, no matter how arbitrary they may be, is a good plan; at least not if you want to keep driving.

As to your driving ability, I'll take your word for your skill level. In any case, there is a lot more to driving safely and not putting yourself or someone else in danger than just raw skill - there are many things that can go wrong when you are on the road, not the least of which are other drivers who may not have your skill - things that the driver cannot control and that "skill" will often not get you out of. The greater your speed, the less reaction time you have to avoid disaster; it's really that simple.

[Guest WyattEarp]

I've had radar detectors made by cobra, passport and Valentine 1.

the Valentine 1 worked the best. When I had mine, I never once got a ticket for speeding. I was warned well enough in advance to slow down before he ever even saw me.

Drove to Oklahoma once with my brother from Kansas City to pickup a 97 cobra I bought for $10,000 w/ 48K on the clock about 5 years ago, we were descending into a valley on I-35, my brother was probably doing 100 at least, as we got down the hill, his Valentine 1 started going nuts. He slowed it down to 5 over, 1 1/2 miles later, we saw a state trooper sitting on the bridge. He didn't budge as we passed. Valentine 1, is the big dog in the radar detector market, and let me tell ya, the quality is worth the price...I say this from experience. It's probably saved me about 10 tickets from 2007-2010. I don't have it anymore since I don't speed excessively like I used to, mostly on the highways I'll run 5 or 10 over, but that's about it, so I really don't have the need for one anymore. I'm starting to get old, and i guess grandpa mode is starting to creep in.

Valentine One radar and laser detectors

V1 stands behind their products. Send your old one in, upgrade it for a reduced price, if it breaks, $45 + shipping, they'll repair it. If they can't repair it, they'll send you the newest most updated model at no extra cost to you. Lifetime warranty against defects or manufacturer problems.

Best radar/laser detector on the market. Hands down.

Yep. The only thing fast enough would be a jammer. I have to admit that I noodled on it some in my younger days. Now, I just drive the speed limit.

jammers for the most part have been proven to be a hoax and a marketing gimmick, not to mention, are illegal in most states.

Radar Jammer proven to be ineffective

Do Radar Jammers Work? - Kansas City News Story - KMBC Kansas City

Don't know the exact science, but I'm sure it would be equally difficult to jam a laser beam too.

Radar Scramblers Don't Work - RadarBusters.com

Myths of Radar Jammers Debunked by Cop

Cops vs. Speeders: How Radar and Laser Jammers Work

[kb4ns]

The Valentine is a good one, but again, it depends on how the officer is utilizing his equipment. The guy who received the award in the below photo Saturday had one of them Valentine detectors. Dang near threw himself out of the windshield hitting the brakes when I clocked him. I'd sat there without clocking a thing for about 10 minutes when I saw him coming.

[Guest WyattEarp]

The Valentine is a good one, but again, it depends on how the officer is utilizing his equipment. The guy who received the award in the below photo Saturday had one of them Valentine detectors. Dang near threw himself out of the windshield hitting the brakes when I clocked him. I'd sat there without clocking a thing for about 10 minutes when I saw him coming.

yep, if an officer is sitting on the side of the road with active radar, you have a pretty good chance of being warned in enough advanced time to slow it down and avoid a ticket. It's when you all get sneaky and do that passive radar activation at the last second that gets people caught

[G27]

68 in a 40? Holy crap, what an idiot.

[JeffsSig]

But..................

Seems most are missing the point of my post.

The new Networking will or can alert you many miles away. No matter how the officer is using his radar. If he just flips it one time and the network sees it then it is in the network for others to be warned for as far away as you have the settings set.

No its not perfect and yes it is dependent on how many use it in a given area.

[kb4ns]

But..................

Seems most are missing the point of my post.

The new Networking will or can alert you many miles away. No matter how the officer is using his radar. If he just flips it one time and the network sees it then it is in the network for others to be warned for as far away as you have the settings set.

No its not perfect and yes it is dependent on how many use it in a given area.

But, there's the other side of that coin. If you take a city/town where there are officers all over town with in-car moving radar and they're activating their radars all over said town while patrolling around, you're going to end up with false alerts all over the place. I think that would, in turn, make people turn off the networking capability on their radar detectors. When the detector is constantly alerting you and there's nothing there, you're going to get tired of it. May not be that big of a deal in places like Memphis where very few officers run radar and none have moving radars, but you won't be able to hit the city limits of Millington, Bartlett, Collierville, or Germantown without it going off non-stop.

[strickj]

I break speed limits on a daily basis, I don't like them, I don't agree with them, especially when the proper surveys have not been conducted on a road and the government sticks an arbitrary number up as the speed limit. I see no reason to drive a road at 30 MPH when I can safely travel that road at 65MPH. I've had extensive performance driving training and I drive a high performance car. I don't use a telephone when I'm driving, I don't read the newspaper, shave, etc. I drive, when I'm driving I'm 100% focused on the road. I promise you at 3X the posted speed limit I'm safer than someone who is doing the speed limit and is not paying attention because they are playing with their phone or watching a movie in their car. I used radar detectors at one time, yes, they are useful when the officer is using instant on on cars in front of you that is about it. I found it better to be very aware of police cars running radar and to watch cars in front of you seem to brake hard for no apparent reason. For the record I haven absolutely zero accidents or tickets on my record. It's all about knowing when and where you can probably get away with it and when and where you can't and need to slow down.

You may be the best driver in the world. But that doesn't make you a wizard that's capable of controlling other drivers, kids crossing the road, animals, blow outs, and the various other things that cause wrecks.

I can assure you that you are not the first person that I have met or helped that has had your attitude. I'll tell you right now, when you do wreck (and trust me, you will when you're as reckless as you are) please call me (if you're dead, have your loved ones call) so I can come laugh at your situation. Being you're here in E.TN, you can ask for me by name at Siskins.

[10-Ring]

I've done nothing reckless. When you drive a vehicle with an upgraded suspension and upgraded brakes it really does make the vehicle very much easier to drive. Very true, as some have pointed out, your reaction time is diminished the faster you go, but you can make up for it by driving a car that stops quicker and handles better. I do not neglect my car, it is always in top notch condition, I never run bald tires, I make sure that everything is as it should be. I am also very careful about where I chose to speed. If you catch me on the interstate I am at no time going more than 10 MPH over the speed limit. It is all about knowing where you can get away with it. I also have countless thousands of miles of track time. I never claimed to be the best driver in the world, far from it. As for 2 and 3 times the speed limit there are very remote roads close to where I live where you can see for miles yet the speed limit is 40, paying 100% attention to what I am doing I have no issues whatsoever running between 80-120 through there as long as no other traffic is around. This is also a location miles from any residences or anything else resembling civilization. By no means would I ever drive those speed in a neighborhood or other populated area. So go ahead and talk about laughing at someone else's misfortune, people get all bent out of shape over a little speeding in a remote area, but when you or your loved one is sending a text message and crosses the line and kills someone that will be okay because you were not speeding.