Robby

I know there have been several threads on the Valentine vs Passport 8500 lately, but...

What is the name of the detector that comes in the M5? I believe it is supposed to come stock (may be an option) and is ~$1000- very expensive nonetheless. K-something? It's out of my league, but does anyone have any info on it or experience w/it?

What about jammers and other types? Is there anything else other than radar detectors out there that helps to cover one's ***? What about car bras that supposedly disrupt radar to make one "invisible" to it, or other such covers?

Valentine & Passport/Escorts- where should I buy and what's the cheapest I can get them for? Anyone tried both and/or had experience (somehow) w/both? It seems (from other threads) that people who own one or the other swear by the one they have- maybe either would be fine? Any advice is appreciated...

Thanks,
Robby

Olli Snellman

Funny to read about those radar detectors
In most european countries using a radar detector is illegal.Police have systems to pick up those drivers who are using radar detectors.If you get gaught or if you even had speeding, your ticket will be at least triple compared to original one (in Finland)
You should paint your car with the same paint as they are using on Stealth planes


Olli
'88 951

Robby

That bites! I don't believe it should be legal to use the damn things to begin with (Radar I mean)- I think if cops are going to be screwing around on the sides of roads w/those damn cancer causing rays pointed at me, that I should have a rocket launcher on top of my car pointed at them for retaliation- until then, a detector will just have to do

I hate the "Big Brother" type of big government that is becoming the norm now days and taking away freedom and life as we know it, but that is a whole nother topic... What type of government does finland have anyway? Might be a stupid question, but I really don't know....

Olli Snellman

Robby, i can understand your point
Have driven cars and got 3 speeding tickts during that time (lucky me)The latest was back in '95.Drove 85km/h and the limt was 60km/h.
Ticket was about 600 €, almost same with US $.
We have a very nice "system" here; more you earn money more you have to pay
<img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />
What comes to our political system, it's quite european i suppose.We electec president who sits 6 years.Every fourth year we elect mebers of parlament.They sit there 4 years.AT the moment we have female president (Tarja Halonen).
Finland has a multiparty system.At the moment we have over ten political parties.In our goverment we have representatives from social democrats,right wing,christian democratcs,swedish folk party (Finland is the bilingual country)
Finland belongs to EU (joined in '95, same time as Sweden).Then there are local Countys & Cities which has their own systems.
What comes to history of the finnish political system, we were # 2 country in the world which has females right to vote.New Zealand was the first.We got our independence in 1917.Finland was part of Sweden til 1809.After the swedes lost the war against the russian( last war into which Sweden has taken part)Finland was moved under command of Russia.When communist took command in 1917 we finally go our independence.
During WWII we had a war against Russia.We lost <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" /> (then 4.3 million finns against over 200 milloin of russian).
This war still effects to some of our relationship with russians.Officially we have good relationship, but even today the people tech their kids to be careful with them.What comes to our another "masters" the sweds, it's totally different story.They are consired as our brothers.Same thing with our southern neighpours, the estonias.
BTW Finland was the only country which paid back all of it's war debts to U.S.A after WWII.
OK that was the short lesson of the finnish history.

Olli
'88 951

IceShark

Speaking about the law in the US states, be careful about the active jammer type of radar. That you can get in real trouble with where illegal and it isn't too hard to tell you are there because you are broadcasting.

Nice little history on Finland, Olli. My Grandfather came to the USA via Canada due to the Russians and boyhood pranks .... well I guess pranks isn't quite the right word. He and his friends didn't like the Russians much so they ambushed a Cossack and shot him and his horse dead. They then cut a hole in the ice and shoved in the bodies. The next day it dawned on them that come spring the bodies would be floating up. So they signed up as crew on a freighter bound for Canada and never went back to the "Old Country" for over 50 years. <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

slevy951

Robby-

I have the Passport. I looked at both before I bought about 2 years ago. I had to do something as in 2000 I got 4 tkts (OUCH!). Since I've had the Passport, no tkts! I think the V1 may have better performance, but for $100 more, it wasn't worth the extra IMO. The Passport works well for me. My girlfriend bought one also, she liked it so well. IMO, something is better than nothing. If you have to have the best, probably the V1 is the choice. Look for slightly used ones on ebay. Ultimate Electronics carries the Passport also.

HTH.

adrial

I don't think the V1 is worth it, I don't think any detector is worth it.

I just bought a V1 and I'm gonna return it and spring for a DE instead.

Fixn2xlr8

I might catch some crap but my fav is Bell. Ive used everything but a V1 so I cant compare it but the Im 27 years old and my last ticket was in 1994.

Z-man

[quote]Originally posted by adrial:
<strong>I don't think the V1 is worth it, I don't think any detector is worth it.

I just bought a V1 and I'm gonna return it and spring for a DE instead. </strong><hr></blockquote>
Wise choice, grasshopper!
-Z.

marky522

I use a cobra that i got off ebay for $50, and havent gotten a ticket since i got it!!! (knock on wood) my friend has that K something that was mentioned in the orig. post and he really likes it.

mark

aeshultz

Gotta chime in here; I've been using a V1 since spring, and it's saved my bacon a couple of times. Just last weekend a State Trooper came pulling down an on-ramp behind three of us. I knew he was there- just couldn't see him until he appeared in my rear view mirror. And that is where the V1 saves you - it reads from both front and rear, as well as counts the number of sources. Other detectors are probably just as good one-for-one, but for my $, I want to know where the bogeys are located. Works for me.

triscadek

I like the idea of tracking multiple sources and knowing how many are out there and where they are. In anti-detector states the police have radar detector detectors, some of the units beat that. The maker of the V1 says that the better detectors come from aggressive states on radar(like Ohio) to stay on top of the newest technology.

GaryK

I recently bought a 8500 rather than a Valentine since Escort offered me a trade-in on my old detector. It's performed as expected, until one day last week when I was nabbed for a speeding ticket by a cop using a laser gun. He was standing under a tree on the side of the road and had an unobstructed view of my car. The 8500 did nothing! Either the cop is lying or even the 8500 is useless against straight-on laser. I called Escort and they told me there is no way the 8500 can detect a direct laser beam like this! I wonder what Valentine's opinion would be?

slevy951

[quote]Originally posted by GaryK:
<strong>I called Escort and they told me there is no way the 8500 can detect a direct laser beam like this! I wonder what Valentine's opinion would be?</strong><hr></blockquote>

What's up with that? My 8500 detects laser. Do you have a defective unit? Do you have laser detection turned off? I would think that straight on would be the easiest way for it to detect the laser beam.

Joe944

If the laser is already being pointed at you, don't you think it's kinda too late anyways? =P

I plan on getting a V1 soon, the directional arrows being the main reason for choosing it over the passport.