Does anyone have recommendations re: radar detectors/jammers? I am getting mixed reports, some stating Valentine I is the best, while others report that Bell 985 is best. Reliance on my CB to ferret out Smokey is probably not the most efficient method.

What say you all? <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

 

Ron,
I bought a valentine 1 after doing a lot of reading. The remote display is a must have as far as I'm concerned and the directional arrows are very useful. I also read good things about the escort 8500. I'm happy with mine.

Jim

 

I have an Escort 8500 which I am happy with.

However, had I known at the time, I would have gladly paid the additional $150 for the Valentine which indicates from which direction, and how many sources are hitting you.

 

The Valentine 1 is a must. There is no equal. Today's law enforcement tactics now more often involve targeting with radar from behind while moving. More cars are unmarked and police are using more "sampling" as they drive. If you cannot identify where the signal is coming from, you do not have enough information. I've had "officers" follow me for miles squeezing multiple radar bursts from behind with the hope that I would contribute to this disgusting trend of highway robbery.

I actually caught a HW Patrol "officer" with a bold face lie. He told me that he clocked me at 80 MPH from the front, and I KNEW that he ran his radar from behind and clocked the car behind me. He had NO WAY of knowing my speed. After 10 minutes of telling me that I was guilty and attempting to make me confess (which would be used against me), he stocked away and returned with a "warning" for 65+ in a 65 MPH zone.

I was confident that he was lying and couldn't prove my speed, so I was able to beat this untruthful attempt to remove money from my wallet.

I have had two other "warnings" due to the "officer's" inability to prove that I was doing anything wrong. Both involved moving patrol cars and one was also from behind.

 

I had a similar situation with one of our light-barred friends. He pulled me over for 52 in a 35 zone in my Yukon. I used to work on radar guns for a county sheriff's dept. and tweaked (supertuned) my detector. I asked him if he had LIDAR (laser) and he replied that he didn't. I then asked him how he clocked me without my calibrated radar detector going off and at least letting me know he was there. He got quite upset and told me to just take it easy, gave me back my paperwork and stomped off in a huff. (He got me back later!) I believe that he still had 52 mph on his gun when he saw me fly by (I was probably going faster than that) and tried to stick it to me. Chalk up one for the good guys, or is that the bad ones?

Dave

 

I have had my Valentine I for eight years now and it continues to impress me with its anti-falsing and long distance warning. Arrow indications are a huge plus. I am tempted to get a new one just to be up to date, though I understand that the current laser detectors do nothing but say "you're busted"

I saw a 928 in San Diego that had one with a nice hidden display setup for the Valantine that I would like to know a little more about. QSHARK are you out there?

 

Thanks to all who have posted a reply. It seems Valentine 1 is winning the poll among 928 people, while ads say either Escort or Beltronics is better. I haven't found any "objective" tests like Consumer's Reports to review. And
"professional drivers" I've contacted say Valentine 1 is best.
I'll continue my research, as I'm tired of Smokey's interference and insults to my intelligence <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />
Thanks again <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />

 

Ron

Have a look at this site. It's got a good independent review of the valentine and most other detectors. It's a UK site but the technology is basically the same (but a bit more scary!).

<a href="http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/</a>

The law was changed recently in the UK so that the police retain a large portion of any speeding fines they collect - not surprisingly this has made them VERY keen on ticketing speeders, and has led to the array of devices on the site. I think I will start walking.

Cheers
DaveW

 

I bought a SOLO and I hate it. I swear it is no better than the $50.00 Uniden I got at radio shack 15 years ago. I may upgrade to a Valentine 1, since I just got another ticket (51 in a 35, the weenie got me fo 6 points, 50 in a 35 is 3 points). Luckily, in KY you can take a one night driver's school and eliminate the points on your license. The SOLO has *hit for range and eats batteries like candy.

The Valentine's are made right here in Cincinnati, so I might check it out. I drive 70 miles to and from work each day so it is probably a good investment.

 

Well, I bought a ValentineOne. It was a close race between the Valentine and the Bel 980, but all I could find in the way of objective tests seemed to give the edge to the Valentine. Plus it offered future upgrades at cost, which is important as technology evolves during the cat and mouse chase between them and us.

John, I feel sympathy for you as I had negotiated my way into traffic school for a "citation" in one state, then the very next day I got nailed in another state; <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" /> time to build a defense.

Dave W.: thanks for the tip to your UK site which was informative. Sounds like you guys are in a similar situation over there. <img src="graemlins/icon107.gif" border="0" alt="[icon107]" />
<img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />

 

In Florida, they just drive behind you with their "certified" speedometers and pick you off. They rarely use radar- I don't even have a detector.

You can knock Jeb Bush and Co. for many things, but you have to like the state's attitude about expressway ["freeway" for you California types] speeds- I-95 is the "Florida Autobahn", where you can do 80-85 without worry. Generally, if you get stopped for speeding in Florida, you deserved it...

No "revenue enhancement", and as such I don't have a radar detector. When I did, my Bel seemed to work the best-

Normy!
'85 S2 5 Speed

 

Normy,

I live in Florida too. However, I see state troopers shooting radar every day of the week. I have a radar detector so I'm sure they are using radar. I would imagine if you had a radar detector you would know when they are shooting. How would you know they don't use radar if you don't have a radar detector?

Anyway, I'd have to agree with you on the deserving to get a ticket..... My last ticket was 117 mph in a 70 mph zone. The trooper was very professional and just told me to keep the horses down a little. The ticket cost me three hundred dollars and defensive driving school but I kept my clean driving record.

 

I'm in CA, so I do not know about Florida. But the reason one of you may notice many cops with radar, and the other one notices them without radar, is because certain departments have it, and others do not. In CA, most of the highway patrol cars do not have radar. It is easier for them just to drive up behind you, and clock you. But in the city streets, where it is not easy to do that, most all the cops use radar.

If you are really into avoiding tickets, there are devices that pick up the signals their walkie-talkies give off, and it acts like a more generalized "police detector".

 

Yeah Jim, I had my Bel hardwired into the ceiling light in my previous car, a VW Corrado, and I just gave it to the kid that bought the car in order to avoid the hassle of pulling it apart. It seemed to go off around grocery stores [door openers operate on X band], but only occsionally did I get a squeak out of it in the Ka band, which is what the police used. When it did go off, invariably there was an FHP Trooper nearby. Either it wasn't working right, or the cops were using something new, because it seemed pretty rare that they used their radar.

N!

 

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