I'm usually decisive but I'm torn between going with a radar detector and not going with one.....I haven't been pulled over in the 996 as I pick and choose where to really give it a go but I'm afraid it's a matter of time before I choose poorly. I'm also convinced the authorities have "radar detector detectors" and will snag you to prove the point detectors are useless.

I haven't used a detector since the Escort Passport days.....whoa...I think I just answered another thread "how old are 996 owners"....and got nicked for speeding despite having one. I've only received two tickets over the past ten years without using and both times I was extremely unlucky but who knows, a detector may have saved me.

So...get a detector? Or don't bother?

 

I own one and I find that I use it less and less.

On a long road trip it might make sense. Driving in town, it's much more relaxing to drive close to the speed limit and not worry so much. It's also nice to be able to park the car to run into a store and leave the windows down and the car unlocked. I'd skip it.

 

Depends a lot on where you live, I love mine. It saves me all the time. Not much you can do about Laser unless your willing to spend $3K. But most everywhere Cops use Ka, and I pick it up 1-2 miles before getting there. Great on roadtrips, since you don't know the hiding spots.

 

I have 3 cars and have a detector in each. Mrs. Schnell drives like a bat out of hell, and since I'm either in a Corvette or a 911, a little help is always welcome.

 

If you get one, make sure you can disable the bands that aren't used. X and K are useless unless you're trying to detect grocery stores, and laser is going nuts with all of the lidar leakage from lane departure warning and collision avoidance systems they're sticking on luxury cars these days. Thankfully the SoCal LEOs stick to KA...

 

V1 in every car.

Not any sort of magic bullet, but a very useful tool. In fact it just today it helped me spot earlier a sneaky state patrol speed trap on a twisty mountain road.

 

I would not drive without one. AZ cops all use Ka and K. My saved me more times than I could count.

 

Valentine One....saved me lots of money over the years...not that I speed.

 

I have one which comes on with the ignition. Any alert, I let off the gas. Even at the grocery store . It goes crazy at times. It alerted me on two occasions that there was a Train Approaching on Costco Car Park and there isn't a railway line within 5 miles of Costco's. I like that it warns of 'speed trap areas'. It has 2 settings. They are 'City and Highway' . All the K....KA..Pop alert.. and the devil knows what else. I am always over the speed limit by about 10mph, apart from School Areas which I honor to the 'T'. Touch Wood I have never been done for speeding (with or without radar) in 55years of driving. Now after saying that,,,, just watch. haha.

 

V1 in my cars always, paid for itself 100 times over.

 

V1 for me as well. I agree they aren't really helpful in towns or cities, but on highway trips they always pay off. Generally I stick with the majority of traffic to avoid big speed differentials, but occasionally things empty out and that's when you find the speed traps. It alerted me to several speed traps on my last trip up Watkins Glen.

 

Depends on where you live, how you drive, color of car.

My v1 has been tucked away in my side pocket for about 3 yrs now. I only bring it out if I'm going on a road trip or into some red neck small town where cops will bust you for doing 5 over.

To me I find it more of an annoyance with it going off often and I find 75% of the time I'm not speeding but yet have to put up with the noise.

 

V1 now on my 3rd car but honest it is a combination of V1 and common sense that is the key.

 

....well I lack common sense so I better get a detector!

Thank you all for your responses.

 

How sure are you about that, Schnelly? I've been having the same quandary as the OP. I was under the impression that most of the coppers that are hiding on the freeway are using instant-on laser.

I'm driving the 5, 805, and 15 freeways all the time, and they have radar cops hiding behind bridge abutments, etc. Are those guys using KA band?