texcwa

Here in California it is not legal to use a detector or a jammer. With that said, I have been looking into getting one and this post is helpful. My question is, I have always been told that by the time your detector has identified the radar it's too late, they got you. Is this true:

ZuffenZeus

Thank Eddie... Great article and test!

Did you go to the RDForum link?

http://www.rdforum.org/showthread.php?t=44373

Pretty neat and fair analysis of many of the leading brands of radar detectors. The V1 did extremely well in most of the tests, but if I'm not mistaken with the results, the RL and Radenso Pro outperformed the V1 as well as the Max2, K40, and of course all of the lesser brands (i.e. Cobra and Whistler).

And so what detector are you going to choose?

jaetee

In the past I used a Whistler for years and years, and it did a great job on interstates. It did give way too many false alarms in town (as another poster stated). That thing saved me from would have surely been thousands of dollars worth of tickets. These days, I have been using an Escort Solo S2 cordless (uses 2x AA's) which seems to do a pretty good job. Picked that one because I found it at a community yard sale in its original box for $40 and because it's cordless.

When I first got my 911, I was on the interstate in the middle of a pack of cars all going the same speed (85 in a 70) and I was singled out as well. What infuriated me the most was that there was a Mazda CX-9 (their biggest SUV) that was weaving in and out of traffic and seemingly trying to provoke me into a race. My 7 year old was with me and was even asking why we got pulled over instead of the "red car." And the cop made some snide comment along the lines of "I don't know or care about what happened two mile ago, you shouldn't have been speeding. I let it go and paid up. Became familiar with the Porsche tax that day. It was funny hearing my little guy defend me when we told my wife what happened.

I found that I typically drive my '05 Acura RL quicker than my 911 and with much less worry.

Started using Waze as well, but only just recently so I can't offer much feedback on that as of yet.

Alansglide

It is legal to use a detector in California. It is illegal to use a jammer.

As to your question , Depends on what you get hit with . Some radars like POP give you less of a chance of skating free. If you're seen by Laser nothing can save you .

In most situations A detector works well and will give you plenty of notice. In some cases a mile or more notice . My Beltronics V995 combined with Escort live has saved me more times that I can count .

mrhebert

I have a new V1 and I love it. It is hard wired and I leave it on all the time(when engine is running), and turn the volume down. It works great, and i don't have to be blind to radar ahead or behind.

texcwa

Yes, just looked that up. What I found was that although it is legal in CA it is not legal to have anything mounted to the front windshield. Although other devices such as cell phones and fastrack are acceptable to the police (although still not legal to mount) the cops are not so forgiving on radar detectors and will write you up. This state S---Ks.

5CHN3LL

This, as already pointed out, is not true. You cannot interfere with laser/radar, but you are free to detect it. I had a very long conversation about my detector (with the SmartCord Live) with a CHP officer who pulled me over for a tag warning (my 996 was new to me; the new sticker for my personalized plates never arrived).

This was back before we got rid of red-light cameras; he commented that folks like us who KNEW the red-light intersections were ahead generally helped prevent accidents. Cool guy.

Anyway, Tex, if you want a detector, get one - you won't be breaking the law.

As far as "once you detect it, it's too late" - if you're on a desolate highway and you're the only car on the road, probably. And as far as laser detection - if you're the one getting lased, you're probably getting the ticket. But in San Diego, most of the cops are still using KA and they leave it on - I'll get a half mile or so warning depending on geography and the direction the CHP car is oriented. I can't even guess how many tickets I've avoided because of the detectors - but my wife, who was not down with the initial purchase, was the one who insisted we have one in every car.

texcwa

Thanks for the info 5CHN3LL, looks like I will be getting one.

eddielasvegas

You're welcome b3freak.


No idea which RD I will go with. I just heard of the Radenso so there is a bit more research to do, but I do like its price compared to the V1 and 360.

I like the idea of hard wired with a blendmount.com set up.


Eddie

I am the Walrus

Always V1 along with...
Blinder M27 / M47 laser jammer (definitely works)
(I decided to leave it on my Porsche when I traded it in) i do my best to drive chilll and have no worries.
I mostly city drive and only use the V1 on trips to whistler, BC... the V1 paid for itself first trip lol
There is a fishing hole where the highway speed drops suddenly to 60k/hr from 80/km (lions bay)...well everybody on that highway is doing about 95-105+ so when they hit that spot, the west van pd, stops you and you receive a $468 ticket for excessive speed, an immediate vehicle impoundment for at least seven days, along with multiple points that increase your future insurance premiums for at least 3 years and perhaps a minimum 2 + month licence suspension ... then when you finally get to pick up your vehicle you pay for the towing and storage fees on the tow yard lot, plus you get to deal with how your cars condition is now in..(mine had the 997 key broken apart, I was lucky to locate all the pieces in the car, including the "pill"
(In BC if you are 40km over the posted speed limit (25mph) you start down the path described above)
The posted speed in North Vancouver is 80km/hr, then into west van it jumps to 90km/hr, then at Horeshoe bay drops to 80/km...then fish trap 60km/hr
Hope this helps, its important to be aware of these things...
Oh I forgot, the bill to take a taxi from way out in west vancouver to go back home, probably from far away as whistler is a ski resort far removed from downtown Vancouver
This is how it is here;
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-n...s-in-six-years

kephare

ZuffenZeus

I love Cpl. Grant Gottgetreu's response to this question:

“Am I making a difference? I don’t know.”

I understand he believes he's doing his job, but when it becomes a game like the football running back wanting to break the 2000 yard college record; well, you have to ask yourself, "is he out there trying make himself look the best or really wanting to make the roads a better, safer place?"

Like a lot of places, speeding fines have become a necessary part of local law enforcement's budgets. Unfortunately, that means they put pressure on their traffic cops to set up "speed traps" to grab as many speeders as possible. We have two areas in North Georgia, where the state had to come in and reprimand the local cops because they were doing nothing more than sitting 24/7 tagging speeders doing *anything* over the speed limit. The state's argument was that there was other things the traffic cops could be doing to promote safety instead sitting parked around a curve everyday running radar. Plus, they were setting people up, by driving their cop cars on the left lane and then quickly moving right in front of a car, then pulling those cars over for following too close to an emergency vehicle. Were they issuing warnings? Nope, statistically the state reported they were giving instant tickets in most every case. Can you see the pattern here? That's why I mount a camera and radar detector in my daily driver, because I want evidence if I ever get pulled over unlawfully.

Personally, safety and responsibility is the key. And my argument is that if I'm driving in a group of cars in an unknown area where the speed dropped from 65 to 45 mph in less than a mile, am I really being unsafe at 59 mph? I felt like I was creeping along and get this.. there was a Honda MiniVan in the passing lane, but I'm the one that got the ticket. Ugh!

gnat

Never mind. Reading through the rest of the thread I see my question has already been clarified.


You probably can't see this initially anyway...

texcwa

Does anyone have any information for a good concealed radar detector?

cajerseyboy

I went with the Bell STiR for radar along with the AL Priority Laser jammer..ehm I mean parking sensors. It's very stealth.