Speeding: Foreword, Radar Detectors

[KirkEvil]

There have been tons of threads about speeding tickets, usually followed by a rude awakening at the $$$ it takes to bail yourself out between fines and insurance rates.

You then go one of two routes:
1) Dont change your driving habits.
2) Drive more cautiously than grandma, but eventually revert to your old driving habits.

After paying my way out of a careless, 14 over speeding ticket, and 3 years of insurance premiums, I discovered that a $400 radar detector would easily pay for itself. I dont drive like a complete dick. I just feel comfortable doing 70-80mph on the highway, and I know I can never go cold-turkey and sit at 65mph.

I have owned a V1 for 5 years now, and its still the best radar detector Ive seen in action. Before that, I had a cobra, and bottom of the line beltronics. The GPS ones have been around for a while now, but I havent heard too many good things about them or seen them work in person. Has anyone had the chance to use any of the top of the line detectors with or without GPS?

[BullittSVT]

I've got a Passport 9500i with the GPS and have to say.. it's effective. I've got most of my area's false signals stored and removed so when I do get some action I know to be vigilant.

STILL, a radar detector is no match for instant on/laser and not a solution for speeding addictions. As good as one as you can have, there are still cops roaming around without their radar on. Make sure there are people on the road if you do decide to speed, alone = pulled over.

[MyFirstZ]

I know my fines would have paid for a damn good detector. I have been looking around. Probably going to do some research. Right now its looks like the valentine

[Jersey Mike]

I don't know where this ranks with the current stuff on the market, but I've had a Passport Escort 8500 x50 since 2006 or '7. At the time, it was the best detector under $400 (I think it was $350 new or so), before being replaced with the 9500, a GPS enabled unit. It was great and gave me plenty of warning, but recently I've stopped using it. I've gotten some false Laser warnings and a few (what I would call) late warnings of normal radar bands. I've also gotten a "Service Required" message recently. Though, I chalk all that up to it being mounted to the windshield year 'round and seeing all the harmful elements; Sun, snow & cold. After this may years though, I honestly happy with it & think that I got my money's worth out of it. I may send it in to be serviced soon (depending on cost) or sell it as-is, and designate those funds towards a new radar (Pending research on GuysOfLidar and similar sites).

My father has a Beltronics [will edit this bracket later with exact model] that he bought a couple of years ago and is pleased with. It is GPS enabled and recognizes speed-traps and such, and has a Mute button (which the V1 doesn't). Performance wise it's been solid as well. Great warning from what I've seen. I believe you have to set the speed-traps though, which if that's the case, I obviously already aware of and don't need the GPS feature.

I'll be in the market for a new radar soon. I don't think a GPS feature is necessary for me, as long as a Mute option is an option. However, the V1 arrows still tempt me to this day. I need a radar because, well... racecar.

[WayFast84]

I've got a bottom line cobra I only use during road trips to NY. I think part of the art of speeding is knowing where your speeding. If you use logic you can tell where a cop would and wouldn't be setting a radar. Driving route 1 every day I know about 5 spots where 55 means 55 and where 55 means 70. I wil probably be getting a ticket soon now

[edpontiac91]

I have mentioned this before, but I have used a ESCORT SOLO SD-5110 cordless model for several years now. It has been replaced by different upgraded models threw the years and you can now have their top of the CORDLESS model for around $350.00.
On ebay you can usually get one of the Solo SD-5110 models for around $50.00 and it uses 2 AA batteries that last around a good month before they start to lose their charge, but the detector has a built in sensor that shows you how much power you have at any time. It has served me VERY well with little false alarms and I highly recommend to anyone for the money. You can also get a clip that fits in the unit in place of the suction cups and clip it to the sunvisor on the passenger side. If you do this, there is no cord to show and you cannot see it from the outside!

[KirkEvil]

Originally Posted by BullittSVT

I've got a Passport 9500i with the GPS and have to say.. it's effective. I've got most of my area's false signals stored and removed so when I do get some action I know to be vigilant.

STILL, a radar detector is no match for instant on/laser and not a solution for speeding addictions. As good as one as you can have, there are still cops roaming around without their radar on. Make sure there are people on the road if you do decide to speed, alone = pulled over.

Agreed. You can never rely on it, but radar takes some risk out of speeding. Now did the GPS radar "learn" where false signals were or did you need to program it in certain locations?

I always thought GPS radar detectors would advance much faster than it is currently, so each unit could talk to another and locate hot spots through a network...I guess thats still a few years away haha.

[deadtrend1]

I don't use detectors under the belief that when they go off, they aready have you. I normally don't speed excessively and thats a no bs statement. Maybe 9 To 10 mph over max. I used to use a uniden and got so many false alarms that i just tossed it in the glovebox.

On the other hand ... My friend in north cali got caught by a plane, which radioed to the unit below. Radar detector didnt help him that day ... Lol

[MyFirstZ]

Originally Posted by WayFast84

I've got a bottom line cobra I only use during road trips to NY. I think part of the art of speeding is knowing where your speeding. If you use logic you can tell where a cop would and wouldn't be setting a radar. Driving route 1 every day I know about 5 spots where 55 means 55 and where 55 means 70. I wil probably be getting a ticket soon now

Driving on 287 they have a few spots I always know to look. But half the time they are just randomly on the shoulder (last time I got my ticket)

[BonzoHansen]

The GPS ones are interesting but I never used one. I used to swear by my V1. The arrows are great. It saved me a pile of tickets. Still have it, but haven't used it in years. I just try to keep it reasonable now. They don't work to well if you are on your own, better when you are in a pack so the guy out front gets tagged and you pick up the 'bounce'. Ain't worth crap against laser. I also found I got a little reliant on it and let my guard down, and I can only image the gps might increase that effect. Falses kept me slower too, so I think that was good in the long run.

[fbirdfreak]

Originally Posted by deadtrend1

On the other hand ... My friend in north cali got caught by a plane, which radioed to the unit below. Radar detector didnt help him that day ... Lol

Lol sucks for your friend, good news for you is that in NJ the cops can't use the helicopters for traffic enforcement (those "timed mile beginning now" signs on the parkway are bull crap lol) so you don't have to worry about helicopters radioing the cops here! lol.

[Frosty]

I usually wear tin foil on my head, their signal just bounces right off.

[LS1ow]

my V1 was the FIRST thing i ever bought for a car when i got my license. and its saved me plenty of times

[JL8Jeff]

Originally Posted by Frosty

I usually wear tin foil on my head, their signal just bounces right off.

So what's the tin foil for?

I haven't used a radar detector in over 18 years so I have no idea how good they are. I do remember the one I had would go off in the same places every day so if there ever was a cop in those areas, I would have never known. I've only ever had 1 speeding ticket and that was on the PA turnpike in my Toyota pickup on a downhill section. It got to the point where I could almost predict where they were going to be on 95 so I would take it easy in those areas.

You guys stop when cops try to pull you over?

[BonzoHansen]

Originally Posted by JerzLT1

You guys stop when cops try to pull you over?

yes, I was never one to make a bad situation worse. Either I could talk to the officer or not. Often I could. I've had way more throw away tickets and warnings than tickets. But I was not going to jail or kill someone over a speeding ticket. I was raised right I guess.

I would pull the detector off the dash the second I saw them make a move lol. Actually, in my civic I just turned it off, you could not see it mounted up over the rear view mirror unless you were in the car.

[LS1ow]

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

yes, I was never one to make a bad situation worse. Either I could talk to the officer or not. Often I could. I've had way more throw away tickets and warnings than tickets. But I was not going to jail or kill someone over a speeding ticket. I was raised right I guess.

I would pull the detector off the dash the second I saw them make a move lol. Actually, in my civic I just turned it off, you could not see it mounted up over the rear view mirror unless you were in the car.

thats why my V1s little screen is in a air vent above my radio shut the car off and it goes dark, youd never see it

[BonzoHansen]

so many times I almost bought the remote display. the lights are bright on that unit.

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

yes, I was never one to make a bad situation worse. Either I could talk to the officer or not. Often I could. I've had way more throw away tickets and warnings than tickets. But I was not going to jail or kill someone over a speeding ticket. I was raised right I guess.

I would pull the detector off the dash the second I saw them make a move lol. Actually, in my civic I just turned it off, you could not see it mounted up over the rear view mirror unless you were in the car.

I made some bad decisions before i went in the military. thank god they never bit me in the ass. but i agree, you can talk your way out of most tickets as long as you're respectful