How Many Of You, Use A Radar Detector?

[platinumpapi]

I just got stopped for the first time ever for speeding in my 335i a day before turning it in for my new 2011 M3. I wish i had got the ticket driving the M3 instead of the 335i lol. Anyway, i think i am craving a radar detector, and for a fast car i bet it would be useful to have one. So how many of you guys own one? Are they worth it? Have you been saved before?... from a speeding ticket?

[ersin]

They are worth it. But, you still have to pay attention. Some of the best detectors do give false alerts, but you need to treat each alert as a possible radar until you know for sure what it is alerting to. My Valentine 1 has saved me numerous times.

Cheers.

[JC919]

highways only

[platinumpapi]

Originally Posted by ersin

They are worth it. But, you still have to pay attention. Some of the best detectors do give false alerts, but you need to treat each alert as a possible radar until you know for sure what it is alerting to. My Valentine 1 has saved me numerous times.

Cheers.

So their has been times where u have been caught, even with it on?

[King Tut]

I prefer to take caclulated risks versus using a radar detector. I keep my eyes open, and I don't speed alot unless I know the area. I find cops won't even blink when I'm doing 7 mph over, so that is what I normally do.

[Black Stallon]

Never leave home without it homy. Them Pigs will show you no mercy.

[Doctor J]

Can't drive 200 km/h without one!

Valentine 1 user for 10+ years

[ersin]

Originally Posted by platinumpapi

So their has been times where u have been caught, even with it on?

No. Saved means not caught. The V1 has sounded alerts that have given me time to adjust my speed before any LEO has had a chance to measure it.


Cheers.

[lux]

Originally Posted by ersin

They are worth it. But, you still have to pay attention. Some of the best detectors do give false alerts, but you need to treat each alert as a possible radar until you know for sure what it is alerting to. My Valentine 1 has saved me numerous times.

Cheers.

+1 on the V1!

As much as I love my V1, I would always use some basic rules when speeding:
1) Know the areas where cops like to setup speed traps
2) Never be the lead car when speeding
3) Never speed around a blind bend or over a crest (unless you have a lead car acting as your radar magnet)
4) Generally don't speed at night--very difficult to see cops pull up behind you
5) Always check your rear view mirror and blind spots for cops pulling up behind you
6) You are usually okay speeding up a hill but not down the hill
7) Always look ahead for any vehicles/motorcycles pulled over on the side of a road or median
8) Always look for inappropriate braking from lead cars
9) If you see a motorcycle coming from behind, assume it is a CHP cycle cop until proven otherwise
10) Try not to speed

[calintexas]

Originally Posted by lux

+1 on the V1!

As much as I love my V1, I would always use some basic rules when speeding:
1) Know the areas where cops like to setup speed traps
2) Never be the lead car when speeding
3) Never speed around a blind bend or over a crest (unless you have a lead car acting as your radar magnet)
4) Generally don't speed at night--very difficult to see cops pull up behind you
5) Always check your rear view mirror and blind spots for cops pulling up behind you
6) You are usually okay speeding up a hill but not down the hill
7) Always look ahead for any vehicles/motorcycles pulled over on the side of a road or median
8) Always look for inappropriate braking from lead cars
9) If you see a motorcycle coming from behind, assume it is a CHP cycle cop until proven otherwise
10) Try not to speed

The short story is that you need to pay attention. I have a Valentine 1 that works very well for radar. Unfortunately I find that more and more police are using laser. Laser's don't have much scatter; so, laser detection mostly tells you that you've been clocked. Laser jamming is effective but fairly expensive, and some jurisdictions are ticketing people with jammers for "interfering with an officer performing his duty". Still, I think a radar detector is needed more than ever as some locations have reduced their "over the limit" margin to increase revenue.

[Nawaaz]

I have a Passport 8500i. It may not be better than the V1 (from what I hear), but it's more than good enough. I haven't been pulled over for speeding when I've had that radar......Yet that's mostly because I try not to speed as much, and I've been lucky. So all the credit really doesn't go to the radar, unfortunately.

There have been many of times when I've been driving with my detector, and the cop would have clearly pulled me over if I was speeding.

In my opinion, radar detectors won't keep you any where near bullet proof. In fact, I've realized lately that cops have certain detectors that let them know who has a radar detector out in the public roads.

Pretty soon, I may just toss my radar out of my car. It helps, but it doesn't really save you when cops are lasering, or when they are hidden and in 'pop-up' mode.

I've gotten to a point where it's a big stress when speeding consistently on public roads. Don't get me wrong, I do try to have fun as long as I feel confident in the area. Though now I've currently focused more on letting my temptations of speeding loose on a track, where there's no speed limit.

[frenchM3dreamer]

i use a Bel Sti Driver, and i have it 100% of the time on the highway... pretty useless in the city since it does give false alerts sometimes, i dont speed much in the city anyway, and i'm getting used to slow down everytime i see a car / truck / SUV / horse-carriage parked along the side of the road...
most cops still use in-car radar here in AB so it works great (too big of a province, not enough traffic to justify setting up a laser trap every 20 miles, unlike France ). There are a few locations where they use laser though and i try not to speed there...
i dont feel comfortable driving on the highway without it... not that i dont pay attention if i have it, but at least i can concentrate a little more on the road and traffic cutting me off rather than on the speedo. 130-140 km/h doesnt feel that fast on most of our highways but yet it's still enough to get caught...

[mkoesel]

Interesting biased poll you got there.

"Yes" and "No" too boring for ya? Here's perhaps the OP's ideal presidential ballot:

a) Whoever is Democratic candidate
b) Nah, I am a total d*ck, I am voting Republican

[gixxer_kidd]

Originally Posted by lux

+1 on the V1!

As much as I love my V1, I would always use some basic rules when speeding:
1) Know the areas where cops like to setup speed traps
2) Never be the lead car when speeding
3) Never speed around a blind bend or over a crest (unless you have a lead car acting as your radar magnet)
4) Generally don't speed at night--very difficult to see cops pull up behind you
5) Always check your rear view mirror and blind spots for cops pulling up behind you
6) You are usually okay speeding up a hill but not down the hill
7) Always look ahead for any vehicles/motorcycles pulled over on the side of a road or median
8) Always look for inappropriate braking from lead cars
9) If you see a motorcycle coming from behind, assume it is a CHP cycle cop until proven otherwise
10) Try not to speed

I usually do the same. However, my V1 has saved me several times. Can't live without the arrows!

[JohnnyRoaster]

I have a Passport 9500ix hardwired to the right of the rear view. I have been very happy with the performance and very few false alarms. They don't use laser around my area very often. I can think of maybe three times when it triggered for laser.

[kpneverdies]

Originally Posted by Black Stallon

Never leave home without it homy. Them Pigs will show you no mercy.

LMAO~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahaha "THEM PIGS" hehahahahahahahahhah o shit. you gave me a big laugh.

by the way guys, where can i purchase the radar?

[dpohlman]

i have an Escort 9500ix. I really like the speed-cam/red light cam GPS database feature. It also has learning capabilities to avoid the Walgreens/CVS door type false alarms.

[spudt24]

Originally Posted by lux

+1 on the V1!

As much as I love my V1, I would always use some basic rules when speeding:
1) Know the areas where cops like to setup speed traps
2) Never be the lead car when speeding
3) Never speed around a blind bend or over a crest (unless you have a lead car acting as your radar magnet)
4) Generally don't speed at night--very difficult to see cops pull up behind you
5) Always check your rear view mirror and blind spots for cops pulling up behind you
6) You are usually okay speeding up a hill but not down the hill
7) Always look ahead for any vehicles/motorcycles pulled over on the side of a road or median
8) Always look for inappropriate braking from lead cars
9) If you see a motorcycle coming from behind, assume it is a CHP cycle cop until proven otherwise
10) Try not to speed

This list is spot on. I don't have a radar detector, and have 0 tickets doing all of the above.

[calintexas]

Originally Posted by kpneverdies

LMAO~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahaha "THEM PIGS" hehahahahahahahahhah o shit. you gave me a big laugh.

by the way guys, where can i purchase the radar?

http://www.valentine1.com/home.asp, or you can buy used on Ebay.

[platinumpapi]

Passport 9500ix is what i am aiming for since it does better on false alarms then the valentine from what i read. Who ever owns one, tell me how it is working for you?

[TheDealer]

I am currently shopping for a radar detector, but as of now I'm using an iPhone app called trapster (free by the way) and it does indeed help me to spot traps and actually alert me if someone else has tagged a spot with live police. Very helpful when you don't know the area. I plan on using the detector and the neat little app...

[platinumpapi]

what exactly are traps?