Radar Detectors...
 

What detectors does this board possess? I wanted to get a Valentine One, or an Escort Passport 8500, but even their used prices on Ebay were way above what I could afford. I found a great deal on a Bel 930 Express, new in the box, shipped for $125. Seeing as how Circuit city wanted $160 and Bel's website wanted $170 + shipping, I saw it as a deal. So, what does the rest of the board have?

Valentine

When I DID possess a radar detector, the experts led me to Valentine.

I think that detector went with the car when I sold it (I had it hardwired to the car's dash electrics), and I haven't bought a detector in over 10 years!

Nowadays, I just don't speed. I don't have the desire to play cat-and-mouse with the law enforcement anymore...:rolleyes:

Ditto to what G-Benz said. Not worth the hassle of speeding.

Sigh,,,, I still speed, usually in the range of 15 to 20 over the speed limit and usually just keeping up with traffic. As far as radar detectors go, I always got more tickets with one than without one,,,, go figure.:rolleyes:

V1!

Park the Volvo and drive the 240D, then you won't even need a radar detector!

Radar Detectors
 

Get the V1!! You'll NEVER be sorry. Dairel

Re: Radar Detectors
 

My average is one speeding ticket per decade of driving. I've never owned a detector. I consistently drive between 5-15 mph over the limit.

I think the secret is paying attention to surrounding traffic and staying under15 mph over limit. If I wanted to drive 15-50 mph over, I think I'd get a detector just for the edge. Even a slight edge at high speed and high ticket value would be useful.

I think current speed limits are stupid or cynical. Perhaps both.

Botnst

I agree!
 

I have a K-40 in my Benz, but for the most part is just annoying because I so rarely drive over 75MPH on the highway. HOWEVER, on those rare Sunday mornings when I "air it out", it's nice to have another set of eyes looking out for me. I'd hate to think what a ticket for going 50 over the limit would cost, not to mention what it would do to my insurance!

Has anyone ever had an officer set off your detector just to bug you? I had a cop who saw my detector (previous car, stuck on the windscreen) at a stop light and just buzzed me for the heck of it! Actually, we both got a laugh out of it!:)

Those are usually the places where I've gotten caught! They sit and wait for anyone going waaaay over the limit. Luckily I haven't gotten a speading ticket in a few years.

I've got an older radar detector. I think it's a BELL. If I were to buy a new one, I'd go with the Valentine.

I've also read the a lot of the radar detector tests done for many of the magazines are usually bogus. The companies send them tweaked detectors that are more effective than the ones you buy over the counter. (At least I think this is true. If I'm wrong someone let us know.)

See, I looked at the Valentine. Seeing as how it would cost more than I payed for the car, I looked into other options...

In Denmark it is illegal to use radar/laser detectors. There has even been a case where some dude got convicted of "having the car equipped with a radar detector". -It was lying in he's trunk in an un-opened box!

If it wasn't illegal, if would definately have one even though iv'e never had a ticket while driving the MB.

Freestyler

V1
 

Valentine one. Yes it is expensive, but it has paid for itself many times over. I have it hardwired into the fuse box so it never leaves my windshield, and I don't have the annoying wires hanging down. It is mounted high enough that the police rarely see it.

HAHAHA! That reminds me of a car I also had while in school. The Alpine radio I had in it cost more than I paid for the car!

Then somone stole the radio.... :(

I have not had a speeding ticket since 1992 thanks to a cool head, nice cops and a radar detector.

V1 Baby!

My brand spanking new V1 should be arriving today.

I don't generally speed, but seem to be nailed EVERY damn time that I drift over the limit without realizing it. :mad:

I got nailed last week, 70 in a 50. Traffic was running fast, and I wasn't watching my speed. As usual I got singled out of the bunch. No more, I'm done.

A bit ov trivia
 

One interesting thing I noticed.... my insurance carrier (AAA) covers all theft from my vehicle except for radar detectors!:p

This is interesting. If you read all the reports, the Escort 8500 gets all the great reviews, yet concensus here is almost unanimous V1. What gives? Is the V1 really that much better in the real world?

Wow MedMech, you owned a Ferrari with no speeding tickets! I wish I was that restrained.:D

For me, the radar locator arrows are a HUGE help. I know what direction the radar is coming from and I don't have to guess.:)

Re: I agree!
 

Yep! ;)

Fifteen years ago when I did have a detector, I had a cop follow me on the highway one night. I was probably the only one on that stretch of interstates for miles, and he could see the light from the radar detector display on my visor. So he would shoot the radar at me just to watch it go nuts (he told me later when he pulled me over).

I wasn't speeding, but it was a holiday weekend, and he was just checking info (had vanity plates), but back then, I got used to being pulled over (a lot).

Seems that seeing a young African American in a nice car sets off all sorts of alarms with the law enforcement...a sure sign that I must be a drug dealer...especially since I was crossing state lines! :rolleyes:

Cops in the sky
 

My last ticket was in 1995 from a cop that was working with an eye-in-the-sky. I was using my radar detector on the interstate and was clocked from an airplane.

What frosts me about my tickets is that most of them were when I was driving on an open road in the daytime with light traffic. The cop is usually sitting on the side of the road "fishing" for speeders. This doesn't target the really dangerous drivers and is a lazy way for the police to issue tickets. If they really wanted to do some public good, they would have to stealthily get among the heavy traffic I drive in and catch the drivers who risk MY life with their boneheaded maneuvers (tailgating, threading the needle, not letting me merge...). These drivers deserve reprimand over the drivers who pick an open road to speed.

It's the features of the V1 that sold me. As mine will be showing up today (probably already has), I'll get to play with it for the first time hopefully on the way home from work.

The V1 has extra features over the Passport 8500. The arrows are one, as well as the "bogey" counter. V1's don't try to mask false alarms. They show you where they are (with the arrows), and how many signals it sees. This allows for you to see if an officer is hiding in that radar field, where other detectors would just be going nuts. They will also let you know if you're being followed with those arrows as well.

If there are multiple speed traps, the V1 will alert to those as well. Actual performance wise, the V1 and Passport both score very close. Valentine Research will also upgrade your detector throughout the entire time you own it.

Thanks for the info DP.

My detector , an original Cinncinatti Microwave Escort ca 1984, has been my faithful road companion for almost 20 years. I had it upgraded in '89 and it has worked flawlessly since new.I don't have laser detection but the police here still use the X and K radar guns most of the time.I've been lucky so far and have only had 3 speeding tickets with it (none in the Benz's). I think it's paid for itself :D

My first impressions
 

My neighbour brought my freshly delivered V1 to work with her so that I could use it on the way home from work. In short, I REALLY like it. It's awesome to be able to tell where the sources are coming from, and how many. Of course, every one of 'em tonight was from various door openers. With my luck though, it'll be a couple of months now before I see a cop running radar, but that's only a good thing. :D

I'm working a 16 hour shift tomorrow, so I should get some good testing with it due to the midnight Friday night revenuing.