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Best radar detector?

Atty

Atty

Golden Member
Had a run in with FHP yesterday, they had a speed trap set up right outside a toll booth area and were pulling over anyone they could. Decided that I would gift myself for Christmas a decent radar detector.

Not sure what the prices are for them so I have no budget yet, I just want something that will do everything it needs to and do it all well.

Suggestions? 😀
 
v1

were they using radar or laser? if they were using laser, nothing you can really do apart from jamming (if it's legal in florida)
 
According to my friend who is a sherif, laser in all FHP and it snaps a photo as soon as it gets a reading. :-\

E: And they are legal, according to the internets/googles.
 
If your problem is laser, either Blinder or LI (Laser Interceptor).

If your problem is radar, Valentine One.

Since it was a stationary state level trap, it's more likely laser. Laser equipment cannot be used by a moving source.
 
JMapleton said:
Fail. Laser Interceptor is the only brand to go with.

And the V1 sucks. It will give you a headache from all the false signals.

The Escort Redline is by far a better detector than the V1 and has less false signals.

The V1 is like the Mac of radar, it's popular because of fanboyism.
Click to expand...

Yep. What sucks is, laser jammers are illegal in Texas now. :| F them though, I'd still use it.

To increase your chances of NOT getting a ticket, you'll need a radar detector AND laser jammer. Most cops around here use laser, and radar detectors aren't going to do jack when you get hit with a laser gun.
 
I'll echo what others have said:

You need a good radar detector plus a laser jammer.

Laser Interceptor is the only laser jammer worth buying.

Escort (aka Belscort) makes the best radar detectors IMO. The Redline will give you the best range, but I chose the 9500ix because I wanted GPS signal lockout and GPS red-light/speed camera warnings.

My advice, as someone who has had PLENTY of experience with speeding:

Things like detectors/jammers are simply countermeasures. They aren't a shield against getting a ticket. Your best tool against a speeding ticket is common sense and your own eyes. There are free websites and applications that keep track of common speed traps and enforcement areas. There are times of the day/month that cops are more active. Weather can affect when and how cops choose to patrol.

My 9500ix has paid for itself several times over, especially at night time when blacked-out patrol cars sit on highway shoulders/overpasses blasting radar.
 
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I agree, Escort is the unit I like best. I have the 8550 model myself. You say FHP had a speed trap outside the toll booth. Were they looking for cars going too fast into the toll area or leaving ? I can't see them getting you after the plaza, unless you have express no stop lanes, like E-Z Pass does at some toll areas. Did you get ticketed ? ? ? If you did try to fight it. Worst you can do is lose.
 
So if I'm reading this right, Texas law makes it a class c misdemeanor for having a laser interceptor in your vehicle.

My question is how do they catch it? Other than maybe not getting readings back from laser they are shooting at your vehicle. In which case would you not always get caught because you're device would always be intercepting the signal.
 
saratoga172 said:
So if I'm reading this right, Texas law makes it a class c misdemeanor for having a laser interceptor in your vehicle.

My question is how do they catch it? Other than maybe not getting readings back from laser they are shooting at your vehicle. In which case would you not always get caught because you're device would always be intercepting the signal.
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Some guns will show an error code, others will just not return a value, which would make a cop suspicious. You attach a kill switch to your laser jammers. So the laser jammers are beaming out light at the necessary wavelength (840 ish nm IIRC), then a cop tries to hit you with laser, your outgoing light jams his signal. Your jammers are also receivers, and they tell you inside the car that something is being received. You hit the kill switch once you get your speed down to a legal level, then the cop receives a value. He might be puzzled as to why he's not getting an answer initially, but unless his gun can show an error, you should get away.
 
MotF Bane said:
Some guns will show an error code, others will just not return a value, which would make a cop suspicious. You attach a kill switch to your laser jammers. So the laser jammers are beaming out light at the necessary wavelength (840 ish nm IIRC), then a cop tries to hit you with laser, your outgoing light jams his signal. Your jammers are also receivers, and they tell you inside the car that something is being received. You hit the kill switch once you get your speed down to a legal level, then the cop receives a value. He might be puzzled as to why he's not getting an answer initially, but unless his gun can show an error, you should get away.
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I thought you relied on your normal radar detector (which detects laser) for that?

But yeah, LE are trained to aim first for the middle of the front bumper (where license plates usually are) and then the closest side (for headlight) in case first reading is off - thus they are trained to expect "occasional" times when they don't get a reading. :whiste:

So, the MO is first to not be going a huge amount faster than the rest of traffic, because LE are also trained to be expert witnesses and you can get pulled over for something like reckless driving even if they don't tag your speed. Then, soon as your detector goes off (mine goes batshit insane if there is laser) hit the brakes and flip the jammer off.

Logically (but I'm not positive) in states where laser jammers are not illegal, they probably won't do a thing. Do be worried in states which specifically ban laser jammers, because I can imagine some LE being suspicious.

USA Laser Jammer Laws
ColoredUSA3.gif


Note that radar jammers are illegal in all states, due to federal FCC regulations. Also note that many devices in the past that were marketed as radar jammers didn't actually work (or were not effective enough). The good thing with radar is that any decent detector will give you enough advanced warning that you can slow down, unless it is instant-on.
 
While it's true that most good radar detectors have laser receivers as well, your mounting location can make-or-break its effectiveness. And as others have mentioned, cops aim for the plate or headlight with LIDAR, not the windshield.

Manufacturers recommend that you mount your radar detector high/center on the windshield to better the chance of detecting laser, but I would avoid that for two reasons:

1) Detecting laser without having the capability of jamming it is almost entirely useless. The cop already has a speed reading on your car by the time you hear the detector go off.

2) It's better to stealth/conceal-mount your detector. In the event you do get pulled over, having the cop NOT notice your countermeasures is an asset. I have my 9500ix mounted on my windshield directly under the driver-side A-pillar; a cop standing at my driver-side window wouldn't see it at all.

Laser Interceptors mounted between your headlights/front-plate will do a much better job of alerting you to laser, while jamming the signal long enough for you to slow down and hit the kill-switch.
 
Toss up between Valentine 1 (directional arrows) and Escort 9500 (less false positives, GPS assisted detection).
If you happen to be in Virginia or DC, then it's Hobson's choice (Bel STi Driver), since it's the only one that's undetectable by radar detector detectors.

Personally, my preference is for the V1.
 
jammers are probably illegal and they use laser detectors which are very fast, you probably can't escape lots of them.

I think this is really stupid anyway: spending money on that shit?

in your zone, you know where the good spots for cops are, and where the fixed ones are mounted or rotated. Also you could just use a iphone app that signals them when they get reported by users or something (never used it).
So what's the point?

if you're traveling away from your county/province you just go at the right speed when you see good spots for cops or inside the cities.
It's not like you lose so much time..
 
saratoga172 said:
So if I'm reading this right, Texas law makes it a class c misdemeanor for having a laser interceptor in your vehicle.

My question is how do they catch it? Other than maybe not getting readings back from laser they are shooting at your vehicle. In which case would you not always get caught because you're device would always be intercepting the signal.
Click to expand...

The Laser Interceptor will not show jam codes on most all laser guns, it's the only one on the market that will do that. It's mostly stealth.

But when you get hit with laser, you need to slow down immediately and turn your jammer off to allow the police to get your speed. This makes them think it was their gun at fault and gets rid of most suspicion.
 
Murloc said:
jammers are probably illegal and they use laser detectors which are very fast, you probably can't escape lots of them.

I think this is really stupid anyway: spending money on that shit?

in your zone, you know where the good spots for cops are, and where the fixed ones are mounted or rotated. Also you could just use a iphone app that signals them when they get reported by users or something (never used it).
So what's the point?

if you're traveling away from your county/province you just go at the right speed when you see good spots for cops or inside the cities.
It's not like you lose so much time..
Click to expand...

See Zap's post above, laser jammers are legal more often than not. And the laser jammer isn't a reactive device. They actually do work.
 
Murloc said:
I think this is really stupid anyway: spending money on that shit?

in your zone, you know where the good spots for cops are, and where the fixed ones are mounted or rotated.
Click to expand...

It's for those times when you want to speed in an unfamiliar area.
 
So talking to the cop friends I have, one a LPD Detective and the other a Sheriff, all the cars in the area have laser. The usual go to court, hope they don't show up, and get it thrown out deal doesn't work either. The officers are now suspended a minimum of 8 hours unpaid time if they don't show up.

I might look into a jammer but they are so expensive, do the detectors that read laser not do any good though?
 
Murloc said:
jammers are probably illegal and they use laser detectors which are very fast, you probably can't escape lots of them.
Click to expand...

Well, a good jammer (LI) placed properly can jam any laser gun, even at 0 distance, which means the cop can't read your speed even if you just pass him by. Plus, its reaction is so fast that the cop won't see your speed at all.

Of course, it's stupid to do that and that's why you should slow down, turn off the jammer, let the cop read your (reduced) speed and pass.
 
Atty said:
So talking to the cop friends I have, one a LPD Detective and the other a Sheriff, all the cars in the area have laser. The usual go to court, hope they don't show up, and get it thrown out deal doesn't work either. The officers are now suspended a minimum of 8 hours unpaid time if they don't show up.

I might look into a jammer but they are so expensive, do the detectors that read laser not do any good though?
Click to expand...
All the cars have access to a LIDAR gun, but as I said before, actual usage depends on several factors. They are best used in clear weather during daytime at a sizable distance. The whole advantage of LIDAR is instant speed readout at a distance far enough that the car you're targeting doesn't see you. But if it's night time, or raining, or in an area where the officer doesn't have a long/clear line-of-sight to your vehicle (for example, around a corner), they will use radar.

Second: when contesting your ticket, ALWAYS choose a trial by affadavit if the option is available. It's easy for a cop to drive to the courthouse (some even get paid overtime for it). But talk to any cop, and what they hate most is paperwork. They're much more likely to forget/blow-off writing a statement to the judge about a traffic stop they don't even remember. Your chances for dismissal go up with trial by affadavit.

Third: Reading laser without jamming doesn't help you any. You're caught either way. Get a Laser Interceptor. Sure it looks expensive, but add up the cost of tickets and insurance rate hikes, plus time lost to handle things like court cases, and it's a bargain.
 
I used an Escort 8500, and I've had varied success. On my old Volvo 850, it didn't help me at all when I got a ticket from a laser-wielding cop. On my new G35, it actually detected laser twice, to my surprise. I have it mounted low in the windshield, because cops usually aim for your license plate, no use having it up high for everyone to see. Most cops still use radar in my area, though, and it worked pretty well at detecting it with minimum false positives.

The problem is reliability. I've used it for 2 years until is just stopped working, displaying a "service required" message.
 
i've been happy with my 8500x50, it's saved me enough times to pay for itself.

now i've pretty much stopped speeding and I just keep it for the novelty
 
v1 "fanboy" here. purchased fast, bright car in december '03; pulled over for speeding 3 times by february '04, purchased v1 in feb '04. Have not been pulled over since.

It recently stopped receiving K & Ka signals; sent it to valentine and got it back fixed in 3 days for free. It does false a lot, but hardly ever on Ka and the K falses are still valuable information since it's assurance the unit is still working and you learn the nuances of how your device performs.

the laser falses are kind of annoying
 
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