Valentine 1 vs Escort Redline radar detectors

[Beef Taco]

Alright guys, ever since I got my ticket for 100+ a few months back in california (state trooper said he used lidar, but there was no check mark in that box on the ticket), I've toned down my lead foot. But, the fact remains that from time to time i do go above the limit and I would like to be reminded that there are still cops around. And to be honest, there are the times when going faster is fun, but only when appropriate.

I do about 75% city driving with the remaining 25% on the freeway. There are also times when i take some rural back roads to enjoy the turns and I do take road trips about twice a month on the freeway/backroads, depending which way I go. Anyway, I am stuck between these 2 detectors although I am leaning towards the Redline because of the range. Most people say that the V1 is the best, but I think all of the falses would annoy the hell out of me. If it would be the best though, I could get through it. I'm not sure how many of the police around here use laser, but when I save up some more money I'm most likely going to get some protection for that as well. But which do you think would suit me best? Feel free to ask any other questions you feel are necessary, thanks.

 

[jlee]

Alright guys, ever since I got my ticket for 100+ a few months back in california

Just a ticket? You're lucky you didn't get reckless.

I would like to be reminded that there are still cops around.

Tape a copy of your ticket to your steering wheel.

And to be honest, there are the times when going faster is fun, but only when appropriate.

Go to a track.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Oh boy this is going to be a good one.

Valentine 1. End of story

 

[brainhulk]

i use a Valentine 1. works very well for Ka. But then again I gave up my lead foot awhile ago. I take it to the track now(ok sometimes I still go to the canyons, but still not as fun as the track)

I'm not so sure about the laser jammer stuff...I remember reading something about the protection is hit and miss, officers can detect if they are being jammed, and also it's illegal

 

[T2urtle]

no radar will save you from when you over 100+

your eyes and instincts are your best defense. assuming cops and where they might/could be is the best form of protection.

That being said i have a escort 8500 x50 that i haven't used in a while. Most highway cops are still using Ka / K bands. Only bigger cities have used Lidar. I know local chicago cops use Lidar but once they get you, they get it because its instant-on. The best radars will tell you when its too late.

 

[Tristicus]

your eyes and instincts are your best defense. assuming cops and where they might/could be is the best form of protection.

Not that I've used a detector before, but in my short time of driving, I've found this to be the best method. I know where the cops usually hang out in my city/area, so I can avoid them or know where to keep my speed down.

 

[saratoga172]

Not that I've used a detector before, but in my short time of driving, I've found this to be the best method. I know where the cops usually hang out in my city/area, so I can avoid them or know where to keep my speed down.

QFT

 

[hanoverphist]

my friend just got a ticket coming back from vegas a month ago, doing 110 or so. his detector blipped at him right as he passed the cop. he knew he was busted, so he pulled over and waited for the cop to get there lol. the cop did appreciate that, and wrote him up for 9 over instead. point is, he owns a custom shop, keeps the best toys in his truck and it failed him that time. not sure what brand it was, but still. i told him to stop going faster than radar.

 

[vshah]

i have an escort 8500 x50, but ever since my first/last ticket in high school i never go more than 10 over the limit on a freeway. if a few cars are going faster than me, i take that as a good sign.

around suburbs i just stick to the posted speed because there are cameras everywhere that will nab you for just a couple over.

 

[JCH13]

Any detector really only works if...

The cop isn't using laser
There are other cars driving ahead of you that the cop is tagging
The cop doesn't have line-of-sight to you when the detector goes off
You can actually stop in time after the warning

You may be hosed anyway if the cop is trained in visually estimating speed (they can be accurate +/- a few MPH) and doesn't need radar. A local ricer was bombing around some back roads and whipped by some joggers, one of which happened to be the police chief of the town I live in. He was trained in visual speed estimation, called the on-duty officers, and the kid got a ticket a few minutes later.

 

[thomsbrain]

I have a Passport 9500ci. I got a lidar ticket within a month of buying it. The detector never even went off. I've learned to treat it as nothing more than an additional safety blanket for Ka and not to EVER use it as justification to drive faster than you would without any "protection." It's nice IF they are using radar, but in California, the CHP seem to all carry lidar guns so its simply a matter of if they bother to use them.

Ka detection is great though. I get plenty of warning.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I've had three tickets, don't think any form of electronics was involved in any of them. Good luck.

 

[bruceb]

I also own an Escort 8500 X50 model. Works good. Valentine 1 has the arrows to tell you where the cop radar is located. And it may be a bit more sensitive than the Escort. But for me, I don't like the looks of the unit. And no unit will save you from Laser / Lidar as the police will typically aim it at the front license plate. Your unit being up on the windshield stands little chance of picking up laser, unless he clocks someone ahead of you and you pick up the reflections. If you are the only one around, you hear an alert, you are toast. Only good thing about Laser / Lidar, is currently, they can not work thru glass and can not be used while moving. They must be stationary.

 

[MetalMat]

I had a radar detector for a while but I found out all it did was make me paranoid as hell. I do mostly freeway driving so I set the cruise to 6 or 7 over and I am good to go.

 

[Zap]

I'm not so sure about the laser jammer stuff...I remember reading something about the protection is hit and miss, officers can detect if they are being jammed, and also it's illegal

Hit and miss - depends on the quality of the unit and how it was installed.

Detect being jammed - no, officer just doesn't get a reading and will try again. Eventually he will "punch through" the jammer because you are going towards him when you are clocked. He can suspect being jammed, but his equipment will not tell him that.

Legality - radar jammers are illegal in the entire USA at a federal level (FCC). Laser jammers are legal at the federal level, but local and state laws may vary. For instance laser jammers are illegal in Illinois but not in Wisconsin.

my friend just got a ticket coming back from vegas a month ago, doing 110 or so. his detector blipped at him right as he passed the cop. he knew he was busted, so he pulled over and waited for the cop to get there lol. the cop did appreciate that, and wrote him up for 9 over instead. point is, he owns a custom shop, keeps the best toys in his truck and it failed him that time. not sure what brand it was, but still. i told him to stop going faster than radar.

Unless the detector was broken or a shoddy brand/model, it did not fail. He was just busted by "instant on." Basically if the officer leaves the radar gun off, then your detector will not detect anything. Amazing, right?!?!

 

[KDKPSJ]

FWIW, I never got ticketed by radar with V1 since I live in the area where lidar is not used much. Redline is supposed to be on par overall.

On the other hand, I did pwned by laser twice last summer while driving in upper NY where laser is very widely used. Of course V1 didn't do anything except telling me "uh-oh, you got a ticket". Since Cali uses lidar quite extensively as well as laser jammers are illegal there, I'd just rely on my eyes and senses and no speeding.

If you really want protection (and don't care about that jammer-is-illegal law), not just get V1/Redline, but also get jammers that work (Read: LI or Blinder). Never use detector only in the area where laser is used. It will just get you more tickets because of false sense of security. You speed more thinking you are protected, and you will get stopped more until you realize detectors don't do anything against laser.

 

[foghorn67]

Instant On will get you. Your only chance of getting a detector to pick it up is when the cop is gunnig someone in front of you. Even then, the band is narrow.

 

[RockinZ28]

I'd recommend not speeding over a few mph over the limit on freeways even with a detector in CA these days. Seem desperate for money. Last ticket I got from the CHP, officer didn't even state how he clocked me. Just simply wrote the VC for "exceeding 65mph". Cost $380 + court fees + traffic school.

I use the 8500 X50 as well, though it was not in the vehicle I was driving when I got that ticket. Have had one speeding ticket using the 8500 X50 in about 7 years, and that was apparently from "pacing" from a half mile away.

 

[JMapleton]

The Escort Redline beats the V1 hands down.

The arrows on the V1 are nonsense, radar can bounce, so they're not always accurate.

And the V1 is the false signal king. It will ring your ears off.

Don't listen to anyone who says different because V1 fanboys are like Apple fanboys. Immune to any logic.

 

[JMapleton]

Also, if you live in the city, the Escort 9500ix is the best overall. A little less detection, but it filters out false signals by learning and remembering them. I wouldn't want to drive around an urban area with a Redline and especially not a V1.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

If you live in CA, its nearly worthless, even most city traffic cops use lidar now.

 

[JMapleton]

I have a Passport 9500ci. I got a lidar ticket within a month of buying it. The detector never even went off. I've learned to treat it as nothing more than an additional safety blanket for Ka and not to EVER use it as justification to drive faster than you would without any "protection." It's nice IF they are using radar, but in California, the CHP seem to all carry lidar guns so its simply a matter of if they bother to use them.

Ka detection is great though. I get plenty of warning.

Escort brand laser jammer (or shifting as they call it) is terrible.

The 9500ci is probably the most overpriced detector on the market. In Canada and Europe you can get the Sti-R, which is the 9500ci minus the laser jamming and then you can buy a Laser Interceptor brand laser jammer, which is the best on the market.

That's the ideal set up. You probably would not have gotten that ticket if you had an LI.

 

[MotF Bane]

I also own an Escort 8500 X50 model. Works good. Valentine 1 has the arrows to tell you where the cop radar is located. And it may be a bit more sensitive than the Escort. But for me, I don't like the looks of the unit. And no unit will save you from Laser / Lidar as the police will typically aim it at the front license plate. Your unit being up on the windshield stands little chance of picking up laser, unless he clocks someone ahead of you and you pick up the reflections. If you are the only one around, you hear an alert, you are toast. Only good thing about Laser / Lidar, is currently, they can not work thru glass and can not be used while moving. They must be stationary.

V1 also gives you the signal count, and combined with the concealed display, it's not so visible to everyone behind you.

The only way to deal with laser is a Blinder or LI jammer system.

 

[Tr4nd]

Escort brand laser jammer (or shifting as they call it) is terrible.

The 9500ci is probably the most overpriced detector on the market. In Canada and Europe you can get the Sti-R, which is the 9500ci minus the laser jamming and then you can buy a Laser Interceptor brand laser jammer, which is the best on the market.

That's the ideal set up. You probably would not have gotten that ticket if you had an LI.

V1 also gives you the signal count, and combined with the concealed display, it's not so visible to everyone behind you.

The only way to deal with laser is a Blinder or LI jammer system.

The industry seems to be pretty stagnant, both comments are still true a couple of years later.

With the Valentine One being really awesome with its directional targeting and bogey counter and ability to detector more than 1 target.

The Escort Passport 9500ix and the Passport Max being better with their Escort Live.

Wonder why there's hasn't really been a drastic change, hmm...

 

[slag]

Just a ticket? You're lucky you didn't get reckless.


Tape a copy of your ticket to your steering wheel.



Go to a track.

I agree with everything you said.