Radar detector

[EvilTwinf0f1]

So I was having some fun on some mountain roads today, and realized I could get in serious trouble for driving hte speed I was driving. What radar detectors are people using? I'm in CA, so I'd need something stealthy.

[MainFrame]

My Passport Escort 8500 x50 works well. The 9500 has GPS which eliminates false alarms, but it's also more expensive.

[turb0]

8500 works good for me in California. But you could also slow down a bit. Radar is not going to save you every time. There is also no reason to be stealthy about it.

[wrxtreme06]

Radar Detector
here's a big thread on detectors/opinions on them

[G8toWRXDave]

I use a valentine 1, hardwired, with a remote display in the steering wheel column.



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[zax]

But you could also slow down a bit. Radar is not going to save you every time.

+1. I'm not sure about Cali, but most states around me have phased to Laser. With Laser, it doesn't matter if you have the detector or not; once you detect the laser you've already been tagged.

[EJ257]

<< Valentine 1 owner


A detector is only part of the equation for avoiding citations. I'll quote myself from the other thread:

You need to know how to use a detector properly for it to be useful; it's another tool in your arsenal to avoiding tickets. You still need to know what traffic control methods LEOs in your area use and drive with an eagle eye (spotting potential "hot spots", watching traffic in front of you, etc.), rabbit technique, ratio rule (for every X cars you pass, one passes you), etc. The people who have trouble are the ones who install a detector and go around speeding everywhere because they have a false sense of security.

[MainFrame]

+1. I'm not sure about Cali, but most states around me have phased to Laser. With Laser, it doesn't matter if you have the detector or not; once you detect the laser you've already been tagged.

Exactly.. although around here LIDAR is not all that common because of the cost, and you can usually spot them because they have to be sitting stationary holding the gun out the window, or standing by their car/motorcycle.


Also, laser jammers are perfectly legal since there's no law against emitting IR.. but that's considerable additional cost on top of just getting the detector.

[G8toWRXDave]

<< Valentine 1 owner


A detector is only part of the equation for avoiding citations. I'll quote myself from the other thread:

Absolutely true! The only time I got a speeding ticket in the 5+ years of owning the V1 was when I chose to ignore all the warnings I was given and all the troopers I saw. Pure stupidity on my part.

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[turb0]

Exactly.. although around here LIDAR is not all that common because of the cost, and you can usually spot them because they have to be sitting stationary holding the gun out the window, or standing by their car/motorcycle.


Also, laser jammers are perfectly legal since there's no law against emitting IR.. but that's considerable additional cost on top of just getting the detector.

Every CHP has laser now days, NHP, AZDPS and NMHP and 90% of the motorcycle cops. Unless you know their tactics and how they are deployed. Its very hard to beat laser. Even a well rounded radar set up. Say a motorcycle cops radar set up. Your not going to get away on that if he chooses to get you.
While you can use a laser shifter type product and "get away" with it. Anything else is a huge fine, ticket or even jail. It used to be legal and the FDA controlled laser. But the states all were told by the laser companies and well laws were put in the books. About 95% of the states if not all of them have that law now. All radar and laser guns have codes that pop up on the screens that warn user of jammers. So if you have one. use it only in traffic where its harder to pin point. Most jammers that work are like sore thumbs. You can't hide one and still have it effective much.
Stay away from Rocky Mountain Radar products...

Radar Roy's OFFICIAL Radar Detector Review site! is where anyone needs to be reading that is even thinking about this stuff.

My current set up in the truck is
GMS 600 digital trunking scanner
Uniden CB
8500 passport detector

The scanner tells me where to slow down. The detector only confirms if I got locked on. If I am going to be getting a ticket. I can listen in to truckers to hear rolling HP. But if you watch truckers speeds... You will know when a police is rollin. Most truckers only do the speed limit on open highway when there is police or HP around.
But the 8500 has saved my butt a few times. 4 times now in the past 2 years with Laser. 3 times it caught the bounce of the cars in front. 1 time I got hit and was able to slow it down. But then again I think it was more I was not going faster enough for him to deal with me anyways.

Most CHP I know will not mess with you if your just above the limit. If the road is good and you show that you are focused on the task at hand. Meaning driving and being observant of your surroundings. Meaning he see's you slow and move over to the right the second he pops up on the road way. Not 5 miles later or drive clueless down the road with your cell phone/radio/makeup going all over the place. They just want people to get to where they are going. And be safe about it. They only want to deal with the fast guy and the clueless. Those are more of a danger.

[MainFrame]

I don't know what "CHP" stands for.. but in the last three months I have driven probably 5,000 miles. Every day I get Ka and K band warnings. In that entire time I have only been tagged with laser twice, and both times I saw the LEO sitting on the side of the road shooting a good 15-20 seconds before I was tagged. And one time I saw a Lewisville city cop shooting laser on the opposite side of the highway. So if they all have LIDAR guns, no one is using them. At least not in TX.



I'm guessing CHP is California Highway Patrol? That would make sense they have more laser set up there. In TX only select motorcycle cops and certain municipal police have them. State troopers (DPS) exclusively use Ka band here.



The scanner will save your butt if you insist on breaking the speed limit on a regular basis.

[rage-wrx]

I don't know what "CHP" stands

You haven't seen CHiPs?

[turb0]

K band in California in short strong bursts is the fastrack toll system. They use it and the transponder in the fastrack pass to track flow of traffic. You'll be rollin down the freeway and get a big hit on k the tapers off quick. Almost like instant on. Then if you look up you will find a pole with the fastrack system on it. Its used on all major freeway systems in California it feeds info into www.http://511.org/

That system sucks as it can track your movements around the state by pin number on fastrack pass. Another one of those big brother watching things. If you do not like it. Put the pass back into the foil bag it came in when not using it.

[MainFrame]

You haven't seen CHiPs?

haha.. yeah. I just wasn't thinking..

[thosonthego]

I have the Valentine with remote. I have the main unit in the hole in the headrest (2011 WRX0. I ran the remote wires up to the dash in the center console and the power comes from power tap in arm rest. My windows are tinted and you don’t really see the unit from outside. The radar works even if someone is sitting in passenger seat. Laser works only if seat is empty. Guess all those radar beams are passing thru us all the time?? Sorry no photos.