Radar / Laser Detectors

[SLVRBLT]

Don't remember seeing any discussion of radar/laser detectors, or if there has been, I missed it. I haven't run with one for the last 10 years or so, but this HO 6 sp. , 3:54 gears, tends to make it quite easy to exceed the speed limit. Since my 1st and only grand daughter (so far) lives about 4 hrs away, plus, we are headed to northern Minnesota for a fishing trip in about a week, I thought the time was right to get back into the detection business.



Since I have had good luck with Cobra products in the past, I bought their XR-1050 that has all the bells and whistles and is supposed to pick up all bands of radar and laser plus emergency signals. It even has voice alerts and voice notification of setting changes, digital processor, etc. It was a little pricey, but man has technology been moving since the last detector I had!



Just curious as to what everyone else was using and maybe experiences with them? Headed to Ely, Minnesota the night of June 15th and driving straight through. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.



Dave

 

[rotohead]

Valentine One. I'm very happy with mine but you better be quick.

 

[roadranger]

Radar

It's still a crapshoot- they can snap shoot you, and shoot you in the back at on ramps, and all kinds of other tricks. The only thing it'll save you from is the ones trolling the opposite direction on the interstate, or sitting asleep shooting at the entrance to a small town.



Out here in 75 MPH land the fuel gauge goes down pretty quick as it is, never mind breaking the limit. With the price of fuel nowadays, I've taken to being a 'rolling roadblock' and running at 65 MPH where it's more efficient fuelwise (+2. 5MPG). On an 8 hour trip I'll get in about 15 minutes behind a buddy running like a bat outta he!!.

 

[Barry]

Valentine 1... ... ... .

 

[JB @ C and L Machine]

The only name ... . VANTENINE 1

 

[pnwradar]

I've owned several, and the Valentine1 is the only one I still use. Granted, I don't drive excessively fast (IMO) or recklessly, but this truck is enough bigger than anything else, I figure I'm more likely to get nailed for keeping up with traffic.



At $400 it wasn't cheap, but it saved me from a certain ticket in just the first week I owned it. I bought a second one as a graduation present for my brother -- I doubt he'd part with it for anything. Speeding tickets in most states are spendy enough to make the V1 pay for itself, I'd rather not have to keep paying for that ticket on every insurance premium, too.

 

[Bigsaint]

waste of money

Nothing made will stop you from getting an M. V. summons with instant on radar, no signal is emitted until you are targeted by the operator, when your radar detector goes off, it's already too late as your speed as been locked on. They will, of course, provide a warning if radar is in use in the area you are in if other vehicles are being targeted prior to your arrival in the zone of influence. You would be better off just staying with traffic and out of the fast lane as much as possible. If the flow of traffic is, say 70 MPH in a 55 MPH zone, as it usually is here on the highways of NJ, just stick with the pack and you should be fine. The vehicles that are usually targeted are the ones in the fast lane, leading the pack.



Scott W.

 

[Amianthus]

I use the V-1. Love it. Bigsaint does bring up some good points about radar. But don't get me started on traffic radar...

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I have the Valentine 1 also. NOTHING compares to it, well worth the money. I have used the Escort, Passport and different Cobras, they are not even close to it.

 

[roadranger]

emddiesel-

How many car speeding tickets are allowed before the FRA pulls your Engineer's Licence?



I once got warned about this when running steam locomotives for the GCRy

 

[KWIKKURT]

According to a recent test the new escort 8500 picked up the Ka Band 3. 5 miles farther then the V1. That (KA) is the fastest and deadlest laser/radar band used today. They can lock on your speed in . 4 of a second.



For TONS of great Radar Detector Info

Check out www.radartest.com

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Suprisingly enough, you dont even have to have a (automobile)drivers license to be a locomotive engineer.

I have a friend who lost his drivers license for DWI and and that has no effect on your FRA (Locomotive engineers) license.

Pretty scary if you ask me. I think if you cant responsibly handle a 2 ton car you DEFINATLEY should not be able to handle a 12,000 ton train filled with HAZ-MATS going through peoples backyards. But that is the deal. Speeding tickets, DWI, reckless driving, etc. have NO effect on my Locomotive License.

 

[Hammer]

V-1 for me also,,Now anyone who understands the concept of laser will know that a laser detector is useless unless you are in its path directly and when your are its too late,,Now for those high speed needed trips or a few trips across the communist states of Ohio,Arkansas and California in my truck at work,I use the Judge Trail Blazer,,Its saved my rear to many times to count in these states where speeding in a truck is considered anything over 55 mph(except Arkansas,where 65 is it and thats all),,It will not work on laser so my long eared CB(Galaxy88HL and a Texas Star 650 HD) keeps me informed,,My out look on this is,my liscense is my bread and butter,and I'll protect it as I feel the need to.....

 

[Thunderball]

Hey Guys

I have been thinking about buying one, But I am a little hard of hearing. I can't hear high pitch sounds. can anybody tell me if the V-1 is high pitch. It would do me no good to have one go off, and I can't hear it. What about the ones that talk?. I live in VA, There not leagle here, so I have to order it, and have it sent to my brother-inlaws.

Thanks

 

[BigBadDodge]

Radar

I have the Bel-Tronics 840i and haven't recieved a ticket since I purchased it. I see there in the 900 series now might time to upgrade. I can send them this one and for a small fee upgrade to the newer model.

 

[GTop]

I also have a V-1 and would highly recomend it. One nice feature is if a new type of radar comes out you can send it back to Valentine and they will upgrade yours to detect that new type.





Thunderball, personally I would consider it more of a "mid" pitch. Not really to high pitched.

 

[Briar Hopper]

Thunderball, I'm totally deaf, yet my Valentine One works well for me. I have it positioned just to the left of the rear view mirror, somewhat in my line of sight. Looking at the road, I can see instantly when it comes on.

BigSaint is right about how radar works. The Valentine One hasn't saved me from instant on radar on 2 lane roads. Nothing will. It's most effective on the interstate, but you have to drive smart, and stay with a pack, not be hung out to dry in the hammer lane.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

My only speeding ticket in the last 3 years was from VASCAR which does not use radar, it is something to do with timing you from 2 points. You cant detect it. I paid $379. 00 for going 18 miles over the speed limit.

Prior to that, i got nailed with "Instant on" which my radar detector let me know about, but obviously, it was too late.



The key to beating instant on is to "follow" somebody who drives faster then you but stay back a few hundred yards, then when he gets zapped with the instant on, you will pick it up and be able to slow down. If you drive very late at night on deserted roads, this idea is worthless. But in my 3 years commuting on the NJ turnpike end to end EVERY DAY. i NEVER got pulled over and yet i averaged 80MPH or more. i just looked for somebody in a sportscar and used them as "Radar bait". Works every time, my radar detector would go off for a quick second and i would immediatley hit the brakes, then watch him get nailed or at least i knew there was a cop ahead.

That is what makes the Valantine 1 so great, its ver sensitive and it shown you wear the radar is, and how many are there. I cant tell you how many times it saved my butt.



Alot of pepople argue that $300 for a radar detector is too expensive, but ONE speeding ticket could cost more then that, not including the insurance increase. My friend got 2 speeding tickets in 1 year, both with radar and his insurance went up $900. 00. Believe me, he feels stupid for criticizing the V1.

 

[Bigsaint]

As EMD stated, VASCAR uses two points, painted on the roadway, amd your speed is calculated by the time it takes you to go from point A to point B, not used around here much, and not at all in my town.



Another method that we sometimes use at night is pacing, which means that we simply follow the target vehicle for a set distance at a even interval and issue a summons based upon our speedo reading. This is yet another acceptable method in the eyes of the court as all of our speedometers are certified once per year. Again, no radar signal is emitted to warn drivers.



Scott W.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

That Vascar incident i mentioned was in CT on I-84 near waterbury for all you CT drivers, be warned!. Good point too Big Saint on the pacing deal. I have memorised what the headlights of a crown Vic, Caprice, Lumina, and Expedition look like so whenever i see them behind me, i let them pass, if they dont, i just drop back and check the car out to be SURE its no cop. Those Jersey state troopers do pacing all the time. They use unmarked blue Expeditions with tinted windows, i would never expect one to be a cop but i see them with people pulled over all the time on the Turnpike