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radar detectors?

insanitylevel9

triple nubby
Jan 7, 2011
2,001
5
hopkinton ma
any one know anything about them and have any suggestions? i know valentines are wicked good but im a little to broke to drop 400 on a radar detector. its not that i speed but the local cops know my car and always pull me over for little things.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
And how are you going to stop getting pulled over for "little things"? Radar doesn't detect a light out, or dark tint, or an aftermarket exhaust?

I say it like this because radar detectors don't really do jack. Sure, they detect radar and if it bounces off stuff, you might get it before its used on you, but cops aren't usually sitting around at speed traps, they see you doing something stupid while driving around, and you don't notice it because you are driving like an a$$. I've had two fast cars now, and no radar detector, and no tickets in either car. Don't drive like an idiot around the city, because cops are usually looking for the ones driving like a$$es in high population density areas/urban areas.
 

dante

Unabomber
Feb 13, 2004
8,807
9
looking for classic NE singletrack
Save your money and adjust your driving habits. All a detector will gain you is a false sense of security up until the point at which you get busted.
This. The only way you get a warning is if the cop is lazy and leaves it on or you get lucky and have him target someone else so your detector picks it up. Otherwise they just use instant-on and you're screwed.
 

BMCarter

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
297
0
Santa Barbara
There is a reason detectors like the V1 and the 9500ix are so expensive. THEY WORK!

If you want a detector, spend the coin and get a proper one. I've used the $99 Al&Eds specials, they dont work, and when they do, you don't have enough warning.

I bought myself a Passport 9500ix for my birthday last summer. $499 well spent, saved me at least 5 tickets so far. As recently as this morning. Was doing ~55 in a 45 zone, Ka band went off, slammed on the brakes and sure enough around the next bend was a CHP officer. I have been very happy with my 9500ix, gives me PLENTY of warning.

I bought the 9500ix over the V1 because it has GPS and learns false positives. That way I know if it beeps, there is a cop.

BUT, the best defense against cops is to not speed. And if you do, don't be stupid, never do it as you crest a blind hill or go around a corner.
 

5150dhbiker

Turbo Monkey
Nov 5, 2007
1,200
0
Santa Barbara, CA
I agree with Brent. Used both the V1 and the 9500ix and liked the 9500ix the best.

Honestly though, just don't speed...more gas saved and when you speed around town you save what, a minute? I stopped driving fast when I sold my car, now i just ride my motorcycle everywhere instead.
 

insanitylevel9

triple nubby
Jan 7, 2011
2,001
5
hopkinton ma
its not driving habits, i live in a small town and the police dont have much to do. they constantly pull me over with no cause just to "check up on me". about 80% of the time its when they are sitting radaring, im looking for a way to stop having them waste my time.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
Yeah, cops don't drive with their radar detectors on all the time. Most are narrow-beams that don't scatter as much, and if they aren't using that, they are going to use lidar or something that is even harder to detect, and that's only when they are tagging people for speeding. They rarely do that in my experience. What they do is look for people driving dangerously, well in excess of the limit, not slowing down when the speed limit changes, 10 more more usually, wreckless wheel spinning, tailgaters, and inoperative/missing/improper equipment. When you get experience driving, you realize where your guard has to go up and where you shouldn't try to get away with anything.

And most importantly, if they are REALLY pulling you over for nothing, you need to DOCUMENT it. Get dates and times. Try to get car/badge numbers. Write all this down. It is imperative.
 
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DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
So from the OP, and follow up posts..... I get that IL9 wants a radar detector that will tell the police to change their minds about pulling him over in the first place, because he is not doing anything wrong to begin with, they just "like" to pull him over?

That is pretty much what he is asking right?

Kid, if your getting pulled over on a regular basis, there is a reason. Either something is wrong with your car, your driving, you look too young....... or you have done something really stupid in the past and they remember...... that is all...... OR Your just getting really paranoid from smoking too much grass...
 

?????

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
1,678
2
San Francisco
I bought a radar detector a little over 5 years ago after getting 3 speeding tickets over the course of a couple months (2 within the same week). Since then... no speeding tickets. I think it helps, if for no other reason than to kind of keep your mind on the lookout for speed limit signs.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
You're not speeding, and they're not pulling you over for speeding, but you want a device that will tell you when they're tagging you for speeding?

Did the garage door hit you in the head, too? ;)
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
I bought a radar detector a little over 5 years ago after getting 3 speeding tickets over the course of a couple months (2 within the same week). Since then... no speeding tickets. I think it helps, if for no other reason than to kind of keep your mind on the lookout for speed limit signs.
Radar detectors do nothing but make a lot of noise at random times to make you think you are getting tagged. It just makes you slow down in general is all they do.

the only system they really work against is laser, almost noone uses laser anymore.... most are moving to lidar, your never going to detect that one, even when it is in constant run mode.....


They make noise and light up and slow you down, they serve their purpose
 

Quo Fan

don't make me kick your ass
its not driving habits, i live in a small town and the police dont have much to do. they constantly pull me over with no cause just to "check up on me". about 80% of the time its when they are sitting radaring, im looking for a way to stop having them waste my time.
Either document every time they pull you over to "check up on you", or change your vehicle and/or driving habits/routes.

A radar detector will do you no good if you are being pulled over so they can "check up on you".
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
K40 and Escorts are the only one i would recommend and the only ones that we sold with good results (V1's are mailorder only.) K40 even has a ticket guarantee to show they stand by their products.
I use the Solo S2 (with S3 internals) and have had great luck with it and it has great range. it is equivalent to the 8500 X50. in the spring ill be adding the laser shifter
 
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Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
Using a radar detector in mass is like buying a fat bike in california. It's just not worth it. Having owned one, the only thing they did was to alert me to the general location of a police cruiser while around town, or to let me know that I had already been tagged via POP lazer or whatever, or that somebody was using their garage door opener.

If you speed on the highway, just go slower than somebody else. Stay under 80. If you speed around town, you deserve every ticket they can write you, and I'd personally like to take a dump in your mailbox. You shouldn't be speeding in suburbia.