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Answers the question of what the best radar detector out there is

 

Kick-*** article.


Boba- who appreciates Onyx00 for posting that.

 

Thank ya I have been waiting for this article for almost a month now. I'm sure this will help many decide what detector to pick up. I am going to go with the Escort 8500; $100 less than the V1 and it picks up radar over a hill where as the V1 tested did not. I don't know about anyone else but most cops around me gunning motorists are usually hiding around a bend or over a hill.

People should not here that almost none of the detectors sensed any laser signals. If you want to be safe from laser guns, go buy a license plate cover for that; it's the only way to protect yourself.

 

ttt

 

No, a license plate cover only works against photo radar. Laser can still track your car's speed even if the plate is covered.

Fact is, no detector will protect you against instant-on radar or laser, unless you're lucky enough that someone up ahead of you got zapped. If you're the first one he's shooting at with instant-on or laser, your detector will be telling you that you're about to receive a ticket.

 

actually you can rig your own laser scrambler that will send out various speeds but it is illegal in most states and if you dont want to rig your own you can buy one....i think the going price for something like that is 300???...and if you do get a laser ticket...there are plenty of ways to fight it because state regulations require the unit be tested out periodically...all you ahve to do is ask them for proof...but it all depends on the judge


after actually reading the article i see they have the laser thingys on the the bottom...oops


[Modified by imnotagoodtyper, 9:26 AM 6/18/2001]

 

YD, who could've used a radar detector himself about a month ago...

 

Sorry - the anti-laser scramblers (like the Laser Blinder and the Laser Echo) DO work and protect you against laser. They are mentioned in the article.

The detectors don't protect you against laser or instant-on, though.

 

The detectors do protect agianst instant on; if you look at the test results on the site they tested against instant-on; the site says:

"All detectors were exposed to 'instant on' radar emissions from X band, K band, and Ka band at 34.7 GHz at a distance of 1 1/2 mile and then at 1/2 mile from the gun’s location."

So they tested instant on, and most detectors did fairly well against it.

As for laser, most people in the industry will tell you detectors can't really detect it because you don't have the "radiation" given off by typical laser implemented guns. The only way you will know if a police offier is using laser is if he hits a car ahead of you and the splash of the laser is picked up by your radar detector.

Keep in mind too that laser is not a court accepted technology (I forget the technical term); my understanding is that the state must prove in court that the laser is a valid working technology (where as with radar, the state(s) has already accepted it as a valid way to track speed and thus no supporting evidence to show that it works is needed). Thus, you can subpoena the state for their material for the laser gun and in court make them prove that it works; this will allow you to criticize the accuracy and performance issues involved with laser.

 

well, i think what nsxtasy was saying was that it can't protect you from getting pulled over (i.e., a ticket). this is true. instant-on sucks!

i've had my trusty old whister detector for about 3-4 years now, but i think i'm going to give it to my GF and pick up a new bel 980.

 

Car and Driver did a detector review a few years ago. The most effective means they found of thwarting Laser was to remove your front license plate. Cops use the license plate as a target. It presents a nice flat vertical surface to bouce laser off of.

In MA, you can get away with not using a front plate, as the older plates - still in circulation - were for the rear only.

Paul

 

Then I misunderstood. My main point is that many percieve instant-on to be totally undetectable by radar detectors, which isn't true and todays technology (mainly DSP, and increased sensitivity) detectors can combat instant on. Of you can still get caught, it's really all about just being careful and knowing where you can speed and where you can't.

As I mentioned before in other posts, it is worthwhile to mention that Bell and Escort are one in the same now. From what I know from inside sources, all top of the line Escort and Bell models are made in what used to be Bell's factory, while the lower models are made in Escorts plant. Escort (who acquired Bell) basically took the Bell circuitry and is now using it in their top model the 8500. If you look at the test results you will see that the Bel 980 and Escort 8500 have VERY similar results in terms of sensitivity.

 

I think it's not the fact of whether a detector detects instant on radar. It's whether it detects it enough ahead of time that you can react and slow your car down before the cop has you in his sights...

When a cop turns on "instant on" type radar, he is pretty much aiming at a specific car. You cant detect his gun if it's not on....And if he turns it on with you in his sights, you are done....no matter what kind of radar detector you have....

Cheese

 

I have many experiences where my V1 worked over a hill.

I think for any of the top three, you have good protection. Some states also will time you by air which no detector will help you with.....

Keeping your eyes open, your wits about you and driving sensibly are your main advantages in most situations.

 

Cheeseman, look at the tests, they did it from 0.5 miles away and from 1.5 miles away and the top three models all detected it. I agree there are situations where the cop is gonna get you no matter what you have but I think more often than not you will have a good shot at detecting him before he gets you.

In terms of states using planes for catching speeders, yes they are using it again but most states don't do this because of the cost issue associated with it. However, you can add some protection by buying a scanner such as the Uniden BCT-7 which will pick up aircraft transmissions and so you would know if they were in fact using one in the area.

 

Instant On radar is very easy to avoid provided you are not the only car on the road.

If there is other traffic ahead of you, a cop will almost certainly bang on one of them long before you get there. If you have a decent detector, you'll get these random medium to full strength blasts out of the blue every few seconds (as the cop pulls the trigger on people ahead of you that are driving buy). It's a dead ringer that you'd better slow down.

If you are all by yourself, then you are probably screwed.

And my V1 works quite well from around corners and over hills. It detects cops from so far away that they are usually so far out of visual range that it takes a minute or two to come up on their position.

None of this is a substitute for paying close attention to the road and objects (i.e. cars that shouldn't normally be there) along side it, and driving in a sensible manner.

 

Well put xMetal. I remember I found a "Guide to Speeding" on the Car and Driver website and it mentions paying attnetion, mantaining a high visual horizion, etc. It's all about paying attention; which I hope people do when they are speeding.

 

Yes, exactly my point.

Detectors DO detect instant-on radar. If you are lucky, there will be a car ahead of you going fast enough for the guy to decide to hit that car, and your detector will pick it up. But if you are not so lucky - if you are all by yourself, or if no one ahead of you is going fast enough for him to decide to switch it on - then you're sunk; the instant-on will take a reading within a fraction of a second, not enough time for you to slow down. If YOU get hit by instant-on (NOT the car ahead of you), the detector will go off, but it won't keep you from getting a ticket.

 

So if the license plate was at an angle (pointing down), would that make it harder for them to get you? Doesn't the shape and color of the car affect the laser the most? I remember reading that black C5 Corvettes with no license plate were almost undetectable because of their shape and color (shape being the most important).

 

on laser angle "shouldn't" matter, at least as i understand. you really should cover it up as best you can. in arizona we don't need front plates so i take it off. While i am in Chicago i am just not using my plates. I just went to the dealer and got a new temporary sticker for the windshield of my car.

for those with plates in illinois, i would invest in a cover, but I don't think they are legal here. Maybe look in to the Blinder product mentioned on the page.

 

"0.5 miles away and from 1.5 miles"

But those tests were line of sight, right? As in the radar was shot directly at the detector from 0.5 and 1.5 miles away. If this is true, then just about any detector should be able to detect that....But if you are driving down a highway and a cop turns his instant-on on, (if aimed at you) the cop will already have clocked your speed. Sure your detector will have detected radar, but it's too late. The cop already knows you were speeding.

To me, radar is radar. Its just that the instant on type requires the cop aim at a specific car and pull the trigger....while the other kind is throwing out a constant blast of radar. One is easier to detect since it is constant, the other isn't as easy to detect, because it's only turned on in short pulses. If the cop turns on the instant on, he is aiming at someone... If he is aiming at you, you will have a ticket before you even have time to slow down. If he's aiming at cars in front of you, a decent detector will warn you that instant-on is being used ahead...and you will have time to slow your speed before getting clocked yourself. But that instant-on warning is often fast and can easily be mistaken for area interference (at least in my experience).

Cheese~

 

i bought the passport 8500 about a month ago, and its the best i've ever had, definitely worth the $300., and btw, this is the second different review that has given it top honors.

 

so which radars made the top 3??

he who doesnt understand how to read their method of ranking the radars.

 

They "buried" the bottom line in the section that says "Top Hunting Dog". Quoting directly:

We found the Passport 8500 "the pick of the litter" with the most useful, radar detection features. The 8500 gives dogged, predictable, performance and retrieves all radar signals, like a "Blue Ribbon" winning Labrador Retriever. Its performance was ferocious and its packaging is exemplary. We loved the Bel 980’s immediacy of alerts and volume level with voice. It’s tenacious performance makes it a vigilant radar watch dog. When the Bel 980 barks..believe it! The Valentine One still is a top detection dog for front and unequalled rear reception with its patented rear facing antenna and unique directional arrows. It lets you know where the prey is hiding. Any of these three are "Best In Class."

 

onyx, have ya shopped around yet??
Let me know when and were you will buy, so I can tag along and get one too...

I have court the 25th, for what?? Yes Speeding..

That is a great article... Call me on my cell when you are ready: 847-875-4682

I know alot of people were interested when you brought up the conversation at the meet.. If I remember right, a local group buy was in order...