[jstar3293]

Hi everyone. My main reason for this post is to see how many people have radar detectors and how well they work. I have never had one, but have known people with cheap ones that absolutely blow. Any input on what yall have is welcome.

On a side note. My father is a police officer. When he was working the road and I was younger, I asked him if radar detectors worked well. He said no because most detectors scan in an area for radars that are on. The radar system in his car automatically clocked speed literally as soon as it came on. So he could see people appearing to speed, wait, and then flip on the radar without time for the driver to be aware. Are new detectors better?

 

[ITLRUN]

I've had a Uniden Stalker for years, I don't even think they make the model number anymore. The Model number is: LRD 2150SW, in all the years I've had it never got a speeding ticket. I used it in my Pete, when I ran over the road. And this had a range of two miles, forward and back yeah it picks them up coming up behind you when their shooting the other side. It's good for ( X K KA and LASER ), I use it in my car now for people like you're father. And I haven't got a ticket yet. So if you're going to get one, make sure it's not a cheap one make sure it picks up all types of radar. If they use LASER, they have to be standing outside their car or off their Bike pick it up and aim it right on you. Because thats the only way they're accurate, and if you ever get a ticket don't just pay it take it to Court. Reason being, half the time they don't show up and you win. And Radar is easy to beat in Court, because ( X K or KA will pick up anything that moves ) including cars going in the opposite direction they're not accurate. So it's worth spending the money for a good one, Mike.:bigthumbsup:bigthumbsup

 

[JeffOden]

I have the new Bel GX65 it's the same as the Escort Passport 9500ix, with GPS so it also warns for redlight cameras and speed cameras. Unlike my old radar detectors I had in the 90s it doesn't false alarm hardly ever. When that rare door opener at the minimart sets it off I just touch a button and it blocks that exact frequency at that gps location so it never falses there again. After several weeks of driving/commuting you know when it does go off it is 100% for sure police radar.
I have covers on my license plates but laser is the biggest worry. Most of the time you won't get an alarm for laser until you're tagged, the license plate cover gives you a couple seconds maybe, then the cop goes for your headlights. As far as instant on radar goes, I pick up cops about 1.5 miles away, so unless I'm the only car on the road I'll get several warnings before I get to the speed trap. Most police just leave their radar on though. Spent $400 but considering the price of one ticket and insurance going up, plus it's peace of mind, worth it to me.:smoke:

 

[2012 IngotSilver 5.0]

Hi everyone. My main reason for this post is to see how many people have radar detectors and how well they work ... My father is a police officer ... He said no because most detectors scan in an area for radars that are on ... So he could see people appearing to speed, wait, and then flip on the radar without time for the driver to be aware.

Your dad is right ... but it's not the whole story.

There's "instant on" radar, which only releases a signal when the operator desires a speed reading. Those are unbeatable with any detector. Your only hope against them is to pick up a car ahead of you that's being read. Thing is, not every agency uses that kind of radar gun. Many use the type that sends out a continuous signal, and good detectors can pickup them up no problem.

Then there's laser. Laser is like "instant on" radar in that it only releases a beam when a speed reading is taken. That means a ticket, but there's a few catches ...

Laser emits a pencil like beam so it has to be "aimed" at individual cars. This means the officer has to hold it in their hand and be actively pointing it a suspected speeder. Also, one can effectively (and legally) jam laser. Radar, on the other hand, is governed by different laws and a person can receive BIG FINES or JAIL TIME if they are caught trying to jam radar.

Detectors aside, people who use them while driving with reckless abandon WILL eventually get a ticket. Being alert to your surroundings is required with detector use (and is just plain good sense no matter what).

Bottom line, detectors (properly used) can help. They can help a lot.

To get the scoop on what's what, check out Radar Roy's website and read up on the latest (he's a retired officer who now tests/sells detectors):
Radar Roy's OFFICIAL Radar Detector Review site!

But most importantly, STAYING ALERT and KEEPING OUR WITS ABOUT US AT ALL TIMES is an absolute must.

 

[jstar3293]

yes good posts everyone. I do know about laser jammers, never considered it. I was interested in hearing more from yall who have the gps enabled ones with like a database so that is interesting. I will definitely check back and see if any others step forward.
And ITLRUN the court thing is true. I remember my dad always going, but then again he is a perfectionist. I know a lot of officers who say they will not go to court after there quotas are filled.

 

[JeffOden]

Your dad is right ... but it's not the whole story.

There's "instant on" radar, which only releases a signal when the operator desires a speed reading. Those are unbeatable with any detector. Your only hope against them is to pick up a car ahead of you that's being read. Thing is, not every agency uses that kind of radar gun. Many use the type that sends out a continuous signal, and good detectors can pickup them up no problem.

Then there's laser. Laser is like "instant on" radar in that it only releases a beam when a speed reading is taken. That means a ticket, but there's a few catches ...

Laser emits a pencil like beam so it has to be "aimed" at individual cars. This means the officer has to hold it in their hand and be actively pointing it a suspected speeder. Also, one can effectively (and legally) jam laser. Radar, on the other hand, is governed by different laws and a person can receive BIG FINES or JAIL TIME if they are caught trying to jam radar.

Detectors aside, people who use them while driving with reckless abandon WILL eventually get a ticket. Being alert to your surroundings is required with detector use (and is just plain good sense no matter what).

Bottom line, detectors (properly used) can help. They can help a lot.

To get the scoop on what's what, check out Radar Roy's website and read up on the latest (he's a retired officer who now tests/sells detectors):
Radar Roy's OFFICIAL Radar Detector Review site!

But most importantly, STAYING ALERT and KEEPING OUR WITS ABOUT US AT ALL TIMES is an absolute must.

LIDAR is not a pencil like beam at all! at a couple hundred yards it's almost a 3 foot circle, still pretty small, but glints are being reflected randomly off the front of the target. Chances of detecting one, or several of those glints is pretty small, using Veil/V4 helps, but LIDAR is the biggest threat. It has to be straight on acquisition, from a stationary position though.

Also wrong on the instant on Radar, they are very beatable, it's a short powerful burst, but unlike laser it is setting off my detector over a mile up to 1.5 miles away as those RF waves propagate out into space in a much broader spread, and reflect off of many objects. Again instant on is not a problem unless you are the only one on the road for a long distance. I’ve been a RADAR technician for 24 years, also an instructor for RADAR systems, I also work LAIRCM systems, different than LIDAR that cops use, (it disables surface to air missiles) so I have a pretty solid understanding of the light spectrum as well. A good detector, with a good operator/driver will help you 99% of the time, yes driving with reckless abandon and you SHOULD get a ticket, hopefully your detector won’t help you then.

 

[KrisHeinold]

yes good posts everyone. I do know about laser jammers, never considered it. I was interested in hearing more from yall who have the gps enabled ones with like a database so that is interesting. I will definitely check back and see if any others step forward.
And ITLRUN the court thing is true. I remember my dad always going, but then again he is a perfectionist. I know a lot of officers who say they will not go to court after there quotas are filled.

I also have been thinking about getting a detector. My friends dad is the chief of police in the town I am from and I talked to him about detectors and what they do. First off check your state laws about detectors and jammers. For traditional radar like X, K, KA detectors are great. With instant on like stated above is a different situation once your detector goes off they already have your speed. Same is for laser. Now they do not have to be outside their car to shoot laser and actually new lasers being used can shoot multiple cars at once and pick out the fastest car then tell the officer the car and speed. I have been on the fence about getting a detector because most of my driving is interstate and I usually run into state troopers shooting laser which a detector would be really no help.

 

[JeffOden]

I also have been thinking about getting a detector. My friends dad is the chief of police in the town I am from and I talked to him about detectors and what they do. First off check your state laws about detectors and jammers. For traditional radar like X, K, KA detectors are great. With instant on like stated above is a different situation once your detector goes off they already have your speed. Same is for laser. Now they do not have to be outside their car to shoot laser and actually new lasers being used can shoot multiple cars at once and pick out the fastest car then tell the officer the car and speed. I have been on the fence about getting a detector because most of my driving is interstate and I usually run into state troopers shooting laser which a detector would be really no help.

Once again, Wrong, wrong, and wrong. See my above post^^^^

Instant on is NOT a problem, and LIDAR Can NOT be operated thru glass(see - refraction differentiation), also LIDAR is a one shot at one target system, it CAN NOT pick out the fastest target, the operator picks one target. However, some newer RADAR guns have a frequency discriminator that does show the fastest target instead of the old guns which would show the largest reflection(like the 18 wheeler in the lane next to you) but then the cop has to figure out which target was fastest out of the pack. And LIDAR can be detected... see above post.

 

[JeffOden]

Correction, I just double checked the New Digital ALLY LIDAR guns which hit the market in December can operate thru the untinted door windows, with only a slight decrease in range. I'm guessing maybe 20 or 30 of these guns in operation around the U.S. right now. Like everything LIDAR is getting better and better.

 

[KrisHeinold]

Once again, Wrong, wrong, and wrong. See my above post^^^^

Instant on is NOT a problem, and LIDAR Can NOT be operated thru glass(see - refraction differentiation), also LIDAR is a one shot at one target system, it CAN NOT pick out the fastest target, the operator picks one target. However, some newer RADAR guns have a frequency discriminator that does show the fastest target instead of the old guns which would show the largest reflection(like the 18 wheeler in the lane next to you) but then the cop has to figure out which target was fastest out of the pack. And LIDAR can be detected... see above post.

You are correct about the glass but it's miss information to say they HAVE to be outside the car. All they have to do is roll the window down and shoot out of the car. Don't want people to think if they are not out of the car then they are not shooting laser. And I also agree LIDAR can be detected I never said it couldn't. I just said once it is detected your already shot. And the multiple car program may be radar based but I swore he said it was laser based. Not 100 on that

 

[KrisHeinold]

But overall don't speed like crazy on main streets :bigthumbsup

 

[JD08]

Correction, I just double checked the New Digital ALLY LIDAR guns which hit the market in December can operate thru the untinted door windows, with only a slight decrease in range. I'm guessing maybe 20 or 30 of these guns in operation around the U.S. right now. Like everything LIDAR is getting better and better.

Then it's a pretty safe bet that we'll never see them in FL. There's not a single police car in the state that has untinted door windows.

 

[ant speed469]

beltronics 995/newer or escort 8500(i think)/newer would be the best bets in regards to price and durability. i had a beltronics 940 for years and never got a ticket. just stay away from most whistlers for sure :nono:

 

[Grabber2012]

One could build a DRFM jammer that resent a shifted return at a higher level such that the user saw 15 MPH slower...or just set up so many targets that it was confusing....but that would be wrong, as a President once said on tape.

Just having a bit fo fun with this topic. No harm done, Shirley.

 

[KrisHeinold]

Then it's a pretty safe bet that we'll never see them in FL. There's not a single police car in the state that has untinted door windows.

Man fl is the worst! I drove down to west palm beach and there were prob around 6-8 cops standing by the interstate running laser.

 

[jstar3293]

The only thing I have ever seen police officers in Florida doing is trying to bust underage kids on spring break and senior trips for public drunkeness or an MIP. They couldnt catch me though :bigthumbsup

 

[KrisHeinold]

The only thing I have ever seen police officers in Florida doing is trying to bust underage kids on spring break and senior trips for public drunkeness or an MIP. They couldnt catch me though :bigthumbsup

TRUE STATEMENT! :gringreen

 

[JeffOden]

One could build a DRFM jammer that resent a shifted return at a higher level such that the user saw 15 MPH slower...or just set up so many targets that it was confusing....but that would be wrong, as a President once said on tape.

Just having a bit fo fun with this topic. No harm done, Shirley.

There are some good LIDAR jammers out there that give you a few seconds to slow down. BUT these new Digital ALLY LIDARs are Jam proof so far.
YouTube - ‪Laser Ally Handheld LIDAR Speed Gun by Digital Ally‬‏

 

[Wblv17]

Mine works great in this small town. Even the DPS mostly leave theres on. They are learning that I drive 5 under speed limit. That way when I get caught playing a few seconds here and there they just wave to me to slow down. Heck got pulled over going 92 in 60 by State trooper in my old 11 V6 and got warning only. Lucky on that one. very. Then again it's not bad to buy them lunch in a small town when you see two or 3 eating together. Here the police don't make enough at all. Respect goes a long ways with most police officers.

 

[wrxified]

F*@# the police