Tickets! RADAR, LIDAR, FUBAR, etc

[Tricky Mike]

So...
I was rather lucky on my ride home Friday evening and "the man" was nice enough to give me a warning for 39 in a 25 (who drives 25mph anyway?)
So, I started thinking that maybe I'd use the $$ saved from this little gift from the gods to invest in an Escort 8500 radar detector.

My questions are:

Do you guys with quality RADAR detectors (escort 8500, Valentine V1, etc) find them useful enough to justify the expense?

Are they much use when "slabbing it?" (You're still vulnerable to cops using LIDAR, right?)

For those of you with recent tickets, did you get bagged by estimation, RADAR, or LIDAR?

Is LIDAR becoming popular enough that radar detectors are much less use these days?

Feel free to answer one or all.

Moochas grassy-ass.

[TheIglu]

Once you are hit with Laser, you are fucked. The detector just will let you know that you are fucked. If you are in a cluster of traffic, some deflection off another car may get to the detector enough for it to warn you but that is the exception to the rule.

A lot of cops leave their radar running all the time. Helps when driving around. My Bel RX-65 Pro can pick up K and KA band within a very safe range for me to slow down and take off my flip-flops and stop sitting on my handlebars.

I ride with it most times on my ZRX. I don't bother on the KLR.

Summary:

Laser, you are fucked no matter what.

Radar, get a good detector and it will save your ass more than once. That alone will justify the cost of the unit.

I'd recommend the Bel version instead of the Escort. Has more features and a bit more sensitive. Same exact internals otherwise. Even made by the same company. Downside for "bling" idiots is that you can't get the display in blue....ohhh no....

[TurboRush91]

Basically... they aren't fool proof and the type used varies. I see mainly radar (K Band) in NH, but have come across Laser a few times in NH also.

However, that being said, my detector has saved me enough times that it has already paid for itself about 10x over compared to what I probably would have gotten if I got pulled over all those times.

I don't have anything fancy, but have been considering an upgrade to a V1 just for the hell of it.

[TurboRush91]

Originally posted by TheIglu


Summary:

Laser, you are fucked no matter what.

I will politely disagree here, or offer an additional piece of info... you are fucked if there is laser and you are the only car on the road, this can also be said for instant-on.

I have avoid laser on several occasions, mostly where the cop has gone for the car in front of me which has set off my detector and allowed me enough time to just barely get my speed down. once I was the only person on the road and I don't know why I dind't get yanked, he shot me from pretty far away, so either I was out of his range or he just didn't want to be bothered (which makes no sense if he is going through the effort to shoot laser).

[Pearldog]

agree with most points here-

1. I have an 8500 escort w/laser.
2. It has more than paid for itself
3. as said...if you are alone and the laser goes off (on a straight stretch of road)...you are screwed....otherwise...you PU the car in front you as a deflection ...gives indication Laser in the area...(happened just the other day on rt 3 S).
4. Still need to pay attention to brake lights but dectector alerts you to the PO who are shooting radar on most roads......allows me to slow down easily.

Pdog

[OreoGaborio]

Back when I was in HS working at a Bradlees I found a Whistler detector that pics up X, K, KA and Lazer.... regularly 150 bucks, on sale, super sale, clearance, uberclearance, employee discount..... anyways, i got it for 5 bucks

Obviously not the best detector on the market, but it's saved me a whole ton of times over the years.

[Awesome]

I bought a V1 from Darrel, then realized i don't need it because I never really speed anyways. I'll sell it for what i paid, i think it was 450, two hardwire kits, and the thingy that goes in the helmet with the light that flashes.

[hqp921]

Originally posted by trickphoto
Do you guys with quality RADAR detectors (escort 8500, Valentine V1, etc) find them useful enough to justify the expense?

Radar, yes... Laser or instant-on radar? No.

Are they much use when "slabbing it?" (You're still vulnerable to cops using LIDAR, right?)

Supposedly, V1 has a tremendous range of over 2 miles or something like that... I don't if that's true or not. Maybe on a long straight with no hills? But in that case, you should be looking ahead. I'll say the average is about a mile or so of detection time... if that's not enough time to slow down to a reasonable speed... maybe we're going too fast on a public road (?).

For those of you with recent tickets, did you get bagged by estimation, RADAR, or LIDAR?

Lidar - the detector never went off...

Is LIDAR becoming popular enough that radar detectors are much less use these days?

I doubt smaller towns are buying/using laser - so it depends on where you're travelling.

===

I think that in general, the RD would be a good investment if you're on the road a lot. It will pick up radar and (most) speed traps. Your best bet against laser is a jammer.

The best piece of advice is to probably not speed... however, we all do it, and some of us get caught. So speed safely - and smart. Be aware of your surroundings and scan scan scan ahead. The couple times I've been nabbed - it was because I didn't pay attention. "Oh, you're slowing down to let me pass! and moving out of the left hand lane, cool!" Next thing you know, I'm getting a ticket. Look ahead, see what people ahead are doing. Check out to see: Are there places they could be hiding? That car on the side of the road, is it a cruiser or a car that's broken down? Etc.

The other day I was on 146 and my RD goes off - I was going 70-75 in a 65, not a big deal. I ease off the gas. I'm looking ahead, but I don't see anything... except a bridge. As I pass, I see the cop was behind the support of the bridge. (Hope that makes sense?) Even if I didnt' have an RD and I was observant, I might have noticed... "Hey, as people go under the bridge, they're hitting their brakes." and that might make me slow down. Of course, I have to be paying attention, noting, 1. an LEO could be hiding behind there, and 2. People are braking as they pass that point (It's just a natural reaction whether you are speeding or not to at least tap the brakes when you see a cop... or maybe it's just me).

Sorry for a novel of a post. Speed safely.

[Tricky Mike]

Originally posted by hessogood
I bought a V1 from Darrel, then realized i don't need it because I never really speed anyways. I'll sell it for what i paid, i think it was 450, two hardwire kits, and the thingy that goes in the helmet with the light that flashes.

I actually found the old posts from when you bought it while I was searching the forum. It's the older V1, right? the 1.7 or something? I'm kind of leaning towards the Escort or the Bel that Clayton mentioned. They do the pop stuff too.

Originally posted by hqp921

The best piece of advice is to probably not speed... however, we all do it, and some of us get caught. So speed safely - and smart. Be aware of your surroundings and scan scan scan ahead.

Good advice and already second nature. In the case of radar, though, the advice is moot. Do you think that by the time you notice the cruiser, he hasn't already noticed you? Radar has a pretty long range. If you're not detecting, by the time you notice him you're done, but that's neither here nor there. The limit is 25mph on the road in this particular case... The cruiser was very well concealed. I don't know anyone who actually does the speed limit on a 25mph backroad. Not me. Not the person who was leaving the speed trap as I got pulled over. Not the person who got pulled over as I was leaving. Still... the fact that everyone does 40mph doesn't get my broke ass out of the ticket. The intent of the detector is to avoid this situation.

I just bought a house in the 'burbs and kept my job in Boston. I had forgotten the fact that small town cops usually have nothing else to do. Was I speeding? Sure. I guess I'm just not used to something so minor being worthy of a stop. I was basically idling in third gear down a long straight. From my experience, speeding tickets are extremely rare in Boston unless you're really being an ass.

[hqp921]

Originally posted by trickphoto

Good advice and already second nature. In this particular case, though, the advice is moot. The limit is 25mph on this road... The cruiser was very well concealed. I don't know anyone who actually does the speed limit on a 25mph backroad. Not me. Not the person who was leaving the speed trap as I got pulled over. Not the person who got pulled over as I was leaving. Still... the fact that everyone does it doesn't get my broke ass out of the ticket. The intent of the detector is to avoid this situation.

Small town cops are a situation that can never be avoided... If it's not speeding, it'll be something else.

FWIW, my craptastic detector (<$100) has saved me from several times. However, I was pulled over a couple weeks ago. Laser. RD never went off. And I wasn't being observant. My fault.

But if you want to go with the 'high-end' I'm with Iglu and you should go for the Bel - Best bang for your buck. (And that IS what you want, right?)

[RandyO]

one advantage of the V-1 is that is has both forward and rearward sensors, same range backward as forward and it alwo points to the direction where the signal is coming from

some say that the rear sensor is not necessary, I find a lot more small towns have bidirectional radar than lazer, and they play tag team antincs, and oncoming cop comes past you without his radar on then turns it on from behind and radios to another cop to pull you over

the Bel & Escort/Passport have longer range than the V-1 BUT
who cares about a signal 2½ miles away, a mile is more than enuf to slow down, infact, the longer range agrivates when you slow down muchg sooner than you need to

The V-1 also has a bogey counter so you know how many signals you are getting example, you get 2 hits, one cop goes by, you know there is still another on ahead

the V-1 is notorious for getting falses, but you learn from the sound which ones are false

the V-1 also has a magnesium case, not plastic so it's shielded from radar detector detectors

pricey at $400 + another $60 for the remote adaptor you need on a bike to plug an earphone in but well worth it IMHO

[TheIglu]

Having used the Valentine V1 (.5skwid's) on the way to NC in a truck in the middle of the night, I have to say it's nice to have the front/rear differentiation for the first 5 minutes or so, then you start to see how the signal gets stronger, peaks, then starts to fade. Yeah, that peak was when you passed the signal source.

My Bel has a rear detector, just not seperate. It also does multiple signals at a time if you would like to setup that way, including multiple bands at a time (X, K, KA, Laser all with seperate strengths at the same time). Also has the POP which has saved me twice already.

[slaps76]

I just got a $300 ticket in CT in my car. Guy got me from a good distance, I was paying attention and simply didn't see him under the bridge.

Are there any sites that have good deals on them, or should I just watch ebay?

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by slaps76
I just got a $300 ticket in CT in my car. Guy got me from a good distance, I was paying attention and simply didn't see him under the bridge.

Are there any sites that have good deals on them, or should I just watch ebay?

I got mine brand new from Ebay for $230. The seller said that since it doesn't have the Bel warranty from being purchased from an authorized dealer, he'd personally warranty it. I doubt he ever would though.

[slaps76]

I ended up just ordering the Bel RX65 from Ebay for $230 also. Seems like decent bang for the buck.

[ssg]

Following some of the members on here's experience I got an RX-65pro myself. Got it off radarbusters , I had read too many things on forums about the ebay units being refurbs and honestly I might have considered it, but it was an impulse buy and I didnt have enough time to skim through seedy ebayers and not

I don't really speed unacceptably anywhere in my truck or bikes. But I like to know when and where they are running radar just in case...I guess I use it more as a speeding reminder. If all my other senses fail, at least the Bel is online and remembering to keep an eye out.

I'm not going to be one of these hee haw's that is like "I bought it last week and its saved me 59,542 times!!" cause it hasn't, but...once or twice there were potentially questionable circumstances that I was more then impressed with its abilities.


I bought the Bel motorcycle earpiece too, well worth it IMO, fits perfect and doesen't go anywhere.



As far as your other questions, the best defense to laser is a Veil coating and some laser blinders or similar. A detector can tell you where and when, but most of the time as stated if your alone - your owned. Except in Maine, where they typically take shallow angles and long distances - which are the laser detectors friend. I think a reasonable expense (unless your ghost rider) would be a RD. The coatings and stuff, well...neat but prolly not worth it for you and I.

[SmokennFasTT]

just got my first tickit... he said i was going 55 in a 30... i kno i wasent speending.. im fighting that shit!

[kmobrien76]

I'd agree to that...the only time I ever was given an actual ticket in Boston was when I was 20 or so and we had 5 people in my Camaro, it's a 4 seater, so one had to go in the trunk and hold the hatch open a bit...that plus speeding = dumb move, citation 40 in a 30, funny thing was, when I went to appeal it, I happen to be wearing blue shorts and a blue shirt, apparently looked like a courier, so the lady magistrate says, sorta quietly, are you a courier, so I went with it, "yes I am" she says I know you have a hard job to do but slow it down, dismissed, hahaahaaa...bizarre...

Originally posted by trickphoto


From my experience, speeding tickets are extremely rare in Boston unless you're really being an ass.

[ZX-12R]

I run an 8500 X2 in blinged out blue. It is very good at reaching out and finding the law parked on the side of the road. I have always had ample warning with it and it has saved me a number of times. I haven't (that I've noticed) been tagged by laser while running it but the toll booths in Hampton NH always trigger my laser alert. When I turn on POP mode, I have found that the 8500 is a very good radar detector detector.

You really can't go wrong with the 8500 X2 or the Bel RX65. All the major tests show them to perform nearly identically which shouldn't be surprising since they are the same hardware.

Your best bet is to ride in a group where someone has an 8500, another has an RX65, and someone else has a V1.

[mikem317]

Whatever you get, make sure it's mounted properly. I had one in my Nissan, but it was just above the dash and I was probably getting only radar alerts from ants with Jugs guns.

I'm debating between the 8500 and the RX whatever it is.

Then again, I drive a Civic.

[ancosta]

>>Do you guys with quality RADAR detectors (escort 8500, Valentine V1, etc) find them useful enough to justify the expense?

Yes, it only has to work once where you would have gotten nailed, and it pays for itself.

>>Are they much use when "slabbing it?" (You're still vulnerable to cops using LIDAR, right?)

I only use it when slabbing it (in my pickup)

>> For those of you with recent tickets, did you get bagged by estimation, RADAR, or LIDAR?

1x was instant Ka by MSP, he got me because I was only car on road.

>> Is LIDAR becoming popular enough that radar detectors are much less use these days?

I think what is popular is cops making up whatever they think you were doing when they saw you visibly speeding, I think this has been going on as long as there have been speed limits.

>> Moochas grassy-ass.

Day nah da