All about RADAR detectors

paton.h · Jul 19, 2015

Years ago I had a radar detector and it saved me quite a few times (except for 1). I just purchased a Cobra xrs 9640 (model no longer made) for $50 on ebay and it works great and I'm happy to have one again. It's not an Escort Redline or anything but it works.

So, with that being said, in this thread explain what radar detector you use (or reason why you don't use on) and stories on how it saved you some ca$h.

:favorites13:

Indaram · Jul 19, 2015

Ok, im going to be THAT GUY in this thread LOL... In my opinion.. Radar detectors are a wast of cash these days. Most cops now have and use Lidar/Laser and all a radar detector is gonna do for you when hit with those is tell you that you're getting a ticket. Laser shifters will help with this but are illegal in some area's.

I have owned the Redline you mentioned and every alert in my area was false minus the 1 time it went off when i got hit with a laser. Maybe the radar detectors are still good in area's where the Leo's still use radar though...

It cracks me up when I drive by people and they have them hanging dead center in their window and they are pointed up in the sky or down towards their dash.. I mean.. if you have one at least mount it level so it has a clear sight through the back and front of your car LOL!

Again, this is my opinion so take it for what you will..

Rzrman328 · Jul 19, 2015

I don't really speed around anymore but when I had my is350 or srt8 my V1 saved my hide more times than I can count.

Bird · Jul 19, 2015

I use the Cobra SPX 5400, and I can't stand it. It's got it's 'safety' warnings that are never accurate; not to mention every false alarm mentionable. I mainly use it for long road trips now. I use it to save me in case my foot gets heavy on those long roads.

sbarron · Jul 19, 2015

i have the Escort 9500ix it's great once the GPS learns to not throw so many false alarms. Very little LIDAR here in Alaska, but I've been suddenly blasted by an instant on set by surprise and nearly ALL law enforcement her uses Ka band instant on. I really own one just to lower the odds of being the one car they pull over out of the line of traffic going 10 or 15 over the speed limit.

Best advice is to not make yourself the standout target. Don't be the fastest, most aggressive vehicle in sight. Let someone else be the first one the officer sees.

SlowRoller · Jul 20, 2015

Back in the day, I used to use one. Once in a while you could pick up a cop quite a ways a head, but It was the most reliable for letting me know I was about to get a ticket.

Probably the worst problem was the false sense of security I developed,,, I ended up driving fast '24/7, no matter what',,,

Canadian_Ram · Jul 20, 2015

Escort 9500ix, No such thing as a false alarm after a year or two driving with the GPS to lock them out. If it goes off it's an Officer.

Saves me on the long and straight Montana and Alberta highways almost every trip if we are being honest. I don't leave home without it.

TruckNut · Jul 20, 2015

I use a V1 and really don't speed. It's mainly there to remind me not to. Too many distractions.

Kap1 · Jul 20, 2015

New radar of our modern days is called Waze app on your smart phone, very accurate around busy freeways and highways

Radar detectors are still helpful to detect cruisers driving around... But useless against speed traps

RCFiddyOne · Jul 20, 2015

I live in an area where radar detectors are illegal and honestly, I think it made me a better driver. I've learned to "read" traffic better and watch other drivers more closely. Brake lights up ahead for no reason....sure sign someone saw something so let me ease off the gas a bit. Dude in the left lane doing 20 over.....I will let him get a few hundred yards ahead and match his speed all while keeping an eye in my rearview. Wide open road....STAY OUT OF THE FAST LANE. Can't tell you how many times I've avoided a conversation on the side of the road by just using the left lane for passing only.

atc06jh · Jul 20, 2015

Well, a radar detector won't do much this day and time. A Laser will pick you up from 4000+ feet away, I know this for a fact. And when a Laser hits you, the speed is already sent back to the Laser when your "detector" is going off so you're had (and the "margin for error is 2 inches). A $50 "detector" vs a $4,000+ piece of equipment, which one works better ya think? And FYI, when I see one in the window or the cable where you've tried to hide it, automatic ticket for whatever speed I checked you at!!! Why crack down on speeding? Well look at what happened in Tennessee the other day. Dude shot up the military recruiting office, then SPED to the Marines Base and killed 4. So the next time you want to "save" someone a ticket by flashing your lights, think about WHY that person may be speeding. They may have just robbed a bank, shot up someone walking down the street, shot up a school/hospital/old work place. MAYBE they just robbed YOUR house or a loved one or hurt your loved one and they are speeding away from the scene. Just some food for thought there when you see us trying to catch those speeding and bad mouth us.

And yes, I have 5% tint, but I don't stop people for that or write them for it. But I also am a target at red lights or anywhere now in uniform...

Rzrman328 · Jul 20, 2015

Again...I've had my V1 for 9+ years now and it does pick up LIDAR. And I HAVE received tickets while running it. One of which was given by airplane while residing in crapyfornia while in the Marines. The other was photo radar on the side of the mountain in northern az.

Anyways, not all LE agency's have the funding to afford LIDAR etc ($4000) equipment and are using your basic (common) RADAR devices.

With that being said, I try not to speed anymore like I use to in my younger days but I still run my radar, almost 99% of the time cops are using Ka band where I travel. I use it as a reminder to watch my speed but also I just like being aware of my surroundings.

I DO NOT condone speeding but if you are going to be that guy, have a good, quality radar detector(not the $50 type) and you can possibly avoid those hefty fines, points on your license.

sbarron · Jul 21, 2015

atc06jh said:
Well, a radar detector won't do much this day and time. A Laser will pick you up from 4000+ feet away, I know this for a fact. And when a Laser hits you, the speed is already sent back to the Laser when your "detector" is going off so you're had (and the "margin for error is 2 inches). A $50 "detector" vs a $4,000+ piece of equipment, which one works better ya think? And FYI, when I see one in the window or the cable where you've tried to hide it, automatic ticket for whatever speed I checked you at!!! Why crack down on speeding? Well look at what happened in Tennessee the other day. Dude shot up the military recruiting office, then SPED to the Marines Base and killed 4. So the next time you want to "save" someone a ticket by flashing your lights, think about WHY that person may be speeding. They may have just robbed a bank, shot up someone walking down the street, shot up a school/hospital/old work place. MAYBE they just robbed YOUR house or a loved one or hurt your loved one and they are speeding away from the scene. Just some food for thought there when you see us trying to catch those speeding and bad mouth us.

And yes, I have 5% tint, but I don't stop people for that or write them for it. But I also am a target at red lights or anywhere now in uniform...

Wow!

While I applaud your service, (and that of others), if I had the idea that I personally was a target I'd find another line of work.

I don't disagree with you "catching those speeding", but it seems like you have already escalated the situation if you have the mindset that the speeders "are speeding away from the scene"

Again, don't take offence because none is intended, but IMO your post was a little over-the-top for this discussion.

preachp · Jul 21, 2015

Hi All,

atc06jh said:
Well, a radar detector won't do much this day and time. A Laser will pick you up from 4000+ feet away, I know this for a fact. And when a Laser hits you, the speed is already sent back to the Laser when your "detector" is going off so you're had (and the "margin for error is 2 inches). A $50 "detector" vs a $4,000+ piece of equipment, which one works better ya think? And FYI, when I see one in the window or the cable where you've tried to hide it, automatic ticket for whatever speed I checked you at!!! Why crack down on speeding? Well look at what happened in Tennessee the other day. Dude shot up the military recruiting office, then SPED to the Marines Base and killed 4. So the next time you want to "save" someone a ticket by flashing your lights, think about WHY that person may be speeding. They may have just robbed a bank, shot up someone walking down the street, shot up a school/hospital/old work place. MAYBE they just robbed YOUR house or a loved one or hurt your loved one and they are speeding away from the scene. Just some food for thought there when you see us trying to catch those speeding and bad mouth us.

And yes, I have 5% tint, but I don't stop people for that or write them for it. But I also am a target at red lights or anywhere now in uniform...

Now that we've heard your side how about the other side that you so conveniently ignored. Hos about a person is working out of state and they get the call that their mom is in the hospital because of heart problems, so they are trying to get there before they die. How about you just got a call from your wife and your son was riding his bike and he went off a cliff. How about you just got called by the police and your wife was involved in a MVA and she is in critical care.
While I respect your point of view I think that you are way over the line and you have completely ignored reasons that most sane and normal people would react to by trying to get to where they needed to be for family in any number of emergencies. There ARE legitimate reasons for needing to get somewhere fast, and the decent trooper did not write me a ticket he escorted me to the state line and then radioed the next state and they also escorted me.
Sometimes things are not that black and white.

preachp

joshjack · Jul 21, 2015

Well, I'm not a street racer trying to set the next cannonball run record or anything; but I do like to set my cruise and go when I'm on a cross country trip.

For that reason I've been using the Cobra iRadar for the last few years. Unlike the Escort 9500iX, there is no subscription fee. Your mobile phone pairs with the radar detector via bluetooth, and the mobile app has a constantly updated GPS database of both known locations and user reported locations. Very similar to Waze and Trapster - BIGGEST complaint is that I wish it would just integrate directly with either Waze or Trapster.

This unit DOES pick up LIDAR - and you can generally get some LIDAR bounces off the cars in front of you long before you get there. It's really good at picking up X and K band bounces off the cars coming around a bend...

I have mine cleanly mounted to my mirror with custom wiring harness:

All about RADAR detectors

paton.h

Member

Indaram

Senior Member

Rzrman328

Senior Member

Bird

Senior Member

sbarron

Senior Member

SlowRoller

Senior Member

Canadian_Ram

Senior Member

TruckNut

Senior Member

Kap1

Ex Ram 1500 2013 owner

RCFiddyOne

Senior Member

atc06jh

Senior Member

Rzrman328

Senior Member

sbarron

Senior Member

preachp

Senior Member

joshjack

Member

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