[omgmike]

Does anyone still use radar detectors? I haven't had one in probably 20 years now, last one being an Escort Passport. If you do, what kind do you run and has it kept you out of trouble enough to make it worthwhile?

I wasn't sure if this belonged here or qualified as "electronics," so please move if it's in the wrong place, mods.

[micvite]

Originally Posted by omgmike

Does anyone still use radar detectors? I haven't had one in probably 20 years now, last one being an Escort Passport. If you do, what kind do you run and has it kept you out of trouble enough to make it worthwhile?

I wasn't sure if this belonged here or qualified as "electronics," so please move if it's in the wrong place, mods.

I used to have a k40 rl360 integrated with optix laser jammers on my dodge charger, moved it to my rx8 after it got totalled and now its sitting on my friends e55 amg, it has paid for itself many times in my care, and while I was the owner of the e55 for a while and has saved my friend numerous times from laser attacks (literally first trip he took to Connecticut with me to get a 335i e93, we were running late so I told him to give it some beans as it was 2 am and the road was straight and empty for miles) gets hit with laser I tell him to mash the brakes and we pass the cop without any issues. He asked what the heck just happened since he never heard that sound before and I explained it to him. That easily would've been a 1k ticket just there and it's saved him many more times.

[spuntyb]

I never have. I just keep my head on a swivel, as always, and do fine.

I might get a random ticket every couple years, but even then I seem to get them when I'm in traffic, and not doing anything crazy. Not sure I would benefit much from one, but who knows. I just never liked the aesthetics of having one sitting there in my windshield or wherever.

From what I've read, if you know how to use them, they seem to help, especially in certain areas.

[Hoonigan]

I still use my Escort Max360 and Valentine V1 Gen 1 in my cars.

I'll be upgrading to the V1 Gen 2 this year


The Radenzo Theia looks promising but has been delayed over a year with no new details

[shellbmb]

I still do as the local police leave their radar always on so it's very helpful. With that, Waze and just paying attention I think is plenty.

The Escort Redline 360c is pretty nice. Minimal false alarms and pretty slick. Also have a Uniden R7 which isn't bad, but a tad more noisy and less ergonomic.

Check out Vortex Radar for reviews. And like every other industry, hard to find product right now.

[micvite]

Originally Posted by spuntyb

I never have. I just keep my head on a swivel, as always, and do fine.

I might get a random ticket every couple years, but even then I seem to get them when I'm in traffic, and not doing anything crazy. Not sure I would benefit much from one, but who knows. I just never liked the aesthetics of having one sitting there in my windshield or wherever.

From what I've read, if you know how to use them, they seem to help, especially in certain areas.

Just get an integrated unit, it goes behind your bumper and you have different options for fitting either a small screen inside your car somewhere where you don't have to stare at it or in the case of k40 2 blue leds that you mount wherever you want (I typically put them in the dash) and one is for rear radar the other is for front radar so you don't have to have anything obstructing your view

[adeuel]

I used a V1 gen1 for over 20 years in all my cars.

Was too lazy to hardwire it in the '21, and have found that situational awareness and Waze seem to be working well enough.

If I was doing a lengthy all highway cannonball run of sorts, I would plug it in using the 12v socket. Did that last year in the Yukon going to NC from NY.

[pbonsalb]

I use Waze and a V1 Gen2. Laser exists but is not widespread in my state. Still, I am considering a jammer. There is only 1 that is any good today — I think it is ALP. Takes some time to install and they are several times the cost of a detector (which are not great at laser but if they get cars in front of you, they might give you time to react).

[AHall]

I have not used them for a very long time, but I also am not a big speeder. In Dallas, I have not experienced a lot of cops looking to write speeding tickets. Nearby Plano is another story.

[omgmike]

Originally Posted by AHall

I have not used them for a very long time, but I also am not a big speeder. In Dallas, I have not experienced a lot of cops looking to write speeding tickets. Nearby Plano is another story.

I grew up in Dallas proper and my Escort saved me a LOT, but I was also young and slightly more stupid than I am now, so there's that.

[WayneM3]

I was a V1 fan forever and replaced it with a Uniden R7 a few years ago and have never looked back. I sometimes think the R7 has something wrong with it because it picks up some radars from so far away that it seems impossible. For laser, it is pretty much useless but I also have Waze up to help. I do not use it all the time - just for longer trips and I use a BlendMount and MirrorTap for easy mounting and power - both highly recommended, if somewhat expensive for what they are. I just bought another BlendMount/MirrorTap for my brother's G30 and have to put it in this week.

[ambletx]

I was running a Max360c but got a ticket a few months ago and it didn't so much as blink. Put the 360 in the wife's car and got an R7. About a month after getting the R7 I was pulled over. Same thing, not even a blip from the R7. After doing some research I found that laser is HEAVILY used by both the city and county police where I live. I have to assume that both times I was pulled over (first was a ticket and the second was a warning) I was hit with laser. According to Vortex Radar (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgL...3XgAeLrEYp51sw) there is no detector out there that is effective against laser. His recommendation (as someone already stated above) was to run a detector and Waze together. From what I read, the officer has to be stationary to use laser. However, there still is a lot of Ka band being used by officers in my area and the detector has saved my a$$ a few times from that.

[m_fife]

I use a Uniden R7 with a blendmount and Waze. Detector tech has come a long way in 20 years. The ranges this thing alerts at is crazy at times! Saved me on more than one occasion.

[Egrunt]

I will say at least here in SOCAL (San Diego County) the traffic officers are using LIDAR (Laser). I have been a LEO for over 17 years and 12 of those years I have been assigned to the traffic division as a Motorcycle Officer commonly referred to as a Motor Officer. I use a LIDAR for speed enforcement. Even when it is on it is not sending out a signal until I raise it up to my field of view and aim at a vehicle and only when I press the trigger the LIDAR is activated and speed is recorded almost instantly. When you take into account perception and reaction time the speed is already recorded on the LIDAR unit if you have device that alerts you to laser being used. The picture below is from a vehicle that was traveling 103 mph on a 55 mph roadway. He had a device to detect laser but I already had his speed and about 2 seconds after achieving the speed he applied the brakes hard (front end nose dive) but once again the speed was already locked in. At least in California laser jammers are still illegal so that is not an option here. I don't how it is outside the state of California but once an officer attends RADAR and LIDAR school those officer's are then considered experts in visual speed estimation and speeding tickets can be given by the officers using visual speed estimation. The courts states the officer can be within plus or minus 5 mph.

I would research your local area if officers can issue a speed ticket on visual speed estimation and if so I would not waste my money on a jammer. This applies for those that want to drive in the triple digit territory.

[ambletx]

Originally Posted by Egrunt

I will say at least here in SOCAL (San Diego County) the traffic officers are using LIDAR (Laser). I have been a LEO for over 17 years and 12 of those years I have been assigned to the traffic division as a Motorcycle Officer commonly referred to as a Motor Officer. I use a LIDAR for speed enforcement. Even when it is on it is not sending out a signal until I raise it up to my field of view and aim at a vehicle and only when I press the trigger the LIDAR is activated and speed is recorded almost instantly. When you take into account perception and reaction time the speed is already recorded on the LIDAR unit if you have device that alerts you to laser being used. The picture below is from a vehicle that was traveling 103 mph on a 55 mph roadway. He had a device to detect laser but I already had his speed and about 2 seconds after achieving the speed he applied the brakes hard (front end nose dive) but once again the speed was already locked in. At least in California laser jammers are still illegal so that is not an option here. I don't how it is outside the state of California but once an officer attends RADAR and LIDAR school those officer's are then considered experts in visual speed estimation and speeding tickets can be given by the officers using visual speed estimation. The courts states the officer can be within plus or minus 5 mph.

I would research your local area if officers can issue a speed ticket on visual speed estimation and if so I would not waste my money on a jammer. This applies for those that want to drive in the triple digit territory.

Thank you for that amazing insight!!! Yeah, the time I got a ticket was from a motorcycle police officer and the warning was from an officer in his patrol car.

[AHall]

Originally Posted by Egrunt

I will say at least here in SOCAL (San Diego County) the traffic officers are using LIDAR (Laser). I have been a LEO for over 17 years and 12 of those years I have been assigned to the traffic division as a Motorcycle Officer commonly referred to as a Motor Officer. I use a LIDAR for speed enforcement. Even when it is on it is not sending out a signal until I raise it up to my field of view and aim at a vehicle and only when I press the trigger the LIDAR is activated and speed is recorded almost instantly. When you take into account perception and reaction time the speed is already recorded on the LIDAR unit if you have device that alerts you to laser being used. The picture below is from a vehicle that was traveling 103 mph on a 55 mph roadway. He had a device to detect laser but I already had his speed and about 2 seconds after achieving the speed he applied the brakes hard (front end nose dive) but once again the speed was already locked in. At least in California laser jammers are still illegal so that is not an option here. I don't how it is outside the state of California but once an officer attends RADAR and LIDAR school those officer's are then considered experts in visual speed estimation and speeding tickets can be given by the officers using visual speed estimation. The courts states the officer can be within plus or minus 5 mph.

I would research your local area if officers can issue a speed ticket on visual speed estimation and if so I would not waste my money on a jammer. This applies for those that want to drive in the triple digit territory.

Wow I wonder what was the amount of his or her fine.

[DDD31]

Haven’t used a radar detector in years till I got this car. Currently running a Uniden R7.

The Uniden R7 has saved me once already when I was ahem giving the car an Italian tune-up on nearby country roads. Got a Ka band alert well over a mile in advance, thought it was a false alarm considering the location. After coming out of light speed and decelerating to granny speeds I passed a sheriff’s car hiding in the trees. Don’t even want to think what kind of ticket I would have received if I didn’t have the radar detector.

[omgmike]

Originally Posted by ambletx

I was running a Max360c but got a ticket a few months ago and it didn't so much as blink. Put the 360 in the wife's car and got an R7. About a month after getting the R7 I was pulled over. Same thing, not even a blip from the R7. After doing some research I found that laser is HEAVILY used by both the city and county police where I live. I have to assume that both times I was pulled over (first was a ticket and the second was a warning) I was hit with laser. According to Vortex Radar (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgL...3XgAeLrEYp51sw) there is no detector out there that is effective against laser. His recommendation (as someone already stated above) was to run a detector and Waze together. From what I read, the officer has to be stationary to use laser. However, there still is a lot of Ka band being used by officers in my area and the detector has saved my a$$ a few times from that.

We live in the same city, so good to know.

[jc05e46m3]

Absolutely

[omgmike]

Originally Posted by jc05e46m3

Absolutely

What's your flavor?

[jc05e46m3]

Originally Posted by omgmike

What's your flavor?

I have an old escort MAX. Scout tint fit an upgrade but it does the job well so I've put it off many times

[josec70]

Radenso Pro-M .. small, good range and does a great job preventing BSM falses. Very quiet radar.