Is a radar/laser detector worth the cost?

[5hift]

I have seen a few threads about radar/laser and most have been about what they are capable of, costs, etc. What I wanted to hear, was from people who actually use them on a daily basis. I was wondering if youve found that it has helped in avoiding tickets or if its really not worth the cost as cops dont just sit there with their radar on etc.

And if there is any specific brands/models that you would recomend as well.

[Ben]

In the city...pfft, absolutly not, if you drive within Calgary most of the time dont waste your money, all they do is make noise over nothing. Since cops in Calgary pretty much only use laser, all your paying for is an advanced warning on the fact you just got a ticket and when they pull you over and see that you have one, you just tossed your chance of a break out the window. That or the blatantly obvious photo radar vans, and if you need a radar detector for those, you shouldn't be driving, if you're not paying enough attention to see one of them, you're surely not paying enough attention to drive. They are however great on the highway, where cops generally use radar from inside their moving vehicles, or parked on the road, leaving it on, instead of laser. So if you drive a lot through the mountains, or out east, they can be of benefit provided you buy a decent one. Valentine 1, passports etc.

Keep in mind they're illegal in other provinces.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by Ben
Keep in mind they're illegal in other provinces.

Clarification:


In Canada, Radar Detectors are legal to use in province of AB, BC, SK and are illegal in NB, MB, ON, QC, NS, NL, PE, NT, YT, NU.

from http://www.canadaradars.com/

[googe]

ben pretty much hit the nail on the head. id just like to add that photo radar vans emit such a low powered signal that there is 0 advanced warning for them in all cases ive seen, making them even more useless in the city.

mine has paid for itself on the highway for sure though. but, dont cheap out.

actually another thing, although the laser detection may seem useless since if it goes off it means they already got you, there are times when you can still save yourself. for example, if there is a cleverly hidden speed trap way up ahead, you get sniped with the laser, and there happens to be an exit or alternate route between you and the speed trap.

[SWX]

I would have to agree in the city not worth it but on the highway YES for sure mine has saved me numerus times, you just have use it right. not following too close so the detector can "see" the road in front of you and that sort of thing.

[B17a]

:werd: To Ben. That is bang on. I only use mine for highways now. It's been at least 5 or more years since I saw a city cop using radar and not laser.

[jjjheimer]

To solve the city laser problem you need to consider something like the Lidatek. I've got a front and rear Lidatek system that's been quite effective in countering laser traps. I've also got a Bel 985i which is a bit older, but very good at alerting me to the presence of photo-radar. In fact I've never had a photo-radar ticket while using it. The Bel has paid for its many times over, the lidatek needs a couple more kills to make it a worth while investment. Highway driving involves some tactics to ensure you're not going to get pulled over. Familiarity with the road plays a big part.

[R-Audi]

I have an older V1, and I leave it on all the time. The only place it goes nutz is downtown, and right by the Back Alley.
It does pick up the photo radar vehicles, but just as a small beep, but thats a beep that wouldnt normally be there.
If you know the area;s you drive in the will save you, and on the highway its almost a given!

But as others have said, dont cheap out!! ( I would go V1 or nothing.. My Dad has the Escort 8500 and I still prefer and think the V1 is better!)

[brandon]

Originally posted by R-Audi
I have an older V1, and I leave it on all the time. The only place it goes nutz is downtown, and right by the Back Alley.
It does pick up the photo radar vehicles, but just as a small beep, but thats a beep that wouldnt normally be there.
If you know the area;s you drive in the will save you, and on the highway its almost a given!

But as others have said, dont cheap out!! ( I would go V1 or nothing.. My Dad has the Escort 8500 and I still prefer and think the V1 is better!)

Bah, I had the v1 and I loved it. But I got the 8500 and it is permently on as it's hardwired into my car and I think it out performs the v1!!.

I think the 8500 is TThuper... :rofl:

[Drew]

My brother upgraded to the 8500 and gave me his V1, i've been on the highway a ton this summer and it has saved me countless times over. If you highway drive alot you should get one, even at 140 it helps.

[JAYMEZ]

I have my V1 and its pretty useful , ive given up speeding now , im to afraid ill blow my engine :rofl: ... But the funny thing is , everytime i go by the Tim Hortons by Ernest manning the radar goes CRAAAZYY , I thought it was kinda funny :D

[googe]

you guys saying yours picks up photo radar, do you mean in advance? cause mine goes off once im in their path, but then its obviously too late. do you actually get advanced warning on photo? i have an 8500 too

[becks_is_back]

DEFINATLY GET ONE! but you get exactly what you pay for the escourt radar detectors work FLIPPIN AWESOME!

[MiG_Master]

I have a Valentine One as well, and I get about 50-75 meters of warning on photoradar vans, even if I don't know the area. In Edmonton, I have driven (slowly) past speed traps that used X-band, K-band and Ka-band. The ghost cars all use Ka-band, and the traffic cars have it always on, making detection easy. The few times I have driven past a laser trap in the city, I have had plenty of warning. The one cavet to detection is that it relies on bounce from the cars in front of you. If you are in the lead, the first warning you get is from the signal that catches you.

Edit: Greatest feature I forgot to mention about the Valentine is the arrows telling what direction the radar is coming from. Can't do without it.

[soupey]

ive got a lower end radar that has saved me numerous times on the highway, definately worth it outside teh city, it DOES work in teh city but youll also get a ton of false alarms from security systems and auto door openers on some stores...

[Gurpy]

On the highway how much warning do you have?

[HRD2PLZ]

From the reviews I have read on a couple different websites, it seems the general concensus is that the V1 is better than the 8500, which is still a great unit. I had a V1 years ago but leant it to someone whom I apparently never leant it to :rolleyes:
So, I was debating wether I should give the 8500 a try or stick to the "tired and true" V1 :dunno: The ricer in me thinks the 8500 is a much sleeker unit, and is availanble in blue led display :D

[Weapon_R]

Do your research - despite what the majority of guys will tell you, the Passport 8500 is a better unit from what i've read. It's pretty neck and neck, but the slight advantage goes to the Passport IMO.

[brodmeister]

Originally posted by googe
...actually another thing, although the laser detection may seem useless since if it goes off it means they already got you....

Thats Not True At All.... All My Friends Ask Me That. And The Example I Give Them Is Pull Into A Wal-Mart Parking lot. As soon as you get into the parking lot my bel goes off from the doors. So my radar is picking up the radar fragments. But even if the detector is going off, the doors will not open on the front of the wal-mart enless i step directly into the bath of the beam, which is right above the door.

you can pick up fragments of a x and k band from (most times) up to 3km away before they can get a reading on you.

So for the Highway, GET A RADAR DETECTOR NOW!

But for the city, don't, I've got 4 tickets in calgary alone (2 On Crowchild in Front Of MRC) (1 on 16th ave off deerfoot by the trailer park) (and memorial down 130km/hr in my old 83 buick century)

ps. is there anywhere online that shows where radar traps/are in calgary? i know i found a cheapest gas in town website but nothing for radar/checkstops

[Skyline_Addict]

Originally posted by brodmeister




ps. is there anywhere online that shows where radar traps/are in calgary? i know i found a cheapest gas in town website but nothing for radar/checkstops

the calgary police website has this info somewhere.

[MiG_Master]

Originally posted by brodmeister


Thats Not True At All.... All My Friends Ask Me That. And The Example I Give Them Is Pull Into A Wal-Mart Parking lot. As soon as you get into the parking lot my bel goes off from the doors. So my radar is picking up the radar fragments. But even if the detector is going off, the doors will not open on the front of the wal-mart enless i step directly into the bath of the beam, which is right above the door.

you can pick up fragments of a x and k band from (most times) up to 3km away before they can get a reading on you.

So for the Highway, GET A RADAR DETECTOR NOW!

But for the city, don't, I've got 4 tickets in calgary alone (2 On Crowchild in Front Of MRC) (1 on 16th ave off deerfoot by the trailer park) (and memorial down 130km/hr in my old 83 buick century)

ps. is there anywhere online that shows where radar traps/are in calgary? i know i found a cheapest gas in town website but nothing for radar/checkstops
You're answering a laser detection question with a radar detection example. Radar is picked up easier and further away for a number of reasons. The first being that radar bounces all over the place, reflecting off of cars, dividers, even a steep hillside will refect some radar. Also, radar braodcasts further than it's detectable range, as a usable singal has to have enough strength to bounce back to the source.
Laser is quite different. First, laser is always operated, and ther operator usually has the laser off until he has the car sighted, then he hits it. Second, lasers do not spread out or bounce as well as radar, leaving less time for detection. For advance warning, the laser has to reflect off the car in front/beside you, come through the windows of the car ahead, or be waved onto your car by a shaky laser mount. In almost all cases, if you are hit with a full strength laser for more than a few seconds, you're busted.
I've been lasered 4 times in Edmonton. In 2 cases I wasn't speeding, but if I was I wouldd've been busted. In one case I had slight advance warning and was able to slow down. In the last case, I was speeding and out infront, so no advance warning=ticket.

[googe]

Originally posted by brodmeister


Thats Not True At All.... All My Friends Ask Me That. And The Example I Give Them Is Pull Into A Wal-Mart Parking lot. As soon as you get into the parking lot my bel goes off from the doors. So my radar is picking up the radar fragments. But even if the detector is going off, the doors will not open on the front of the wal-mart enless i step directly into the bath of the beam, which is right above the door.

you can pick up fragments of a x and k band from (most times) up to 3km away before they can get a reading on you.

So for the Highway, GET A RADAR DETECTOR NOW!

But for the city, don't, I've got 4 tickets in calgary alone (2 On Crowchild in Front Of MRC) (1 on 16th ave off deerfoot by the trailer park) (and memorial down 130km/hr in my old 83 buick century)

ps. is there anywhere online that shows where radar traps/are in calgary? i know i found a cheapest gas in town website but nothing for radar/checkstops

notice i said LASER :nut:

[BigMass]

i've had an 8500 x50 for 6 months and what it's given me for that time is just a lot of noise. Never once has it saved me. A lot of times it went off when i hit by laser. Lucky i wasn’t speeding or else i would have received a ticket anyways. Drove by a few multinova and didnt even notice it go off. I kinda wish i just had my $500 back because this thing isn’t worth the ½ lb that’s weighing down my car.

[Khyron]

I have a bell 985 hardwired. I turned off X and K bands, and it rarely gives false chips now. But I drove through a multinova trap a few times just for testing since it was on Bow trail and traffic was light. If I was first, there was NO warning since it shoots forwards (towards your rear) and is so narrow it goes off exactly like laser. If there was other cars in front I got a warning chirp once but not every time.

I haven't been nailed in BC yet, but I haven't been zapped yet either. With my old detector, the cops were always using KA instant on and I had no warning (first car in the pack).

Khyron

[pinoyhero]

In the city they are pretty much useless but on the hwy I've been saved quite a few times. Tickets are steep as is, will only take you a few saves to pay off.

[GTS Jeff]

I've noticed that horn honks set off the laser warning on the 8500.

[MiG_Master]

Horn honks? That's kinda funny.
I have noticed that some of the newer vechiles with reverse assist, the ones that warn you when you're gonna nail something backing up, they use something which sets off the laser detector if you get too close.

[Khyron]

Boston Pizza and Hooters set mine off when I park there.

Khyron

[brodmeister]

this is the website i was talking about

http://www.calgarygasprices.com


We need something like this to list prices for audio companants