Custom Radar Detector... no idea how to use it

[eightsandaces]

I'd like to know how a laser jammer really helps, if the officer chases you he can simply cite you for other reasons.

[CenterIsl]

I had this same K40 on a previous car (an SC430) which I purchased in SF and drove straight through the night home to Seattle. It was my first detector, and it alerted me 3 time on the trip. I average more than 75 mph for the entire trip - including fuel and pit stops - and was typically going 80 to 90 on those long stretches with very little traffic. It definitely saved me a couple of tickets. Great to have something built-in, but I left it off unless doing a significant highway drive. FWIW, the other knob is for City / Highway modes.

My new experience is with a Passport 9500ix, which I got for a great price via a group buy on PlanetPorsche. I've only had it a week, and haven't taken any highspeed highway trips - just driving around town in my GX (secure when locked, and the lighter plug powers off unlike the Boxster) getting used to the signals. Damn, the thing is chatty. The GPS feature is driving me bat**************** - Seattle has quite a few tunnels and stacked roadway situations, and the damn thins is always saying "GPS signal lost" and then "GPS signal acquired". I can't turn that off without turning off all the other voice alerts like "Red Light camera in 500 feet". Or turning of the GPS feature itself, which kind of defeats the purpose of buying the high end model.

[Viper5]

Buy junk I mean a few things:

1. Does not give indication in reasonalbe time to slow down (few hundred feet at best)
2. Gives too many falses (signals that aren't real)
3. May not give indication at all for laser (depending on model)
4. Leaks (causes other good high quality detectors to get false reading)
5. Hurts your chances of getting a ticket more than helps (not effective and allows cops to see it)


If you want the detector to find out where speed traps are, then you will need to get a gps unit. These units are preprogrammed with spots already so that it can let you know of past speed trap locations. At least for the Escort 9500ix, it will also let you mark locations as points of interest. These can be speedtraps, speed cameras, or anything else you would want to remember so that you will be alerted to next time you are in the vicinity. The Cobra 9960g also has gps capability which works in a similar way in addition to the Bel GX-65. Out of those three, Escort is definitely the best. However I use a Valentine one. This does not have gps capability, but has the best range to any detector on the market. I would rather get better range even if it goes off more often in the city. Escort is also good because it now has the ability to learn where false signals are by gps location. If you pass the same signal three times in a row, it will cancel it out in the future and not go off. Of course, this option can be turned off, but it does make for a much quiter detector. I just don't like relying on the autolearn feature since it may not go off when a real threat is near.



EightsandAces,

An officer won't chase you for no reason (by law). Therefore, if he doesn't have your speed, you aren't swirving through traffic, and you don't flick him off, then he won't chase you. If you use a laser jammer, then it will temporarily prevent the officer from obtaining your speed so you can slow down to a safer speed in case you were speeding. Thus, if he doesn't have your speed, he can't get you for speeding. The jammers only work for laser though, since a good detector should alert you well before you get near to the radar gun (so long as there are other vehicles on the road that he has been targeting). This is why radar detector and laser jammer is best (legal in most states) combo.

[ChefCarnivore]

Viper,

Thanks for the info. Is it true that no state or local gov can make owning a radar detector illegal? Does this violate a federal law or right?

Virginia makes a big deal in telling you that radar detectors are against the law.
Yet I thought I saw them for sale at Sears and other stores located in Virginia. What gives?

I'm in North Carolina and as for as I know they are OK here.

On the GPS thing, how do they get the data base for these locations. Are they public info or is there a fleet of people driving around looking for them?

[schnellman]

A quick search of the web indicates from numerous sources that the only state where the use of radar detectors is illegal is Virginia. A lawyer friend from Virginia tells me they will prosecute. Detectors are also illegal in D.C. Jammers are legal in most, but not all states.

[Viper5]

Chef,

I'm sure a government can do whatever they want, such as outlaw possession of marijuana, however to my knowledge there is no state which outlaws the purchase and ownership of a radar detector in the US. The states that do make it illegal, however use these devices which actually detect your detector. The common brand is spectre, and they just released the version 4. There are certain radar detectors that are designed specifically for stealth, such as Bel Sti Driver and can prevent these detector detectors from detecting your detector . Also, there are several ways to hook up your detector in your vehicle so that it is hiding which many people opt to do.

As far as gps goes, I'm not sure how they get a database for speed traps since that seems like something a officer uses at his own discretion (maybe people reporting these sites)? Either way, you could always manually mark a location that you think needs attention so you will be notified as you approach it next time. I do believe that there is a public database which reveals locations where red light cameras and speed cameras are. This is pre programmed into the detector and for a subscription fee ($10 for 1 year with escort) you can have access to their server which updates regularly for the newly added locations.

Shnellman is correct. Detectors are illegal in Washington DC and Virginia. There are other states which don't allow any devices on your windshield as they "obstruct your vision." These are not limited to radar detectors but other devices such as gps, notepad, or anything else. The states which currently enforce this law are Minnesota, California, and New York.

[kerplunk]

Just an update on this... they said it was a K40, but could not give me anymore information about which one it actually was. So, thanks for the advice and stuff

So, it's not even worth it to turn it on then?

[schnellman]

[QUOTE=Viper5]Chef,

"I'm sure a government can do whatever they want, such as outlaw possession of marijuana, however to my knowledge there is no state which outlaws the purchase and ownership of a radar detector in the US."

Purchase and possession of a radar detector in Virginia is not illegal. It's the use of one that's illegal. Don't expect it to make sense. Here in Ohio it is legal to buy, sell, or possess fireworks of all sorts. But, it's illegal to set them off. When you buy them you fill out a form telling them where (outside of Ohio of course) you intend to use them. Gotta love those state legislators.