radar detectors

[Jeph]

Originally Posted by ukchris

Personally I really [like] the arrows, I like knowing if I'm heading towards the threat or away from it. I even had them save me once...

Technially, the arrows didn't save you, it was the detection. Arrows satisfy a curiosity.

When it indicates Ka band is near, is there ever a direction it points to that prohibits one from slowing down?

[ukchris]

Originally Posted by Jeph

Technially, the arrows didn't save you, it was the detection. Arrows satisfy a curiosity.

When it indicates Ka band is near, is there ever a direction it points to that prohibits one from slowing down?

Without the arrows I might have reasonably assumed the alert was from the cruiser that exited the highway and might have accelerated, with the arrows it was clear the alert was still behind me.

[RandallNeighbour]

The rear arrow really came in handy yesterday with me too. I got a forward reading that was just a beep or two and then it went dead. I slowed to the speed limit, and he was sitting on my right side on the shoulder. I crept past him with everyone else and maintained my speed, thinking he might be pacing me back a bit without the radar to get me "the old fashioned way."

Then he started turning his radar on and off to monitor the oncoming traffic, which I saw had a rear arrow lit.

Now if I didn't have those arrows, I would have been looking for another threat ahead of me because he was out of sight in my rear view mirror.

After seeing Wonko's pictures, I wonder if I could tear down my V1 and solder wires to the front and rear sensors and move them the front sensor to the back of my mirror and the rear sensor to the top of my mirror and put the remote down to the top of my shift column and the rest of the box under the dash. Anyone thought of this, tried this, or decided it was a crappy idea?

[Wonko The Sane]

That is exactly the kind of thing that I planning on doing if I bought a V1... what I came up with:

Obviously, this void any and all warranties from valentine. Not that this is a huge concern, normally, but one of the selling points of a valentine was that they get to be upgraded. This wouldn't allow that to happen, which could potentially get you stuck with an outdated detector.

The other thing that I couldn't verify at the time: How sensitive are these devices to external interference? I would imagine that extending the antenna to the reciever like that would open it up to all kinds of interference. In the Beltronics one, the whole sensor assembly is actually built into the front radar detector, and then only the output (that triggers the band and led displays) is run back to a very small display piece. I don't believe that the display piece in the dash does any of the processing.

Just some food for thought...

[Jeph]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Then he started turning his radar on and off to monitor the oncoming traffic, which I saw had a rear arrow lit.

Now if I didn't have those arrows, I would have been looking for another threat ahead of me because he was out of sight in my rear view mirror.

Since the arrow was pointing behind you, did you speed back up to your cruising speed? No, you probably waited until the signal was gone, right?

Again, it satisfies curiosity. Arrows aren't saving. If you are in range of a threat, you lay low -regardless of where the signal was.

Think of a smoke detector and imagine if it had arrows. It goes off. Do you exit the burning building, or do you check forward, to the sides, or behind for smoke?

I dig the V1. I'd probably have one if it wasn't so ugly (what can I say, I'm a designer -and my X50 hasn't let me down yet). I'm curious as to the source of the signal. But the fact is, it alerts, you slow down. Not "where is it, should I slow down." Maybe my point is one of semantics. Is this making sense to anyone?

[Wonko The Sane]

Originally Posted by Jeph

But the fact is, it alerts, you slow down. Not "where is it, should I slow down." Maybe my point is one of semantics. Is this making sense to anyone?

That's exactly my take on it too Basically, regardless of direction, if my little Beeper goes off, my arse is suddenly going the speedlimit I assume that if I'm in radar-range, I'm in visual range, and I behave when johnny-law is around..

[ukchris]

Originally Posted by Jeph

Think of a smoke detector and imagine if it had arrows. It goes off. Do you exit the burning building, or do you check forward, to the sides, or behind for smoke?

If my smoke detector had arrows I'd make sure I took the most appropriate exit to avoid the fire, unless there was an obvious and immediate exit available of course

At the end of the day it's all personal preference and I think we all have a tendency to justify what we have to ourselves. The best defense is to drive at or under the speed limit of course but let's avoid that option for now at least!

My V1 came with my car, if it hadn't I might very well still be driving with no radar detector to be honest.

[RandallNeighbour]

Originally Posted by Jeph

Since the arrow was pointing behind you, did you speed back up to your cruising speed? No, you probably waited until the signal was gone, right?

Again, it satisfies curiosity. Arrows aren't saving. If you are in range of a threat, you lay low -regardless of where the signal was.

I concur and you make all kinds of sense about the arrows alone. However, the arrows allow me to get back up to my driving speed when I can easily see that an oncoming cop has passed me and is well behind me shooting others. If I always had a visual, it wouldn't be important, but many times, especially at night, I do not have a visual sighting and the arrows are very good about telling me that the threat has passed and I can run it back up to 80 and set the cruise control again.

With previous detectors, it was an intuitive move on my part to do this. Now I can verify my intuition and have a little more peace of mind.

So do the arrows actually prevent a ticket? Mr. Valentine would probably argue yes... I would say the arrows bring a far greater awareness of who is where. The other option the V1 has over all other detectors (if I'm not mistaken) is the bogey counter. Knowing there are two or more threats ahead, combined with the arrows WILL do you some good and save you from getting a ticket. That has happened to me personally and I can attest to it. I jammed on the brakes to avoid an unmarked car with laser, all the while the V1 was saying there was a second threat nearby shooting Ka at me... I would have been nailed if it were not for the multiple threat meter AND those arrows showing me I had not passed the 2nd threat yet.

My bottom line is that the combination of what the V1 offers is superior to the normal readouts of the other detectors and I won't be trading mine in for anything else anytime soon.

[Jeph]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

The other option the V1 has over all other detectors (if I'm not mistaken) is the bogey counter. Knowing there are two or more threats ahead, combined with the arrows WILL do you some good and save you from getting a ticket.

I think the Escort has something similar. Tell me if it's different (aside from the arrows)... check it, yo:

It's called ExpertMeter. It simultaneously tracks up to 8 radar signals. It's actually a miniature spectrum analyzer that shows what band each signal is and its signal strength.

[RandallNeighbour]

U-G-L-Y ... That's how I'd spell that display! I'll keep the numbers on my V1.

Even if someone came out with a better detector, I wouldn't buy it. I have no more radar detector cash left in the Porsche fund!