Radar Detectors: They SAVE You $$! :)

[Rogue]

A few months ago I bought a Valentine 1 detector and paid $400 for it!  Expensive!  My wife harassed me about it for a while, always nagging me that I don't need it, it's noisy, and it didn't work, etc.  Nag-nag-nag......

So yesterday I was riding up an entrance ramp near my house.  This is a long on ramp with two lanes and is uphill.  Almost every time, drivers would get on this ramp and just dawdle along without a care in the world, oblivious to the fact that the freeway just 200 feet ahead is moving at 75+ and they're doing 45.  I fooking hate people like that.  Punch it you motherfuckers!  My SOP on the bike is just get up to speed and pass every dawdler on this on ramp with extreme prejudice so that by the time I'm about to merge onto the freeway I'm already at freeway speeds.  I'm not going to get squeezed between cars because some idiot trying to save a gallon of gas refuses to rev their engine!

This happened yesterday when this Prius was going up the onramp and was going 45, then 46, then 48, then....fuck this!  I got around the fool and entered the freeway at 75.  That's when my Valentine 1 went on full alert in Ka-Band radar with the red arrow pointing straight behind me!  I looked back and I could not see the telltale black CHP car.  All I could see was a bunch of cars all grouped together with a wide open space in front of them and I'm on that space!  Bad!  Very bad!  The V1 was screaming!  Full alert.  Full red, arrow pointing rearward.  I slowed to 70, which was the flow of everyone behind me.  I looked again and no black and white.  WTF?    Then a white Mercedez Benz S55 came roaring up on the fast lane, going past me by probably about 15 mph faster.  The V1 was still blaring.  That's when I saw the CHP pull out from behind another vehicle behind me (the bastard was using that vehicle as a shield), went by me on my right, then proceeded to pull over the white MB.

My $400 Valentine 1 just paid for itself.  

Oh yeah!  

[falconati]

I wish Mike would make it look a little nicer though, eh?  

[KenH]

 

[Kneescrubber]

I sleep commando.

[zer0netgain]

I sleep commando.

I sleep guerrilla.

[Cablebandit]

Rode by 4 cops this weekend.  Didn't get a single ticket.  

[james_g]

 My wife harassed me about it for a while, always nagging me that I don't need it, it's noisy, and it didn't work, etc.  Nag-nag-nag......

Maybe you need to upgrade your wife to a quieter model.  

james

[Kneescrubber]

Rode by 4 cops this weekend.  Didn't get a single ticket.  

Nancy.  

[Andrew]

So Maybe you can tell the wife that the V1 is paid for, paid for itself that is.

[OmegaSix]

I fucking hate Prius drivers.
They're everything that is wrong with 'Merka.
They should all be taken out back and shot.
Then hung.
Then drawn and quartered.
Then left there as an example.

[Rogue]

Maybe you need to upgrade your wife to a quieter model.  

james

   Way too expensive to upgrade!

[Rogue]

So Maybe you can tell the wife that the V1 is paid for, paid for itself that is.

I sure did tell her.  Not the first time it has saved us actually.  Now she likes having it in HER car.

[Rogue]

I wish Mike would make it look a little nicer though, eh?  

Mike hasn't even updated that picture of himself in the magazine ads!  

The only update they made is to make it into this rough, satin black finish (the stealth color) so it blends in better in modern car interiors.  Not that something that is sticking out your windshield will ever blend in.  But with today's proliferation of things stuck to windshields, I guess it kind of does now.  They do offer a modular version you can mount in remote locations.

[Hell's Bella]

I fucking hate Prius drivers.
They're everything that is wrong with 'Merka.
They should all be taken out back and shot.
Then hung.
Then drawn and quartered.
Then left there as an example.

+500,000,000

Spray them with Febreze first so we don't all have to smell the patchouli.

[UFO]

I fucking hate Prius drivers.
They're everything that is wrong with 'Merka.
They should all be taken out back and shot.
Then hung.
Then drawn and quartered.
Then left there as an example.

ConPilot1...is that you?

[Cheddarhead]

+500,000,000

Spray them with Febreze first so we don't all have to smell the patchouli.

ConPilot1...is that you?

Dammit, Neal...now I've got to clean off my monitor...

[miles]

I fucking hate Prius driver haters.
They're everything that is wrong with 'Merka.
They should all be taken out back and shot.
Then hung.
Then drawn and quartered.
Then left there as an example.

FTFY.

[Andrew]

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\    

[TuffguyF4i]

Passed an 18wheeler on a small secondary rd last month.  Very short section so i had to get really on it.  Made the pass at about 78mph (in a 45) and ducked back infront of the truck.  Detector started beeping.  
Nothing but me and the trees around, so i knew it wasn't a false detection.
Scrubbed off 20mph quickly.  

Cop came around corner coming the other way.  

Phew.  

[hankd]

I never ride without mine (8500 x50 with a H.A.R.D. LED in my helmet).

[Kootenanny]

I never ride without mine (8500 x50 with a H.A.R.D. LED in my helmet).

I have an 8500 X50 as well...I use earbuds, connected to the speaker outlet via an intermediate cable (the unit is mounted "stealth," and I can't see the display).  I'd be interested this "H.A.R.D." LED.

BTW, yeah...the detector has paid for itself, several times over...got it on eBay...

[Oddball]

My V1 has only failed me once.  And I should have known better.  But countless times that it saved other and myself.

[jeepinbanditrider]

I run a Beltronics Vector 995 on a Ram Magnet mount with a Mark Parnes Visual alert.  Works great and I don't have to wire into the detector.  

[Rogue]

My Escort 8500 X50 is mounted via Ram platform mount and the sound is routed to a Bluetooth Dongle, which transmits audio wirelessly to my Chatterbox XBi wireless BT transceiver.  The chatterbox has speakers inside my helmet.  I can hear the audio even with ear protection on.  So no wires for me and I can walk away from the bike and take off my helmet without yanking earbuds off my ears.  The Chatterbox can also be used with a GPS and cellphone as it has a mike as well.

[jeepinbanditrider]

I have a SENA unit.  I just didn't want to buy the SENA SR10 for just a detector and MAYBE a VHF/UHF radio.

[ChrisZRX]

I have a Whistler XTR-695, and its saved me a number of times now.

It came with only a 2.5mm output jack which I didn't like, so I installed a 1/4 in output jack and a switch to turn the built-in speaker on and off.  

Then I took one of my kids old toys apart and swiped the little plastic speaker and put it in my helmet next to my ear (underneath the padding) held in place by velcro.  I also soldered a female 1/4 in jack to it. Using a cable with two male 1/4 in plugs, I'm hardwired to the detector.  It's very loud. I can't have it at full volume even with ear plugs in at highway speeds with the built-in speaker turned off.  

   

[stose85]

Rogue:

Just wanted to let you know (from a former police officer) that if they decide to run radar off and on like I did, the only time you know you've been tagged is when the detector goes off and by that time I've already locked you in. Radar detectors in my opinion are worthless. I can't tell you how many people I wrote tickets to that had their detectors on when I caught them speeding, and those people who would have gotten warnings for 9,10, or 11 mph over instead got a ticket because I SAW they had a detector sitting in the car, or on the motorcycle. Having that type of equipment says, "I speed all the time and I want/deserve a speeding ticket."

Just my two pennies take it for what it's worth. This time it paid for itself, you might not be so lucky next time.  

[expatbrit]

Rogue:

Just wanted to let you know (from a former police officer) that if they decide to run radar off and on like I did, the only time you know you've been tagged is when the detector goes off and by that time I've already locked you in. Radar detectors in my opinion are worthless. I can't tell you how many people I wrote tickets to that had their detectors on when I caught them speeding, and those people who would have gotten warnings for 9,10, or 11 mph over instead got a ticket because I SAW they had a detector sitting in the car, or on the motorcycle. Having that type of equipment says, "I speed all the time and I want/deserve a speeding ticket."

Just my two pennies take it for what it's worth. This time it paid for itself, you might not be so lucky next time.  

Actually the reason I stopped using mine.

[jeepinbanditrider]

Rogue:

Just wanted to let you know (from a former police officer) that if they decide to run radar off and on like I did, the only time you know you've been tagged is when the detector goes off and by that time I've already locked you in. Radar detectors in my opinion are worthless. I can't tell you how many people I wrote tickets to that had their detectors on when I caught them speeding, and those people who would have gotten warnings for 9,10, or 11 mph over instead got a ticket because I SAW they had a detector sitting in the car, or on the motorcycle. Having that type of equipment says, "I speed all the time and I want/deserve a speeding ticket."

Just my two pennies take it for what it's worth. This time it paid for itself, you might not be so lucky next time.  

I just like to know when I'm being electronically monitored by the revenue generators  

Generally those people ignored their radar detectors warnings long before they got to you.  Mine will pick up even weak hits from over a mile out.  if I get even a blip in anything other than X band I'm slowing down for at least a mile or two minimum before I pick my speed back up again.

[stose85]

I just like to know when I'm being electronically monitored by the revenue generators  Lol

I see what you did there.  

Just saying that I spent a lot of time sitting on 169HWY in Kansas running enough time between cars, that you might NOT pick up on my radar because I didn't have it on for the last 5 minutes haha

 

Besides I had enough experience that I didn't need a radar detector to justify a traffic stop for speed. Once you get accustomed to running radar its really only a double check. You actually aren't supposed to write tickets on what the radar says. You check a speed based on what you know, and use the radar to double check what you think they're going. Now 100+mph is just fast it doesn't really matter. Best one I ever had was
78mph in a 30mph zone. He asked for a warning too  

[Dutch]

Rogue:

Just wanted to let you know (from a former police officer) that if they decide to run radar off and on like I did, the only time you know you've been tagged is when the detector goes off and by that time I've already locked you in. Radar detectors in my opinion are worthless. I can't tell you how many people I wrote tickets to that had their detectors on when I caught them speeding, and those people who would have gotten warnings for 9,10, or 11 mph over instead got a ticket because I SAW they had a detector sitting in the car, or on the motorcycle. Having that type of equipment says, "I speed all the time and I want/deserve a speeding ticket."

Just my two pennies take it for what it's worth. This time it paid for itself, you might not be so lucky next time.  

I remember a while back where policemen using handheld radar guns were getting testicular cancer – it made me smile.
Perhaps that “vibe” thing really works.

[Bounce]

Rogue:

Just wanted to let you know (from a former police officer) that if they decide to run radar off and on like I did, the only time you know you've been tagged is when the detector goes off and by that time I've already locked you in. Radar detectors in my opinion are worthless. I can't tell you how many people I wrote tickets to that had their detectors on when I caught them speeding, and those people who would have gotten warnings for 9,10, or 11 mph over instead got a ticket because I SAW they had a detector sitting in the car, or on the motorcycle. Having that type of equipment says, "I speed all the time and I want/deserve a speeding ticket."

Just my two pennies take it for what it's worth. This time it paid for itself, you might not be so lucky next time.  

pshaw.

you caught the stupid ones that ran solo or out front in some manner and thought the detector was an invisibility shield. if you use it as one tool in a larger toolkit, then it works wonders.

[Croak]

pshaw.

you caught the stupid ones that ran solo or our front in some manner and thought the detector was an invisibility shield. if you use it as one tool in a larger toolkit, then it works wonders.

This.

[hankd]

Yep...it's a tool, not a guarantee. I consider it to be my 6th, 7th, & 8th senses...it's worth more than just one sense  

[sfalexi]

You know what else saves $$?  Not speeding.

No chance of speeding ticket, better fuel economy.

Alexi <- devils advocate.

[Bounce]

So start posting the limits at what the roads were originally designed to handle. Under posting is done for political/revenue reasons.

[EdSidders]

Around here they still use the portable speed limit signs in the bushes.......Pay Up when stopped-nothing goes on record...

[dietDrThunder]

Rogue:

Just wanted to let you know (from a former police officer) that if they decide to run radar off and on like I did, the only time you know you've been tagged is when the detector goes off and by that time I've already locked you in. Radar detectors in my opinion are worthless. I can't tell you how many people I wrote tickets to that had their detectors on when I caught them speeding, and those people who would have gotten warnings for 9,10, or 11 mph over instead got a ticket because I SAW they had a detector sitting in the car, or on the motorcycle. Having that type of equipment says, "I speed all the time and I want/deserve a speeding ticket."

Just my two pennies take it for what it's worth. This time it paid for itself, you might not be so lucky next time.  

rant on:

(cliffs at bottom)


This is only true of people who either have _really_ crappy detectors, or who have no idea how to use a radar detector effectively.

I have had one speeding ticket in 15+ years (longer really but I can't remember detail farther back), and that one ticket happened because I accidentally unplugged my detector and it wasn't on. My nominal freeway cruising speed in/on any vehicle is approx. 88mph, and even at that speed it is no problem to slow in plenty of time, almost all the time.

To wit, I drive from Nashville to Memphis and back about once every other month or so, and every time I happen upon radar wielding TN Highway Patrol at _least_ twice in each direction. I've been making that trip for maybe 5 years now, and I've never been stopped once. My detector (Bel Magnum STi) detects the radar being shot at other cars somewhere between a mile and 2 miles before I get into effective police radar range, making it a simple matter to slow to non-pull-over speed well before the speed trap. In conditions where there is at least a moderate amount of traffic, not only is it effective, it is almost 100% effective.

Obviously if you're driving on a deserted road and you're the first car along in 10 minutes or whatever, you won't get the advance warning needed for the detector to be effective. Also, laser is exceedingly hard to detect in time (virtually impossible) which is why there are a few effective laser jamming diode setups available. I don't have any yet, as there isn't much laser in my area.

Interestingly, I've heard the 'radar detectors do absolutely nothing' thing _lots_ of times from police or ex-police. It surprises me that so many of them don't take the time to learn this stuff. I mean, I guess it really wouldn't change anything about how they do their job, but still...kinda weird.

The post above about the detector being just one tool in the arsenal is spot on. The detector works, but it's not magic. You still have to be aware of traffic approaching from the rear, watch who you're overtaking, and pay attention to traffic conditions and the geography where you're driving. It's really like anything else...speeding is a skill. Some people are good at it. You catch the people who aren't.

As an aside, IMO it is likely that people like me who pay this much attention to what they are doing and drive with such constant vigilance are _far_ safer on the road at super-legal speeds than the legions of texting/phone talking/kid slapping/book reading idiots we are all surrounded by every day. If any cops read this post and are annoyed that people like me are out there, maybe consider that. Personally, I have been driving, riding and speeding for over 25 years now. I've been a motorcycle courier, an OTR truck driver, and a cab/airport shuttle driver (all in my youth)  and combined with my regular driving, commuting in places like Boston and San Francisco, and recreational motorcycling, I've had exactly two accidents ever. Both were riding out in the country in no traffic, and both happened at under 25mph.


cliffs: yes, they do work...go find dome real criminals

[hankd]

+1

[M.Brane]

 You gotta love somebody who comes to a forum like this, and brags about giving people tickets for speeding in the middle of nowhere. I feel so much safer now.

[dietDrThunder]

Hey, I just got back from 3 days in the Smokies. On this trip I was saved by my radar detector twice on the freeway blast on the way out there, once on US129 coming from Robbinsville on my way to CRoT (was riding with 'Yokel' on here, so he can even be a witness), and once on the freeway blast back to Nashville last night. So, in the 2+ years I've had this particular detector, if this week were the only time it ever worked, it still would have paid for itself roughly 4.5 times over, just on this one trip.

Useless? Not so much.

[satxbonneville]

Besides I had enough experience that I didn't need a radar detector to justify a traffic stop for speed. Once you get accustomed to running radar its really only a double check. You actually aren't supposed to write tickets on what the radar says. You check a speed based on what you know, and use the radar to double check what you think they're going. Now 100+mph is just fast it doesn't really matter. Best one I ever had was
78mph in a 30mph zone. He asked for a warning too  

 

[MContevita]

rant on:

(cliffs at bottom)


This is only true of people who either have _really_ crappy detectors, or who have no idea how to use a radar detector effectively.

I have had one speeding ticket in 15+ years (longer really but I can't remember detail farther back), and that one ticket happened because I accidentally unplugged my detector and it wasn't on. My nominal freeway cruising speed in/on any vehicle is approx. 88mph, and even at that speed it is no problem to slow in plenty of time, almost all the time.

To wit, I drive from Nashville to Memphis and back about once every other month or so, and every time I happen upon radar wielding TN Highway Patrol at _least_ twice in each direction. I've been making that trip for maybe 5 years now, and I've never been stopped once. My detector (Bel Magnum STi) detects the radar being shot at other cars somewhere between a mile and 2 miles before I get into effective police radar range, making it a simple matter to slow to non-pull-over speed well before the speed trap. In conditions where there is at least a moderate amount of traffic, not only is it effective, it is almost 100% effective.

Obviously if you're driving on a deserted road and you're the first car along in 10 minutes or whatever, you won't get the advance warning needed for the detector to be effective. Also, laser is exceedingly hard to detect in time (virtually impossible) which is why there are a few effective laser jamming diode setups available. I don't have any yet, as there isn't much laser in my area.

Interestingly, I've heard the 'radar detectors do absolutely nothing' thing _lots_ of times from police or ex-police. It surprises me that so many of them don't take the time to learn this stuff. I mean, I guess it really wouldn't change anything about how they do their job, but still...kinda weird.

The post above about the detector being just one tool in the arsenal is spot on. The detector works, but it's not magic. You still have to be aware of traffic approaching from the rear, watch who you're overtaking, and pay attention to traffic conditions and the geography where you're driving. It's really like anything else...speeding is a skill. Some people are good at it. You catch the people who aren't.

As an aside, IMO it is likely that people like me who pay this much attention to what they are doing and drive with such constant vigilance are _far_ safer on the road at super-legal speeds than the legions of texting/phone talking/kid slapping/book reading idiots we are all surrounded by every day. If any cops read this post and are annoyed that people like me are out there, maybe consider that. Personally, I have been driving, riding and speeding for over 25 years now. I've been a motorcycle courier, an OTR truck driver, and a cab/airport shuttle driver (all in my youth)  and combined with my regular driving, commuting in places like Boston and San Francisco, and recreational motorcycling, I've had exactly two accidents ever. Both were riding out in the country in no traffic, and both happened at under 25mph.


cliffs: yes, they do work...go find dome real criminals

Pretty much spot on, dude.  

[viffergyrl]

After five warnings, I invested in a Passport radar detector. I didn't see myself as continuing to be that lucky. At some point, one of the local guys was going to pull me over a second time.... and at that point it would cost me dearly.  

It is a tool and it still pays to be alert about what is around you. Saw a black unmarked CHP on I-5 between Oceanside and San Clemente. Came up on him from behind and caught the light rack on the back deck. He was hanging in the left lane and I put myself in the far right and just cruised several feet behind him. He wasn't running radar and he didn't seem to be interested in traffic enforcement that day as people would come up on him, slow up, then inch around and ease on down the highway... nevertheless ya just never know.... I hung back to observe. He eventually exited 'smoothly and effortlessly' - never got a single blip.

What's been interesting to me is where enforcement is occurring on my regular route through SoCal.... it's also a research tool.  

[Rogue]

Viffergyrl, this just happened this weekend.

Me and my crew of VFR's were cruising on Hwy 46 towards Cambria.  You know that road.  Fast, flowing, and a known CHP gauntlet.  We came up on slower cars and we passed them.  While passing, this guy on a Hayabusa came by me at 100+ (he was not part of our group).  Yup.  Surprised me as well.  We proceeded to follow him on Hwy 46 (with some distance behind him).  He was moving at 85+!  We came over a rise and guess who was on the side of the road?  Yup.  CHP.  The Hayabusa went by the CHP cruiser at 80+.  I detected the CHP's radar before we crested the rise so I backed off and got down to the limit before we were all in full view.  I thought for sure the CHP was going to pull over the 'Busa rider.  Nope.  The CHP cruiser whipped a U- turn and left the scene in the opposite direction.  It was around 5:45PM.  Must have been the end of his shift.

Luck has a lot to do with it for sure!  

Oh yeah.  Busa rider slowed way down after that.