Radar Detector

[dsnow]

2002 C4S Manual US

I am a first time Porsche owner and know that the speed is for the track, but you can be in a 75 mph zone and look down and you are doing 95 plus without realizing it. I feel getting pulled over by the law is not if, but when. Just trying to avoid the moment.

This car is the most fun I have ever had. I always wanted one since before I could drive. This is my first and not my last, but I will have this one forever.

What dash / window mounted radar detector would any of you recommend?

Thank you,

soutahc4s

[Kim]

What dash / window mounted radar detector would any of you recommend?

I've sworn by my Valentine V-1 for 10+ years. Had it updated occasionally at the factory and it has saved me numerous times. I've never been ticketed while using it.

Most magazine comparisons score the V-1 very highly, and have for years.

Kim

2000 Cab

[Izzy]

The Valentine V1 is the best I had. I had used Cobra, Escort, Uniden, etc. Got the V1 shortly after I got my 911, and it is worth every penny. Road & Track has a recent comparison, you can search their website and see the whole article with the "real life" situations results. V1 trumps the rest.

[HEDDOK]

I researched this very carefully last year, Bought a V-1 and will never drive without it. When you look at what the points will do to your auto insurance premiums (at least in Canada) it's one of the cheapest upgrades you can do.

Brad

[de36band]

I had a Passport SR7 installed in the DC storage bin area below the radio in my 2003 C4S last year and it has been very helpful driving from Boston to VT. It is amazing how many times the thing goes off and I notice 3 or 4 minutes later the speed trap.

[wwest]

What I do is set the cruise control about 2-3 MPH above the posted speed limit and then sit back, relax, and enjoy the drive.

Speeding on most of today's roadbeds requires constant attention and is extremely taxing mentally. I haven't owned a radar detector since about 92.

[Kim]

What I do is set the cruise control about 2-3 MPH above the posted speed limit and then sit back, relax, and enjoy the drive.

Speeding on most of today's roadbeds requires constant attention and is extremely taxing mentally. I haven't owned a radar detector since about 92.

That sounds wonderful .... I only wish it would work in metro Atlanta commuting. Like most car-oriented cities, the traffic often slows miserably here. The corollary is that, when unobstructed, it moves quickly and you best keep up.

So, combine the above situation with the inevitable Cobb County police standing on the bridge with radar. He shoots at the pack and gets a 70MPH return. (believe me, when unobstructed the ATL pack moves at 80 ... including old ladies in Camrys .... in a 55 zone).

He cannot stop the entire pack, it would make a rat's nest of traffic, so he has to pick one out .... the Camry, the pick up truck, or the black Porsche Cab? Its for THAT reason that I use the V-1 to know he's up ahead .... NOT so that I can speed gratuitously.

I am rarely the fastest moving car on the road. I am often the most attractive target.

Kim

2000 Cab

[Hroussard]

Tricks to survive the tax collector (tickets) : On the freeways in California.....Always use the number 1 lane ( furthest to the left). The cop will rather take a car on the outside than have to cross 3 lanes, pick one out , move all the way back to the right lane etc . That is inefficient for tax collectors. SO.. always use Nr 1 lane if possible. I have an Escort and on the Californian roads , that will do nicely. Here in California cops can not use radar on the freeways. They must follow you and pull you over. So ALWAYS use the left lane as generally traffic cops stand hidden somewhere and dive onto the freeway. If you get caught by a cop car... that is your fault... you were driving too slow.

Cop cars sneak up on traffic at about 85 or so. Lesson : if you want to speed, always go faster than 85 miles per hour, cops will not sneak up on you that way.. and vary your speed somewhat 85 through 95 or so and if there is space on the number 2 lane...move between the number 1 and number 2 lanes so you will disappear from view if an "enemy " car came onto the freeway from somewhere and is behind you. When changing lanes you will also see the cars hidden in the other lanes.

And by-the-way.... is n't the speed limit per person in the car ... not per car :clapping:

Cheers

[FlashingBlade]

Tricks to survive the tax collector (tickets) : On the freeways in California.....Always use the number 1 lane ( furthest to the left). The cop will rather take a car on the outside than have to cross 3 lanes, pick one out , move all the way back to the right lane etc . That is inefficient for tax collectors. SO.. always use Nr 1 lane if possible. I have an Escort and on the Californian roads , that will do nicely. Here in California cops can not use radar on the freeways. They must follow you and pull you over. So ALWAYS use the left lane as generally traffic cops stand hidden somewhere and dive onto the freeway. If you get caught by a cop car... that is your fault... you were driving too slow.

Cop cars sneak up on traffic at about 85 or so. Lesson : if you want to speed, always go faster than 85 miles per hour, cops will not sneak up on you that way.. and vary your speed somewhat 85 through 95 or so and if there is space on the number 2 lane...move between the number 1 and number 2 lanes so you will disappear from view if an "enemy " car came onto the freeway from somewhere and is behind you. When changing lanes you will also see the cars hidden in the other lanes.

And by-the-way.... is n't the speed limit per person in the car ... not per car :clapping:

Cheers

Hmmm, I am not sure I agree with some of the statements of my dear fellow lister, but if

that works for him/her, so much the better. It's a myth that the CHP is not allowed to use radar.

They are and they do.

The main problem is that funds need to be allocated by local communities to buy the equipment,

and they typically don't, and secondly that it's often not pratical to use a radar gun on a 6 lane

highway with all cars speeding well over 80. I have *never* seen radar enforcement on, for example,

the 405 in LA. However, on 395 towards Mammouth watch out!

However the lister brings up a good point. Each state has their own peculiar habits on speed enforcement

and it is good to be aware of them. If you were a cop, where would you go to catch speeders? At the top

of a hill or at the bottom? On a sunny day or rainy day? Near the holidays? There is a semi

militant organization called something like the National Motorists Association that has additional tips.

Regarding radar detectors, I have both an old Escort and now my 3rd upgraded V1.

The V1 is very sensitive, but every one I have had so far have had glitches. The first one

just failed after a couple of month. The second one would go off whenever I hit a bump.

The current one is paranoid with some intermittent bogey behind me. However, when I

turn the unit around, it's still showing a bogey to the rear, even though it's pointing

forward. The problem comes and goes. The escort on the other hand, though currently

entirely outdated, has been rock steady and consistent. Not sure of their current product line

is as robust.

So, I figure I'd just throw that in as a counter experience for otherwise an excellent, though bulky unit.

The only use a laser detector is, is to tell you that you just got a ticket.

You may want to be aware that there are also laser jammers for sale. Pricey, legal and effetive.

Edited November 11, 2005 by FlashingBlade

[Demon]

The only use a laser detector is, is to tell you that you just got a ticket.

You may want to be aware that there are also laser jammers for sale. Pricey, legal and effetive.

I would only agree with some of that statement. Laser detectors will most likely tell you to start slowing down so you can stop when the red light comes on. They are pricey, effective, but illegal. At least in California, all devices for jamming electronic speed enforcement devices are illegal.

I think a show of hands might show a very effective radar detector. How many users have received a ticket while using a Valentine?

Blade is right, CHP currently uses radar. All of their cars and motorcycles are equipped with moving radar. The problems for the cop comes to getting a target when the freeway is 8 lanes wide (both directions, it doesn't show the direction of the target), the beam covers all the lanes, and there is no target that is clearly pulling away from the group. That is why most of them limit the use to smaller highways (such as 395).

I think a good radar detector (such as the Valentine) and keeping your view well ahead of you looking for the other team will keep you from meeting the wrong end of the pen. (Most radar violations are caught at less than 500 feet)

[neil.schneider]

I like my escort 8500. I tried my friend's V1, which is a great detector, but I found it was always falsing and there is no automute. What a pita. Also the escort was easy to get locally and less money.

[friedsonjm]

BEL 980 - not as many bells and whistles as the V-1, but rock solid reliable for a couple of years now. Has saved my bacon several times...

jf

[FlashingBlade]

The only use a laser detector is, is to tell you that you just got a ticket.

You may want to be aware that there are also laser jammers for sale. Pricey, legal and effetive.

I would only agree with some of that statement. Laser detectors will most likely tell you to start slowing down so you can stop when the red light comes on. They are pricey, effective, but illegal. At least in California, all devices for jamming electronic speed enforcement devices are illegal.

I am having problems parsing that statement, and so I'd like to clarify what I meant and what I know.

Laser detectors are not illegal in (most?) of the US. Radar detectors are legal in most of the US

except a few locations (DC? Virginia?). Laser jammers, being IR light, are not regulated by the FCC and

therefore legal. Radar jammers are RF transmitters regulated by the FCC and therefore illegal.

FWIW: http://www.beartraps.com/Blinder/LaserJammerLeagal.htm

All forms of detection and ever worse, jamming, are illegal in all (?) of Canada and the Europe Union.

I think a show of hands might show a very effective radar detector. How many users have received a ticket while using a Valentine?

Regrettably, I have. Instant on. No cars ahead of me, so no signals to warn me. I was a sitting duck.

I did fight it and I did win on the grounds that the change in speed was obscured. I hate to admit

that it took me an enormous amount of time (including field research) to find just the right

angle (in all possible meanings of the word). Court was interesting. Amazing how poorly prepared

people were. I was the only one who had done discovery. Also amazing how the judge tried to

manipulate the crowd to change their plea, and left all those who wanted to get the ticket

thrown until the very end. Other then saving me a negligible amount

of money and lousy insurance rates for a couple of years, it did teach me a lot.

I do want to emphasize, that speed enforcement is highly dependent on where you live

and directly correlates with how effective a radar/laser detector will be.

I have probably been pulled over more frequently by an undercover cop car pacing me on

a freeway than by radar/laser in the Western states. East and midwest seem to relie more on

radar or laser.

[Demon]

Your right the FCC can not regulate light beams. The regular street cop can not enforce federal statutes anyway. The vehicle code is what makes the jammers illegal in California and is enforceable by any street cop.

"28150(a) No vehicle shall be equipped with any device that is designed for, or is capable of, jamming, scrambling, neutralizing, disabling, or otherwise interfering with radar, laser, or any other electronic device used by a law enforcement agency to measure the speed of moving objects."

They added the section in 1999 as a reaction to all the devices being sold. Just like they added the section for signal light pre-emption devices after they realized they were being sold to the public. ;)

[fasterjames]

Radar jammers flat out don't work. Test after test proves that they are a waste of money, unless of course you are selling them.

As for detectors, I have tried at least a dozen over the past 10 years. I always come back to the V1. I am now on my second-the first flew out the window on a hard turn in which my suction cups surrendered to the G's. Needless to say it didn't work so well after that and I threw it away. I tried a few others, Bel, Escort, Whistler and was fairly happy with the performance but missed the bogey count and directional controls of the V1. So about 1 year ago I threw down another $400 for a V1 and have been happy ever since.

My only wish is that they would update their faceplate with larger alerts and provide more of a stealth mounted antenna.

I am considering the K40 Calibre but am not certain it is worth $1000.00+.