Radar Detectors!

[mikeinaustin]

If you have one on your z4:

1) what model
2) would you buy that model again or not?
3) Give the reasons for your answer to #2



thanks in advance!

[Lewis@MWDesign]

1) Valentine One
2) Only one model so it doesn't become obsolete other than software upgrades from time to time
3) Do not need to buy the model again since there's only been 1 V1

[jparnes1]

My experience with radar detector is pretty poor. I had an Escort and got nailed twice in two weeks. Sold the POS on eBay. The thing is that the police don;t use radar anymore, they use laser. It's just a short burst of energy rather than a long, constant stream like radar. By the time your device detects it, you're done. And radar detectors are constantly trying to keep up with innovations by the police, so they're always a step behind. Valentine is supposed to be the best one, so maybe it works better than the Escort I had.
My technique these days, if I want to drive fast, is not to drive any faster than surrounding traffic. Find a car that's going fast and stay behind it. He'll be the one caught because he's in front of you. FWIW.

[EandS]

We researched and researched, and agonized greatly over whether to purchase the Valentine V1 or the Passport 9500ix and now are extremely pleased that we decided on the 9500ix. It really works extraordinarily well and it’s saved us quite a few times as we were rocketing along in the s35i. It has fabulous sensitivity and its ability to learn and ignore false signals is wonderful. We also very much like the way it can be updated via downloads to a PC to incorporate the very latest database of red light and speed cameras.

We would not hesitate to buy the 9500ix again and fact of the matter is we are going to obtain a second unit.

For those of you worrying about lasers may we suggest you additionally consider the Laser Jammer, Blinder Extreme, M47.

Best regards,
Ed

[teagueAMX]

http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showt...ghlight=jammer

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by teagueAMX

http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/showt...ghlight=jammer

Below is a quote from Artosis at the link Teague posted above. Says it all.

I think using a jammer is smart but risky but it does not mean you will always get away with speeding. I would use Radar detectors/jammers if there wasnt so much risk involved I am a professional and that would be tarnishing to a career to have to make a court appearance over a major traffic violation.

If you get pulled over and the Officer asks you if you have a jammer and you tell him "No" and he finds one, then it goes from a simple speeding ticket, to obstructing justice and using electronic interference devices that are probably against FCC guidelines.

My point is this, if you can put a jammer in your car and confidently know that if your car gets searched under suspicion of a jammer, that the officer wont be able to find it unless he takes your car to a garage and rips it apart then do it. I am advising against this if you are afraid of the possible consequences and dont want the reprocussions.

All I am saying is that you are putting yourself into a sticky situation if the Officer directly asks you if you have a jammer, because if he finds one there will be severe consequences and you could actually lose your car in some states. You are putting yourself into a position where you might choose to lie to the Officer and it would not be worth that risk.

[geoaero]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

All I am saying is that you are putting yourself into a sticky situation if the Officer directly asks you if you have a jammer, because if he finds one there will be severe consequences and you could actually lose your car in some states. You are putting yourself into a position where you might choose to lie to the Officer and it would not be worth that risk.

Each state has dictated whether radar / laser detectors or jammers are illegal. If it is not illegal, then it is legal

From http://www.radarbusters.com/legalissuesarticle.cfm it says:

-The use of a radar detector in a passenger vehicle is legal in all states with the exception of Virginia, Washington DC. and on military bases.
-Radar detectors are illegal in all commercial vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds
-In Canada, the only three provinces that allow their use are Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
-Many overseas countries also ban their use, such as Portugal, Finland and Spain.

Regarding jammers, there are a few more states that don't allow them:

-Laser Jammers and Radar Jammers are illegal in the states of Nebraska, Minnesota, Utah, California, Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois and Washington DC.

My friend has the new updatable GPS-based Escort. The warning beeps still go off a lot - enough to be annoying...

Plus, nowadays in the US, for $79 plus +/- $100 court cost, you can have one of these traffic law offices reduce your speeding ticket to a parking violation, etc... Nothing on your record. So you could pay for 2 1/2 tickets and break even monetarily with buying a nice Escort. I don't sweat speeding tickets anymore

[geoaero]

This thread made me do a little more reading. It appears that RADAR JAMMING is prohibited by US federal law, so is illegal in all states, and apparently most or all products called radar jammers on the market may not effectively jam police radar guns anyway. LASER JAMMING is legal in all but a handful of states, as I had written above. There is a question as to how effective these are as well...

[mikeinaustin]

Here in austin, and i suppose the rest of the country (or soon to be), the need for money is great so they have started giving tickets for 5 mph over. A lawyer specializing in tickets will save you very little here. Their cost is just $50 or so cheaper than the average fine cost + the fee for the driver course you have to take to get the ticket removed (plus the fee for getting your certified driver record, etc, etc).

[geoaero]

Originally Posted by mikeinaustin

Here in austin, and i suppose the rest of the country (or soon to be), the need for money is great so they have started giving tickets for 5 mph over. A lawyer specializing in tickets will save you very little here. Their cost is just $50 or so cheaper than the average fine cost + the fee for the driver course you have to take to get the ticket removed (plus the fee for getting your certified driver record, etc, etc).

In many states, the value of getting a lawyer to reduce your ticket from a speeding ticket to a non-moving violation is that the violation doesn't get reported to auto insurance companies and hence no raising of rates or canceling of policies. Nor do you get "points" against your license - too many points = lose your license. For me, I accept that I may actually pay a little more to get a lawyer to take care of this for me legally, instead of the other potentially more costly ramifications...