radar detectors

bucutie02 · #1 11-16-2003, 08:40 PM

I am thinking about getting my dad a radar detector for Christmas. He has mentioned before that he wants one, and we do a lot of traveling anyway. So....

What are some good brands for radar detectors?
I have been doing some researching and I am guessing that Cobra and Whistler are the best ones???

Also, what are important features they should have?

I haven't been able to find big department stores that carry them, or if they do have them, it seems like they are an older version of what is available right now.

I don't really want to spend more than $130 dollars since I only work two days a week!

therefore, low on the amount of money I can spend per person.

I looked on ebay, but I am a little worried I will get ripped off.

Any suggestions?

smiley21 · #2 11-16-2003, 08:51 PM

cobra is a good brand. you can find some for under $130. i have a great one in my car. but i cant think of the name to save my life. beltronics, maybe? sorry i cant help.

check to see how far away they can spot emergency vehicles. also, check to see how sensitive they are to other detectors on the road. on some packages, they say that the detectors wont go off in store parking lots. that is so annoying. overall, just make sure you read the packages for all of the available features.

SparkliiQTMTSU · #3 11-16-2003, 11:09 PM

Yeah Cobra is a good one. I would try a Best Buy to get one they have them pretty cheap. but yeah definitly check how well of a range they have on them.

Nichole

DeltAlum · #4 11-16-2003, 11:42 PM

I'm assuming that they're legal in your state. In some, they aren't.

angelic1 · #5 11-17-2003, 12:12 AM

Not sure about what brands or anything..

the traveling thing just tipped me off.. i know that they are illegal in Virginia and D.C. carrying big fines..

Dionysus · #6 11-17-2003, 12:22 AM

They should be illegal everywhere

As if people aren't already speeding and killing up others enough.

WCUgirl · #7 11-17-2003, 12:43 AM

I had a radar detector...before my car got broken into!

Mine was an ESD 9110 CS (I looked it up on their website

). I got it from Best Buy for like $80 (it's $105 on the website). It was awesome! My husband has an older model and mine blew his away. It had a lot of features I never used. But I still loved it! UGH!!! I'm getting mad again thinking about it being stolen....

Anyways, something to think about before purchasing this is that not all cars turn the radar detector off when you turn the engine off....I have a Ford and my detector stayed on. There were several nights I would get back in my car and I had left my detector on all night....never really did much to drain my battery, but if you/your father is forgetful, you should take this into consideration. Check with your car user's manual before committing if you think this will be an issue. It's just more of a hassle to have to remember to turn it off, that's all.

ZTAngel · #8 11-17-2003, 10:13 AM

I have a Beltronics Radar/Laser Detector. My boyfriend got it for me for Christmas last year. This detector runs about $160 but he was working at Circuit City at the time so he got a nice discount.

There are 4 different types of detections. It's X, K, Ka, and Laser. X usually is automated doors at grocery stores or traffic light sensors. Most police tend not to use that anymore. My detector has the option to turn off X band. I still keep mine on just in case. K is 50% a cop and 50% automated doors. Ka and Laser are almost always a police officer. BTW, if you see Laser on your radar detector (I've seen in twice in the year I've had it), it's not worth slowing down because the cop has already got you. Lasers are designed for precision. That's how I got my ticket over the summer.

When you first get a radar detector, drive around parts of the city you frequently travel to. See what your detector picks up. I always know that there's a traffic light on one of the roads I travel on to get to work that uses X-band to sense cars. I know that the street right by UCF has K-band from all the restaurants. This way, I will know which is a cop and which one is just a traffic light sensor, automated door, etc.

This is especially helpful for X and K-bands where you're not quite sure if it's a cop or something else. I was driving to my boyfriend's one day and I all the sudden has X-bands come on strong. My radar had never sensed X-bands before on the street I use to go to his place. I drove a little further and saw the police officer hiding down a side street.

Although I have a radar detector, I never go more than 10mph above the speed limit. I've learned my lesson.

Laser guns and Stalker guns (it's not a constant stream of radar, cops will point it at each car to capture how many miles an hour they're going) have made it harder for radar detectors to detect whether or not there's a cop up ahead.

When you decide on a detector, make sure to get one that senses radar streams from BEHIND your car. A friend of mine does not have a radar detector that does this and there's been so many times he's gotten a ticket because he didn't realize there was a cop only a few feet in back of him.

Also, radar detectors will not protect you from the planes that police will use to measure you're speed. Ever see a white line on the highway followed by another white line a few feet ahead? Those are used by police in planes to measure how long it took you to get to one line from the other (and thus calculating your speed). There's no radar used so you can't detect it. You just have to be lucky enough to look up and see one of their planes flying close to the ground.

Moral of story, radar detectors are great but they're not foolproof. Don't rely completely on them. There's so many times that I'll be on the highway and some jerk will pass me going about 30+ miles above the speed limit. I can see the radar detector in his windshield. The guy thinks he's untouchable. About 5 minutes later, I'll pass by him when he's on the side of the road pulled over by a police officer with a laser or stalker gun. The radar detector might be great for 95% of the time but, for that other 5%, make sure not to speed too much.

ETA: Make sure you find out what the laws in your city or state are with radar detectors. Some will not allow them. I've heard that Georgia does not allow detectors but I'm not sure...

SATX*APhi · #9 11-17-2003, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ZTAngel

When you decide on a detector, make sure to get one that senses radar streams from BEHIND your car.

You bring up a good point. Most radar detectors now-a-days provide 360 degrees coverage, but check and make sure.

Also, there are radar detector detectors, RDD, which a lot of law enforcement agencies are beginning to use in order to catch people with radar detectors. Some radar detectors have VG-2 detection and can tell you if a RDD is in the area. Some detectors even have a VG-2 Guard which can can give you immunity to a RDD.

Basically, there are tons of options. You simply need to figure out which features your dad needs and choose a detector that will best suit them.

APhiRattlerGal · #10 11-17-2003, 10:57 AM

What states dont allow it??

SATX*APhi · #11 11-17-2003, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by APhiRattlerGal
What states dont allow it??

You can check here and see what states have banned radar detectors and which have imposed restrictions. It looks like Virginia and D.C. are the only two where radar detectors are banned, but many other states have radar detector regulations.

ZTAngel · #12 11-17-2003, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SATX*APhi

Also, there are radar detector detectors, RDD, which a lot of law enforcement agencies are beginning to use in order to catch people with radar detectors. Some radar detectors have VG-2 detection and can tell you if a RDD is in the area. Some detectors even have a VG-2 Guard which can can give you immunity to a RDD.

Be very careful with these as well. Once again, check out your state's regulations. Some states may not allow them. I'm pretty sure Florida allows them.
Also, there are some detectors that come with a scrambler. In other words, if a police officer scans your car, your detector will "scramble" the radar waves so the police officer won't be able to get a reading back on your car. CAREFUL. If it's illegal in your state, you're in trouble. Also, even if it's not illegal, you don't want to piss off the cop. That's never a good idea.

ETA: Another advantage of a radar detector is that some will detect road hazards. Some cities have set up radar waves that transmit warnings if there is road construction, school zone, or an accident up ahead. My radar detector detects these waves. I'll know for about 1/2 mile beforehand if there's a school zone (radar detector says school zone), accident (radar detector says accident), or road construction (radar detector says caution). Just some fancy features that some detectors come with.

aephi alum · #13 11-17-2003, 12:08 PM

I didn't know radar detectors were illegal in DC - is that new?

They used to be illegal in Connecticut, and the cops used to make you drive over your detector to break it if they caught you with one.

Thankfully that is no longer the case.

You still really have to keep your eyes out, because cops have laser and instant-on radar. By the time you hear your detector warn you about that, they've tagged you.