Your views on radar detectors....

[bruceb58]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

I wanted to make sure to post evidence that this is no longer the universal thought in the radar detecting world.

So..which one do you have and how many others have you tried?

I beg to differ about Valentine. They simply aren't what the used to be, sorry!

And you never answered my question. How are they not what they used to be?

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

So..which one do you have and how many others have you tried?

And you never answered my question. How are they not what they used to be?

They used to actually be UP TO DATE. They are an old style detector, unchanged for almost a decade. They don't have text displays, voice warnings, etc. Even my 12yo RS one had voice alert. I know that if it warned me of K band radar by this one gas station I was ok, but anything else was off. But I don't want to have to stare at a dot and figure out what band of radar I'm being hit with. For the money, not impressed. Now they have real competition. You could stretch it to say that one with voice alert is safer because it will tell you exactly what it's detecting without you having to take your eyes off the road and look at it at all.

I had a Radio Shack one when RS used to sell them and I had it for 12 years. Thing worked great but had very little menu on it.

I don't have the best, but don't claim to have the best. I have a something 9385 or something. I forgot. I got it manufacturers refurb. Meaning dirt *** cheap.

I'm not going to argue with people who say V1's are the best yet can't seem to produce evidence stating that. I definitely will say they are good, but for the price, Beltronics or Escort offer just as good a product for 100 dollars less. With Valentine, you pay for the name.

Remember, this thread didn't start out as "Which brand is best" only "what do you think about detectors in general." Think what you want, it's probably like an oil thread, too many differing opinions! LOL

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

They are an old style detector, unchanged for almost a decade.

Sounds like you know everything about them. So..what kind of detector do they have?

Bottom line...you have never used one. You know nothing about them.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

I've read dozens of reviews of people who have.

Bottom line, you can't show me a review that backs up your claim. So Valentine is the best because by golley, you say it is, right? Yea, right.

FAIL.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

I've read dozens of reviews of people who have.

Brandon, your reviews are by people that sell them. The chart above is from a radar detector store. Is it any wonder they get the results that they want? If you ever have a chance to use the Valentine, you may understand what we are talking about.

Most of us are talking about our personal experiences with various detectors...not what a store is trying to tell us is best or trying to sell us.

Since you wanted me to show you a review of where the Valentine is the best, here is one
http://www.007radardetectors.com/tests.htmThey sell ALL of the top dollar/performance units. All of the top units have similar prices.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

No, the reviews I'm talking about are from people, like me and you, who bought them. I read one guy who said his buddy bought a V1 and he bought the cheapest Cobra they have and both work phenomenally and the V1 guy admitted he was suckered in by the name.

You say the reviews are from a store. Did you even read the review or look at the chart? The other detectors came out ahead in most of the range checks, so how is that biased? How is it better to show another detector as better than the one you are selling? So your argument of biased reviews: Shot to hell based on this quite from the "store":

The Cobra XRS R9G is an attractive and innovative radar detector with good potential. But in light of its design compromises and chatty nature, those shopping for a well-rounded GPS-enabled radar detector might want to check out the competition before making a buying decision.

Man let me tell ya, that's just really really trying to upsell a product, isn't it?

I'm going to turn your question around on you. How many detectors have you used? How many escorts? How many beltronics? How many Cobras? So you have a Valentine and that means it's the best? Hogwash. You say I don't know because I've never owned a Valentine and I'll flip it around on you and say you don't know because you've never owned anything but.

Well sir, if you dont like the oh, half dozen links I posted in this thread regarding reviews, why don't you post some of your own so I can just knock the source rather than address the data?

So please inform us all, what slant does Cnet have in reviewing these things?

Rest assured, the V1 is a great detector, but there is no evidence suggesting it is better than escort or beltronics. They're all good, but none really pull out ahead.

In light of me not wanting my own thread locked by someone taking it off topic (not you), I'll bow out now. I think my point has been made. Buyer beware, and buyer be safe.

 

[scca vette]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

Ok, well I guess illiteracy is a problem in this country. If you had actually READ THE OP, or comprehended it, I asked for peoples opinions on radar detectors IN GENERAL, not specific BRANDS. Once someone started saying Valentine was the best, I wanted to make sure to post evidence that this is no longer the universal thought in the radar detecting world.

If you READ THE OPTIONS IN THE POLL, NONE ARE ABOUT SPECIFIC BRANDS!!

You wonder about some people....

SCCA, while I respect the results you got, they aren't scientific enough to be taken with much more than a grain of salt. According to this review, if you weren't using X band radar, then you should get a barely noticeable difference between the Valentine and the Cobra.

Does that chart really justify costing a lot more? I guess it's a personal preference.

http://radartest.com/article_2.asp?articleid=100572

I agree that my test was not scientific data however I also believe about 1/2 of what I read on the internet. I do feel that though my test is not scientific, the fact that I have owned numerous radar detectors over the years including Bell, Escort and V1 among others Plus drove in MANY road tours all over the country running miles and miles well into tripple digits never so much as getting pulled over with the V1 is all the proof I need. I have been stopped using a Bell (do not recall the model) and also had a Escort taken away from me by the police in washington DC when I was stopped and they found it. Like I also mentioned I was saved by a friend that I was following that was using a V1 that detected when my Escort never so much as made a beep. This was on 35 from Dallas to Ausin TX if you know what band they use. I have NO idea being as mine did not make a noise.

As for all the fancy talking and bells and such, those things are not important to me. I want it to save me from a $300 ticket or worse and could care less if it is pink with fringe and sounds like Fran Drescher as long as I am not the one being stopped.

I will say that NO detector will save your ars in Ohio when they are spotting from a plane. Had to learn that one the hard way and was NOT a cheap lesson learned.

If you are just doing casual driving and trying to get 5-10 MPH over the limit I agree any of them would probably be good enough for that and not worth buying a $400 detector. If you were to ever run a 1-Lap of America or and big roud tours you will see the majority are running the V1's to not only save them from a ticket but maybe even jail time.

If you want 99.9% security just do what this guy did including using the V1.
http://www.wired.com/cars/coolwheels/magazine/15-11/ff_cannonballrun?currentPage=all

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

Oh yea, they use planes. And NO detector will help you there. Actually in that case, a radio scanner might help more than anything, because they do have to call in the cars that speed, but man, that's tough!!

Like I said in the OP anyway, I don't use it to justify speeding as I don't speed anyway. My OP was only asking about the opinions the general public had on radar detectors in general, not which one is the best.

If you're a speed demon and can't follow the laws of the land, then yea, maybe a 400 dollar detector is what you want. If you only want it to remind you to keep an eye on the speedometer when you don't have cruise control, I think the el-cheapo model will do fine, or like I did, a decent model that is a few years old, and a manu. refurb. That makes it a very cheapo thing. LOL

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

If you only want it to remind you to keep an eye on the speedometer when you don't have cruise control, I think the el-cheapo model will do fine, or like I did, a decent model that is a few years old, and a manu. refurb.

....or like I stated earlier, a cheap GPS with speed alert will do that job a heck of a lot better.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

Ok, well I guess illiteracy is a problem in this country.

That may well be true, I can't comment, I'm not from "this country"...(Clue => top right corner, where it says Canada....) but your OP certainly wouldn't disprove the theory.

If you had actually READ THE OP, or comprehended it, I asked for peoples opinions on radar detectors IN GENERAL, not specific BRANDS. Once someone started saying Valentine was the best, I wanted to make sure to post evidence that this is no longer the universal thought in the radar detecting world.

You haven't posted any evidence....just links to other opinions.
And from your OP, your closing summation...=>

I'm curious to know what people think about them.

People are telling you what they think about them....but you are picking a fight.

I know this might be a volatile thread and I hope it doesn't turn out to be that way.

Anyone who opens a thread with the statement above, and subsequently takes the tack that you have, either was looking for a dust-up and tried to cause one, or has literacy and comprehension problems of their own.

I have read the whole thread, and comprehend it at least as well as you do, maybe better .
I simply commented on the glaring disconnect between your OP and what you have contributed to YOUR OWN THREAD.
I am surprised it is still open.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

....or like I stated earlier, a cheap GPS with speed alert will do that job a heck of a lot better.

Except that every road has a different speed alert. If I only set it to alert me on the interstate, it will not do me any good on the highway, and vice versa.

Ezmo, there is actually one road I ride, a 4 lane, in which the speed limit changes I believe 7 times in about 7 or 8 miles. From 40 to 55, then to 65, then back to 55, then 65 again, then back to 55, then finally 50 where we turn off. No GPS will help me in that situation. I need the human brain to know what the speed limit is so if the little machine tells me it detects something I can glance down and see how close I am. I know, in my head, what the speed limit is, but no GPS would (well, fancy expensive ones actually do, and that's cool but I don't have 200 dollars to spend on that) so while your idea would certainly work if you only wanted it to alert you to speeding at one set speed limit, with multiple limits like what I have to deal with, it won't. It would be dangerous to me to have to try to reprogram it for every speed limit I dealt with. My dad, in his entire life, was only pulled over for speeding one time, and it was on that 7 mile stretch of road between where it goes from 65 to 55. He never saw the 55mph signs because they are small and part of another sign, and the cop was sitting in the median just past the limit sign. He got my dad doing 64 in a 55. He let him off with a warning, but I told dad that's why I have that detector, to alert me something might be up. Of course dad didn't even slow down when he saw the cop, he didn't think he was speeding so I guess even a detector wouldn't have helped him! LOL Had the cop seen a detector on his dash he might have gotten a ticket so I don't know, if you're too dumb to know the speed limit of the road you're on and you don't know what speed to slow down to, nothing can help you! LOL

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

60 in a 40. That there's my achilles heel

Yes my solution wouldn't be ideal for your situation although my GPS does at least THINK it knows the limits. It chimes when you're over the limit it thinks it is on the road you're currently on. As GPS's get better and have more info, I would think this solution would get better and better and you would not have an "illegal" device on your dash.

 

[robcarync]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

I have a radar detector and I like it. I have had about 5 speeding tickets (most before the radar detector, but 2 with---1 because I forgot to turn the volume on and one because I was driving recklessly fast where a detector wont do anything to help me)

I don't drive stupidly fast anymore, just about 5 over...but as I tell my parents who have the view "the only people that use radar detectors are the ones that are trying to break the law"

"no matter if you are speeding or not, whenever someone finally sees a cop camped out for speeders, the instant reaction is to slam the breaks and check the speed...it is nice to have a heads up to double check myself so I can be on the lookout for them"

and of course as I had found out...a radar detector is NOT a free for all ticket to drive however fast you want...and it only detects if a radar gun is on. If you are driving stupidly fast and say...pass a cop on the road at 30+ limit...no radar detector will keep you from getting a ticket.

My RD is handy though...it definitely has saved me as most of my previous speeding tickets have been speed traps with cops camped out and I didn't notice a speed reduction or there are a few parts where the limit goes from 65-55-65 and cops like to camp out right on the edges there.

Once I got the RD, I have had a heads up for speed traps. It is annoying when they get triggered by doors and buildings, etc...but once you get used to your RD you learn how to read the alerts and know if it's something to be concerned about or not.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

60 in a 40. That there's my achilles heel

Yes my solution wouldn't be ideal for your situation although my GPS does at least THINK it knows the limits. It chimes when you're over the limit it thinks it is on the road you're currently on. As GPS's get better and have more info, I would think this solution would get better and better and you would not have an "illegal" device on your dash.

They're only illegal in Washington DC and one other state, Virginia maybe?

They're perfectly legal, and when mine got stolen I called the cops and they fingerprinted my truck just like they'd stolen anything else. They're as legal as car stereos in all states except 2, so owning one is fine. If you would combine a good detector with a GPS speed warning device, I think you'd be in fantastic shape. The reason I say that is because sometimes GPS is wrong, loses signal, etc etc. The RD is always there to help remind you, it would be like two layers of protection.

 

[JB]

Re: Your views on radar detectors....

Well my opinion is that people cannot discuss this topic in a friendly, courteous manner.

Therefore my bad manners and rude behavior detector has gone off.

Topic terminated.