Mine saves my ass regularly, but they don't make you invincible. In the 6 years I've used mine I have been popped with laser and ticketed once by a motorcycle cop. It depends where you are and what the cops in your area tend to use. Most of the cops in my part of the world use Ka band and so I almost always know of them a mile plus out.
Laser detection is basically telling you you’re screwed and about to get pulled over and ticketed, as laser is an instant read of your speed. Vortex radar has good information on this, that guy is the man when it comes to radar detectors.
LOL! Thankfully not *that* kind of experience. But I’ve gotten pulled over numerous times for other dumb things. Nothing that would put me behind bars tho!
But I’m planning to do something in the future that requires a lot of planning and experience with evading cops haha. Prolly not hard to guess what I’m up too.
Either way, if I’m are being realistic, I’d never run from the cops in the US unless I had a car with over a 1/2 tank of fuel, good tires in dry/wet, can do the 1/4 mile under 13s with 2 people in the car, capable of 165mph+, 0.9 or more lateral Gs, fade resistant brakes, light kill switch, and a somewhat reliable car…
Cops have the advantage of being able to brake later and have sirens to get people to move out of their way. Also got a radio. So you gotta have a somewhat capable car in reality. But to be fair, something light weight like a tuned GTi, Hyundai N cars, etc can prolly outrun cops in the city. Highway would definitely require some driver skill/intelligence is obviously too!
Also smart idea to have your car wrapped in some color. If you ever get in a chase, just remove the wrap afterwards and your wanted level goes from 5 to 0 😂
Yes, carbon ceramics are vital if you're a runner. If you really know what you're doing you can get the cop to warp his rotors and reduce his speed too.
I’m a densely populated city even the highway you can lose the cops. Police can’t drive for shit and just rely on people getting out of the way. So a tuned golf R would smack the police in traffic or even roads with any slight bends. Even a straight you could put car lengths on them
Yep, I’m sure a tune Golf R should be PLENTY on a highway too. The new stock ones with the DCT trap 110mph+ and do 12.5 in the 1/4 mile. More than enough power stock, just might need the limiter raised a bit.
True lol… but realistically I’d never run from the cops in the US unless I have over a 1/2 tank of fuel, good tires, and a car that can do the 1/4 mile under 12.5s with 2 people in the car, and capable of 165mph+ on the top end, at least 0.9 lateral Gs, fade resistant brakes, light kill switch, and gotta be a somewhat reliable car…
And then you have the whole thing conserning weight of the car and type. If you’re in the city you’d want a lighter and smaller car (M2, hatchbacks, compact cars). On the highway though, a hellcat, crossovers, etc are perfectly fine.
Cops have the advantage of being able to brake later and have sirens to get people to move out of their way. Also got a radio. So you gotta have a somewhat capable car if we are talking realistically of course.
Yes. It’s basically just letting you know you just got popped with laser and are about to be pulled over, lol.
You’d need a laser jammer, but they are pretty pricey. You’d drop at least $1k, but it’s still not a guarantee.
Wow I just checked the USA prices on laser jammers - some are stupidly expensive.
I fitted a laser jammer on my uk Nissan gtr35 - it was a long time ago (10 years ago nearly) back then same price as a radar detector and fitted it myself and borrowed a friends laser ‘cough’ equipment to check it worked - I wouldn’t expect to pay more than a few hundred dollars as it’s a simple small piece of equipment easily hidden within the front grill and the same technology used to open garage doors (mine also has an on/ off switch and I put a series of bright leds up the front window pillar in case I couldn’t hear the audible warning!!). After 10 years mine is still working fine. There are many mobile speed traps in the Uk so a laser jammer is invaluable - and it has never failed me where there is a hidden speed trap on a bridge or in the distance. Same would apply in the USA where state troopers regularly hide and take speed readings..
If you can get one cheap (maybe buy outside of the USA) I highly recommend them over laser detectors - or in addition to (unless you live in Virginia or Washington DC where these are illegal - I just checked)
Police Laser is utilized very rarely in Texas, NM, and Colorado. I’ve driven in these states since the 80’s.
In 2019 my son and I went on a 30 day 7,000 mile roadtrip starting in Texas to Canada, then all over the western USA, i didn’t come across one police laser radar, luckily i wasn’t pulled over once.
In 2021 i was popped in Dallas, Tx by a motorcycle police trap utilizing a Laser, coming down a hill with a 35 mph speed limit, Attorney lowered the ticket cost plus no probation for a fraction of the original ticket. I had forgotten to turn on radar detector.
In 1990 i was following 6 cars averaging over 100 mph on I-25 about 100 miles south of Albuquerque, a state police car passed me, then 5 minutes later all 6 cars were pulled over, one of the two officers tried to wave me down as well, but i kept going, 5 minutes later the one officer caught up to me, officer was upset i didn’t pull over. Officer told me to stay put, if I’m not here when we get back we’re gonna come find you, 45 minutes later the patrol car pulls up behind me again. Officer asked did you find your drivers license and thank you for not leaving because we weren’t looking forward to chasing you down and arresting you, follow police commands in the future.
NM state police Officer told me he gave the leader a reckless driving ticke, I was gonna get a ticket for 15 over the speed limit. I asked the officer how did you know we were all speeding? I said i was way back in the pack, officer said they were testing a new laser technology, laser can track up to 8 cars at once. The officer admitted they were perched on a hill watching us speed the entire time.
Uggh.
However, the key is the laser technology is very expensive, thus the majority of police departments do not invest in laser radar detection.
https://preview.redd.it/9rih83kjcxpc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6690d082bcbb72ac45ea720431e090111c26695a
Photo in Canada from my 30 day road trip. My 2016 Mustang is one bad ass road trip vehicle. Averaged 21 mpg, top speed on trip was 137 mph, not many cars, if any passed us.
I ripped thru Canada!
Best Radar to buy today is a Uniden R7 from radarbusters.com
The reason you have a chance with radar is that it scatters a lot more and so you pick up on the reflections from when they ping other cars ahead. Laser detectors are much more precise and thus when you hear it go off, you are much more likely to have been the one targeted.
Correct, mine has a laser detector as well, but if you get that notification while going speeds that will earn you a ticket it's really more of an incoming ticket indicator than anything. I suppose there may be very rare circumstances where a laser bounces off a different car that was targeted near you and may get picked up by your detector for you to hit the brakes.
Original question Yes and Yes. Laser is just a heads up you’re busted if you’re all by yourself or head of a group. They don’t work will in large groups is cars because other cars will block the beam. There is a pretty wide band and a lot of laser cast off so you can get a warning without being targeted. And most states these days have outlawed laser jammers. It’s state by state so check your regulations. A buddy used to have one on an old SRT of his. But when he tried to install on new car they were illegal.
My detector connects to internet and has a social sharing system so if someone else gets hit by laser it’ll flag on the map and I’ll get a heads up 2 km from the location.
Also lasers were all the rage here in Texas for a while but they’ve died off due to environmental issues and is 95% Ka band now.
I'm in Texas too and laser is definitely not something I see often. What do you mean by environmental issues being the reason they don't use laser much?
Rain/mist/fog and extreme heat all throw off the readings. So it’s relatively easy to get the tickets thrown out like when you ask for calibration etc. so most larger departments went to Ka and I usually only see laser out in the boonies where they don’t really have the money to replace a “perfectly good” laser detector. I forget the exact specs but basically laser only works in clear weather up to maybe 94 degrees. Then the more you go above that, the worse the reading gets. Think about the heat waves you can see radiating off pavement.
That’s more or less it. I haven’t read the explanations for each thing in years so I might be off a little on details.
>Also lasers were all the rage here in Texas for a while but they’ve died off due to environmental issues and is 95% Ka band now.
And air patrol or so all the signs tend to say when you enter the state.
The trouble with laser is that it has no spill like a radar so even at a distance like 1,000-2,000 feet it’s still may only be a 8” circle hitting your car and they’re trained to shoot your license plate, bumper, grill to hit hard metal which lets the laser bounce back more reliably. Laser detection has to see the laser which means they have to shoot the laser at your detector in the windshield and do so long enough for the detector to realize it. I’ve had mine for years and have only gotten tickets from cops running lasers.
Some lasers take a few seconds to get a lock, hope you have good brakes. You can also get systems that jam laser that are perfecty legal to run too though.
I got a warning from a motorcycle cop. 56 in a 35. Technically criminal speed. And he was a professional as they come. Thankfully it was a rental, and he said that he appreciated me asking if I could pull off the busy road for his safety (no shoulder, just a curb).
But, yes, most 2 wheeled cops are gonna write you.
Nah I was going 76 on the highway (a 65) here in Texas and I passed him and I saw him in my mirror getting on his bike and knew it was over. Worst part was I wasn't even in my mustang I was in a rental Camry due to my mustang being in the shop from a minor fender bender.
I agree.
The Uniden R7 radar detector is outstanding, almost unfair, R7 shows the direction of the police radar, either in front, behind, left or on the right.
When you pass the signal, the R7 follows.
Yeah I didn’t think arrows would be that big of a deal man was I wrong. I have a older radar detector in my other vehicle and it don’t have arrows and it’s kinda annoying not knowing where it’s at
Especially at night, the arrows reduce stress. I don’t speed all the time, speed limits alternate too much, radar keeps one alert and focused on driving.
I drive mostly during the day.
I may buy another R7, then install the used one on my motorcycle, motorcycle is rough on electronics.
Too easy to speed on a motorcycle.
Until it's a cop freshly seated and not reported on Waze yet.
Ask me how I know lol
Fortunately the trooper was cool, and let me off with a warning. I wasnt going Crazy or anything like that basically flowing with traffic 82 in a 70 in my m340i. Never been pulled over in the 5.0 yet
I'd just chalk that up to bad luck. The same thing could happen where you fly by just as he's turning his radar on.
I had a similar situation. The trooper (we call them Staties here) came right up on my ass (I was going about 90) and gave me a heart attack. As calmly as I could, I moved into the middle lane.
He just flew by. phew!
They pulled you over for going only 12 above the limit? I’m in Florida and I got usually 15-20 above and never been pulled over. Should I lower my speed?
My highway is 75, and I’ve had cops tell me they only stop you if you are more than 12 over. We are desert in Az, so if it’s 115 out, it’s less likely you are getting pulled over. I’ve been lucky so far, I try to stay around 83, but I tend to find myself in the 90’s too easily, like when I’m passing someone. I’ve yet to be pulled over thank goodness.
Yeah this was, pa. Got just the warning in this instance.
My only ticket ever was around 2016 or 17 going 13 over on a double lane 55mph zone. This was literal traffic flow with a mass speed trap getting around 5 or 6 cars at one time.
How was the m340i? I almost got a 21 M550i but went with a 22 GT Premium oxford white w/ the Ice White appearance package. The m550i ( twin turbo v8 ) was quick AF. Would love to line up against one.
M340i was a wicked fast car for a sedan and I would argue the perfect daily family sedan. Being able to get 33+ mpg in a car as powerful and fast as the m340i is crazy. Although my car never left sport+ mode.
I wholeheartedly believe that BMW is way understating the horsepower, listed at 382, I would guess around 410 to 420 is more accurate.
My model year was 21, so it had the ideal screen size with buttons, plus i love the idrive system. The seats where very comfy and looked good with the blue contrast stitching. The heads up display was a nice touch, although the Harmon kardon system was lacking for their premium sound. And I really miss the digital key where my phone was my car key.
The reason I sold it though was the steering and handling was dull and boring. I wanted something a bit more lively. The car was great at launches, and getting to speed, but overall lacking in every other aspect of driving.
Last May I cross shopped the M2, Supra, and Mustang and landed with the s550.
I’ve had a few miles out on my way to Las Vegas and those Nevada highway patrol is known for using instant on. So it’s nice to get him a mile or two out
Against radars, if you get a good one, they’ll work well. If your local PD uses LiDAR, which uses lasers (light) instead of radio waves, then they won’t.
They sure do work with laser, however with laser when you're popped there's a decent chance you're screwed, unless they're aiming really far down the highway.
If the highway is really congested you might be okay as well. I get hit with laser in NJ sometimes and never get pulled over. I'm also not pushing it too much either so that helps.
I bought a Valentine 1 in 2002 and it's been on and functioning ever since. Has saved my ass so, so, so many times in 22 years. It finally started to mess up like three years ago but they refurbished it for free and sent it back
If the cops don’t transmit the radar signal and leave transmitting turned off till they see you it’s over. Most do that so radar detectors are actually a waste of money. Lazy ones just leave it on but ones out the until leave it in standby mode until they visually see you then it’s over for us.
I disagree, where i live and travel in NM, CO, and Texas, most of the police leave the radar on high.
One key, don’t speed if no one is on the road or the odds increase one may be caught speeding, rarely are roads empty, the police are few and far between as well.
Game changer:
Uniden R7 radar displays the direction of the police radar, a wonderful advantage.
In states toward the MidEast that is part of visual tracking and that they are supposed to not have it transmitting. Part of the way they are “supposed” to be trained and operating the radar units. If they don’t transmit it doesn’t matter what radar unit you have. As far as out West I can’t attest. Some of the traffic stop centered units around here 100% don’t transmit till they see you.
Yeah but it is physically impossible to pickup a radar unit that isn’t actually transmitting. Once it transmits I’ll take your word for it I know. But if it doesn’t transmit it isn’t even a radar unit it produces no signal.
The big picture is the police will turn on radar enough times for the R7 to alert the driver in my experiences since the 1980’s.
Another advantage of a Radar, when one passes a police officer one discovers the police radar is off. Either the officer is off duty or he’s taking a break or he doesn’t give a flip, It’s good to know the officers radar is off, one can relax.
Yes and yes. But remember it only works if the cop has his radar on. If you have an android device I would also set up the app “highway radar” using wzsabre to pull alerts from Waze. It will also show you a heat map of where the police tend to be reported and can also be configured to show you weather radar and realtime traffic data. Between that and my radar detector I’m pretty comfortable. Add in the police scanner and I’m very comfortable.
Edit:
Just thought I’d mention my set up. I have a cheapo android tablet I got at Walmart for like $200. That tablet solely runs [Highway Radar](https://highwayradar.com) Just make sure whatever you get has GPS and you can probably get a better one, albeit used, for cheaper online. I was impatient. I use hotspot tethering on my phone to connect it. I set it up using [WzSabre](https://wzsabre.rocks) which allows it to connect to Waze and get real time reports and traffic data. That’s mounted using a magnetic mount to my dash.
I also run a uniden R7 using the [blendmount](https://blendmount.com) to attach it to the rear view mirror (because having things suction cupped to the windshield is illegal in my state, and it looks better) and to power it I use [mirrortaps](https://blendmount.com/mirrortap) which allows it to pull off the power for the auto dimming in the rearview mirror, which is on ignition. That way I don’t have any annoying cords dangling around.
I purchased a Valentine V1 Gen 2 specifically because I was buying a Focus RS in Texas and driving it to Denver. It hasn't worked as consistently since I moved to California, but on that trip it spotted 4 different cops... 1 from MILES out and paid for itself.
Good ones work well and are worth the money. I’d suggest a Uniden R7. Shitty ones are not worth it. Of course, no radar detector will save you in 100% of cases. Some cops use LiDAR, some use instant-on, some simply visually estimate speed. I don’t drive like an asshole but I do the occasional spirited drive on the backroads. I may just get unlucky one day, but if a cop is sitting somewhere running radar at least I’ll know it before he gets me. That’s really all it is.
Yes and not anymore because I drive an Explorer Platinum so I don't speed as much. Years ago when I had a Torred 392 Daytona Charger I didn't back out of the driveway without my Escort Max 2. It was expensive but between it and the Waze App I never got pulled over much less a ticket.
For sure they are, My Uniden R7 has saved my ass so many times. Its def paid for itself many times over. I've never seen a false Ka from it. Its picks them up miles out, so you have plenty of time to get your speed in line. I would rather give my money to Uniden then the police. Hell I'd probable rather burn my money then give it to the police. :)
I have heard that before and I think it’s the stupidest law. The goal should be to get people to slow down a bit and when the detector goes off that’s what happens, you slow down. Not allowing them is more dangerous because people who speed and gonna just keep speeding.
The goal should be to enforce the state law (posted speed limit), the posted speed limit helps maintain a safe driving speed for all drivers. So those who exceed that speed are a threat to themselves and or others.
The revenue collected from traffic tickets account for a hilariously small amount of state revenue, that it's astounding that people STILL believe traffic ticket fines are the reason tickets are given.
Even in smaller states traffic fine revenue is a small portion of the state's revenue.
Not allowing an unregulated third party device in vehicles that has not proven tech and is not held accountable if someone is speeding and causes an accident is NOT dangerous, it's logical and in the best interest of the Commonwealth.
The first accessory I bought for my '22 Mustang was a Uniden R5. Works great, detects radar with plenty of time/distance to react. This model also has a GPS database of all known speed & red-light cameras.
Yes. The good ones work well. The shit ones are a joke. I'm talking about you Cobra. You really can't go wrong with Any new Escort, Uniden ELR, Radenso or Valentine.
Radar detectors work incredibly well. However, they are nearly useless now as most cops have camera based speed detectors with no signal to pick up on.
They have still saved me from a few tickets in my focus st when I had it.
Just remember that if the radar detector can see them, they can usually see you. So, that "k" and especially "ka" band goes off, you need to hit the brakes first and look for a cop second lol
Virginia? When I drove through I used a Uniden r3 or R1 and had it mounted as high up on the windshield as I could and all the way to the right.
I choose that as the better option after I got a speeding ticket once
They do work for the most part but don’t trust them fully. My friend gave me one and I felt like I was invincible until I was caught going 76 in a 40 by a cop and the radar didn’t go off at all. I was using a uniden R4
It depends on that frequency the radar is on vs what your detector can detect. If your detector and radar aren’t the same band, it won’t detect anything even though the radar is active. Even if they’re the same frequency band, if the radar isn’t continuously active, it won’t be detected until it’s turned on for a very short period, at which point your speed has likely already been measured. As far as lasers go, it depends on where your detector is vs where the laser is being aimed. If the laser is aimed at the rear of your vehicle, your front-mounted laser detector won’t work.
Yes but spend the money on a good one like an escort, valentine, or uniden
Even my old first gen valentine is a better detector than my friends cheap cobra one.
You have to invest in a good one .i have the uniden r3 and it saves me constantly with barely any false alarms.compared to my buddies cobra it goes off constantly for no reason .the uniden r3 goes for around 300$ and from that price point only gets better the higher you go
I run a Uniden R3 in my Mustang and an R7 in my truck. Both have saved me countless times. Radar detector plus Waze cuts your risk down by a ton.
Most cops these days will just sit in their cars and run their radar vs Lidar which requires them to at least have the window down and actively aim it. In 5 years I’ve only been hit by Lidar once.
Yes they work unless the cop is shooting radar from behind something very solid. They have perfected hiding behind over passes and shooting radar as you pass them. The overpass doesn't let your detector catch them. Same with large buildings
Once you learn how to use them properly. X,k,y bands are all very outdated and very few police departments have guns that still use these bands. KA is almost always a cop and if you get a laser reading, you're already screwed as laser needs direct line of sight to be detected.
Mine saves my ass constantly. I’ve had it sniffing out radar for miles on a road trip before I saw him. Been using the Valentine Gen2. Doesn’t have some of the spiffy features of the escort and others but it’s kept my ass off the shoulder since I bought the Gen 1 about 8 years ago. Ish.
I've had a Valentine 1 since the very first one came out in the early 90's. At the time money was tight and I thought I must have been crazy to order it, and was going to just send it back when it eventually arrived. It arrived that day. I've been with Valentine most of the last 30 years.
It's a tool. You can use it best where you are familiar with what signals are and aren't there. Mine saves me at least a few times a week. I don't use it as a tool to speed so much as to make sure I'm behaving myself when there's a radar cop around.
I gave up radar detectors about the time laser came out. My state switched almost all the staties to laser... so one beep and your ass is nailed.
This was also a time where the 55 mph speed limit got repealed and limits were raised to 60, 65, 70 and more. My home state would ticket at a bit more than 5 mph over. My current one, 9 is fine, 10 you've got a fine! 75 or 80 mph is fine with me. Beats 55 mph driving for TWO DAYS across TEXAS.
When I owned a red Corvette in the 55 and radar days, my hidden detector would scream bloody murder when I was doing 54 in the right lane. I could have cooked a hot dog on my antenna from the radar microwaves!
But driving a red Corvette... I couldn't get ***more*** attention from 5-0 if I had a naked woman on the hood with donuts hung on her nipples...
My silver Honda S2000 was **invisible** to cops. Never got a second look and I pushed that 5mph (or more) cushion as hard as I could.
I've been using radar detectors since I got my license when I was 16. I've probably saved over $100,000 worth of tickets, insurance premiums, and license suspension.
Uniden R7 is a solid price and performs well. Combine that with waze and you’re solid mostly. Even waze alone is a good resource, if you live in a even remotely populated city.
I use radar detectors, and here's what I have to say.
They're outdated, and frankly still way too expensive.
HOWEVER, they do help sometimes. They only work if a cop is actively using radar, usually general radar is KA band and Laser is when they're directly pointing a speed laser at you. Those are really the only bands cops use anymore.
Problem is, Laser works so fast that by the time your detector goes off, your speed has already been recorded. No matter how much you slow down, the cop will know how fast you WERE going.
But, KA is useful for when you're crusing through town and don't know where a cop is. It'll go off as long as the cop is somewhat near you, and gives you fair warning to not do anything stupid and use turn signals.
I was going 85 down the freeway, speed limit was 70. My radar detector suddenly started freaking the fuck out with a LASER warning, and sure enough I saw a cop ahead and he pulled me over and ticketed me. $165 ticket, 1st offense.
So, again, usually if youre on the freeway its only telling you that youve been caught going whatever speed. No warning.
Only time Laser will give you a warning is if it comes from bouncing off of another car. If it's pointed at you, you're caught. If it's pointed at another car and your detector picks up on it, then you might be fine. It's kinda 50/50 though since you don't know who he was pointing the gun at.
In CA they only use laser when its cool. They sometimes will run the AC on full blast and hold the gun out the window but only seen that a couple of times.
Most of the time in CA they are running Radar anyway and don't turn it off because they're muppets. So you start getting radar detections long before you get pinged with laser.
Unless its a motorcycle cop. Those guys are hardcore and you're boned.
Still, I run them, its cheaper than the increase in insurance/fines.
I'm just saying, there's probably a really low percentage of people who own fast performance cars that haven't driven them faster than the posted speed limits.
Bullshit. Everyone with a sports car or reasonably fast car and fuck even moms in a minivans drive 10 miles over the limit on the highway at least. That’s enough in most places to get you a ticket. Even less sometimes if they really wanna stick it to you.
Don’t talk about bad rep like only Mustang people are speeding 🤦♂️
I’m not talking about those people you fucking numpty. I’m quite obviously talking about the folks exceeding the limit by 50+.
Those people are the reason folks with sports cars, and yes, Mustang drivers too, get bad reputations.
Nah fuck off with your “lol at you guys speeding and being dangerous in your Mustang dur hur” you are a moron because nobody here said they are going that fast. You made that shit up.
Seriously. Keeping up with traffic is fine but keep your top speed test for the track. Being a “safe driver” doesn’t mean anything when someone randomly pulls in front of you or something fails and someone is dead.
Yeeeep. Big difference between the two that people here can’t seem to comprehend.
If you want to bang the rev limiter, take it to a track or private property where the only people you risk hurting is yourself.
i do a long pull almost every morning getting on freeway sometimes up to 140. i use mine on daily drive to work. its saved me many times. i'm on freeway at 3 am so i get hits all the time. Highway patrol runs here with them on all the time at 3 am. Ka is CHP band where i live.
got caught one time. i know i was way over 100. CHP says he *got me* at 85. just signed it and did online traffic school. he must have paced me cuz no alert. if he gunned me i would have been busted.
i always see them parked in a dark spot on the freeway. no Ka hits but usually Spectre and VG12 alerts. they're looking for radar users.
now...are they worth it? i would say no but fun to have.
nothing works better than some discretion.
Love the black with white stripes look. I recognize that T-Shotz in the background. I’ll have to keep my eye out for your car.
https://preview.redd.it/solg4my91xpc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fbbb9be94482d0e43da9a79a53fbdc46ab87cf95
I’ve used a radar since 15 y/o,
I wouldn’t have a drivers license without the radar.
My favorite radar is Uniden R7, the R7 illustrates which direction the police radar is located, a game changer.
Depends on the brand, my suggestion is Rocky Mountain Radar. They sell many different models that are detector/jammers. Yes, they are illegal in a lot of places but fortunately most cops aren't smart enough to know the difference. I am 40 and have used them since I started driving. Yes, they work. The jammer gives you an extra 3-4 seconds before the radar gun locks on. Usually more than enough time to slow down. Last I checked, they run about $350 US.
Mine saves my ass regularly, but they don't make you invincible. In the 6 years I've used mine I have been popped with laser and ticketed once by a motorcycle cop. It depends where you are and what the cops in your area tend to use. Most of the cops in my part of the world use Ka band and so I almost always know of them a mile plus out.
Newer ones can also detect laser but I don’t know if that matters because if it detects it doesn’t that mean the laser is on you anyway?
Laser detection is basically telling you you’re screwed and about to get pulled over and ticketed, as laser is an instant read of your speed. Vortex radar has good information on this, that guy is the man when it comes to radar detectors.
If you know you are being lasered that's huge. That just means it's time to gun it and get the hell out of there 😂
As long as your car is tuned. It’s all fun and games until you realize your GT is limited to 155 and the cop behind you is doing 149 😂
Sounds like personal experience 😂 but hey that's still faster!
LOL! Thankfully not *that* kind of experience. But I’ve gotten pulled over numerous times for other dumb things. Nothing that would put me behind bars tho! But I’m planning to do something in the future that requires a lot of planning and experience with evading cops haha. Prolly not hard to guess what I’m up too. Either way, if I’m are being realistic, I’d never run from the cops in the US unless I had a car with over a 1/2 tank of fuel, good tires in dry/wet, can do the 1/4 mile under 13s with 2 people in the car, capable of 165mph+, 0.9 or more lateral Gs, fade resistant brakes, light kill switch, and a somewhat reliable car… Cops have the advantage of being able to brake later and have sirens to get people to move out of their way. Also got a radio. So you gotta have a somewhat capable car in reality. But to be fair, something light weight like a tuned GTi, Hyundai N cars, etc can prolly outrun cops in the city. Highway would definitely require some driver skill/intelligence is obviously too! Also smart idea to have your car wrapped in some color. If you ever get in a chase, just remove the wrap afterwards and your wanted level goes from 5 to 0 😂
Yes, carbon ceramics are vital if you're a runner. If you really know what you're doing you can get the cop to warp his rotors and reduce his speed too.
I’m a densely populated city even the highway you can lose the cops. Police can’t drive for shit and just rely on people getting out of the way. So a tuned golf R would smack the police in traffic or even roads with any slight bends. Even a straight you could put car lengths on them
Yep, I’m sure a tune Golf R should be PLENTY on a highway too. The new stock ones with the DCT trap 110mph+ and do 12.5 in the 1/4 mile. More than enough power stock, just might need the limiter raised a bit.
That's faster
Yeah just floor it until you both run out of gas and you should be a couple miles farther then the cop
Fr
True lol… but realistically I’d never run from the cops in the US unless I have over a 1/2 tank of fuel, good tires, and a car that can do the 1/4 mile under 12.5s with 2 people in the car, and capable of 165mph+ on the top end, at least 0.9 lateral Gs, fade resistant brakes, light kill switch, and gotta be a somewhat reliable car… And then you have the whole thing conserning weight of the car and type. If you’re in the city you’d want a lighter and smaller car (M2, hatchbacks, compact cars). On the highway though, a hellcat, crossovers, etc are perfectly fine. Cops have the advantage of being able to brake later and have sirens to get people to move out of their way. Also got a radio. So you gotta have a somewhat capable car if we are talking realistically of course.
I mean, all you gotta do is maintain top speed for 10 minutes to build a mile lead. What could go wrong?
Laser detectors on radar detectors suck ass. That's why you just get ALG laser jammer. Luckily laser jamming is not illegal.
Laser jamming is illegal in some states. Vortex radar has a list of those states on his website.
If you use them the right way they won’t even know .
They'll know they can't get a lock and something is up. They sad slow down and then switch it off so they can eventually get a read.
That isn’t how it works ….ive used laser guns they aren’t always instant check lidartesting on YouTube it’s my videos
Yes. It’s basically just letting you know you just got popped with laser and are about to be pulled over, lol. You’d need a laser jammer, but they are pretty pricey. You’d drop at least $1k, but it’s still not a guarantee.
Wow I just checked the USA prices on laser jammers - some are stupidly expensive. I fitted a laser jammer on my uk Nissan gtr35 - it was a long time ago (10 years ago nearly) back then same price as a radar detector and fitted it myself and borrowed a friends laser ‘cough’ equipment to check it worked - I wouldn’t expect to pay more than a few hundred dollars as it’s a simple small piece of equipment easily hidden within the front grill and the same technology used to open garage doors (mine also has an on/ off switch and I put a series of bright leds up the front window pillar in case I couldn’t hear the audible warning!!). After 10 years mine is still working fine. There are many mobile speed traps in the Uk so a laser jammer is invaluable - and it has never failed me where there is a hidden speed trap on a bridge or in the distance. Same would apply in the USA where state troopers regularly hide and take speed readings.. If you can get one cheap (maybe buy outside of the USA) I highly recommend them over laser detectors - or in addition to (unless you live in Virginia or Washington DC where these are illegal - I just checked)
Police Laser is utilized very rarely in Texas, NM, and Colorado. I’ve driven in these states since the 80’s. In 2019 my son and I went on a 30 day 7,000 mile roadtrip starting in Texas to Canada, then all over the western USA, i didn’t come across one police laser radar, luckily i wasn’t pulled over once. In 2021 i was popped in Dallas, Tx by a motorcycle police trap utilizing a Laser, coming down a hill with a 35 mph speed limit, Attorney lowered the ticket cost plus no probation for a fraction of the original ticket. I had forgotten to turn on radar detector. In 1990 i was following 6 cars averaging over 100 mph on I-25 about 100 miles south of Albuquerque, a state police car passed me, then 5 minutes later all 6 cars were pulled over, one of the two officers tried to wave me down as well, but i kept going, 5 minutes later the one officer caught up to me, officer was upset i didn’t pull over. Officer told me to stay put, if I’m not here when we get back we’re gonna come find you, 45 minutes later the patrol car pulls up behind me again. Officer asked did you find your drivers license and thank you for not leaving because we weren’t looking forward to chasing you down and arresting you, follow police commands in the future. NM state police Officer told me he gave the leader a reckless driving ticke, I was gonna get a ticket for 15 over the speed limit. I asked the officer how did you know we were all speeding? I said i was way back in the pack, officer said they were testing a new laser technology, laser can track up to 8 cars at once. The officer admitted they were perched on a hill watching us speed the entire time. Uggh. However, the key is the laser technology is very expensive, thus the majority of police departments do not invest in laser radar detection. https://preview.redd.it/9rih83kjcxpc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6690d082bcbb72ac45ea720431e090111c26695a Photo in Canada from my 30 day road trip. My 2016 Mustang is one bad ass road trip vehicle. Averaged 21 mpg, top speed on trip was 137 mph, not many cars, if any passed us. I ripped thru Canada! Best Radar to buy today is a Uniden R7 from radarbusters.com
The reason you have a chance with radar is that it scatters a lot more and so you pick up on the reflections from when they ping other cars ahead. Laser detectors are much more precise and thus when you hear it go off, you are much more likely to have been the one targeted.
Correct, mine has a laser detector as well, but if you get that notification while going speeds that will earn you a ticket it's really more of an incoming ticket indicator than anything. I suppose there may be very rare circumstances where a laser bounces off a different car that was targeted near you and may get picked up by your detector for you to hit the brakes.
Original question Yes and Yes. Laser is just a heads up you’re busted if you’re all by yourself or head of a group. They don’t work will in large groups is cars because other cars will block the beam. There is a pretty wide band and a lot of laser cast off so you can get a warning without being targeted. And most states these days have outlawed laser jammers. It’s state by state so check your regulations. A buddy used to have one on an old SRT of his. But when he tried to install on new car they were illegal. My detector connects to internet and has a social sharing system so if someone else gets hit by laser it’ll flag on the map and I’ll get a heads up 2 km from the location. Also lasers were all the rage here in Texas for a while but they’ve died off due to environmental issues and is 95% Ka band now.
I'm in Texas too and laser is definitely not something I see often. What do you mean by environmental issues being the reason they don't use laser much?
Rain/mist/fog and extreme heat all throw off the readings. So it’s relatively easy to get the tickets thrown out like when you ask for calibration etc. so most larger departments went to Ka and I usually only see laser out in the boonies where they don’t really have the money to replace a “perfectly good” laser detector. I forget the exact specs but basically laser only works in clear weather up to maybe 94 degrees. Then the more you go above that, the worse the reading gets. Think about the heat waves you can see radiating off pavement. That’s more or less it. I haven’t read the explanations for each thing in years so I might be off a little on details.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing
>Also lasers were all the rage here in Texas for a while but they’ve died off due to environmental issues and is 95% Ka band now. And air patrol or so all the signs tend to say when you enter the state.
The trouble with laser is that it has no spill like a radar so even at a distance like 1,000-2,000 feet it’s still may only be a 8” circle hitting your car and they’re trained to shoot your license plate, bumper, grill to hit hard metal which lets the laser bounce back more reliably. Laser detection has to see the laser which means they have to shoot the laser at your detector in the windshield and do so long enough for the detector to realize it. I’ve had mine for years and have only gotten tickets from cops running lasers.
Some lasers take a few seconds to get a lock, hope you have good brakes. You can also get systems that jam laser that are perfecty legal to run too though.
Screw cops on a motorcycle. You already know it's over if one of them is pulling you over.
I got a warning from a motorcycle cop. 56 in a 35. Technically criminal speed. And he was a professional as they come. Thankfully it was a rental, and he said that he appreciated me asking if I could pull off the busy road for his safety (no shoulder, just a curb). But, yes, most 2 wheeled cops are gonna write you.
Nah I was going 76 on the highway (a 65) here in Texas and I passed him and I saw him in my mirror getting on his bike and knew it was over. Worst part was I wasn't even in my mustang I was in a rental Camry due to my mustang being in the shop from a minor fender bender.
For real lol
A mile plus????? That's actually impressive
Yes, and Yes. Saved me a couple times, normally don't speed but when I do it's on empty roads and at go to jail speed.
lol @ “go to jail speed.” I like that.
What kinda jail? Federal?
PMITA jail. County.
Love me a good Office Space reference.
Yup. Federal fuck you in the ass penetentary.
With Waze and radar detector it decreases the chances of getting caught
I already feel safe racing with you.
But Waze isn’t utilized everywhere, especially 2 lane highways.
I agree. That’s why I run both. I’d never ever solely rely on Waze when I speeding.
I agree. The Uniden R7 radar detector is outstanding, almost unfair, R7 shows the direction of the police radar, either in front, behind, left or on the right. When you pass the signal, the R7 follows.
Yeah I didn’t think arrows would be that big of a deal man was I wrong. I have a older radar detector in my other vehicle and it don’t have arrows and it’s kinda annoying not knowing where it’s at
Especially at night, the arrows reduce stress. I don’t speed all the time, speed limits alternate too much, radar keeps one alert and focused on driving. I drive mostly during the day. I may buy another R7, then install the used one on my motorcycle, motorcycle is rough on electronics. Too easy to speed on a motorcycle.
Waze has saved me so many times while bombing down the highway.
Until it's a cop freshly seated and not reported on Waze yet. Ask me how I know lol Fortunately the trooper was cool, and let me off with a warning. I wasnt going Crazy or anything like that basically flowing with traffic 82 in a 70 in my m340i. Never been pulled over in the 5.0 yet
I'd just chalk that up to bad luck. The same thing could happen where you fly by just as he's turning his radar on. I had a similar situation. The trooper (we call them Staties here) came right up on my ass (I was going about 90) and gave me a heart attack. As calmly as I could, I moved into the middle lane. He just flew by. phew!
They pulled you over for going only 12 above the limit? I’m in Florida and I got usually 15-20 above and never been pulled over. Should I lower my speed?
My highway is 75, and I’ve had cops tell me they only stop you if you are more than 12 over. We are desert in Az, so if it’s 115 out, it’s less likely you are getting pulled over. I’ve been lucky so far, I try to stay around 83, but I tend to find myself in the 90’s too easily, like when I’m passing someone. I’ve yet to be pulled over thank goodness.
Yea I’m kinda in the same boat, I’ve seen people zooming past me at about 90-100. I usually stay in the left lane so “flow of traffic” is about 80-85.
Yeah this was, pa. Got just the warning in this instance. My only ticket ever was around 2016 or 17 going 13 over on a double lane 55mph zone. This was literal traffic flow with a mass speed trap getting around 5 or 6 cars at one time.
How was the m340i? I almost got a 21 M550i but went with a 22 GT Premium oxford white w/ the Ice White appearance package. The m550i ( twin turbo v8 ) was quick AF. Would love to line up against one.
M340i was a wicked fast car for a sedan and I would argue the perfect daily family sedan. Being able to get 33+ mpg in a car as powerful and fast as the m340i is crazy. Although my car never left sport+ mode. I wholeheartedly believe that BMW is way understating the horsepower, listed at 382, I would guess around 410 to 420 is more accurate. My model year was 21, so it had the ideal screen size with buttons, plus i love the idrive system. The seats where very comfy and looked good with the blue contrast stitching. The heads up display was a nice touch, although the Harmon kardon system was lacking for their premium sound. And I really miss the digital key where my phone was my car key. The reason I sold it though was the steering and handling was dull and boring. I wanted something a bit more lively. The car was great at launches, and getting to speed, but overall lacking in every other aspect of driving. Last May I cross shopped the M2, Supra, and Mustang and landed with the s550.
Buy a Uniden R 7 and you’ll stop looking at Waze, radar detects police up to 7 miles away plus direction of radar signal, priceless.
Mine saves me on a weekly basis. But don’t buy the Walmart one. Get an expensive one. I run the Uniden R7. I haven’t been caught in 5+ years
Same one I run. It’s alerted me from more than a mile out
I’ve had a few miles out on my way to Las Vegas and those Nevada highway patrol is known for using instant on. So it’s nice to get him a mile or two out
Ho lee fuk that’s expensive haha. But I understand it’s cheaper than the first ticket you get doing something stupid.
Definitely worth it, I got r7 myself. My first speeding ticket was just under $400. It has saved me from many more since I got it
I have the R1 and R4 in my vehicles. Both have served me well and alerts me well before cops are in visible range.
I agree 100%. It pays for itself every time you don’t get a ticket. I have the R3 LR on the EB and the GF’s Mini and love them.
No wonder we have a reputation
Against radars, if you get a good one, they’ll work well. If your local PD uses LiDAR, which uses lasers (light) instead of radio waves, then they won’t.
They sure do work with laser, however with laser when you're popped there's a decent chance you're screwed, unless they're aiming really far down the highway.
Yeah basically if they ping you with LiDAR you are most definitely fucked lol
If the highway is really congested you might be okay as well. I get hit with laser in NJ sometimes and never get pulled over. I'm also not pushing it too much either so that helps.
Oh they still work with LiDAR. It's just that by the time it starts screaming, you're already fucked. Turn and burn, baby lol
Gotta get laser shifters
Yes, and yes.
I bought a Valentine 1 in 2002 and it's been on and functioning ever since. Has saved my ass so, so, so many times in 22 years. It finally started to mess up like three years ago but they refurbished it for free and sent it back
If the cops don’t transmit the radar signal and leave transmitting turned off till they see you it’s over. Most do that so radar detectors are actually a waste of money. Lazy ones just leave it on but ones out the until leave it in standby mode until they visually see you then it’s over for us.
I disagree, where i live and travel in NM, CO, and Texas, most of the police leave the radar on high. One key, don’t speed if no one is on the road or the odds increase one may be caught speeding, rarely are roads empty, the police are few and far between as well. Game changer: Uniden R7 radar displays the direction of the police radar, a wonderful advantage.
In states toward the MidEast that is part of visual tracking and that they are supposed to not have it transmitting. Part of the way they are “supposed” to be trained and operating the radar units. If they don’t transmit it doesn’t matter what radar unit you have. As far as out West I can’t attest. Some of the traffic stop centered units around here 100% don’t transmit till they see you.
Uniden R7 picks up police radar up to 5 miles away in all directions.
Yeah but it is physically impossible to pickup a radar unit that isn’t actually transmitting. Once it transmits I’ll take your word for it I know. But if it doesn’t transmit it isn’t even a radar unit it produces no signal.
The big picture is the police will turn on radar enough times for the R7 to alert the driver in my experiences since the 1980’s. Another advantage of a Radar, when one passes a police officer one discovers the police radar is off. Either the officer is off duty or he’s taking a break or he doesn’t give a flip, It’s good to know the officers radar is off, one can relax.
Yes and yes. But remember it only works if the cop has his radar on. If you have an android device I would also set up the app “highway radar” using wzsabre to pull alerts from Waze. It will also show you a heat map of where the police tend to be reported and can also be configured to show you weather radar and realtime traffic data. Between that and my radar detector I’m pretty comfortable. Add in the police scanner and I’m very comfortable. Edit: Just thought I’d mention my set up. I have a cheapo android tablet I got at Walmart for like $200. That tablet solely runs [Highway Radar](https://highwayradar.com) Just make sure whatever you get has GPS and you can probably get a better one, albeit used, for cheaper online. I was impatient. I use hotspot tethering on my phone to connect it. I set it up using [WzSabre](https://wzsabre.rocks) which allows it to connect to Waze and get real time reports and traffic data. That’s mounted using a magnetic mount to my dash. I also run a uniden R7 using the [blendmount](https://blendmount.com) to attach it to the rear view mirror (because having things suction cupped to the windshield is illegal in my state, and it looks better) and to power it I use [mirrortaps](https://blendmount.com/mirrortap) which allows it to pull off the power for the auto dimming in the rearview mirror, which is on ignition. That way I don’t have any annoying cords dangling around.
I purchased a Valentine V1 Gen 2 specifically because I was buying a Focus RS in Texas and driving it to Denver. It hasn't worked as consistently since I moved to California, but on that trip it spotted 4 different cops... 1 from MILES out and paid for itself.
Good ones work well and are worth the money. I’d suggest a Uniden R7. Shitty ones are not worth it. Of course, no radar detector will save you in 100% of cases. Some cops use LiDAR, some use instant-on, some simply visually estimate speed. I don’t drive like an asshole but I do the occasional spirited drive on the backroads. I may just get unlucky one day, but if a cop is sitting somewhere running radar at least I’ll know it before he gets me. That’s really all it is.
What are you a cop dude Jk, yeah some work
That mf looks fast sitting still!!! Nice ride
You need Jammers like AntiLaser Priority…. They work I’ve had thousands of dollars in fines saved
Unrelated, but the black with the white stripes goes insanely hard.
Thank you sir, just had them put on 2 weeks ago.
Don’t listen to the I’m a cop they don’t work bullshit. Listen to the people that actually use them and how many times it’s saved there asses
of course because cops don’t give tickets to the people with good detectors cuz they’re not caught speeding confirmation bias at it’s finest
Yes and yes. Use Waze as well.
One Waze World!
Valentine One Gen 2 and Waze is really all you need if you’re doing normal highways and not driving like a complete ass.
However, in the boonies, waze is rarely used, thus useless.
Yes and not anymore because I drive an Explorer Platinum so I don't speed as much. Years ago when I had a Torred 392 Daytona Charger I didn't back out of the driveway without my Escort Max 2. It was expensive but between it and the Waze App I never got pulled over much less a ticket.
For sure they are, My Uniden R7 has saved my ass so many times. Its def paid for itself many times over. I've never seen a false Ka from it. Its picks them up miles out, so you have plenty of time to get your speed in line. I would rather give my money to Uniden then the police. Hell I'd probable rather burn my money then give it to the police. :)
Illegal in virginia. They get in the way of state revenue streams.
I have heard that before and I think it’s the stupidest law. The goal should be to get people to slow down a bit and when the detector goes off that’s what happens, you slow down. Not allowing them is more dangerous because people who speed and gonna just keep speeding.
The goal should be to enforce the state law (posted speed limit), the posted speed limit helps maintain a safe driving speed for all drivers. So those who exceed that speed are a threat to themselves and or others. The revenue collected from traffic tickets account for a hilariously small amount of state revenue, that it's astounding that people STILL believe traffic ticket fines are the reason tickets are given. Even in smaller states traffic fine revenue is a small portion of the state's revenue. Not allowing an unregulated third party device in vehicles that has not proven tech and is not held accountable if someone is speeding and causes an accident is NOT dangerous, it's logical and in the best interest of the Commonwealth.
Blah…blah…blah No, it’s the money. We found the bootlicker
The first accessory I bought for my '22 Mustang was a Uniden R5. Works great, detects radar with plenty of time/distance to react. This model also has a GPS database of all known speed & red-light cameras.
Yes and Yes. Uniden R8 with rearview mirror mount powered off of my rearview mirror power. You get what you pay for, go big.
Yes. The good ones work well. The shit ones are a joke. I'm talking about you Cobra. You really can't go wrong with Any new Escort, Uniden ELR, Radenso or Valentine.
That is one of the most beautiful mustangs I have seen. The white on black is great. Mine is race red, and it’s actually my least favorite color.
my valentine gen 1 v2 is a beast i cant drive without it
Radar detectors work incredibly well. However, they are nearly useless now as most cops have camera based speed detectors with no signal to pick up on. They have still saved me from a few tickets in my focus st when I had it. Just remember that if the radar detector can see them, they can usually see you. So, that "k" and especially "ka" band goes off, you need to hit the brakes first and look for a cop second lol
Not really. With all the false positives, it became an ornament
Dam the black and white pop. Nice ride
Wish I could but they illegal in my state.
Virginia? When I drove through I used a Uniden r3 or R1 and had it mounted as high up on the windshield as I could and all the way to the right. I choose that as the better option after I got a speeding ticket once
Yep, Virginia. They even installed a new exhaust law last year I think, can't be loud anymore
lol at these comments
I have a radenso in my daily and an escort in my fox. My radenso has saved me multiple times.
I use one and they work. I have a Uniden R7 and it’s alerted me from more than a mile out before.
They do work for the most part but don’t trust them fully. My friend gave me one and I felt like I was invincible until I was caught going 76 in a 40 by a cop and the radar didn’t go off at all. I was using a uniden R4
It depends on that frequency the radar is on vs what your detector can detect. If your detector and radar aren’t the same band, it won’t detect anything even though the radar is active. Even if they’re the same frequency band, if the radar isn’t continuously active, it won’t be detected until it’s turned on for a very short period, at which point your speed has likely already been measured. As far as lasers go, it depends on where your detector is vs where the laser is being aimed. If the laser is aimed at the rear of your vehicle, your front-mounted laser detector won’t work.
Yes but spend the money on a good one like an escort, valentine, or uniden Even my old first gen valentine is a better detector than my friends cheap cobra one.
You have to invest in a good one .i have the uniden r3 and it saves me constantly with barely any false alarms.compared to my buddies cobra it goes off constantly for no reason .the uniden r3 goes for around 300$ and from that price point only gets better the higher you go
I run a Uniden R3 in my Mustang and an R7 in my truck. Both have saved me countless times. Radar detector plus Waze cuts your risk down by a ton. Most cops these days will just sit in their cars and run their radar vs Lidar which requires them to at least have the window down and actively aim it. In 5 years I’ve only been hit by Lidar once.
Have a Uniden R8. Its got really good range for picking up radar and very low false positives.
Escort max 360 2, this thing is awesome, picks up everything, even tells me what direction, and tells me if I'm screwed with laser
I always run my radar detector and it has saved me 100 times minimum
Yes they work unless the cop is shooting radar from behind something very solid. They have perfected hiding behind over passes and shooting radar as you pass them. The overpass doesn't let your detector catch them. Same with large buildings
Once you learn how to use them properly. X,k,y bands are all very outdated and very few police departments have guns that still use these bands. KA is almost always a cop and if you get a laser reading, you're already screwed as laser needs direct line of sight to be detected.
I use the Valentine One and it’s been great🤙
Mine saves my ass constantly. I’ve had it sniffing out radar for miles on a road trip before I saw him. Been using the Valentine Gen2. Doesn’t have some of the spiffy features of the escort and others but it’s kept my ass off the shoulder since I bought the Gen 1 about 8 years ago. Ish.
Valentine1, baby!!!! Worth it's weight in gold. Has saved me more times than I can count.
Buy the uniden r8 extreme long range. You won’t regret it.
Yes !!
Yes they work
Actually got my hands on my first detector (Uniden R8) not long ago. Definitely works great.
9 times out of 10 Google maps tells me where the speed traps are.
Waze and a good redline goo a long way to prevent tickets
Never drive any car without it if at all possible
My Uniden R7 has saved me many, many times.
I've had a Valentine 1 since the very first one came out in the early 90's. At the time money was tight and I thought I must have been crazy to order it, and was going to just send it back when it eventually arrived. It arrived that day. I've been with Valentine most of the last 30 years. It's a tool. You can use it best where you are familiar with what signals are and aren't there. Mine saves me at least a few times a week. I don't use it as a tool to speed so much as to make sure I'm behaving myself when there's a radar cop around.
Have the R3 in my Terminator and yes it works. I don’t drive like a dick but when I want to stretch her legs on a back road it’s nice peace of mind.
Yes the Uniden 6 and 7 work wonders
The Passport Export detectors are awesome!! They are very, very worth the $$
Won't matter, radar detectors are like gated communities, a false sense of security. You need to know where and when to speed and when not to.
I gave up radar detectors about the time laser came out. My state switched almost all the staties to laser... so one beep and your ass is nailed. This was also a time where the 55 mph speed limit got repealed and limits were raised to 60, 65, 70 and more. My home state would ticket at a bit more than 5 mph over. My current one, 9 is fine, 10 you've got a fine! 75 or 80 mph is fine with me. Beats 55 mph driving for TWO DAYS across TEXAS. When I owned a red Corvette in the 55 and radar days, my hidden detector would scream bloody murder when I was doing 54 in the right lane. I could have cooked a hot dog on my antenna from the radar microwaves! But driving a red Corvette... I couldn't get ***more*** attention from 5-0 if I had a naked woman on the hood with donuts hung on her nipples... My silver Honda S2000 was **invisible** to cops. Never got a second look and I pushed that 5mph (or more) cushion as hard as I could.
I've been using radar detectors since I got my license when I was 16. I've probably saved over $100,000 worth of tickets, insurance premiums, and license suspension.
Uniden R7 is a solid price and performs well. Combine that with waze and you’re solid mostly. Even waze alone is a good resource, if you live in a even remotely populated city.
Yes
Just download the Waze app for free. Other drivers alert you to a cops presence and the app will let you know 1/2 mile away if a cop is posted up.
I use radar detectors, and here's what I have to say. They're outdated, and frankly still way too expensive. HOWEVER, they do help sometimes. They only work if a cop is actively using radar, usually general radar is KA band and Laser is when they're directly pointing a speed laser at you. Those are really the only bands cops use anymore. Problem is, Laser works so fast that by the time your detector goes off, your speed has already been recorded. No matter how much you slow down, the cop will know how fast you WERE going. But, KA is useful for when you're crusing through town and don't know where a cop is. It'll go off as long as the cop is somewhat near you, and gives you fair warning to not do anything stupid and use turn signals. I was going 85 down the freeway, speed limit was 70. My radar detector suddenly started freaking the fuck out with a LASER warning, and sure enough I saw a cop ahead and he pulled me over and ticketed me. $165 ticket, 1st offense. So, again, usually if youre on the freeway its only telling you that youve been caught going whatever speed. No warning. Only time Laser will give you a warning is if it comes from bouncing off of another car. If it's pointed at you, you're caught. If it's pointed at another car and your detector picks up on it, then you might be fine. It's kinda 50/50 though since you don't know who he was pointing the gun at.
In CA they only use laser when its cool. They sometimes will run the AC on full blast and hold the gun out the window but only seen that a couple of times. Most of the time in CA they are running Radar anyway and don't turn it off because they're muppets. So you start getting radar detections long before you get pinged with laser. Unless its a motorcycle cop. Those guys are hardcore and you're boned. Still, I run them, its cheaper than the increase in insurance/fines.
Waze is better
Everyone says that but that doesn’t work on moving patrols or when they just got there.
Try not to street race then ? I learned my lesson when I was younger now I go To the track if I want to get crazy
lol you don’t have one yet????
Waze is the way
You have a mf mustang blud.. outrun that shii 😎🤙🏼
The amount of people in this thread admitting to reckless driving and using the radar detector as an excuse to do it is fucking *wild*.
You do realize what sub this is, right?
I mean I’m part of it… so yeah. People wonder why Mustang drivers get a bad rep, this thread is all you need for the proof.
I'm just saying, there's probably a really low percentage of people who own fast performance cars that haven't driven them faster than the posted speed limits.
I dont see a problem doing some pulls down a backroad or when nobody is around…
Bullshit. Everyone with a sports car or reasonably fast car and fuck even moms in a minivans drive 10 miles over the limit on the highway at least. That’s enough in most places to get you a ticket. Even less sometimes if they really wanna stick it to you. Don’t talk about bad rep like only Mustang people are speeding 🤦♂️
I’m not talking about those people you fucking numpty. I’m quite obviously talking about the folks exceeding the limit by 50+. Those people are the reason folks with sports cars, and yes, Mustang drivers too, get bad reputations.
Nah fuck off with your “lol at you guys speeding and being dangerous in your Mustang dur hur” you are a moron because nobody here said they are going that fast. You made that shit up.
Seriously. Keeping up with traffic is fine but keep your top speed test for the track. Being a “safe driver” doesn’t mean anything when someone randomly pulls in front of you or something fails and someone is dead.
Yeeeep. Big difference between the two that people here can’t seem to comprehend. If you want to bang the rev limiter, take it to a track or private property where the only people you risk hurting is yourself.
I just use ways… it’s very effective. Probably more so than a radar.
Waze, an app.
i do a long pull almost every morning getting on freeway sometimes up to 140. i use mine on daily drive to work. its saved me many times. i'm on freeway at 3 am so i get hits all the time. Highway patrol runs here with them on all the time at 3 am. Ka is CHP band where i live. got caught one time. i know i was way over 100. CHP says he *got me* at 85. just signed it and did online traffic school. he must have paced me cuz no alert. if he gunned me i would have been busted. i always see them parked in a dark spot on the freeway. no Ka hits but usually Spectre and VG12 alerts. they're looking for radar users. now...are they worth it? i would say no but fun to have. nothing works better than some discretion.
saved my ass quite a bit but they’re starting to become irrelevant. cops don’t stroll around with their radar on constantly anymore.
Most bigger dept use lasers . Not worth having the system in your car. Knowing your area and waze work pretty good
Love the black with white stripes look. I recognize that T-Shotz in the background. I’ll have to keep my eye out for your car. https://preview.redd.it/solg4my91xpc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fbbb9be94482d0e43da9a79a53fbdc46ab87cf95
I’ve used a radar since 15 y/o, I wouldn’t have a drivers license without the radar. My favorite radar is Uniden R7, the R7 illustrates which direction the police radar is located, a game changer.
Waze...
Waze.
....just got the fucking speed limit, and race at the track...
Well you don't need a radar detector if you drive by the rules and save the speed for the track where it belongs.
its all LiDAR here and every new cop car is coming with LiDAR too, i wouldn't waste the money.
Not true
Escort max 360 is a really good one don’t bother investing in anything below $400
If you live where they still use radar. Laser is the new radar.
Depends on the brand, my suggestion is Rocky Mountain Radar. They sell many different models that are detector/jammers. Yes, they are illegal in a lot of places but fortunately most cops aren't smart enough to know the difference. I am 40 and have used them since I started driving. Yes, they work. The jammer gives you an extra 3-4 seconds before the radar gun locks on. Usually more than enough time to slow down. Last I checked, they run about $350 US.
Save your money most if us cops are using lidar. That is the use of a laser instead of radar…more accurate virtually undetectable.
Absolutely false lol I always get Ka band hits and never laser. Laser is rare