On my "To Do List" is to get a radar detector at some point. Today, I watched a State Trooper catch someone speeding right near me. I am wondering if the radar detector would have alerted the speeder. We were on a beltway going about 60-65 and the speeder was going much faster. As you looked ahead it was a straight away where the land in the center median rose up to a small hill. The trooper was sitting behind the raised ground so as you approached he was out of vision. I am assuming that he "shot" the guy as he went by him since he could not have pointed it as him as he was apporaching him. Here's the question, if he would have had a radar detector in his car, would it have alerted him even though the trooper did not point it at him until he was even with him. Not sure I understand the technology they employ. From where I was sitting, this guy could not have avoided being caught. What do you think?

By the way, I am leaning towards a Valentine radar detector after reading previous threads on this forum.

 

No radar detector will protect you from the instant-on radar gun, unless the LEO zaps someone in front of you so that you get some warning. In SoCal most CHP cars and motorcycles run with their radar on full time, this way they can track you while they are moving. In any case, the Valentine V1 is the only one to buy. I currently have three of them. It's the only one with two radar recievers, this gives both front and rear protection. All others have only front and rear laser. They rely on radar echo for rear protection. In my experience the rear is where your detector will save you 80 percent of the time. Go to Valentine's web site.

 

If he got hit with "instant on" nothing would have saved him. Not even a Valentine.

I have a buddy who is a retired state trooper and he used to brag all the time about how he would catch people with radar detectors. He told me that many times he would not even activate his radar gun until he saw someone traveling well in advance of the speed limit so as not to "give away his position" to radar detector equipped motorists.

His words: "If you're just doing 5 or 10 above the limit, I don't really want you. I'm waiting on the guy with the new sports car or the new bike out there acting the fool, trying to see what it will do. Or the trucker trying to make time."

The detector will go off if you have been zapped or if someone around you has been or is being zapped.

This is why some drivers who are seasoned speeders use a "rabbit". Someone like the guy you saw driving faster than you. They let him get enough distance and then trail him. When/if he gets zapped, their detectors will go off, they know about it in time to slow down. Usually this works but it too is not fool proof.

But to answer your question, nothing will save you from instant on radar.

 

V1. Can't beat the knowledge of knowing where the Radar is coming from.Quick story. I was in my Magnum SRT-8 about a year ago cruising at about 60mph on the parkway about 11:00pm on my way to work. Behind me I see a car come flying up behind me and pull right up on my ****. He pulled out from the right lane to the left and slows up right next to me. It was one of those WRXstis with a spoiler that looked like an Olympic hurdle. I looked over at the ricer half annoyed but I'll admit I have trouble turning down a challenge. I checked my rearview mirror and except for a commercial van behind me there was nothing. Just as we started to roll at about 80mph, my V1 started screaming like a banshee. The back arrow was pointing and flashing like crazy. I looked in my rearwiew and again saw nothing but the van. Instinctivley I slowed down but the Subaru kept on going. Then from behind the van an unmarked State Trooper pulled out and took off after the WRX. I had to get off at the next exit ,but I'm sure that guy was toast. Its V1 and only V1 for me.

 

The only reason why he didn't get you was because the van was between you and him. He had an immediate clear shot on the ricer when he pulled his squad car out from in back of the van as the ricer was in the left lane. He still could have zapped you too, but the ricer was making no attempt to slow down.

He may also have heard the ricer's blower when he stomped it, and thats what made him concentrate on him as well. But for whatever reason, he said to heck with you and went after the ricer. Now had you not had the Valentine, and kept your foot in the accelerator, he may have nailed you both for racing.

 

True ,but my point is that IF the V1 did not alert me to the trooper behind us he would have nailed us both. I remember thinking right after this happened that I am very lucky that the V1 lit up like a Christmas tree just a second or two before I nailed that throttle.

 

No doubt. I am a Valentine 1 owner as well and had you had a conventional detector, it too would have gone off, but there would have been that period of uncertainty, "panic" as you would have had no idea from where it came. The arrows are a big advantage.

You and the ricer were already doing 80 and the van was still running interference for you as you were in the right lane. The trooper didn't get a good bead on you until he pulled out from behind the van. The beeps you heard were him zapping the ricer when you all were doing 80 and he was still in it.

As I read your post, he was probably being watched before he even picked that fight with you. You say he speed up to catch you, then got on your **** apparaantly with the van behind him, then pulled into the left lane, still harrassing you, then stomped it? That trooper was just waiting his chance. But no doubt, he wouild have gotten you both had you not had a radar detector.

Now say your scenario had happened at night and there was no van between you.

If he was back there, and had activated his radar before, well then you would have known that he was STILL back there instead of THINKING that you had been hit from in front and had long since passed the radar source. Which is what would have happened with a radar detector with no arrows. Thats another big advantage of the arrows.

 

Lock me before I kill again!

 

The Valentine One is definately the way to go. When I'm on the interstate I usually drive 5 to 10 over the speed limit. It's not long before someone blows by doing a lot more. I let him get some distance and then move with him. In the CB language of old, he's the "front door."

 

Ive got the new Escort but am thinking the Valentine is the way to go after I read an unbiased test of both!

 

V 1 has saved me MANY times...

 

The only unbiased radar detector test I'm aware of, is the one done by Car & Driver Magazine. They actually make blind purchases of their test detectors & they don't use the consultant that every one else does. This consultant has a h**d-on for Valentine and will not say anything good about them.

 

Always loved being in the Rocking Chair. The Valentine One is in my future.

 

Hah ! You haven't met my ex Her cosmic oder is sooooooooo bad, even the traffic lights malfunction as she flys by on her broom.

 

Valentine 1. is only choice at this time for above mentioned reasons.
Agreed, No defense for "instant on" As ex LEO I've worked traffic myself (never much cared for it) In most other cases the V1 gives us the best protection from higher insurance for our "cop magnets"

 

Mine would have given her a run for her money.

 

Police radar picks up the "best" target only. Best is defined as highest radar cross section proximately. My Vette and your Suburban side by side gets hit by the doughnut eater: radar posts the Sub's speed only. My Vette 10 feet in front of the Sub: radar posts Sub's speed. My Vette, say 20 feet in front--Vette's speed. All police radar is doppler effect, unlike track while scan military radar. Keep in mind, the guns are cheap and the output relies on the cop's observation. 1/R squared is the key to all rf measurement, and in the case of police radar, rcs (radar cross section) mitigates doppler speed shift to a large degree. The beam of the radar widens dramatically in a short distance, hence the rcs being the most important criterion. At a hundred feet, the beam is 30 feet wide on some radar guns.

 

Anyone have any experience with K 40?

 

I think you are right about the cop's observation being required to discriminate; when you have two close vehicles traveling over the limit, it's up to the cop to figure out which vehicle's speed he's clocked. If it's close, sometimes you're lucky and sometimes he's wrong.

But in fact, if both vehicles are already over the limit, it doesn't matter...he can pick his victim. (Typical Exchange: Driver: "But, officer, HE WAS PASSING ME!" Cop: "Hmmm, Oh yeah? Well, I'll catch him next time." ) Hopefully, he's a good moral upstanding lawman, and he wants to pick the one he considers the worst offender; i.e the one with his foot buried in the throttle...if you're in a Vette, it would be a very good time to be slowing down.

 

All the above comments are valid....especially those in favor of the V1...biggest problem though with any detector (other than when up against "instant on") is pure ol' "brain fade". You're cruising along playing with the radio, talking on a cell phone, joking with your passenger, etc....the detector goes off & instead of hitting the binders like now...you look around, scratch your a$$, wonder if it's someone's garage door opener, whatever....and bang, the LEO's got you cold!