Does radar detector make a difference?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
Wrong.
The Valentine One is still #1 according to the latest independent unbiased radar detector test.
http://guysoflidar.com/radar-detecto...ctor-test.html
The Valentine One is still #1 according to the latest independent unbiased radar detector test.
http://guysoflidar.com/radar-detecto...ctor-test.html
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38,314
Likes: 35
One of the things I like best about the 8500 is the "Expert" meter. V1s have their arrows, but nothing like this. It shows all active signals and their strength. Where I drive, there are often multiple signals due to multipath infusion. I often see a strong X band--no sweat, as it is fire control radar from one of the bases around here, with a weaker Ka--always to be concerned about. The strength meter shows the Ka increase--means a doughnut eater is around somewhere, where most detectors would wash the strength of the Ka in sidelobe multiband bleed from the much stronger--and persistent, X band. Imo, this is much more important than the arrows or just showing 2 bogies on a counter. And I paid $260, not $400 for the 8500. Plus, it has stronger Ka pickup than the V1 in any aspect angle. For my money, the best protection--albeit hardly foolproof...out there. 
But there is simply no substitute for the arrows and the bogey counter. I use my Escort 8500 only when my Valentine is in one of my other cars.
The bogey counter posts up a large number ( 1, 2, 3, ) that is easy to read at a glance to tell you exactly how many sources of radar there are. No stick men. And the arrows tell you were the source of the radar is coming from. If they are behind me, then I want to know about it.
Heres an example. Your detector goes off, its Ka, and about half mile up the road you see a trooper coming towards you in the other lane. You figure it must have been him clocking cars in front of him and traveling in his direction.
He passes you, you pass him and you know that there is no way that he can circle and come up behind you because of the Jersey barrier seperating the inbound and outbound lanes for the last several miles. He will have to travel about 6 miles before he can double back.
So about a mile up the road you resume your speed, and then even go over the limit. And your detector goes off again. You slow down, but to late, the unmarked car, which had been behind you for the last few miles, and had in fact been the source of the first alarm you heard, comes up behind you and pulls you over.
If you would have had the arrows, you would have known from the beginning that the first hit came from behind. And that there was a good chance that he was still back there.
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; Jan 8, 2007 at 07:27 PM.
