bigfddi

If so what are your thoughts? I am looking at this unit or the Valentine One. All opinions welcome!

coolguy

Are you outside of US? I heard cops these days use Laser ones, so it might be pointless to have a Radar detector right..

subterFUSE

Laser detectors don't do much for you, besides just letting you know that you're about to get pulled over.

bigfddi

No I am in Chicago. Plenty of X, K, and Ka here, the only time I get any Laser alerts (with my old Bell) are when I go by O'Hare Airport.

bigfddi

Laser isn't really common around here... although I understand on I-355 there are a bunch of laser traps...

subterFUSE

Laser is not all that common. They can only be used by hand, from a stationary position.
But my point is that a laser detector is not a particularly useful device, in general.

Radar guns work by shooting a wide beam which spreads out over large distances. A radar detector is therefore capable of sensing this wide beam long before that radar gun can get your speed.

Laser is totally different. Laser speed guns fire a focused beam of light, which does not spread out much over long distances. Therefore, it is difficult for a laser detector to pick up a laser unless your car is being targeted by the cop already. But if your car is being targeted, then the only good a laser detector will do you is to say.... "Hey dumbass, you're about to get pulled over."



Anyway.... the answer to this thread is simple.


Valentine 1 is the best detector. End of story.

bigfddi

Did you check the sweet new features on the new Escort??? The are pushing the technology, Valentine isn't...

dt5er

Hey Bigfddi,

We're one of Escorts largest retailers in NA and i'm pretty sure their not available yet. I thought I heard Spring. Your right on the money when you say V1 isn't pushing the technology; in fact V1 hasn't changed their technology in about 10 years or so. In fact the V1 w/o the aid of any laser shiftting upgrades is merely a defensless, polorized windshield mounted detector. It's not even the best portable unit available. What i don't get is all the excitment about the "arrows". Who cares where the signal is coming from....slow down like you would with any other detector.

We've (www.benchmarkmotoring.com) been installing the Escort SRX stealth radar/ laser diffusing system for the last two years and still not one person has received a ticket by radar or laser. Why not go with the company who builds & sells the most popular laser gun to the cops?

bigfddi

I couldn't agree with your more... Arrows mean taking your eye off the road anyway...

subterFUSE

The arrows help immensely. When using any radar detector you are going to have false alarms. Grocery store doors, for example. With my V1, I can instantly tell the difference between a cop and a false because of the arrows and bogey counter. Cops always show up as single bogeys, in one direction. False alarms register as multiple bogeys, from multiple directions. So any time I hear my V1 chirp, one glance and I know whether it's a false or not.

The V1 has laser detection, but like I said.... laser detectors are useless anyway. In order to detect a laser, you basically have to be hit by one... in which case it's already too late to slow down.

A laser diffuser is totally different, of course.


But.... around here laser just isn't all that common. Laser can only be used by hand, from a stationary position. So about the only place you see laser around here is in residential areas, with cops on foot wearing those reflective vests. They hide in the bushes, and shoot you from a distance. Then they walk out into the street and block traffic, and point you to pull off onto a side street. Here in Florida, you are not likely to see laser on the highway. Instead, on the highway the patrol cars like to wait on the side of the road and use their vehicle mounted radar. They particularly like to wait in the center median, over a small hill. So when you pass by, they just drive after you and pull you over. Luckily, their radars can be detected very early.

I have seen videos about how California is using cops with lasers on highway overpasses, and then radio for cops down the road to intercept. This method is not in practice around here, though.... at least, not yet.

So.... my V1 works perfectly for me. It's a lot cheaper than one of those Escort installed systems.... and I was able to hardwire it myself within minutes. And I can transfer it between my 2 cars.