Radar Detector

[pokesmot]

wasnt sure where else to post this, but here it goes.

I've seena lot of other GA members with radar detectors and was wondering about them. I've heard of alot of people getting hefty fines for having them, because some cops use radar guns that not only track your speed, but also detect the presence of radar detectors.


so.. obviously radar detectors arent really legal in most places. But has anyone had one and does it work without getting you in crap for having one?

Does anyone know the laws in canada about them?



Because I was thinking it probably wouldnt hurt to get one provided i dont get caught with it :)

[dmbprep69]

Well up there in Canada radar detectors r illegal everywhere except 1 province, but i dont remember which one. Anyway the radar detector I have is supposed to b "detector detector" immune. I have the Passport X50, and so u no passport and belltronics r the same company. Well lemme know what u think!
Peace,
Andrew

[Tempest]

I think its called VG-2 Cloaking or something.. makes them undetectable. Almost all of them are cloaked now a days.

That sucks about the canadian laws =(

[gicts]

I was thinking of that the other day. Would it be efficient if you were to place it in the shelf(?) above the rearview mirror on the ceiling? Hard wire it in. Would it be possible that the cop's radar would pick up on someone else's radar detector? If he doesn't see it if you are pulled over and you aren't thrashing around looking like your trying to hide it would/could he still write you up?

[Bumpin1OHM]

no, but he might shoot you if your *black


*disclaimer: im black i can say that :) lol

[pokesmot]

:(

http://gocanada.about.com/cs/bordercrossing/a/radardetectors.htm

[matts]

yeah, it's callled VG2, or radar radar detector. just about any decent radar detector has it now. they're legal just about anywhere here in the US (except D.C. and virginia), not sure about canada.

i've got mine hard wired, but its at the bottom of the windshield. it is possible to have one where your not supposed to and hide it. worst they can do is give you a ticket IF they find it

[birdhouse]

Same... PA you're allowed to have one, but I travel to VA and D.C. all the time, so when I'm out there, I have to take it off the windshield and put it on the floor, glovebox, whatever... If a cop pulls you over in VA or D.C. and it's visible, you get a ticket. Even if it's not plugged in, if a cop can see it, you get ticketed... Freaking gay if you ask me...

Oh, and mine is mounted near the bottom of my windshield, too... It's not in the way there and I seemed to get better detection down there than high up on the windshield.

[Brandon]

it said they can confinscate it too if they do find it (in canada)

[matts]

oh, well scratch what i said then :P

[nice96gt]

Originally posted by pokesmot
:(

http://gocanada.about.com/cs/bordercrossing/a/radardetectors.htm

Yeah dude...we are out of luck up here in T.O. No radar detectors for us...

[GrandAmSSE]

I got mine from radio shack for like 65.00 and I love it. I'll read a X10 the strongest reading and you'll still have about 8-9 blocks before you see the cops. I don't know if its illegal but I've never had a ticket since so I don't really care.

[pokesmot]

http://www.radarbusters.com/support/spectre/4.asp

check this out, a list of the 'best' radar detectors.

all of them are detectable apparently except the Sti Driver by beltronics.. which sells for like $650 USD.


im wondering in regards to the charts they made though... "detected feet" is higher better? or is lower better.

[Big Joe]

Originally posted by GrandAmSSE
I got mine from radio shack for like 65.00 and I love it. I'll read a X10 the strongest reading and you'll still have about 8-9 blocks before you see the cops. I don't know if its illegal but I've never had a ticket since so I don't really care.


That thing would totally suck in my area, you cant go more then 5 blocks without seeing anouther cop, so my dam radar would be screaming at my anywhere I drove.

[GrandAmSSE]

I think theres away to select the range. I was using it to aviod the police at all cost and it worked get. Now I've got nothing to worry about so I hardly use it.

[matts]

looks like my X50 is right up at the top. the Bel, Escort, and Valentine are so close together in most of those tests i think it would come down to personal opinion.

now on the laser detection valentine whooped up on everybody. i dont have to worry about laser detection, but if i did i'd get the valentine. it hit 100% on all of its tests, that's pretty awesome IMO

[ZACH]

Originally posted by pokesmot
http://www.radarbusters.com/support/spectre/4.asp

check this out, a list of the 'best' radar detectors.

all of them are detectable apparently except the Sti Driver by beltronics.. which sells for like $650 USD.


im wondering in regards to the charts they made though... "detected feet" is higher better? or is lower better.

I would assume the lower would be better, that is how close the car was to the cop when the cop found out the car had a radar detector.

[SpecialFX]

Originally posted by Brandon
it said they can confinscate it too if they do find it (in canada)

Are you serious!!?? When I went to Toronto, I knew they were illegal, so I set it on the floor in the back seat and they actually picked it out and asked me what it was and I told them a radar detector. Yo uare telling me that they could have confiscated it?!

PS not that it matters now that someone busted my window and took it anyway.

[matts]

well since you're from the US, it's possible they couldnt have. it's like when you live in one state, but you go to another, they have to respect the laws of your home state (ie. tint, exhaust, etc)

[pontiacfanatic]

VG2 Radar Detectors are useless because the Canadian police now use instant-on radar. The unit will not power on until the officer engages the trigger. Even if you have laser detection on your detector, it will be too late.

As for confiscation, YES, you will lose the device if caught. Although your detector may shut off in the presence of an officer with a VG2 detector, it still 'leaks' from the oscillator and the new system the OPP has will find you.

Best advice? Save your $100-200 and obey the laws....

[Tommy00GT1]

Mine is hard wired in, and it turns on when the key is in the "on" position. I have it installed up above the rearview mirror...close to the sunroof button. And I ran the wire under the headliner, and down the pillar.. Works and looks great, and with no unsightly wires visible.

[ramairgt2]

I haven't had any problems at all. I recently got a new radar detector from a friend at work. I got it for free and its only a couple weeks old. Its a whistler 1734. I use it all the time and i have no problems at all. On a side note. I have not had one speeding ticket or anything on my record in three and a half years. I had gotten a seat belt ticket but that doesn't count on your record. That was from early 05 so yeah i guess i am doing something right lol.

[taisgod]

have an older radar detector and doesnt work very good. ive 2 speeding tickets in the past month. im curious how well newer radar dectectors work because cops have a kill switch on their radar guns which means they can be sittin somewhere hiding with their guns off and u drive by and they flip the switch and bam they got you as your radar dectecter goes off. so does anyone know if the new ones are more protecting against this?

[matts]

mine is hard wired, but stays on constantly, unless i turn the power off. mines at the bottom of the windshied, and i dont remember how i ran the wires, but there's only a few inches visible

[tenspeed]

Originally posted by taisgod
im curious how well newer radar dectectors work because cops have a kill switch on their radar guns which means they can be sittin somewhere hiding with their guns off and u drive by and they flip the switch and bam they got you as your radar dectecter goes off. so does anyone know if the new ones are more protecting against this?

The best that you can hope for is someone in front of you gets hit. You can also watch for brake lights.

[ramairgt2]

I tend to blend in with the traffic :lol:

[Rev]

I saw this post and I wanted to add my 2 cents in.

I speed..... everywhere. The only thing that saves my arse is my good vision (being able to spot the cops), and my Escort 8500 X50. I have bought 2 of them now. (one was stolen) for a grand total of around 700 bucks. I have saved at least 3 times that much in speeding ticket fines, insurance costs, and court fees.

In my road test I have the radar mounted just above my right shoulder on the dash so it can get a good rear view and a good front view while the radar is still in my line of sight.

I have picked up cops with their radar on at 1.2 miles away. That is over 6,000 feet, pleanty of time to slow down.

All my firends who have seen my radar in action now have one. They are amazed at the bogie counter and strength counter all in one. This radar detector can track 4 X bands, 2 KA bands and 2 K bands.

The only think I do not like about this radar detector is that it does not tell you where the direction of the radar signal is coming from, however, I can deal with that. The Valentine One has the bogie counter and direction counter, but that thing is HUGE, and not as good as the X50.

You also may say what about Instant On radar guns and Laser guns. Well if you get tagged with laser its usually too late anyhow. But with laser you can "jam" their signal legally with the right stuff. (You cannot legally jam radar.) With instant on radar all I say with that is change your driving habits on the highway. Many cities do not have instant on radar becasue the guns cost too much. Mostly state police have instant on, so just be careful on the highways and make sure someone is infront of you and use your judgement, if you think its a cop it is.

I hope you all are able to stay below the radar.

-Rev

[gicts]

:spam: :???: 1.2 miles sure does seem like a bit far imo

[Brandon]

mine was number 8 on the list. cobra 9700. the thing is nice, and it does a good job. it has the pop aleart which tends to go off no where near cops but in indy ive noticed some cops are going back to using the x band again :(

the link in one of the first messages here said in canada they can take the detectors if they find them.... so i guess they dont like them at all!

in indy they are legal grandamsse....

so far ihave noticed mine will go maybe a lil over half a mile on the interstate... and its fun when someone rides your butt and then they pass you just to get pulled over...

i also hard wired mine. it was annoying sitting in the parking lot listening to it beeep when the car was off. so now i can listen to my stereo in peace!

[Rev]

1.2 miles is great! The sooner you know there is a cop the better . On the average I would say that I get about a mile notification if the cop is coming towards me or the gun is pointed my direction. This is really helpful becasue if the cop is coming towards you at 65 and say you are going 80 you have only about short amount of time before he zaps ya. I would say about 15-20 seconds before he has you in his line of sight. (This is assuming you are on a straight road) If you want me to do the hard math of exactly when you will meet, I will.

Where i really like this detector is when the cop is sitting perpendicular to a road, and you dont see him but you hear the radar go off even though the gun is not pointing directly at you.

[matts]

im with. i've got the x50 and an older 8500. both do wonderful jobs. with both of these detectors i've actually gotten a signal and given up on actually seeing the cop, then there it is. they have excellent range on them.

im not gonna go so far as to say that there aren't better radar detectors on the market, but i would say that escort is the best bang-for-buck you can get.