Are Most Radar Detectors Useless?

By SRT-Tom · Jan 16, 2020 ·
  1. SRT-Tom

    SRT-Tom Well-Known Member Staff Member Super Moderator Article Writer

    Posts:
    7,061
    Likes Received:
    2,174
    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2011
    Location:
    southern New Jersey
    SRT-Tom submitted a new Article:

    Are Radar Detectors Useless?



    Read more about this article here...
     
  2. 70-426_10-SRT

    70-426_10-SRT B&E body lover

    Age:
    64
    Posts:
    1,947
    Likes Received:
    894
    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2018
    Location:
    PDX
    I Love my Valentine-1

    Yes, there are Many False Alarms: Grocery Store, SEMI-TRUCKS, even some cars set it off,

    But it has saved my so many times, it is well worth it.

    If nothing else, to Wake You Up when getting ZONED Into listening to music.
    Even if it is a False Alarm.
     
    Wizard of Iz likes this.
  3. KEVIN DONOVAN

    KEVIN DONOVAN Full Access Member

    Posts:
    135
    Likes Received:
    28
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Location:
    USA
    My Escort detector is awesome! With GPS it "learns" where false alarms are and locks them out. It also ties into the Escort live database so it's always aware of new speedtraps and known false signals. When it sounds, I know I just saved myself from a ticket! I don't go anywhere without it.
     
  4. ZEN357

    ZEN357 Full Access Member

    Posts:
    428
    Likes Received:
    118
    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2018
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    If you spend the money to get higher quality one you'll have fewer false alarms, but either way they USUALLY work when they should.. so i think they are worth it if you're gonna be hauling ass
     
  5. FrankenMax

    FrankenMax Full Access Member

    Posts:
    302
    Likes Received:
    152
    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Location:
    NV
    If you spend good money on a radar detector you should have a good mount. It’s annoying to chase them all over the dash. Blend mount is the way to go! They keep things tight and clean .They make a mount for just about anything it seems. Kinda pricey but well worth the investment.

    [​IMG]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Wizard of Iz likes this.
  6. Wizard of Iz

    Wizard of Iz Full Access Member

    Posts:
    657
    Likes Received:
    393
    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2015
    Location:
    Jacksonville, Florida
    And when combined with the MirrorTap, you have a very clean look that’s always ready.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
  7. BBBAD345

    BBBAD345 Full Access Member

    Posts:
    83
    Likes Received:
    26
    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2020
    Location:
    USA
    I don't use radar detectors any more. Havent had one in 20 years. However, my two daughters turned me on to a GPS app on my phone called Waze. This GPS app is free, uses little memory space on the phone, and has a road hazzard feature. This feature allows you to create markers on the map for other "Wazers" to see. When you see the cops or stopped car on the side of the road and you "Tag" them, all the other "Wazers" are notified of its location up to 8 miles advance notice before the hazzard (I belive its adjustable up to 8 miles advance notice). I use it every day because you can use this feature even if you dont have a destination punched in. There are 12 or so different hazzards you can choose from, cops, car stopped, weather, construction, etc. Works awesome. I think it would compliment your radar detector quite well.
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2020
  8. KEVIN DONOVAN

    KEVIN DONOVAN Full Access Member

    Posts:
    135
    Likes Received:
    28
    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2019
    Location:
    USA
    I tried Waze back when it first came out. It was useless. Recently, my best friend an I were going somewhere and I noticed he was using Waze for navigation. Being a die-hard Google Maps user, I asked him why he used Waze? He went on about how great it was so I decided to give it another try. I did a side-by-side comparison with Google Maps. I was going to Rehoboth beach from Dover, maybe 40-some miles away. Neither app indicated any police presence along the way. Google Maps estimated distance and arrival time were more accurate than Waze but the biggest difference was the traffic report feature. Waze showed very little traffic while Google Maps showed plenty. Anybody who drives around Rehoboth in the summer knows there's ALWAYS traffic so obviously Google Maps was far more accurate. One additional point, my radar detector accurately sniffed out several State Troopers on the way, saving me hundreds, if not thousands in costs due to fines and increased insurance premiums.
    IMO, Google Maps is far better than Waze and I never drive without my radar detector.
     
  9. B5blueRT

    B5blueRT Full Access Member

    Posts:
    1,129
    Likes Received:
    540
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2018
    Location:
    Broadview Hts., Ohio
    Don't the phone apps like Waze and Google maps use your cell data when in use?

    I'll check back later... going into my garage to dig out my CB radio and 25 year old radar detector. Detector is great because it doesn't scan for laser or newer radar bands so I don't get a lot of false alarms.
    Like I told my kids years back when they asked why I don't use the detector anymore - "don't speed, don't need". :)
     
  10. Wizard of Iz

    Wizard of Iz Full Access Member

    Posts:
    657
    Likes Received:
    393
    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2015
    Location:
    Jacksonville, Florida
    My Valentine 1 saved me again last week.

    Last Thursday, we were headed out of town on a portion of I-10 in Jacksonville that's four lanes wide each direction with a probably appropriate 55 mph speed limit. Traffic was light enough since it was early-afternoon that it was very easy to run 65+.

    I "might" have been running a little over that when my Valentine 1 gave me one beep on Ka-band as I was just about to start up an overpass hump. I moved out of the left lane as I backed off and - with the aid of gravity - was down to 61 by the top of the hump. This move gave the guy in the white car behind me the opportunity to jet past me still at "65+" just as the Ka signal became strong and steady.

    As we topped the hump I spotted two FHP Dodge Chargers in the left-lane shoulder hiding behind a big orange temporary "Construction Ahead" sign. The officer with the hand-held gun quickly motioned for the white car that had passed me to pull over. As the second officer hit the lights in his Charger, I slowed further so he could pull into traffic and do his duty.

    And that's why my Valentine 1 is wired to the mirror so that it's on any time the ignition is on.
     
    70-426_10-SRT likes this.