1. do radar dectors really work?
2. what are some good brand detectors?
3. are they illegal?
4. where can i get these from?
5. i want a police scanner also....anyone know how to obtain these?

thanks!

 

you have to check with the state to see if they are illegal and/or which kinds. The cheaper ones work but store's with security systems will set it off as well as cops radar. Also the cops radar has to be on for it to go off.

 

1. yes and no; it depends on the quality of the unit and the interference level from stores with security systems. also, it depends on the cop using a continuous radar signal, so even if you're detecting all bands for a huge radius, the cop still has to activate his radar gun for you to pick it up.
2. cobra, bel, escort, PNI, whistler; you get what you pay for, just like everything else.
3. they are in most states, but not all.
4. many online stores and ebay.
5. again, check legality and ebay/online store it.

Tips: Look for a full-featured unit that can pick up the latest safety warning signals (SWS). This will let you know of possible hazards on the road ahead. Look for one that can detect VG-2 radar (detects detectors) and will shutdown once detected. A sensitive detector is good but not one that will sound if you pass a garage door opener. Lastly, you will want one that offers adequate advance notice for you to react, once it sounds. Warning - Detectors are not legal in all states.

 

well in my opinion.... dont cheap out... get a good one!

i like my cobra detector with voice alert! those are louder than the lower models

tho your always gonna get the automatic doors triggering the system.LOL

and if the cop waits till your ontop of him to turn on his radar... HES GOT YA STILL!!!!!!! so dont think the radar will always protect ya! cause cops learn these tricks! dont thin it will save you every ticket!!!!!!! its beter than nothing no... and when it goes off youll check your speed and drive right till it goes off or ya cannt see the cop anymore.lol


but like stated.... depends on the state your in if they are illegal or not.... if they are illegal then its best to spend THE BIG BUCKS for the hidden detectors but those have to be instaled thru your car.... like in the front and rear with the units hidden as well as the warning device.

 

im a huge fan of escort. i have the escort passport. it works great (like they said tho. only if the cop's radar is on.. ive gotten a ticket from a cop who turned his on as i passed him).

the good thing about the passport (and something you should look for in any other brand) is the expert mode feature. i know you're probably thinking... it doesnt take an expert to run a radar detector..i'll explain.

just as people mentioned above... most banks' security systems and automatic door openers (like target or walmart) use the same frequencies of radar as cops. you probably know that cops use different frequencies of radar. look for a radar detector that has a variety of different detection bands. you should look for X, K, KA and POP. X, K and KA are just different frequency ranges.. search around online, you should be able to find out what frequencies cops in your area use (so you know whats probably a cop and whats probably an automatic door opener) for instance, in my town, most cops use K band and the county sherrifs use KA. i have yet to see a cop around here that uses X band. so usually i dont worry too much about X.

Expert mode is a fantastic feature. on the passport, you can enable and disable this feature. if you disable it (default) when there ismore than oneradar signal detected, the detector will automatically choose the biggest threat and show you that one. lets say theres an X alert and a K alert in the same area. most likely it will show you the K alert because more cops use K than X. What expert mode does is it shows you up to 6 alerts at a time so YOU can decide what the biggest threat is. the best part about this is, you start to get familiar with the area in which you drive, so you know that when you pass this bank, you will get an X alert or when you pass this store you will get a K alert. so then if there is a cop in that area, you will see that there is 2 alerts (1 more than usual, so you know something is up). the hardest part is just getting used to your area and finding out where all the false alarms come from.

POP is another helpful feature. POP is a setting that most police radar guns have. instead of emitting a constant radar signal, it sends out very short bursts, making it very hard to detect. however, newer (and more expensive) radar detectors can detect these short radar bursts and will warn you of them. the good news is, a cop is not supposed to give you a ticket when his radar is in POP mode because its not extremely accurate. so most of the time cops will use this mode to get a general idea of your speed and if you're goin fast he'll turn on his radar so he has an accurate reading and proof of your infraction. this means that from the time you get the POP warning on your radar, you have a couple seconds to slow down to the speed limit, before he can turn his radar on to get a reading.

take your time, do your research, dont get yourself in trouble. if radars ARE illegal in your area, dont get one (unless you're willing to spend a grand on an indash).

as far as police scanners go, do your research on legality in your area... they SHOULD be legal everywhere under the constitution.. a specific ammendment of which i cannot remember the number. its the freedom of information ammendment. there are some things with scanners that ARE illegal EVERYWHERE though. such as using information that you obtain for personal gain (such as listening for cops chasing you, or other things) however, its VERY hard to prove that you were using a scanner for any particular use and it will not usually hold up in court.

have fun, enjoy your constitutionally given rights.. and be safe. speeding isnt cool when you endanger others.

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