Never thought I'd buy a detector!

[Edbear]

I have never had a radar detector and never thought I needed one as I don't drive fast enough to get speeding tickets. The only ticket I've had in the last 20 years was when I was distracted going down a slight hill and by the time I checked my speed and backed off it was too late and got pinged for legendary 112km/h.

Any way, I get the notices from 1-Day and GrabOne and there was a detector for a ridiculous price! I thought it would just be a basic outdated one but it was right up to modern specs with 9-band detection including instant-on and could tell the difference between emergency vehicles and Police, had front and rear laser detection, all the fruit!

So I grabbed it thinking it would be a fun toy, even if I didn't need one. I didn't tell Mrs. Bear of course, I thought I'd see if she noticed it... :whistle: Ahem, she noticed it alright! As soon as I started the car, there was this cacaphony of sounds, (I had turned the volume up when I installed it as I didn't know how loud it would be), as it woke up and ran through its testing procedure! Poor Mrs. Bear nearly had a heart attack! "WHAT THE...:eek:!!!"

First bit of fun out of the way, we set off, and of course I had to keep adjusting the volume and put it on City mode as it was sounding off every few seconds at one of the 9 bands! "Are we going to have to listen to that the whole trip? Because if we do it's going out the window!"

"No Dear, I just need to get the hang of it and adjust it right." I assured her... :cool: "Well you better do it quick or you'll go out the window after it!" (My wife is endlessly patient and understanding with me... :rolleyes:)

Sure enough, once through the city and on the Southern Motorway it started to settle down and by the time we stopped at the Auto Bahn for a late lunch I was sure I had it sussed. Of course from then on we never saw a cop car anywhere all the way to Whangamata, (I had to call on a customer there on our way to Whitianga). Going through towns on the way it would give a sort of half-pie beep as though there was something there but it didn't know quite what.

It wasn't until on the way back this afternoon that we came upon a Cop hauling out of a side park on the Kopu hill with all lights and siren ablaze to catch a wee small white car of nondescript appearance, that the detector went crazy! Of course Mrs. Bear scoffed that we had already seen the cop car in all its glory at the same time as the detector went off. :lol: I couldn't really say much to that...

Only one more time would we see a "cop" and of course it was the usual camera van on the way back through from Thames. However the detector didn't take any notice of it. I said it was because he was facing the other way and not pointing in our direction. "Huh!" said Mrs. Bear!

So the verdict after two days is that I have no idea how effective a detector is! Still it gives us something else to talk about on a trip. :niceone:

[nzspokes]

How much? Work on a bike?

[SMOKEU]

Disable K band as cops don't use it, but speed camera vans do use it. That will prevent the annoying noise when you go past automatic door openers. The cops use Ka band here so that will protect you on the open road.

[Edbear]

How much? Work on a bike?

It was a Cobra ESD-7100 and was $70.00. I think it would, but you'd have to weather-proof it.


Disable K band as cops don't use it, but speed camera vans do use it. That will prevent the annoying noise when you go past automatic door openers. The cops use Ka band here so that will protect you on the open road.

That may be why it was the K band signal most of the time in towns.

[nadroj]

Mobile speed camera's have a weak signal as they get you when you are rather close. It won't take long before you have one of those moments and will realize it has paid for itself.

[steve_t]

Yeah, if it can't pick up the camera vans at all, you might as well have K band and X band off. A side-by-side comparison with a name brand like Bel STi or Valentine 1 would be interesting. Hard to find a fixed Ka source around here though

[SMOKEU]

Watch out for the cops with instant on radar as well. I managed to get snapped speeding by instant on radar. The cop was nice enough to let me off with a warning though once I pleaded my case.

[Katman]

The cop was nice enough to let me off with a warning though once I pleaded my case.

Did the taste last long?

[Edbear]

Watch out for the cops with instant on radar as well. I managed to get snapped speeding by instant on radar. The cop was nice enough to let me off with a warning though once I pleaded my case.

LoL! I really only ought it as it was so cheap and for its entertainment value. I'm an old fuddy duddy these days and it would probably only be of real benefit if I was not concentrating or something. I usually use cruise control so I can concentrate on driving without having to check the speedo every few seconds. Having the GPS I can set it by that rather than the optimistic speedo which is 5km/h fast.

[HQfiend]

Do a search on google/youtube on the detector Ed. They are crap and you just wasted $70 + freight. Sorry.

If you want a detector that works then 5 minutes of research will show you that Bel, Escort and Valentine are the best brands and you will pay accordingly.

[Edbear]

Do a search on google/youtube on the detector Ed. They are crap and you just wasted $70 + freight. Sorry.

If you want a detector that works then 5 minutes of research will show you that Bel, Escort and Valentine are the best brands and you will pay accordingly.

You may be right of course. Still it was fun... I won't toss it out just yet though.

[SMOKEU]

Did the taste last long?

I don't kiss and tell.

[spanner spinner]

instant on police radar units have rather made all radar detectors redundant.

[steve_t]

instant on police radar units have rather made all radar detectors redundant.

No they haven't because there's a good chance the police will scan a vehicle in front of you and if you have a good detector that can detect Ka band about 12km away line of sight, you'll pick it up. If you're the only one on the road and you continue to speed towards an oncoming car, you're an idiot and deserve a ticket :msn-wink:
4km/h tolerance FTW... oh, hang on, it hasn't worked this weekend...

[Boob Johnson]

instant on police radar units have rather made all radar detectors redundant.
Bollocks, L2Radar noob!

edit: what Steve said!

[nosebleed]

What a load of sanctimonious twaddle. Your views on adhering to the speed limit and the use of radar detectors is well documented on here.
You blew $70.00 on an item you didn't need, installed it incorrectly and as a result wrote an entire post on the entertainment it served on a trip, with a sub-text on what idiots all those that buy radar detectors are.

If you drive to the speed limits, then continue to do so. If you don't value radar detectors, don't buy one.

[Edbear]

What a load of sanctimonious twaddle. Your views on adhering to the speed limit and the use of radar detectors is well documented on here.
You blew $70.00 on an item you didn't need, installed it incorrectly and as a result wrote an entire post on the entertainment it served on a trip, with a sub-text on what idiots all those that buy radar detectors are.

If you drive to the speed limits, then continue to do so. If you don't value radar detectors, don't buy one.

Love u 2! :girlfight:

[Road kill]

Love u 2! :girlfight:

most people on this site have alter ego's,,,not you though aye !:clap:

[Maha]

I got stopped last Tuesday night...he let me off with a warning...detectors are over-rated...:rolleyes:

[Flip]

Radar detectors, I don't go anywhere without mine.

I has saved me several expensive tickets, most when I forget to slow for the wee 1 1/2 hourse towns around here.

The one I have detects them up to 12 km away, so even if they are doing the pop up thing I ususlly know that there is a snake in the woods about, so to speak.

The snakes around here will tell you the official lie, that they dont work. Well they do.

[Edbear]

I got stopped last Tuesday night...he let me off with a warning...detectors are over-rated...:rolleyes:

I won't be relying on it very much.


Radar detectors, I don't go anywhere without mine.

I has saved me several expensive tickets, most when I forget to slow for the wee 1 1/2 hourse towns around here.

The one I have detects them up to 12 km away, so even if they are doing the pop up thing I ususlly know that there is a snake in the woods about, so to speak.

The snakes around here will tell you the official lie, that they dont work. Well they do.

I'm sure Scummy and Rastus will testify that they can beat detectors. But as I said, I really only got it as a fun toy. It is working better today.

[Flip]

I also don't speed (much), however I do like to know if their is a snake in my area.

[Swoop]

Some of the very best results are from the redline detector units.

http://www.escortradar.com/store/ESCORT-Redline-Radar-Detector.html

VERY efficient on the camera vans.:whistle:

[scumdog]

No they haven't because there's a good chance the police will scan a vehicle in front of you and if you have a good detector that can detect Ka band about 12km away line of sight, you'll pick it up. If you're the only one on the road and you continue to speed towards an oncoming car, you're an idiot and deserve a ticket :msn-wink:
...

What he said.

On a busy road where the cop is checking just about every car you'll pick it up no sweat.

On a not-so-busy road where the cop is only checking cars that look like they're quite a bit over the speed limit you'd possibly be toast...very possibly. damhik.

[BoristheBiter]

What he said.

On a busy road where the cop is checking just about every car you'll pick it up no sweat.

On a not-so-busy road where the cop is only checking cars that look like they're quite a bit over the speed limit you'd possibly be toast...very possibly. damhik.

And don't forget laser.

[Edbear]

And don't forget laser.

Coming back into town yesterday afternoon the Laser warning went crazy, and sure enough a few moments later a cop car came towards me. He was about half a kay further along and wasn't visible until I was about 100m from him. (Heavy traffic). If I'd been speeding I would have had plenty of time to check my speed. Obviously he had checked a car up ahead and my detector caught it.

Not good with fixed speed cameras so far. Not sure if it is due to being on city mode or not but while the GPS gives plenty of warning as expected, the detector was very weak and too late.

[BoristheBiter]

Coming back into town yesterday afternoon the Laser warning went crazy, and sure enough a few moments later a cop car came towards me. He was about half a kay further along and wasn't visible until I was about 100m from him. (Heavy traffic). If I'd been speeding I would have had plenty of time to check my speed. Obviously he had checked a car up ahead and my detector caught it.

Not good with fixed speed cameras so far. Not sure if it is due to being on city mode or not but while the GPS gives plenty of warning as expected, the detector was very weak and too late.

:doh:
so was the cop coming towards you or was he stationary.

[Edbear]

:doh:
so was the cop coming towards you or was he stationary.

Travelling towards me.

[BoristheBiter]

Travelling towards me.

Then he will be using radar not laser.

[Edbear]

Then he will be using radar not laser.

Well it was the Laser alert that went off, not the radar.

[Gremlin]

Not good with fixed speed cameras so far. Not sure if it is due to being on city mode or not but while the GPS gives plenty of warning as expected, the detector was very weak and too late.
Fixed speed cameras don't use radar or laser :facepalm:

Next time look at the road, and you will see lines cut into them, loops are under the seal, which is what gives data to the cameras.

[Edbear]

Fixed speed cameras don't use radar or laser :facepalm:

Next time look at the road, and you will see lines cut into them, loops are under the seal, which is what gives data to the cameras.

Wondered about that, but noticing where the octagonal marks are thought they were the location for taking the pic.

[BoristheBiter]

Well it was the Laser alert that went off, not the radar.

Then either
a) you didn't see the cop that had the laser or
b) your detector is really shit.

Or the cop has it pointed out the window while driving making shooting sounds at the cars going passed.

[Edbear]

Then either
a) you didn't see the cop that had the laser or
b) your detector is really shit.

Or the cop has it pointed out the window while driving making shooting sounds at the cars going passed.

A) is a possibility... It could be that he had lasered a car and then took off after it or had been lasering and decided to change his location.

[ducatilover]

Or the cop has it pointed out the window while driving making shooting sounds at the cars going passed.

That's exactly what I'd do if I was a traffic cop.

Ed, silly toys are awesome! :2thumbsup

[Edbear]

That's exactly what I'd do if I was a traffic cop.

Ed, silly toys are awesome! :2thumbsup

Yup! Sadly some people forget to turn on their "have fun" switch when they get up in the morning! I'm a naturally happy chap and like my toys. What with GPS, dash-cam and the detector along with integrated Blue Tooth travelling is never boring! Life is far too precious to take everything seriously!

[BoristheBiter]

Yup! Sadly some people forget to turn on their "have fun" switch when they get up in the morning! I'm a naturally happy chap and like my toys. What with GPS, dash-cam and the detector along with integrated Blue Tooth travelling is never boring! Life is far too precious to take everything seriously!

What??? there is an off switch???

[Edbear]

What??? there is an off switch???

Apparently for some, they don't realise there's an on switch. I leave mine permanently on. Mrs. Bear only knows how to press my buttons and she likes the fun switch on...

[Flip]

Well my view is you can have some fun; trying to work out where the Rozza are, likely knowing if one is working near you, or definately knowing if they point it at you or you can get a traffic ticket.

I have never had a suprise with mine, I have always known that there was a Rozza working in the area long before I have seen him.

Not that I speed much.

[Edbear]

Well I still don't know if it works or not. I think it sort of does as it picked up a marked car about a kilometre ahead once. However I have seen several cop cars around and it has not gone off due I guess to the fact that cops rarely drive with their radar on and use the instant on to target suspect vehicles.

I do know, though, where it will pick up shop doors and other signals in town and that most of the time it is simply a cause for mirth and complaint from Mrs. Bear and any passengers. So I have taken it out and put it in a cupboard until I figure out what to do with it. Anyone want a near new Cobra detector going cheap..?

[Padmei]

i'm seriously considering getting one of those annoying beep things fitted to the speedo so it goes off at 110k (on the car). It's a seconds lapse in concentration & the speed has increased & you're into decent fine territory.

I would also like to have machine guns that come out of the headlites & a oil slick out the back but it's a PC world out there now.

[Edbear]

i'm seriously considering getting one of those annoying beep things fitted to the speedo so it goes off at 110k (on the car). It's a seconds lapse in concentration & the speed has increased & you're into decent fine territory.

I would also like to have machine guns that come out of the headlites & a oil slick out the back but it's a PC world out there now.

That's where cruise control is good. I set it and forget about having to watch the speedo. I also have a dash-cam.

[steve_t]

Well I still don't know if it works or not. I think it sort of does as it picked up a marked car about a kilometre ahead once. However I have seen several cop cars around and it has not gone off due I guess to the fact that cops rarely drive with their radar on and use the instant on to target suspect vehicles.

I do know, though, where it will pick up shop doors and other signals in town and that most of the time it is simply a cause for mirth and complaint from Mrs. Bear and any passengers. So I have taken it out and put it in a cupboard until I figure out what to do with it. Anyone want a near new Cobra detector going cheap..?

Just turn off X and K bands and you won't piss off Mrs Bear. It won't pick up camera vans but it's unlikely that it would anyway. That way you're still covered for Ka band of cops in cars. Win-win