mvsopen wrote:Also, if you have one of these and a cop does stop you, for any reason, expect to get a ticket rather than a waring. Radar detectors seem to bug cops.

This is true. Here is michigan it is common or them write "radar" in the notes section of the ticket. If you are ever pulled over for anything, take the detector down as your pulling over and place it somewhere that isn't visible.

another tip: When its dark USE NIGHT MODE!

ionizer wrote:no, the people endagering the public are the idiots going 55 in the left lane

if everyone understood the concept of "keep right, pass left" i wouldnt need to go 80mph by you to make up for the time i spend behind a moving convoy of morons who dont stay right.

I just love the idiots in the left lane doing 60 in a 55 and see you flying up behind them and don't seem to care or move. I burn so much more gas because of those jerks

Well I have the XTR-690 and have had it about a year now and have received 3 speeding ticket so no these thing suck....Just kidding, it has probably saved my a** more times than I can count on my hand, but then again would I be speeding if i didn't have it?

So yes they do work, kinda. They are really good around city roads and populated areas where the cops attempt to hide and they use K and Ka bands(the x band is pretty much no longer in use in the USA so you'd want to turn that one off seeing as its just going to annoy the heck out of you because almost every stupid thing sets it off)

As for the highway, with this one your F'ed and its probably almost useless so don't put all of your faith into it. The highway patrol A-holes use laser guns and most radar detectors don't pick this up(as in this one according to the description, Ka isn't laser band its radar) or they wont until they pull the trigger of the gun and by then you better hope that its not pointed at your vehicle cause if it is, well you know.

So all in all this one isn't top of the line by no means since it doesn't even have the capabilities to detect laser. But if you are just planning on using it in the more populated area where your local police are then chances are this is a great deal and is really cheap since the local Po-Po most likely are still stuck on the Ka band radar since the laser takes extra training and costs more so they don't want to buy as many.

I have had a radar detector most of my driving career(5 years) and lived in northern Illinois in the chicagoland area and havent recieved a single speeding ticket. except for one time but long story short, my mom took it away cause she said that i was speeding to much so i had nothing to warn me of the cop in front of me, and since i never actually watch my speed he got me going 19 over which i guess i was lucky that i caught a glimpse of him cause otherwise it would've been around 25-30 over and i really would've been F-ed.

But sorry for such a long post and hope it helps. So I do like this company and think they are good and it'll do the job for a cheaper one but don't trust it on the highway.

Peace and good luck in you law abiding careers.

SchmooBro wrote:Not only is this not true, but it is a fact most
CHP just drive around with their radar on, and
rarely using a Ka pulse. So, this might help
on the hiway. More and more, in the city they
are using LASAR, and also on the purposeful
speed traps on the freeways.

If you are really serious, spend more and get a
Valentine. You gotta spend Lots to deal with the LASAR.

He's referring to Canada...

ionizer wrote:you know what i am going to do?
im going to market a radar detector that is twice the price of an escort and claim it is 5x better.

then i will use the same logic you said here and apply it to my product vs your escort.

see the problem?

the problem is that there are multiple escort models, some good and some not so good. some are horrible. so when people say escort it is hard to know what they mean. Valentine is always Valentine but Escort means many different things unfortunately. Escort used to be awesome on all lines but things have changed.

ionizer wrote:you know what i am going to do?
im going to market a radar detector that is twice the price of an escort and claim it is 5x better.

then i will use the same logic you said here and apply it to my product vs your escort.

see the problem?

Alright, and if someone tests it and proves it i will send you the money your asking for it. If i can be immune to police on the highway, thats a price im willing to pay. Visit radarbusters.com read the tests get your info right then come back.

thank you

drive thru

e39krazy wrote:I hate to disagree with you but, lets say you get a ticket for 15 over. How much is that going to cost you when your XTR-550 doesn't pick it up in time? The price of a nice escort maybe and lets not forget those points and maybe even driving school and insurance prices going up? So over all a nice 300 dollar investment saves you money in the long run. And if you really into speeding the 8500 x50 can also be used as a laser jammer, if you get the sensors (my spring project)..

send me the "how-to" on the mod for this...

JohnnyLemonhead wrote:frankly I'm surprised they aren't illegal in all states. I mean, let's be honest, we're talking about a device whose SOLE function is to help you break the law and endanger the public in the meantime. I think it is incredible that it is ONLY one state and the capitol that prohibit it.

Well, the good news is cheaper units like this
tend to false positive a lot. So, if you are too
careless about placement and settings,
you might be driving slower than you would otherwise....

The other good news is that, I do believe, Woot
wanted $10 more for this same unit on 12/20.
At this price, it is worth a shot if you don't have
a better unit. The insurance savings if it saves
you just one ticket would make it an incredible
investment.

JohnnyLemonhead wrote:that's why most detectors (not sure about this one) either come with a visor clip or one can be purchased for a few dollars online. problem solved.

OR suction cup it ABOVE the tint band that almost every car made after 1969 has! It's invisible up that high... problem solved

kshuck2 wrote:send me the "how-to" on the mod for this...

For the laser jammer? Its simple just buy the Laser Shifter ZR4 kit, it interfaces with Passport 9500ix, Passport 9500i Blue, Passport 9500i Red, Passport 8500 X50 Blue, Passport 8500 X50 Red, Passport 8500, Cordless Solo S2 and Passport SR7. Its not cheap but neither is a speeding ticket!

ah man my grandpa just bought one of these for alot more

caffeine_dude wrote:I believe we, as American citizens have a right to receive all singles through the airwaves, seems odd that some states can prohibit this.

I believe that early on that was the case (and, perhaps more importantly, the intent), but over time there have been plenty of laws that prohibit the reception of "over the air" signals. This happens both at the state level -- the couple of states that ban the use of radar detectors being an example -- as well as at the federal level -- the ban on the reception of the old AMPS (analog) cell phones being an example.

In general these laws are not a good idea, IMO. If anything, the ban on the interception of AMPS cell phones just delayed the introduction of truly secure digital, encrypted cell phones since there wasn't as much pressure on manufacturers to address the lack of security -- instead, the law might have given some people a very false sense of security. (Since it was *never* difficult to eavesdrop on analog cell phones...)

---Joel

JohnnyLemonhead wrote:yeah, i hear you. I was out there a few months ago and I didn't even want to speed because it would have used up so much gas. no need to speed given how high the limit is out there.

Really? How high are the speed limits in Montana?

How about just not speeding! *gasp*.. what a concept.

Coolcom wrote:He's referring to Canada...

No, Northern California, actually. CHP cruisers
and running 'cycles tend to leave them on; so, with
a good detector you can tell way off and I am sure
my Valentine has saved my butt many times.

I do know they are using LASAR for intown inforcement
in several Bay Area cities, Sacramento, Roseville,
and most recently Stockton..... YMMV.

nice product, but the police have ways of getting around radar detectors. if it says that there is a warning for a laser then the police already have your speed. I know I'm a cop. Also make sure that they aren't illegal in your state if you are still planning on buying it.

Actually, the best radar detector for interstate/highway driving is a CB radio. The truckers know where every local cop and state trooper is and broadcast it regularly over the air. And when they don't, all you have to is ask the truckers coming the other direction what's behind them....they'll happily tell you. Just don't let them know you're in a four-wheeler....they hate four-wheelers on "their" road. It was a $100 investment that has saved me from probably 30+ tickets. It's worthless in city driving but fantastic for road trips.

WickedAndTorn wrote:How about just not speeding! *gasp*.. what a concept.

speed limits are outdated laws setup originally based on the concept that if someone actually would go 55mph their faces would blow off...

and they dont change them b/c it makes money for the towns

so why do i need to go 80mph? well, as much as i like my car, i want to be doing something besides going from place A to B... i want to BE IN place 'A' or 'B' doing what it is i was intending to go there and do

the faster i can get from place A to B the more i can do or the quicker i can do it so i can then go from B to C and do something more enjoyable at C

so the more i speed, the longer i get to enjoy life doing things...

so speed limits actually are taking away my life.

sman666 wrote:nice product, but the police have ways of getting around radar detectors. if it says that there is a warning for a laser then the police already have your speed. I know I'm a cop. Also make sure that they aren't illegal in your state if you are still planning on buying it.

yup.... once you see laser, it's too late..

but for non-laser it still can provide a huge benefit.

caffeine_dude wrote:I believe we, as American citizens have a right to receive all singles through the airwaves, seems odd that some states can prohibit this. Last I remember that is a federal law and i'm too, lets say, out of it to look it up.

so does that mean that big brother can tap into your cell phone waves?

ionizer wrote:yup.... once you see laser, it's too late..

but for non-laser it still can provide a huge benefit.

Thats not totally true, if a car is shot in front of you, even if you are behind the car and you have a decent detector the signal will bounce around allowing you to pick it up before its your turn! Just make sure you have your friend mounted as high up as possible on your windshield

JohnnyLemonhead wrote:I mean, let's be honest, we're talking about a device whose SOLE function is to help you break the law...

Maybe not "sole purpose," but I'd grant you that the vast, VAST majority of people are using them for such a purpose.

...and endanger the public in the meantime.

That one's a bit more of a stretch. Yeah, *sometimes* those with a radar detector could reasonably be considered to be endangering the public, but *much* of the time the only significant increase in risk is to themselves, and *once in awhile* you could even find a case where a guy with a radar detector is less of a menace to the rest of us than the guy without one.

Speeding is already illegal. It's not worth it to try to make possession of anything that might help you break the law illegal as well, IMO... unless we're talking, e.g., enriched plutonium or deadly bacteria. If you go down the road of outlawing anything that helps in breaking laws, you rapidly start making laws that require governors on cars so they can't exceed, e.g., 70mph, banning hand guns, slim-jims, etc.

e39krazy wrote:I just love the idiots in the left lane doing 60 in a 55 and see you flying up behind them and don't seem to care or move. I burn so much more gas because of those jerks

ahuhu, here you can go 75mph which is plenty fast however no matter the speed limit there's always people that just HAVE to go faster, probably because they need to make up for other things...anyway I like to pull along side a long haul truck(which has a limit of 65mph) and slow down when I see some genius flying up up from behind me.

The faces they make and yelling they do is great.

Also, you burn more gas because you are gunning it, not because of them, you choose to speed.

techspecs wrote:Really? How high are the speed limits in Montana?

It was 75 or 80, I can't remember which. Whatever it was I had plenty of time to see that going a few miles above the limit was causing me to lose at least 5 miles per gallon fuel economy (i have a fuel computer in my car) so I just went the limit. Also there are not many cars out there. As others have said I don't feel as much need to speed when there aren't cars and trucks I have to get around all the time and speed up to make up the difference.

R70Runner wrote:Who told you that? Detectors are 100% legal in personal vehicles in Cal. All counties

Though radar detectors are completely legal in CA just be aware that you can technically get a ticket for having it, or anything for that matter, attached to your windshield. It is the states clever way of discouraging the use of them. I recieved a ticket with one attached and they didn't say anything about it.

fortgeorge wrote:ahuhu, here you can go 75mph which is plenty fast however no matter the speed limit there's always people that just HAVE to go faster, probably because they need to make up for other things...anyway I like to pull along side a long haul truck(which has a limit of 65mph) and slow down when I see some genius flying up up from behind me.

The faces they make and yelling they do is great.

Also, you burn more gas because you are gunning it, not because of them, you choose to speed.

You my friend are the assh@les i hate. You get a sick joy out of making people slow down. If you wanted people to slow down, why dont you go be a cop?

JKolstad wrote:That one's a bit more of a stretch. Yeah, *sometimes* those with a radar detector could reasonably be considered to be endangering the public, but *much* of the time the only significant increase in risk is to themselves, and *once in awhile* you could even find a case where a guy with a radar detector is less of a menace to the rest of us than the guy without one.

Speeding is already illegal. It's not worth it to try to make possession of anything that might help you break the law illegal as well, IMO... unless we're talking, e.g., enriched plutonium or deadly bacteria. If you go down the road of outlawing anything that helps in breaking laws, you rapidly start making laws that require governors on cars so they can't exceed, e.g., 70mph, banning hand guns, slim-jims, etc.

look, my friend, I break the traffic laws every day. I mean every day. I am not, however, going to sit here and defend it and act like I am not risking anything by doing it. I am risking my own safety and therefore others as well since they are on the road also. I'm not saying going 70 in a 65 is dangerous, but I don't only go 5 MPH over the limit and neither does anyone else who would buy a detector.

Bottom line, a good cop, with good radar, IE instant on, will still beat you 9 out of 10 times with a detector. Nice insurance for that 10% and for the lazy and cheap police that still use the old style... Better then nothing

R70Runner wrote:Bottom line, a good cop, with good radar, IE instant on, will still beat you 9 out of 10 times with a detector. Nice insurance for that 10% and for the lazy and cheap police that still use the old style... Better then nothing

Ya but 9 times out of 10 the cop will not be GUNG HO to get you with the most high tech equipment. Most the time you're going to be going thru Valdosta GA on the way to Florida and these hilljack cops are looking to give out tickets with their old radars that these detectors would easily spot in time (as long as you're not going 100 in a 55 or something totally stupid).

e39krazy wrote:You my friend are the assh@les i hate. You get a sick joy out of making people slow down. If you wanted people to slow down, why dont you go be a cop?

Because he can do what he wants as his profession while still legally making you slow down on the roads, without being an officer.

e39krazy wrote:You my friend are the assh@les i hate. You get a sick joy out of making people slow down. If you wanted people to slow down, why dont you go be a cop?

Because I make too much to take the pay cut and I do that because a speeder killed my cousin when he tried to pass another car and clipped his bumper making him roll 7 times.

Quit trying to make your criminal(speeding is a crime you know) self look like a victim.

kengland2 wrote:For best measure, get a laser-reflective license plate cover, which makes laser detection impossible, whether you have a radar or not.

I heard those don't work?

OGMaverick wrote:Because he can do what he wants as his profession while still legally making you slow down on the roads, without being an officer.

actually in many states (such as here in GA) it is now illegal to drive the speed limit in the left lane. they almost never enforce it but if you are going regular speed in the passing lane it is illegal in many states now.

Skizza wrote:I heard those don't work?

you heard right. they don't.

huantino wrote:Too bad its illegal in CA - seems like a good price

Not illegal in California, learn the laws where you live. JESUS.

fortgeorge wrote:Because I make too much to take the pay cut and I do that because a speeder killed my cousin when he tried to pass another car and clipped his bumper making him roll 7 times.

Quit trying to make your criminal(speeding is a crime you know) self look like a victim.

A speeder killed your cousin so you are on a personal mission to make America slow down? Sorry for the loss but driving like a jagoff doesn't help the situation. Ever hear of road rage?

crazypigeon wrote:Radar detectors are not directly illegal, but they are cause they attach to your windshield. My dad got pulled over because he had a gps on his windshield once. Look here:

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc26708.htm

That being said, I'd rather get pulled over for having something on my windshield than speeding :D

WRONG! Recent laws ALLOW items like radar detectors AND GPS to be attached to the windshield. Kids stop posting things you don't know anything about. K thanks.

johnnygrunge wrote:A speeder killed your cousin so you are on a personal mission to make America slow down? Sorry for the loss but driving like a jagoff doesn't help the situation. Ever hear of road rage?

ahuhu, I don't make everyone speed, I just do it for a few miles to the idiots going 100.

Honestly I've only been able to do it maybe 10 times. Just not that many people I see going that fast before they pass me and I drive all over a 5 state area.

I'm the opposite of road rage by the way, I'm extremely relaxed and easy going. I rarely even honk when most people would. Driving is just a relaxing experience for me.

footfall99 wrote:WRONG! Recent laws ALLOW items like radar detectors AND GPS to be attached to the windshield. Kids stop posting things you don't know anything about. K thanks.

Oh nice, too bad I already bought a dash mount for my GPS.

Purchased one before and I must say for the price I am impressed. Don't say it's cheap because of the price, woot will make any item look like that - they are the cheapest in town. Overall I am satisfied, very minimal false alerts.