I'm not sure I'd say false sense of security but with RD's every bit of edge in detection helps.

If viper_driver was really going FTW he'd have the 9500ci (IIRC it's in a different league of performance with its externally mounted radar detector) and a V1.

Anecdotal evidence aside, there are certainly situations where a Cobra wouldn't alert and a better RD would. Does that mean it's worth it to you to upgrade? Or that running without the Cobra isn't worthwhile? Not necessarily. [/QUOTE]
I agree with you here, and theres an art to using a RD. Most people buy an el cheapo or the cordless and think its good protection, its not.

Theres times a RD will save your ass and times it wont, its up to learning to art to distunguish the later. The 9500ci will give you a damn good chance to beat them 90% of the time and even with the 9500ci, experience using a RD and common sense, the pigs will still have you at times.

Pigs are very predictable in where they will be and when they will be there. Almost always they camp places with insanely stupid low speed limits, you will almost NEVER see a cop where speed limits are very reasonable.

Lazer jammers are amazing, and legislation looking to ban them alltogether is solid proof that even the pigs are scared of them, lazer jammer = 1 less dozen doughnuts.

 

Hold buttons have been on radar units for decades. Hard corp traffic guys use them all the time and it won't set off detectors. If it's a hand held unit it may have been pointed at the floor of the squad until he/she sees high speed. It then works like a hold button. Most guys just leave it on and read. That's why detectors mostly work. That's why my fun always occurs in slower speed curves and on/off ramps.

 

Ya, too bad the courts dont give a shit about panning error and such, such a method has been proven to give consistently skewd results.

Another method a cop in LA was slapped on the wrist for is clocking one speeder doing 79 in a 65, leaving the gun on his dash then just pulling random people over like wildfire and writing the same ticket over and over.

Cops dont want radar guns to include date and time stamps for this reason.

 

Hard to enjoy cruising AP2 when you can be pull over for anything over 5 mph over the limit (technically ANY speed over the limit). So if you're in a 35 do you ever go faster? If so you're speeding.

 

Dont trash a V1 until you've used one. If you use the V1 correctly (i.e. how it's mounted) it is a tremendous advantage.

 

[QUOTE=madcowdk,Apr 17 2010, 07:22 AM] Dont trash a V1 until you've used one.

 

I bought the V1 for the arrows mainly... however, now that I have it I really appreciate the range. It picks radar up WAY in advance.

 

I place my Beltronics Vector V985 low on the dash since the laser beamwidth is narrow. Your detector might have missed the beam by a hair.

 

[QUOTE=s2kdriver80,Apr 17 2010, 01:03 PM]I place my Beltronics Vector V985 low on the dash since the laser beamwidth is narrow.

 

High mount with a relatively clear view of front and rear thru the glass is the probably the best for most all radars. But I have no idea that if the windshield is top tinted that it would be a problem. Only tint, I suspect, that would be an issue is one that has metalized tint or buried windshield radio antennas. No idea what mauf's use metalized coating. Perhaps mounting not near or directly behind the coating is best.

There are radar detector advice web sites. I wonder if any have tested the effect of the tint.

Hi mount is best for bounced signals off objects and vehicles. Trucks make best "bouncers".

Instant on or pop radar is best detected when they have tried to hit a vehicle in front and you get a bounced signal. Beware when you get a quick "on" hit and then nothing. Could be a bounced signal of the instant on type. Get a feel for where the normal false alarms occur. The FCC, in all its regulatory (and high profit) brilliance, allows building security systems to use the X radar band.

I know higher $ Escorts use GPS with detection and remembers where false's occur and learns to ignore them.

Laser is very tough. I suspect the best system is a plate mounted remote detector. Laser is a very narrow beam (with no side scatter) and doesn't easily bounce. I suspect targets the plate, grille or front/rear reflecting surface. This means that lower the detector the better. Sort of a dilemma. But there are not that many laser systems out there. They likely require more trooper involvement and aiming and are more difficult to calibrate. The expensive laser systems may not produce enough tickets to justify their high price for police.