Radar Detectors

[ST Gui]

the radar detector on the side of the road

What is the 'side of the road' radar? The mobile cards that show your speed and tell you to SLOW DOWN? They're very short range by design. If not aimed properly they'd miss smaller targets.

What leads you do believe it doesn't see bikes? My 'Wing buddy clocked a bicycle at >70mph. Picked him off.

So radar in the hands of a trained operator can pick off motorcycles with disappointing (for the rider anyway) accuracy.

 

[mlheck]

Regarding Radar Detectors, I just acquired the new Uniden R7 after my trusty Escort Redline got soaked in a sudden storm in Canada on my way to WeSTOC. By all reports this is the top RD at the moment. The good news is that Escort was able to completely refurbish my Redline, so I have returned it to duty in my car. This leaves me with an extra detector, an Escort Passport 9500ix (this was one of the first GPS equipped detectors) It works perfectly but I don't need it any more. Anyone need an RD fairly cheap?

Post back your thoughts about the R7. I have a R3 that I like, but always looking for newer and better.

 

[Daboo]

FWIW, you might want to look at the Uniden DFR9 as well. I haven't seen a head-to-head competition between the two Uniden detectors, but I suspect the only difference will be the directional arrows on the R7 and the additional cost. Costco sells the Uniden DFR9 for $259. And if you don't like it, you can return it, no questions asked.

I've been using the DFR9 for about 4 months now. K-band alerts come through frequently in town. The initial warning tells you that it is K-band, then the alert volume goes down markedly. If you know that it is a store's automatic doors, you can "mark" it with the built-in GPS. If not, ignore the warning or mute it.

KA-band has an entirely different sound. It gets your attention. I've picked up warnings a couple miles away on this one. Those warnings have been around bends and up hill as well. If it goes off, there's an LEO around. The DFR9 doesn't have directional arrows. I'm not sure they matter that much though. The warnings I've received in some cases were on the road we were traveling, just quite a ways away. And since they were not only ahead, but around several bends, the arrows might've made me complacent thinking it was an LEO on a side road.

As for the Laser warning...I've only encountered that once. Again though, the warning is different and gets your attention. Although with Laser, as a state patrolman told me, a detector lets you be the second person to know you're getting a ticket. Think about that for a second... He had a big ear to ear grin on his face as he said that.

If you come across a review that actually measures the distances one can detect versus another, I'd be very interested in that. In the meantime, the DFR9 seems to be blocking unwanted false alerts very well and warning me of actual radar traps in plenty of time to not be tagged. It's very easy for me to live with.

BTW, I picked up a very small BT transmitter that plugs into the headphone jack and puts the alerts into your helmet so you can hear them immediately.

Chris

 

[Upt' North]

Sorry, I didn't go to UK. And even if I'll go, I won't drive/ride there cas I'll get in the right lane for sure...
In France they telling you that the speed cam ahead. Why would they do it if they want to caught a speeder? Maybe they just really don't want you to speed through that particular section for some reason? Not about the revenue.

All of Europe isn't that great you know.
France has reduced NSL on single carriageway roads to 80 kmh outside of towns and villages. That's 50 mph in old money and they can and do enforce it. That can make for a slow day.
German derestricted Auotroute's or Autobahn's are generally packed with traffic or have roadworks or other restrictions everywhere.
The French fixed roadside radar are big grey boxes and usually placed where you can see them. That's pretty much the same with Gatso's throughout Europe where unlike the French variety they are on tall poles. They normally tally with road markings which can be used to corroborate the camera.
We will soon be getting noise camera's for vehicles with aftermarket exhausts.
Despite being visible they get plenty of customers and these are supplemented by mobile camera enforcement vehicles.
C'est la Vie.
Upt'North.

 

[choptankman]

I am a retired army guy and I was both Special Forces and later a helicopter pilot. I put both a Special Forces decal and a Huey decal on my back fender. Somehow when I have been stopped the conversation with the officer oftentimes includes a discussion of my service,deployments etc. and ends with either a warning ticket or a stern admonishment to slow down. Just a thought.

 

[wjbertrand]

Post back your thoughts about the R7. I have a R3 that I like, but always looking for newer and better.

Will do, not too much experience with “saves” yet. I really like the quiet ride and mute memory functions, makes for a quiet detector unless there’s a real threat without having to turn off any bands. The only negative so far is that the OLED display is a bit hard to see in bright sunlight. I’ve got the audio being sent to a Sena SM10 and bluetoothed to my Cardo Smartpack. Works well and with the voice announcements telling you the band, frequency and direction, not much need to look at it.

 

[mlheck]

Will do, not too much experience with “saves” yet. I really like the quiet ride and mute memory functions, makes for a quiet detector unless there’s a real threat without having turn off any bands. The only negative so far is that the OLED display is a bit hard to see in bright sunlight. I’ve got the audio being sent to a Sena SM10 and bluetoothed to my Cardo Smartpack. Works well and with the voice announcements telling you the band, frequency and direction, not much need to look at it.

Sounds like the same issues I'm having with the R3. The quiet ride feature is very nice, but Honda anti-collision system still get through.

 

[wjbertrand]

Sounds like the same issues I'm having with the R3. The quiet ride feature is very nice, but Honda anti-collision system still get through.

Just set the quiet ride speed high enough and you won’t hear it.

 

[mlheck]

Just set the quiet ride speed high enough and you won’t hear it.

I mis-spoke, the quiet ride works well. The detector has an issue with Honda systems on the K band.