wjbertrand
Ventura Highway
OK, I got some bad information from someone on the RD Forum evidently. It's about time they add that!
Which Radar Detector?? Just in case!
- Thread starter OhioDeere
- Start date
OP
OP
OhioDeere
Been There, Done That, Got the Shirt.
check this rally setup out?? I think he would get lost? and get a ticket for speeding and obstruction of clear sight of roadway!
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My daughter is a Sheriff's deputy and she tells me that if you get pulled over for speeding with a radar detector that is visible when you are approached, it is almost guaranteed that you will get a ticket, and for the full boat. You are better off being as cooperative as you can be and don't argue, more often than not you'll get a warning or at the very least a lesser speeding fine. And pulling over before you are lit up? That is very much appreciated and will buy you a lot of leeway.
Obviously YMMV depending on the locale's and their tolerance for speeding. There are many small towns around me that use speeding fines as a significant income source, like where 47 in a 45 zone will get you a ticket, but those are few and far between.
Obviously YMMV depending on the locale's and their tolerance for speeding. There are many small towns around me that use speeding fines as a significant income source, like where 47 in a 45 zone will get you a ticket, but those are few and far between.
Is that a fish-finder on the dash shelf ?? CAt'
sky.high
Site Supporter
I have an Escort 8500 buried in the ST nose cowl hooked up to a visual alert plugged in to audio, its stealthy,. It goes of all the time around traffic when I'm behaving, but has alerted me many times on the open road when I need it
I bought a Uniden DFR9 from Costco. $260. Returns are easy if you find you don't like it.
Waze is a wonderful app...but that's all it is. It works great if you have cell phone coverage — and are in a built-up area where others take the trouble to send in LEO reports. If you're out in a Podunk area with a population of 50 souls and 1 LEO...it is worthless. If you're out where there's no cell phone coverage...it is worthless.
I bought mine because there are two local roads that are potential trouble spots for me. The main road to my place has a speed limit of 30 mph, but I've been known to go slightly above that. About once a year, the LEOs set up a radar trap to catch the drivers going 55-60 mph...the road parallels I-5 and many drivers go on this road to bypass the traffic.
The other road is on the way to church. Speed limit is 35 mph, but it has five lanes and begs to be driven at 45-50 mph. They do get radar traps out there. Even though I pretty much pace the traffic...I don't want to be the one they pick out of the crowd to talk to.
And then there's a friend of mine who is a model motorcycle rider in town and in traffic. But when he gets out in the countryside, he likes to "make progress". He's at the front, and I'm usually at the rear. I figure that I can get some advance warning that an LEO is in the area as the cop lights him up.
As for riding in the rain, I simply store mine in the garage. To me, it is just a "toy". I don't ride like I have a license to speed with it. But it does give me some peace of mind if I'm in the middle of nowhere and I'm going at a comfortable pace.
For those who can't work out using the audio feed, Marc Parnes makes a Visual Alert for radar detectors. http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm The cost is very reasonable and mine works great.
Chris
Waze is a wonderful app...but that's all it is. It works great if you have cell phone coverage — and are in a built-up area where others take the trouble to send in LEO reports. If you're out in a Podunk area with a population of 50 souls and 1 LEO...it is worthless. If you're out where there's no cell phone coverage...it is worthless.
I bought mine because there are two local roads that are potential trouble spots for me. The main road to my place has a speed limit of 30 mph, but I've been known to go slightly above that. About once a year, the LEOs set up a radar trap to catch the drivers going 55-60 mph...the road parallels I-5 and many drivers go on this road to bypass the traffic.
The other road is on the way to church. Speed limit is 35 mph, but it has five lanes and begs to be driven at 45-50 mph. They do get radar traps out there. Even though I pretty much pace the traffic...I don't want to be the one they pick out of the crowd to talk to.
And then there's a friend of mine who is a model motorcycle rider in town and in traffic. But when he gets out in the countryside, he likes to "make progress". He's at the front, and I'm usually at the rear. I figure that I can get some advance warning that an LEO is in the area as the cop lights him up.
As for riding in the rain, I simply store mine in the garage. To me, it is just a "toy". I don't ride like I have a license to speed with it. But it does give me some peace of mind if I'm in the middle of nowhere and I'm going at a comfortable pace.
For those who can't work out using the audio feed, Marc Parnes makes a Visual Alert for radar detectors. http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm The cost is very reasonable and mine works great.
Chris
rwthomas1
Site Supporter
Well, duh. Where I ride and commute lots of people like to add input to Waze, so the alerts are very reliable. Most have a phone, so using a free app is a no-brainer IF the conditions work. Once away from even moderate trafficked areas and obviously cell coverage, a good detector is the best option. Even when I'm not speeding I like to be alerted to their presence.
That visual alert thingie is pretty neat!
RT
I see where at least one person here has mentioned Waze. I was just trying to point out that it is not the perfect solution and actually has some drawbacks. Another that I didn't think of initially, is if you (generic you) think mounting your expensive smartphone on the handlebars so you get a visual alert too is what you want...maybe think again. I've read several reports of the handlebar vibration killing the camera image stabilization on the newer phones.
The Uniden DFR9 has some good options to make it livable. You can mute alerts by remembering the GPS location. You can also set a speed limit below which the alerts are muted. For instance, when I'm moving less than 15 mph, the DFR9 doesn't sound a warning about the local QFC store's doors. It filters most of the car proximity radar warnings, except Mazdas. But I just ignore those.
Sensitivity is great out in the country. I've had it warn me of the Idaho state police miles in advance. I like it.
Chris
The Uniden DFR9 has some good options to make it livable. You can mute alerts by remembering the GPS location. You can also set a speed limit below which the alerts are muted. For instance, when I'm moving less than 15 mph, the DFR9 doesn't sound a warning about the local QFC store's doors. It filters most of the car proximity radar warnings, except Mazdas. But I just ignore those.
Sensitivity is great out in the country. I've had it warn me of the Idaho state police miles in advance. I like it.
Chris
wjbertrand
Ventura Highway
Agree, the places where I've been nabbed by radar in the past have always been away from busy cities/suburbs and out in the rural areas. I think its a bit nuts to speed in congested areas anyway. I've also heard about cops using waze and clicking "not there" when their location is reported.
rwthomas1
Site Supporter
Yeah but that just gets over written with the continuing passing cars reporting them. Waze will still show a police car symbol where an older report was noted. It will no longer give an audible alert, but the icon is there.
RT
rwthomas1
Site Supporter
Yeah, im picking on you!I see where at least one person here has mentioned Waze. I was just trying to point out that it is not the perfect solution and actually has some drawbacks. Another that I didn't think of initially, is if you (generic you) think mounting your expensive smartphone on the handlebars so you get a visual alert too is what you want...maybe think again. I've read several reports of the handlebar vibration killing the camera image stabilization on the newer phones.
The Uniden DFR9 has some good options to make it livable. You can mute alerts by remembering the GPS location. You can also set a speed limit below which the alerts are muted. For instance, when I'm moving less than 15 mph, the DFR9 doesn't sound a warning about the local QFC store's doors. It filters most of the car proximity radar warnings, except Mazdas. But I just ignore those.
Sensitivity is great out in the country. I've had it warn me of the Idaho state police miles in advance. I like it.
Chris
. My Passport 9500 does the GPS memory thing as well, works well if like me you run the same route daily. The falsing from cars was driving me nuts though. I may give the Uniden a look as the price is right.Didn't know about the smartphone issues, but I've run my old Samsung and now my new Moto without issues so far. I also use/buy cheap $100 phones, so i dont really care too much they are disposable.
Ideally I'd run a detector AND Waze, if i can find a detector that doesn't false as frequently. I figure that would cover it all. So far, for my riding it hasn't been necessary.
RT
amorley
Site Supporter
Back to the OP, I have used an Adaptiv TPX RD for the last 12 years and been very happy. Only pulled over once for a warning. The TPX does pickup the ACC used by big trucks but I have learned to live with it. I think the new version has fixed that.
And its raining to boot...
I have that same all weather radar box shown in that pic.
The Uniden does a good job. I don't block out repeated warnings. As I go down the hill headed east from my place, I come to an intersection where there's a QFC grocery store with K-band radar for the automatic doors and a police station nearby that almost always has KA-band broadcasting. I know it. It's not a big deal to just block it out. I'd rather do that, than to turn off the K-band as a friend of mine did...and found an LEO in a Podunk town that was still using K-band.Yeah, im picking on you!
Didn't know about the smartphone issues, but I've run my old Samsung and now my new Moto without issues so far. I also use/buy cheap $100 phones, so i dont really care too much they are disposable.
Ideally I'd run a detector AND Waze, if i can find a detector that doesn't false as frequently. I figure that would cover it all. So far, for my riding it hasn't been necessary.
RT
My only wish would be to get directional arrows. I'm not sure how useful that would be compared to the additional cost. I think I pick up signals from LEOs on side streets when I'm going down a highway.
But since I'm not trying to set a record in the Guinness Book of World Records, and usually don't ride faster than anyone else is driving, I probably have little to worry about. Besides, in the winter, the RD comes off and stays safe and warm in the garage.
Chris
wjbertrand
Ventura Highway
Uniden just dropped the latest firmware update for the R7. It’s easy to update yourself at home, no need to send the unit in.
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I run a Uniden as well (R3). Very sensitive. Sometimes a mile to a mile and a half out. They have a newer version as well (R7, which also has dir. arrows).
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Diggers1300
Site Supporter
The V1 is also updated from your phone via Bluetooth. It only needs to be sent in for hardware upgrades as new tech becomes available. I ran my original V1 for 30 years. Then traded it on the V1 Gen 2 when it became available.
Having only bought 1 new unit in 30 years and that was not even at full price was a bargain. I can't tell you how many new units friends have bought during that same time. I can't drop $400 - $600 every time a new model comes out to keep the latest innovations in radar detection.
Maybe if you're 5'0" or so. I wonder what states have laws regarding a motorcyclist's obstructed view. If a full coverage helmet isn't a violation then it would take a taller pile of gear than that or a very short rider. Distracted driving OTOH...
wjbertrand
Ventura Highway
Sounds like Valentine has done a lot of good upgrades on the G2. I've owned only four RDs so far going back to the mid 90s starting with an escort 8500 (which I sent in to have upgraded to the x50 version) then I scored a used Escort 9500ix because they installed a bunch of K-emitting traffic speed measuring cams on my commute, the GPS lockouts were a partial solution to that. Later I traded in my 8500 x50 to escort toward an Escort Redline. It was game changing at the time, and compared to my riding buddy's V1G1, could pick up signals a mile earlier. I still use that one but the k-band trash from cars with adaptive CC and blind spot monitoring will drive you nuts. luckily they really don't use K-band in California so I've just shut that band off along with X. I'm well pleased with my current R7, last summer crossing Nevada (granted some pretty wide open territory), I picked up a NST from over 12 miles away!