Pizza, you have 5 things need to worry about now days, but again, you have to understand what cops are using FIRST.

1. Police Laser guns, they're portable, so most likely they'll have to get it out, and aim at you, and they have to be stationary.

In this category, there's no cheap way out. You have to buy laser shifting devices that will have to be mounted on the car. They are not cheap. Last time I checked, to have both front and rear protection, you'll spend around $1500. Escort has a ZR4 Shifter that can be attached to their windshield radar detector, but it's not as effective as the $1500 Laser Interceptor brand shifter.

The reason I said there's no cheap way out is: Most of the radar detector can detect laser now days. However, Laster guns are shoot and get. When your detector sees it, it's already too late. You have to use active device to go against. It doesn't work like the passive radar detectors. You have to be 100% positive that your state utilize LOTS of laser guns to go this route. Ohio Highway Patrol utilize 100% of laser gun when they're patrolling for speeding, so I have to go with this option if I have as many tickets as you.


2. Police radar devices mounted on the police cruisers. They can be used while they are stationary OR moving.
These are the easiest way out: good Escort 8500 or 9500IX or even the newest Passport MAX provides smart, and longest distance detection, most of the cops are just there and broadcast their radar band, so it's the easiest for any detector to detect. Some people prefer V1, but these devices are similar, so, decide what you want if this is what you deal with everyday.

Most of the newest cop mounted radar device utilize KA band, so there's no way to miss it. Some uses K, and Ohio highway patrol uses the oldest X band for the reason to against detectors. So again, you have to know what they're using.

Also, there're mounted radar devices from the police cruisers has a hold button, so they can act like a Instant ON radar, harder for the radar detector, and driver to determine if the alert is a false alert.


3. Police radar guns, they are portable as the laser guns. Not may cop uses it, but they still do, and they can only be used while they are stationary.
This is one of the most common Instant ON techniques for the cops. They pull the trigger, radar determines speed, release the trigger, no more signal. So radars detectors are harder to figure out like the hold button for mounted radar units.

4. Police Radar Detector Detector
This kind of device can detect your radar detector. It's more of a law of physics. Put it in simple term, detector leaks signal, the cheaper, the worse. So RRDD can detect such leaked signal and determine and possibly defeat the radar detector with a POP signal. (More like a ESP, it brutally shoot out a large signal or wave to make detector cannot accurately detect any signal in short time)

5. Cops following you or determine your speed with their eyes.
You don't need me to explain, one of your tickets this year was this way.



So, in conclusion, you have to know what the cops have, and then decide what to get. It's not a simple: "This product is the best". Now days, cops are smart too.

My advise: Buy something that works, and start to pay attention to police speed detection patterns, and by then, you'll know what to get, and what suite you the most.

I'm sure if you google, you'll find tons of answers.

Good luck!

Shibing

 

BTW....Pizza, I've been with my 9500IX for 2 years now, very impressive device. Like I mentioned above, if you want something to start with, 9500IX or the newest Passport MAX is the way to go.

However, you have to learn to be smart. Just please keep that in mind, it's not a ticket saver, it is a device to help you to drive smarter.

 

Oh, I know. I certified police radar for 11 years on my last job.

And I was concerned about detecter detecters. The cheaper the receiver, the more LO leakage. That was why I shyed away from really cheap detectors.

I wish I had more experience with detector detectors, but none of the agencies I served used them.

 

I've seen quite a bit of tests for the detector detector, V1, Escort 8500, 9500 and their Passport Max has the lowest chance of getting caught.

Let's put it this way, if the state you're traveling does not rule out the use of detectors, you have no worries about those, simply, because of the budget, they feel unnecessary to buy such device since they don't have any rules about not allowing radar detectors.

But, if you do get pulled over with it, just try to turn it off or hide it, it may give you a better chance of not getting a ticket. However, most of the time, cops don't care about these, especially in Ohio. They know it would not work on their laser guns.

With my personal experience, I would dim the display light at night time especially if I'm in Indiana. One time one of the Indiana Highway Patrol saw the detector light through the window, and my whole way down to Bloomington from Indianapolis was a living hell. Well, it all started with a pretty aggressive turn, followed by a pretty good acceleration, while still stayed in the speed limit. He saw me and started to following me, then he decided to quit, and have all his buddies waiting ahead, every other 5-7 miles for 40 miles. Some of them even hide in the darkest place that you would never thought of. I wasn't going to speed anyway, so I just cruised away, but having the detector keep buzzing is not fun, and actually quite annoying because they all have their radar device broadcasting KA band...

I also got pulled in Indiana quite often, but when they pulled me over, never mentioned anything about my detector, and it's usually just a hi, bye, drive safe, and I had the device mounted very high ever since I was followed.

Well, I'm actually planning on getting laser shifter since Ohio is utilizing 100% in their speed enforcement. If you have the same situation, consider the same.

 

Most informative thread!

 

Well, it arrived today, I ordered it on two day delivery, but by my count, it was here in one day.

I ALMOST could program this thing without the manual (and it works outta the box on factory defaults, anyway - I just wanted to turn on POP detection and turn off the "learning" mode for a few days...)

Took a drive into town, it found four places where it's hearing stuff that is not Police radar, so it DOES work. (What the hell are the Ingles Grocery stores using that puts out 10 gHz RF? And both QT gas stations produce 24 gHz RF....?)

So, this year, I've spent $808 on tickets and $400 on this thing. STILL cheaper than that whole "Hope" disaster three years ago....

 

Shibing....I love you man...you did a good job. Mark knows his radar. Lidar, Vascar, is used today by many state patrols. I am retired now, so I really don't get into these arguments much on what is best. But, being in the trucking industry we are not allowed to have any device, and this is what most of the patrol using detector detectors are used for. Catching truck drivers since they cannot have them. Anyway, OHIO does use Lidar. So, you really need to be aware on the open highway. The old radars are still used by county and local because it costs less. There your radar detector will help give you some warning. But as stated, I was once a very patient LEO> as until I would visually see my speeder, I would not put my thumb on the butten. Instant on, your foot isn't as fast as the thumb. I ran VASCAR as well, no detection for this. Best thing is never be out front, and watch the mediums and crossovers, as they provide a good place to set up stationary radar, lidar. Lidar you must be stationary.... Stay safe, stay aware. Even I got stopped awhile back. I saw him, but his lidar had me over a mile away...

 

Some speeding fines can't be avoided..

 

Mark, since dopplar radar isn't used or sold like it once was, it has found it's way into farming. Ground radar used to clock the speed of the tractor and fed back to the planter's ecu. GPS is used as well for positioning. So, driving around during planting season might give you a false positive...lol

 

Damn, half-a-mile?!

 

Shibing is no dummy, either. (I mean, have you SEEN his girlfriend? )



And the guy in Missouri got me from well over 1/2 mile on radar - it was in a LONG strait run, passed a guy and could barely tell there was a car coming. But pavement was flat, and terrain was open - I made it easy for him.

State patrol, he reduced it from 20 over to 10 over. $85

 

Nope, over a mile. I knew he liked to set there, I could see the top of the car. Went from 80-55 in a tap of the brake. As I approached him, I could see his grille lights lit up so, I pulled over in front of him. 55 to a dead stop. All he had to do was turn right in behind me.