Schotland wrote:
> I second everything Dan said about the Valentine One. I've owned it for
> about a year and half and have owned many other detectors over the last 15
> years (mostly Cincinnati Microwave/Escort brand products). Nothing comes
> close the performance of the Valentine One.
>
> The downsides: the unit is a big bit and the design clunky looking; it's not
> cordless.
>
> Gary Schotland
While I have a Bel 855 STi, I can't provide a comparative analysis versus the
Valentine, which is much more expensive.
However, mine does have a city/country mode, level indicator, and audible
warnings.
My experience has been that every major intersection causes a level 1 beep.
This
implies some radar or electronic emissions are part of the traffic signal
controllers, but don't know for sure.
I have heard that the biggest problem with detectors is the detection of other
people's detectors. Since I don't notice much activity in town, this model must
not be set off by spurious signals from other detectors, but is sensitive enough
to catch those level 1's.
Los Angeles police are constrained from using radar detectors on city streets
unless the city has done a traffic survey on that street and determined a safe
driving speed. Even then, they can not use it in un-posted streets, or on
streets
whose posted limit is below 40 mph.
The Highway Patrol is allowed, by the State legislature, to use Radar Detectors
on
the highways, which is their purview, but has provided no funds to purchase
equipment. Such a shame.
Some municipalities have purchased radar for the CHP, however, but they can only
do so if the Freeway or State Highway runs through their town for at least one
mile. The same restriction applies to their city police patrolling the Freeways
and Highways.
Biggest problem is that the modern devices are not constant-on scanners, like
aircraft radar, but aimed guns. If they see you they 'shoot' you with a burst
and
the detector is too late. It's only good if they've 'shot' someone else, and
you
get that signal bounced to you.
There is a good point about which direction the signal is from, but sometimes
reflections can confuse this.
There are devices sold as radar jammers. They are phony boxes. A real radar
jammer would be a powerful, illegal, transmitter which must put out signals in
all
the bands. Forget it. If it's a laser hit, there is little to no scatter, and
if
your the target you've already been had.
There are always defenses in court concerning when the device was calibrated,
(most are not current or accurate and you can get them impounded and tested if
your smart). There is also the 'it wasn't me, but the truck or car near me'
routine. You can also have the officer stopping you test the device against a
tree. It may just be registering 60 mph. There are many books on the subject
that are cheaper than a detector that's to late.
On some rural speed traps they probably have continuous, or at least frequent
use,
so detect ability is possible. But these are usually set up by those areas
known
as 'speed traps', and the 'good ol' boys' put them after the rise in the road so
you can't detect them until your too late. They aren't stupid.
Bottom line: You can't win, you can't break even, and you can't get out of the
game.
My 2 cents on the subject.
Steve
--
Steve Laifman < Find out what is most >
B9472289 < important in your life >
< and don't let it get away!>
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