Laser/Radar detector,blocker,jammer,alerte r; etc

[Mac-MerC]

I've finally come to the conclusion that i need to purchase something to help me against those evil laser/radar guns. From post in the past it seemed like everyone recommended the Valentine V1 and from what i recall it was kinda pricey... but from what I've realized that i have been giving the local police so much money i could have had like 6 of those things buy now. Im just wondering if there are any detectors that are as good as the V1 just not as pricey... if not i might just have the drop the $400 on it.
I do about 50/50 city and highway driving... but of course i only get stopped on the highway.... for speeding. city streets for other reasons.

appreciate any insite

[airjordan2k8]

Interested in this thread aswell..

[CWright]

I run the V1 for the radar and the Escort ZR4 Shifter for the laser jamming. It works perfect. The V1 tells you where it's coming from so you know if the threat is in front or behind. The ZR4 shifter covers both front and rear. I highly recommend it as well. Last November we went to Montana and took both the V1 and the latest Escort Passport radar detector. Mine out performed by 1-2 seconds each time. The V1 is worth the money.

[duhtroll]

For Radar --

I run a Bel Sti/Magnum through Escort Live (online speedtrap database run through my Android phone). It runs slightly less sensitivity than the V1 (but in reality I think the V1 gives way too many false alerts from way too far away - I don't need to know who is running radar on the moon, just for the few miles in front of me, and several Bel/Escort products do that just fine).

The best thing about the Magnum is that it does not leak signal like other RDs and therefore is not detected by Spectre RDDs. I had been stopped twice while running a V1 and twice while running an Escort 9500i for no real reason (I don't speed much*) which led me to surmise that the ISP was pulling over every vehicle with a detector in it "because they just HAD to be doing something wrong if they are running a RD."

Once I even got a bogus ticket for "passing contrary to sign" because he couldn't get me for speeding. I think it was because I was in the MM and he detected the RD and thought I was an easy target.

Since getting the Bel Sti (which I later upgraded to a Magnum) I have not been stopped in 3 years or so.

Whatever you get, do NOT get a Cobra or anything by Rocky Mountain Radar, if they still exist. EDIT: The Crapras leak so much 24.1 signal my Bel goes off when following someone who is running one. Damn they are annoying!

Make up your own mind by searching Guys of Lidar and "radar detector forum." There are plenty of people out there who know much more than I and they own all the guns in question and have done scads of testing.

* - Insert question here about "if you don't speed, why run a RD?" Because it is a hobby, smart guy. (No, really - I can identify specific cruisers by their frequency around home now.)

For laser/lidar --

The best out there is a laser interceptor. Here is my (former) MM with one against an LTI 20/20 I rented:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyuw10XAJAI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ10Q9QPwxE

They are pricey - search laser interceptor USA. But it makes you nigh invisible to lidar. They are illegal in some states, also, so check first.

[boatmangc]

+1 on the V1
Saved me a LOT of money through the years. I bought mine in 1998, sent it in for an upgrade last year and got a new one back!

[slickster]

The v1 has a logic and pro logic feature that will block out weak signals (false alerts that are x and k band. ka band is never false) but if that x or k band becomes stronger it will alert. The logic feature will alert via led only but if it becomes stronger it will alert sound also. So if you got the volume up or the radio on low you won't have to pay attention to the vary few false alerts via led only when on interstate. The extreme rear detection is so worth dealing with the false alerts that are mostly city. You can get one cheaper on ebay just make sure that it's an up to date version or close to it. Now if you want something good on the cheap get a escort 8500 x50 $130 on eBay all day long and it works great. Make sure it's a x50. You don't need to give an extra $40 for the blue display. And then the zr4 lazer shifter is good like the other guy said. If you live in a state where radars are illegal get a bel magnum and only that

[Mike]

I've finally come to the conclusion that i need to purchase something to help me against those evil laser/radar guns. From post in the past it seemed like everyone recommended the Valentine V1 and from what i recall it was kinda pricey... but from what I've realized that i have been giving the local police so much money i could have had like 6 of those things buy now. Im just wondering if there are any detectors that are as good as the V1 just not as pricey... if not i might just have the drop the $400 on it.
I do about 50/50 city and highway driving... but of course i only get stopped on the highway.... for speeding. city streets for other reasons.

appreciate any insite

I've been watching V1's on EBay, and they seem to sell at around the $300.00 price.

[CBT]

No radar detectors allowed in Ol' Virginny. Not that I would need one.

[Mac-MerC]

I've been watching V1's on EBay, and they seem to sell at around the $300.00 price.

i dont trust ebay, I know a few ppl who have gotten bogus merchandise from off there. and a lot of companies dont warranty their merchandise if u dont buy it from an authorized retailer... i dont think that chuck who is selling stuff out of his grand mother basement is an autorized dealer.. i might be wrong tho. I will take a glance tho.

[Mac-MerC]

I run the V1 for the radar and the Escort ZR4 Shifter for the laser jamming. It works perfect. The V1 tells you where it's coming from so you know if the threat is in front or behind. The ZR4 shifter covers both front and rear. I highly recommend it as well. Last November we went to Montana and took both the V1 and the latest Escort Passport radar detector. Mine out performed by 1-2 seconds each time. The V1 is worth the money.

so i suppose that we can use laser jammers in Georgia... or are u just riding dirty?.....

[Mercguy04]

If I may, I have a Escort 9500CI, seems to work ok. I have also in an other car a V1
That works good as well I would say both are good equipment.

Here is what I think concerning Lazar, If I am sitting (LEO) pointing a Lazar at you, as you know it is line of sight, point and shoot. There is no effective
radius, or wide band search, and it does not return a signal or a false reading. I would assume you have a device that is Jamming my equipment. I would be inclined to believe something is up. If I have a hand held lazar gun,
I will find your device and that opens up a can of trouble you don't want to deal with. You could be there guest for sometime to come.
If your PD likes to pull you over just for grins than they have more reason to do so now.
Additionally they may arrest your car on a civil complaint and impound the car and search the car for the offending device. If you have one they will find it.
It is than up to you to prove you were not using it to jam there lazar.
JMHO I could be wrong. but not really on this issue.
Have fun. Just remember what Sammy Harger said, "I can't drive 55"

[duhtroll]

Lidar guns return false/error readings regularly. Not the majority of the time, but they do. Don't take my word for it - check the above forums for people who own and service the guns in question. (including other LEOs)

But hey, obviously my equipment doesn't work properly so it should just be assumed I am wasting my time and money. ;)

Lidar jammers are legal in most states, btw. There are a few states where they are not. It is illegal for an LEO to pull me over in my home state just for suspicion of having a lidar jammer. If there is no other infraction (and I have had "infractions" fabricated before -- see above) then it is harassment.

Knowing ones rights under the law reduces abuse by those in power.

And before the flame war starts, I am not indicting every LEO anyone has ever met -- only saying that abuse does happen.


If I may, I have a Escort 9500CI, seems to work ok. I have also in an other car a V1
That works good as well I would say both are good equipment.

Here is what I think concerning Lazar, If I am sitting (LEO) pointing a Lazar at you, as you know it is line of sight, point and shoot. There is no effective
radius, or wide band search, and it does not return a signal or a false reading. I would assume you have a device that is Jamming my equipment. I would be inclined to believe something is up. If I have a hand held lazar gun,
I will find your device and that opens up a can of trouble you don't want to deal with. You could be there guest for sometime to come.
If your PD likes to pull you over just for grins than they have more reason to do so now.
Additionally they may arrest your car on a civil complaint and impound the car and search the car for the offending device. If you have one they will find it.
It is than up to you to prove you were not using it to jam there lazar.
JMHO I could be wrong. but not really on this issue.
Have fun. Just remember what Sammy Harger said, "I can't drive 55"

[Mercguy04]

Yes you are right. Some jurisdictions do not calibrate there equipment as often as they should.
Short story:
I got a ticket in Brooklyn for going through a red light. The issuing officer has three times to show up, I sat through two sessions before the cop showed up for the third time.
During that waiting period I learned a lot from the defendents w/ attorneys
and the ones without. Here is my point. I got off because I learned that if you question the officer about his equipment, he will more that likely not know when or
how often the equipment is calibrated last, he is using it and in NY he is supposed to
know that information.
So Yes the equipment can be malfuntioning. But in smaller Municipalities the courts seem to side with the Police more often than with the "speeder".
As you stated they will find some reason for pulling you over and that give them
probable cause to ask to search your car, If you refuse than they may detain you
until they can call on K-9 to smiff the car or if they see something that give them cause. Than yes you do have rights, try telling that to four or five cops standing around you pressing you to " if you have nothing to hide, than you won't mind if, or any reason not to allow me to look around your car. You know the drill.
You know there is a big difference between civil and criminal laws.

[Mercguy04]

BTW, thank you for your thoughts. I have been in Law enforcement for 24 Years on a
federal level. But we use some of the same tactics. Now with the Home Land Security Act, it seems that a few more of our rights seem to be eroading our amendments.
I might be a cop but I still believe in the constitution and the Bill of Rights.

[justbob]

Say what you like, but my 10+ year old $80 Walmart Cobra has saved my behind from the death penalty by now.. I have NEVER been pulled over for speeding while using it. False signals? Sure. But when you travel the same roads often, you quickly learn to tone it out.

[Mercguy04]

Good deal Bob, Lazar guns are expensive and a lot of states don't use them.
Your Corba will work just fine.
I sure you put your foot in that Triolgy. I know I do on my V.
Thanks for your comments. Best of contunied luck.

[duhtroll]

Yep, correct. However, I am the type of guy that will call their bluff and let them waste their time looking.

Running legal equipment is no cause for detention. If they want to issue me a bogus citation, fine, but my new car (and a lot of newer models) has one of those data recorders that records speed, etc. for a certain period of time (for use in accidents) and I will use the data in court. I have also thought of getting a dashboard cam (not for this purpose but because I see a lot of crazy stuff while out driving, but it could serve a dual purpose).

This scenario is pretty extreme and I don't see any of it happening. I do hear stories about particular troopers around the area and having to fight them in court, so if you are stopped it is your word against theirs, etc.. Given that experience and my own in court, I have investigated my options over the years.


Yes you are right. Some jurisdictions do not calibrate there equipment as often as they should.
Short story:
I got a ticket in Brooklyn for going through a red light. The issuing officer has three times to show up, I sat through two sessions before the cop showed up for the third time.
During that waiting period I learned a lot from the defendents w/ attorneys
and the ones without. Here is my point. I got off because I learned that if you question the officer about his equipment, he will more that likely not know when or
how often the equipment is calibrated last, he is using it and in NY he is supposed to
know that information.
So Yes the equipment can be malfuntioning. But in smaller Municipalities the courts seem to side with the Police more often than with the "speeder".
As you stated they will find some reason for pulling you over and that give them
probable cause to ask to search your car, If you refuse than they may detain you
until they can call on K-9 to smiff the car or if they see something that give them cause. Than yes you do have rights, try telling that to four or five cops standing around you pressing you to " if you have nothing to hide, than you won't mind if, or any reason not to allow me to look around your car. You know the drill.
You know there is a big difference between civil and criminal laws.

[duhtroll]

I like Cobras. Their existence is the reason LEOs think RDs don't work, which is fine with me. :D

Seriously though, you need to do a search on the detector forums of the actual tests run on those things. They fared pretty poorly. Most testing doesn't even include Cobras anymore because their reputation is so bad.


Say what you like, but my 10+ year old $80 Walmart Cobra has saved my behind from the death penalty by now.. I have NEVER been pulled over for speeding while using it. False signals? Sure. But when you travel the same roads often, you quickly learn to tone it out.

[slickster]

Yea it's v1 escort or bel. Everything els is way off. No offense but like the other guy said he gave $80 for a cobra when you can get a escort x50 8500 off ebay for $120 and you have one of the best

[bolsen]

http://www.bestradardetectors.net/Beltronics-STi-R-Radar-Detector.html

This is the only RD I would ever install.

[slickster]

http://www.bestradardetectors.net/Beltronics-STi-R-Radar-Detector.html

This is the only RD I would ever install.

I really don't see a reason for all this stuff only the fact that it's undetectable from rdd's when you can get a bel sti off ebay for $300. Just mount it high on windshield and hardwired

[slickster]

Also a v1 can be updated buy whoever has it

[duhtroll]

A lot of people look at sensitivity as the only criterion for buying a RD. However, functional range doesn't require a $500+ RD. Many RDs in the $150-$300 price range have excellent range and just because it isn't the farthest, doesn't mean you are going to get any better use out of something more expensive.

Personally, I don't want to react to threats 5 miles away. Even if I were speeding, slowing down then would be a waste of time. I want to know about things that happen 30 seconds away, not 3+ minutes away.

From what I have read, LEOs only target vehicles within a certain visual range (I forget what it is) and many RDs alert before you are in that range. Instant on notwithstanding, of course, but even then most decent RDs will alert you further up the road as they use it on other vehicles.

I bought the Sti for the nondetection and therefore less harassment, or I would not have spent as much as I did for a RD.


I really don't see a reason for all this stuff only the fact that it's undetectable from rdd's when you can get a bel sti off ebay for $300. Just mount it high on windshield and hardwired

[NATEHAWK]

I have the Escort 8500 x50 blue...Works great with the blendmount and mirror tap..


http://www.blendmount.com

http://www.blendmount.com/images/mirrortapescort1.jpg

http://www.blendmount.com/gallery/kitbbe/large/2000%20SERIES%209.jpg

[slickster]

Blend mounts are not good. It may seem that it looks right but it's exposed. This is bad for two reasons one is that it's exposed to heat I mean really hot in the summer time you can fry a egg on it that's not good. Another reason of being exposed is cops know you have it? Drivers on the interstate will front door you and that's not good if there's no traffic in front of you. Cars get broken into all the time cause they have electronics hanging in there windshield. That why I use a visor mount for my rd's and mount my nav in the upper left corner or with a vent clip

[NATEHAWK]

Blend mounts are not good. It may seem that it looks right but it's exposed. This is bad for two reasons one is that it's exposed to heat I mean really hot in the summer time you can fry a egg on it that's not good. Another reason of being exposed is cops know you have it? Drivers on the interstate will front door you and that's not good if there's no traffic in front of you. Cars get broken into all the time cause they have electronics hanging in there windshield. That why I use a visor mount for my rd's and mount my nav in the upper left corner or with a vent clip

In Maryland you can have radar detectors so that's not a issue here. My car is not daily driven and the blend mounts makes it easy to take down. So if ur parked and it's really that hott just pop it down. My car is parked in my garage so.....I really don't have those issues.

[1 Bad Merc]

What do you do when the extra weight from the blend mount takes out your rearview mirror? The glue that sticks the mirror on does not always hold and with hot weather you are going to be mounting a new mirror. Go with the blend mount and see what happens.

[NATEHAWK]

Are you kidding me. It's not even heavy. Ya use suction cups and visor clips. I'll keep on using my blend mount.

[a_d_a_m]

Okay, I've gotta ask: how fast are you guys driving?

I drive a lot of interstate - 2000 miles a month - and usually keep the car around 78mph. Never had an issue where I felt that a Fuzzbuster was necessary.

Arrive alive, folks.

[NATEHAWK]

Okay, I've gotta ask: how fast are you guys driving?

I drive a lot of interstate - 2000 miles a month - and usually keep the car around 78mph. Never had an issue where I felt that a Fuzzbuster was necessary.

Arrive alive, folks.

Just enough so I can hear my S/C whine :thumbsup:

[duhtroll]

Wait...

"Fuzzbuster?" Really? How old are you? :P

I am 41 and I barely remember that term for a RD (my uncle had an actual "Fuzzbuster" in his car)

And as far as mounts go -- the Bel Sti is one of the heaviest RDs out there. It works on the blendmount just fine. Actually, its weight is one of the reasons I bought the blendmount. Suction cups will fail, often within minutes in hot and cold temps. I was tired of picking my RD off the floor or trying to catch it while driving.

The RD unhooks from the blendmount in seconds, allowing me to store it out of sight whenever I park in a public place/in the sun.

I have a visor clip mount from Escort also and it limits the sensor's "visibility" whereas the blendmount gives both front and rear sensors the best possible clearance. Not to mention a visor mount eliminates the use of the visor for its intended purpose, which I need since I am often driving to/from work at both sunrise and sunset.

As they say in the laser jammer business, "stealth the car, not the install."



Okay, I've gotta ask: how fast are you guys driving?

I drive a lot of interstate - 2000 miles a month - and usually keep the car around 78mph. Never had an issue where I felt that a Fuzzbuster was necessary.

Arrive alive, folks.

[NATEHAWK]

wait...

"fuzzbuster?" really? How old are you? :p

i am 41 and i barely remember that term for a rd (my uncle had an actual "fuzzbuster" in his car)

and as far as mounts go -- the bel sti is one of the heaviest rds out there. It works on the blendmount just fine. Actually, its weight is one of the reasons i bought the blendmount. Suction cups will fail, often within minutes in hot and cold temps. I was tired of picking my rd off the floor or trying to catch it while driving.

The rd unhooks from the blendmount in seconds, allowing me to store it out of sight whenever i park in a public place/in the sun.

I have a visor clip mount from escort also and it limits the sensor's "visibility" whereas the blendmount gives both front and rear sensors the best possible clearance. Not to mention a visor mount eliminates the use of the visor for its intended purpose, which i need since i am often driving to/from work at both sunrise and sunset.

As they say in the laser jammer business, "stealth the car, not the install."

right on !

[CNGInterceptor]

I've had my V1 for almost 3 years now and my Blend Mount for over a year. No complaints with either so far!

[slickster]

Ftw upper tint strip could limit the radar signal. I all ways have a hard time with suction cups imo that's the worst way. Ist not realy use for speeding I just got a ticket for doing 55 right befor the 55 sign that's why I got a x50 for my dd

[marauder410]

i got my V! off ebay last year newest upgrades on it and it works miricles saved my behind many timess

[Guittard22]

Limited Edition Passport 9500ix What I use in my car :)

[slickster]

Limited Edition Passport 9500ix What I use in my car :)
ohh them are cool. what one you have. http://www.escortradar.com/limited-edition-passport-9500ix/

[Guittard22]

ohh them are cool. what one you have. http://www.escortradar.com/limited-edition-passport-9500ix/



Gamer green black :) only ones left now are white/pink ....lol

[DEFYANT]

Radar in standby mode until you are observed speeding.

Radar engaged to check your speed.

Your bells and whistles go off the same time I get the reading on how fast you're going.

Final indication? You slam the brakes and take a nose dive into the pavement. :rolleyes:

[slickster]

Radar in standby mode until you are observed speeding.

Radar engaged to check your speed.

Your bells and whistles go off the same time I get the reading on how fast you're going.

Final indication? You slam the brakes and take a nose dive into the pavement. :rolleyes:

Yes it's called the instant on method. But if there's traffic in front of you your rd will pick up the Leo shooting others