new radar detector - Escort / Valentine

[robphelan]

Hey everyone.. i've been a looong time Escort Passport owner - I've had 3 over the past 13 years.

My 9500i gave up the ghost and I feel vulnerable without those familiar red lights on the windshield.

One of the best features it had was the ability to mute using a button on power cord at the cigarette lighter.

Does Valentine offer something like that? I don't think i'd like to have to reach up everytime it goes off while driving through the parking lot at the stripmall.

 

[Yuriman]

I can't answer your question about a radar detector, but I would like to throw in the obligatory "slowing down has benefits" comment. Aside from being safer and saving you money from potential tickets, it also increases gas mileage significantly by slowing down just a little:

80 to 70 gives around a 25-30% increase in gas mileage in a Patriot, for instance.

 

[SharpHawk]

I can't answer your question about a radar detector, but I would like to throw in the obligatory "slowing down has benefits" comment. Aside from being safer and saving you money from potential tickets, it also increases gas mileage significantly by slowing down just a little:

80 to 70 gives around a 25-30% increase in gas mileage in a Patriot, for instance.

I would like to go one step further and say that not driving at all has its benefits as well. The only form of safe sex is abstinence. Or am I getting those confused again :hmm:

 

[Insomniator]

I can't answer your question about a radar detector, but I would like to throw in the obligatory "slowing down has benefits" comment. Aside from being safer and saving you money from potential tickets, it also increases gas mileage significantly by slowing down just a little:

80 to 70 gives around a 25-30% increase in gas mileage in a Patriot, for instance.

lol at this post

 

[Yuriman]

lol at this post

And yet in other parts of the forum, people get jumped all over for suggesting an unethical RMA or illegal downloading.

 

[cbrsurfr]

I don't believe Valentine has a mute button on the cord. Escort is better about avoiding false positives. Just get another Escort. I've had a 9500ix for years and love it.

Tollways in IL are 55 MPH. Good luck trying to go that slow, you'll get run off the road.

 

[smackababy]

I agree with the "slow down" comment. You're not gaining anything by driving over the speed limit. The fact you have a device that can help you avoid punishment for breaking the law just proves you're a bad person who can't function in society, IMO.

 

[Alienwho]

I can't answer your question about a radar detector, but I would like to throw in the obligatory "slowing down has benefits" comment. Aside from being safer and saving you money from potential tickets, it also increases gas mileage significantly by slowing down just a little:

80 to 70 gives around a 25-30% increase in gas mileage in a Patriot, for instance.

And the (lighten up) judges are out in no time to condemn OP. I doubt people in Jeep Patriots are concerned about buying radar detectors for speeding.

AT Moderator
Bartman39

 

[Yuriman]

And the (lighten up) judges are out in no time to condemn OP. I doubt people in Jeep Patriots are concerned about buying radar detectors for speeding.

I'm not making personal judgements, nor am I trying to be an asshole, just politely suggesting that OP would be safer and save money by not speeding. That's an extremely knee-jerk reaction you had to my post.

 

[cbrsurfr]

My dad has been pulled over for 31 in a 30 in IL. I've been pulled over for complete BS stuff. I had to do a field sobriety test in negative degree weather when I wasn't even drinking because the cop accused me of leaving my lane. I want to know exactly where the piggies are so I can avoid them. I've been followed and had a gun drawn on me because it was suspicious that I pulled over to look for my voter registration card and then went home to get it and left my car running in the driveway at 5AM.

Get tickets on your record and you'll be paying 10x the cost of the ticket in rate hikes or have to deal with court. It's well worth the investment.

Is it fool-proof, no. The good thing is most cops in IL are lazy as f*ck and just leave their radar on so I can smell them 2 miles away.

 

[railer]

I can't answer your question about a radar detector, but I would like to throw in the obligatory

It's not obligatory. Why don't you make a thread about speed vs. gas mileage if it's that important to you. This thread is about radar detectors, not the random opinion of morons. Shoo fly.

I can't directly answer the OP's question, but obviously both are well reviewed and either should suit you well. I've had great luck with Escort products over the years.

Is it fool-proof, no. The good thing is most cops in IL are lazy as f*ck and just leave their radar on so I can smell them 2 miles away.

NY is the same way. 90% of the time they drive around with their radar on. And they still generate an ungodly amount of revenue that way. Just not from me.

 

[LTC8K6]

I can't answer your question about a radar detector, but I would like to throw in the obligatory "slowing down has benefits" comment. Aside from being safer and saving you money from potential tickets, it also increases gas mileage significantly by slowing down just a little:

80 to 70 gives around a 25-30% increase in gas mileage in a Patriot, for instance.

Is there anyone who doesn't know that higher speeds use more fuel?

There's no way I am going 10mph slower than traffic on the highway. :biggrin:

 

[LTC8K6]

P.S.

500 mile trip at 80mph = 6.5 hours
500 mile trip at 70mph = 7.14 hours
500 mile trip at 65mph = 7.69 hours

 

[Yuriman]

Is there anyone who doesn't know that higher speeds use more fuel?

There's no way I am going 10mph slower than traffic on the highway. :biggrin:

You'd be surprised. Mostly young people who've never given it thought.

There are plenty of circumstances where driving slow would be a bad idea, of course. And, though I didn't have it in mind when I made my post, there are some reasons to want to detect a cop's radar that have nothing to do with speeding.

 

[dguy6789]

I agree with the "slow down" comment. You're not gaining anything by driving over the speed limit. The fact you have a device that can help you avoid punishment for breaking the law just proves you're a bad person who can't function in society, IMO.

To quote a previous post, lol at this post.

 

[Wuzup101]

I'm actually looking for a detector too. I'm kinda between the Escort Redline and the V1. Any insight would be helpful!

 

[tweakmonkey]

I still think the V1 is the best for range and front/rear detection. Also the bogey counter is great. It's universally loved in the car world.

I have a Passport and we have a couple here at our shop. I bought mine cheap, but if I had an option to get a V1 at the same price I would've bought that instead. Not sure about the mute button on the connector, but my Escort is hardwired anyway so I can't press that thing. I can't imagine having a cable running up my dash/window permanently...and hardwiring cost me around $5 from Ebay and about 15 minutes to do.

All my customers run the V1 or the hardwired front/rear radar and laser jammer systems from Escort but those are a lot more money.

 

[Ferzerp]

I am a V1 guy due to the increased directional awareness, but if you hate false positives, an Escort might be a better choice, though you can also integrate the V1 with an android app to reduce the false positives as well now.

 

[Brian Stirling]

You'd be surprised. Mostly young people who've never given it thought.

There are plenty of circumstances where driving slow would be a bad idea, of course. And, though I didn't have it in mind when I made my post, there are some reasons to want to detect a cop's radar that have nothing to do with speeding.

I haven't had a functioning detector in a few years now but there are benefits to having one beyond ticket avoidance. Say for example a cop has pulled someone over just around a bend and as you're in the turn the detector goes off giving you notice that something is ahead -- this helps to keep you alert and avoid hitting someone that maybe dangerously positioned after a turn.

There are many other situation where broadcasting in incident with radar can help to warn people to slow down or be more alert. Accidents, road work, special events like a running/cycling race.

The sad thing is cops can and will ticket you for warning others (blinking lights) that a cop is parked along the road even though doing so reduces the chance there will be an accident.


Brian

 

[Insomniator]

The sad thing is cops can and will ticket you for warning others (blinking lights) that a cop is parked along the road even though doing so reduces the chance there will be an accident.
Brian

This happened to a friend once, I really can't understand how you can be ticketed for flashing your lights. That is complete bull****.

 

[Murloc]

The sad thing is cops can and will ticket you for warning others (blinking lights) that a cop is parked along the road even though doing so reduces the chance there will be an accident.

are american cops that suicidal?

Here they duck behind the guardrail and you can be fined for warning others of course.

 

[tweakmonkey]

At least here in CA, you can get rid of the false positives by tuning out the K and X band. I just show KA band and laser. I've never seen a cop using K or X in 15 years of driving w/ a radar detevtor and almost every time I get KA I see a cop. 99% probably... or a speed sign.

 

[LTC8K6]

I haven't had a functioning detector in a few years now but there are benefits to having one beyond ticket avoidance. Say for example a cop has pulled someone over just around a bend and as you're in the turn the detector goes off giving you notice that something is ahead -- this helps to keep you alert and avoid hitting someone that maybe dangerously positioned after a turn.

There are many other situation where broadcasting in incident with radar can help to warn people to slow down or be more alert. Accidents, road work, special events like a running/cycling race.

The sad thing is cops can and will ticket you for warning others (blinking lights) that a cop is parked along the road even though doing so reduces the chance there will be an accident.


Brian

Many courts have ruled that flashing your lights is legal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlight_flashing#United_States

 

[Brian Stirling]

Many courts have ruled that flashing your lights is legal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlight_flashing#United_States

Yeah, if you hire a good lawyer the court would be hard pressed to deny the first amendment right to flash the lights, but hiring a lawyer takes money and most people just pay the fine and move on. The local jurisdictions whose cops ticket for light flashing count on people just paying the fine.


Brian

 

[inachu]

I was once pulled over in N.C. because I did not look both ways before making a right when I told the officer I use my peripheral vision for that.

I thought most people did that.