[ELS1]

I've been using escort passports for almost 15 years...I've always relied on it. The V1 is also great and I may switch next time around because of the directional arrows. Either way, you have to be smart about using it. I always try and get behind someone who is also going the same speed...thy will usually get tagged first and I react accordingly. Saved my ass many times.

I would like to add that I've driven with both escorts and v1s at the same time to test and they both functioned great...the v1 was a bit too big for my tastes.

[LesBaer]

Honestly, you can get by just fine with an Escort 9500 or above. I think that's the one I have (blue display lights...might be 9800) that learns so it tunes out the crap over time. The new escort 360 is a straight up rip off of the Valentin. They've basically run out of features that really make a difference anymore since even my old red display escort was telling me which direction the cops were in based on the sounds. You get the signals from radar in plenty of time too if it bounces off another car. If you get hit directly with laser, you're done no matter which one get - unless you break the law and use a jamming system. If you decide to use it, make sure you research it so you don't get yourself in trouble. You still have to slow down and let him get a reading...just a heads up. Jammers are legal to buy but illegal to use and it's an FCC violation (felony).

[Childs Play]

My problem with the Valentine 1 is that it seemed to produce a lot of false alarms and don't offer a GPS version. Valentines response for false alarms is basically "You'll get over it."

Also, in my opinion, the arrows are a gimmick. If your radar detector goes off and the front arrow goes off what are you going to do? Slow down. And if the back arrow goes off? I'm pretty sure you're going to slow down as well. Can it help with people who aren't really paying attention to their surroundings? Sure, but if you're speeding you shouldn't be rocking out/texting/day dreaming and should at least be scanning the road yourself while driving. This isn't just Valentine 1 I'm talking about with the arrows. This is all of them.

Want to really up your chances of avoiding a ticket?

Get a high rated radar detector, laser jammer, Waze/Escort Live/both and pay attention to your surroundings.

If you want one with arrows go for it. I'm just stating my opinion on how I feel about them. Some people think GPS is a gimmick. I personally like it however because when I drive into a city I'm not getting bombarded with BS false alarms constantly. However, maybe one day mine will lock out a signal that it thinks is false and the cop will be there waiting (knock on wood). Who knows.

[tejesh83]

With laser detection being used more widely and free apps like Waze, is a radar detector still worth it these days? For those with a V1 or Escort, how often does it save you?

[Tachyon]

I have three Escort 9500ix devices in each of the three routinely driven vehicles (my Camaro, her Beetle, and the shared truck). As others have stated, the GPS on-board means that as you drive the device learns where the "false" alerts are and will mark them such that you don't get those hits any longer.

Having driven with one for 5+ years all of my routes are now rather quiet. If I get a hit nowadays it's either a nasty collision avoidance system or a real-live LEO.

I've been thinking about upgrading to an Escort Max 360. But the 9500ix works so very well that I really don't have a solid reason for upgrading other than it's the latest, greatest toy.

I would also encourage, as other's have, that you download Waze and begin to use it before you even buy the detector. It's free. I have had feedback from a number of ex-detector users that have switched completely to Waze as their countermeasure. I'm not sure I would do that, but having Waze AND the detector increases my situation awareness.

And that is the key phrase here, "situation awareness". A radar detector, a social-media driving app, these are not magic talismans that will keep you from receiving a performance award from your friendly LEO. You must remain a driver, an active driver, an engaged, heads-up, paying attention driver with good awareness of what is going on all around you. Lastly, if you're not willing to drive at a specific speed without countermeasures, you shouldn't be driving that speed with countermeasures. When you receive your performance award you will wonder why all this technology failed you... it is not the technology that failed.

[Imp]

Going a different way here... an app for your smartphone. Haven't gotten a ticket in the years I've used it (fairly populated roads).

Get the Waze app for your smartphone. It won't get them when you're alone on a road, but no radar detector will help you then. But if there are others, they will tell you well ahead of time if/where they are. (among other things).

Edit: hah, 3 others responded when I was typing this. Yes... situational awareness > *. Brake lights over hills or around corners, *looking ahead FAR down the road*.

--kC
(Also remembers the 1st Escort)

[SS 1LE]

Originally Posted by tejesh83

With laser detection being used more widely and free apps like Waze, is a radar detector still worth it these days? For those with a V1 or Escort, how often does it save you?

My area is full of Ka...very few municipalities around here use laser. Ka is still king, cheapest, easiest to maintain, and reliable.

[Tachyon]

Originally Posted by tejesh83

With laser detection being used more widely and free apps like Waze, is a radar detector still worth it these days? For those with a V1 or Escort, how often does it save you?

Yes, even with laser. I can count on two fingers the laser alerts that I've had that were attributable to an LEO. The very few others *may* have been LEO, but there was no sighting and no other indication that they were. In my case, Waze.

Laser is also not the end-all/be-all that LEO would have the public believe. As suggested by another forum member radarbusters dot net forum is a good place for information about technological traffic enforcement and countermeasures. There are several posts on that site that speak directly to laser enforcement and the associated court cases.

I can only speak for the areas in which I routinely drive. Mainly Texas and a bit of Oklahoma. The countermeasures I employ have been very effective when used in addition to keeping good situation awareness and active driving. As I said elsewhere in this thread, these are tools, not magic talismans. Will a detector be as effective in your area? Find a driver in your neck of the woods that runs countermeasures and ask them.

Finally, if you're going to purchase a detector, go with Beltronics, Escort, or Valentine. More expensive? Yes. The inexpensive detectors offer a false sense of security. Do they work? Yes, but not nearly to the level of any of the brands named.

[SS 1LE]

Originally Posted by Childs Play

My problem with the Valentine 1 is that it seemed to produce a lot of false alarms and don't offer a GPS version. Valentines response for false alarms is basically "You'll get over it."

Mine falses less then my Beltronics detecter, actually I get very few falses. Does your have the updated software installed?

Originally Posted by Childs Play

Also, in my opinion, the arrows are a gimmick. If your radar detector goes off and the front arrow goes off what are you going to do? Slow down. And if the back arrow goes off? I'm pretty sure you're going to slow down as well.

I like the arrows, I like knowing where to look for the cop. Plus, it's useful after the threat passes as you can watch them, and make sure they disappear. But, when I drive my other car with my Beltronics, I honestly don't seem to miss it...

Originally Posted by Childs Play

Waze

Have you used this? I don't know anyone who has personally, but I am very curious about it...

Originally Posted by Childs Play

However, maybe one day mine will lock out a signal that it thinks is false and the cop will be there waiting (knock on wood). Who knows.

One thing, at least my me is 99% of my falses in the city are K band. I usually will lock them out if bad, as K band based radar is old school and hardly used anymore. I couldn't tell you when I got a K band radar hit last...probably been over a decade. For me it's 10% X, and 90% Ka.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by LesBaer

Jammers are legal to buy but illegal to use and it's an FCC violation (felony).

RADAR jammers are completely illegal across the United States because they're regulated by the FCC. Radio frequencies. It's a no-no to fudge with them.

LASER jammers, that's a little more complex because they use light instead of frequencies. Some states have foggy regulations on them, some have none.

[Thor142]

The only speeding tickets I've had in the last 4 years are from not giving my full undivided attention to my surroundings. I live in a very rural area. Detectors tell you when to pull over out here.

[newb]

I live in Va so detectors are a no-go. I use Waze. In any situation that a radar detector would save you, typically Waze has them tagged. It's rare that I am in any type of traffic and get surprised by an officers presence.

[Tachyon]

Originally Posted by fastball

RADAR jammers are completely illegal across the United States because they're regulated by the FCC. Radio frequencies. It's a no-no to fudge with them.

LASER jammers, that's a little more complex because they use light instead of frequencies. Some states have foggy regulations on them, some have none.

Fastball speaks the truth.

RADAR is radio and regulated by the FCC. Interfering with radio frequency will get you a fine beginning at $10,000.

LASER is regulated, amusingly, by the FDA. And by some states in terms of traffic enforcement... but it could be argued at the federal level there is no statute about my infrared parking assist system causing interference with LEO traffic enforcement devices.

Remember, innocent until proven guilty and the burden of proof is on the State.

[bpang1234]

Originally Posted by tejesh83

With laser detection being used more widely and free apps like Waze, is a radar detector still worth it these days? For those with a V1 or Escort, how often does it save you?

Laser detection is a different problem versus radar.

With radar, the signal will bounce off of cars, trees, buildings, etc. so your detector will catch the waves that aren't shot directly at you. So you have A LOT more warning.

With Laser, unless it is magically reflecting off a bunch of reflecting surfaces to your detector or by prism refraction...you don't have much warning at all. Most times, when your laser alert goes off, you've already been shot.

For laser detection, it is more beneficial to use a combination of situational awareness and crowd-sourced knowledge. For instance, Waze and Escort's app are crowd-source so it will tell you that a recent laser sighting has happened and you are approaching it. When you're in a municipality that you know uses laser, you should try not to be the car in front OR just not speed unless you're in a place that you know there are no cops (and no one you can injure).

When driving in highly rural areas and you are the lone car on the road...you should really recon the area you intend to speed on first because you will likely have no warning either via radar or laser because the cop is waiting to turn them on and not just keeping them on constant.