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looking for a speed detector. anyone recommend one?


gstraw

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ive never used one.

i seem to recall someone else asking this recently.... and the general conclusion is that the 'radar' detector is more of a US technology, and the UK cops use something different for the camera.

hence forth, it doesnt 'work'.

 

i could be talking out my arse... have a quick search :)

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It depends what you're after. In the UK, gatso's are radar and mobile speed traps are laser.

 

You're 'do everything' detector would be gps/radar and laser. Snooper and road angel are leading in the area so check out their kit. You will get a LOT of false radar though as shops use it for door openers etc, traffic lights use it to detect cars.

 

A laser speed reading is detected within about 1s so unless you happen to catch a bit of laser radiation which can pinged off another car, by the time you get an alert, you've been caught.

 

Overall, unless you regularly speed in 30 limits (!!) where mobile speed traps are common, a GPS detection system (or simply a file added to a tom Tom with the updated locations- costs £10) will suffice.

 

For what is worth, good observation/ driver training is far better option. Then you'll be looking out for the dangers/ hazards and you'll spot the mobile speed traps a mile off ;)

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Thanks for the replies

So is a GPS and laser system the best then? One that doesn't detect radar so it reduces the likihood of false readings if shops use radar a lot? I can use the gps part to find fixed cameras and laser to detect mobile speed traps?

Most of the radar ones I've seen have a city setting.

What do traffic cops use when they have that big cylinder propped on the roof of their cars pointing backwards?

Thanks

 

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The GPS ones are updated via a database so you'll either need to manually update it, or if you have a connected one it will auto update. You will generally have to pay for a yearly subscription to update the GPS locations of the cameras.

 

Laser detectors are pretty pointless as by the time it has detected a laser all it will do is confirm you have been clocked at the speed that you are doing.

 

Laser jammers are illegal but I know some people do use them.

 

I have an old Origin B2 - I find it useful as a reminder of the speed limit, and means I can concentrate on the road rather than my speed - if I could have a HUD that would be just a good though.

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Mk1 eyeball

 

 

/thread

I use a slightly modified version of the Mk1 (Manufactured by Police), but it still does more or less the same job. :)

 

I cannot work out if these are sarcastic posts or whether there is genuinely an item out there called the 'eyeball', I thought I'd share this moment of weakness with everyone rather than consulting Google.

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Mk1 eyeball

 

 

/thread

I use a slightly modified version of the Mk1 (Manufactured by Police), but it still does more or less the same job. :)

 

I cannot work out if these are sarcastic posts or whether there is genuinely an item out there called the 'eyeball', I thought I'd share this moment of weakness with everyone rather than consulting Google.

 

Mk1 eyeball is a often used army/forces/engineering term for - "using your own eyes rather than relying on instruments" ;)

Edited by wmr1980
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But yeah, if you can't judge whether the road you're on is either safe for the speed you want to do OR is likely to have police with a speed gun, then you need to work on judgement and observation before buying gadgets.

 

That's not to say I don't use a GPS based device (iOS TomTom has them built in) when travelling places I'm unfamiliar with, but they come in most handy on motorway average speed sections where it's not always clear that you're in or out of a zone. I'll sit bang on the limit in a managed zone, but will set cruise for 75mph on the open motorway.

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there is one in my car the previous owner installed, it somehow knows all the GATSO type camera, but not average speed ones, even newly installed GATSO style cameras are picked up. It has a ~100m warning beep, then again at ~50m, if you're above the speed limit the detector keeps being until you slow down.

 

Sadly its so stealthily installed I am unable to locate even a single component to advise you what it is, I wish I knew as I'd install it an other cars I own. I try not to exceed the speed limit, but in areas where i occasionally drift 1-2mph over and its unfamiliar territory it has saved me a few times.

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This exact question was asked only a few weeks back on here.

 

Ive used several radar detectors over the years and have used a Valetine One for the last 3 or 4 years. It is definitely the best at what it does. It will detect radar from half a mile away, in either direction and alert you to which direction it is and how many sources. You also get hardly any false alarms compared to the other systems ive used in the past. It is expensive, but it is the best.

 

In the UK its only of limited use and it will really only warn you of the older gatso speed cameras which use radar. For a long time now they have moved away from using radar for speed cameras. Mobile speed cameras have used laser and average speed/specs/truvelo cameras all use infa-red. It will alert you to laser mobile traps but as others have said, by the time it tells you, your already in trouble if your speeding.

 

I simply use it as a bit of a gimmick and to remind me of the one speed camera which I pass coming out of work each day, which happens to be in a 30, but is immediately after some lights so your trying to accelerate to the speed limit whilst keeping one eye on the road, one eye on cyclists cutting you up on both sides and one eye on the speedo. It has came in handy a few times warning me of mobile speed watch cameras which villages have sometimes and mobile road works.

 

What I tend to use every day is a free app called Waze, which ive used for donkeys years. Not only does it do all sat nav, and traffic updates but it also has all speed cameras on it. Because its a community app, users can quickly post accidents, mobile speed cameras and traffic problems, so you get real time alerts & analysis of your journey. I use this app every time I get in my car. It will run on your mobile phone, or on a tablet if you have one mounted in your car like I have. And its free!

Edited by rabbitstew
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I remember buying a used type r which had front and rear jammer. The sensors were discretely fixed in the grille and tailgate, the sensors could be switched on and off with flick of a switch if stopped by the plod. It worked and saved me from a ticket on two occasions. I went down the dash mounted warning detectors in later cars, all of which were pretty ineffective for laser warning. Personally I wouldn't waste your hard earned unless you were after a jammer.

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They were relatively unheard of back then. Guess the firm hand of the law have caught up on the tech. Speeding will also landing you in a world of pain, so you take your chances either way. Best save it for the track is my way now or Germany😀

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I've seen legit jammers that double up as parking sensors. Hard to see how the plod can jail you for them

 

How a laser jammer works is that as soon as it detects the laser signal from the mobile speed camera it jams it for X number of seconds and gives you chance to pile on the brakes to get you down to the speed limit. The copper will know straight away you are using one as his speed camera gun will go batsh!t crazy. So regardless of whether they are disguised as parking sensors or not, they will know you have one on your car, can pull you over and when they find it do you for illegally using one.

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