Radar detectors

[Zcruizer]

My advice about driving in VA is to not even have your detector out. They do have units that detect our units, I've seen them. Because they're illegal, the judge won't care if the cop isn't telling the truth about whether or not it was turned on. If he sees it in your windsheild or wherever he can pull you over. Not because he has the right, but the ability to screw you. I have experience at the county and state level. The bottom line is money. Fines and drivers ed will get you out of most trouble. Driving 20 miles over the posted limit is considered reckless and an arresting offense. Guess how I didn't get arrested. I paid the fine right there on the side of the road. Then, of course, I went to court to fight it. Had legal help. I hate driving in VA, the government has free run over it's citizens. Then again, the citizens accept it. All in the name of saftey, I guess. That last comment if probably for another thread.

[woodym3]

i dont think many cops around here use laser, most use older technology. i just end rolling the dice with laser since a jammer can get quite expensive

They use laser in Arlington County.

[pranu]

... it is virtually useless for laser (as is any laser detector other than a jammer or the license plate thing; I know of no other way to defeat the laser beam).

I disagree with the sentiment above. I use a V1 as soon as I cross statelines out of DC and VA. And I will admit that it has saved me a few times from being caught due to laser.

The theory behind using the laser detection is to hopefully get a warning as soon as someone else is laser tagged and you get a portion of the beam due to reflection/refraction or any other way.

There have been instances where as soon as the laser warning goes off - I have slammed the brakes only to go over a crest of a hill or come out of an underpass and notice a bogey on the shoulder of the road.

I love my V1 - and it definitely has earned its keep.

[Ethan Blank]

Agree generally, up until my V1 was stolen I was very happy with it (I got it about 8 years ago or so, I forget it's been so long!).

Now that I have to replace it, I'm looking at the situation again.

One argument I'm seeing in reviews is that although V1 is very good, and continues to be very good, it hasn't been updated in a long time.

I am considering the Escort with GPS. I like the fact that the red light cameras and speed traps are downloadable and in the unit (although I don't like the periodic cost). And, for radar, some tests show the Escort to be better than the V1 in terms of sensitivity. Not having the direction and number of bogeys is a downside, but I believe that Escort does show the signal strengths. It does appear to be less sensitive on the laser side, but I am considering a front/rear laser jamming set up, which would work in tandem with the Escort.

The V1 is great, but I did get a laser speed ticket while running the V1 in NY, and the only thing I could do when that annoying sound went off is reach for the checkbook. Your reaction time as to be incredibly fast, or you get lucky enough to have a reflection from another car, to avoid a laser ticket. More often than not, I was ignoring (or turning off) the V1 laser alerts due to the cruise control/lane control in some cars that continually activates the V1 laser alert. Probably would have the same problem in the Escort too.