Gman 0 Posted July 28, 2004 Hey. I am looking at buying a radar detector ( a cheap one) and was wondering if any one here has got or used one before. which are good which arnt and what should i look out for. Thanks Gman Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted July 28, 2004 I've had both Snooper and Cobra detectors. I currently use another Cobra one as I managed to get it very cheap The cheaper ones are OK, but lack some of the detection range of the more expensive ones so give you less warning... :| The one I've got now retailed at around £350 at the time and would have easily paid for itself by now in fines I've not had to pay... 8) My first one was the REALLY cheap Snooper one (cost £99 at the time) and was great back then (1999) but lacks the multi band sensing that you need these days (Ie it only detects 3 radar bands and laser, where my new one does 7 and laser... 8) ) Do they work? well, I've still got a clean licence... ;) 8) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joebloggsVR69 0 Posted July 28, 2004 You might want to read this: http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,15149-1181311,00.html :mad: Bloody Labour party Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted July 29, 2004 yeah, but they've got to: A) Make it law first... ;) B) Catch you with one I can see mine becoming part of the dashboard soon anyway as well as the GPS based one which will be installed shortly... ;) Nothing to see here... move along now... ;) :D :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
julesz 0 Posted July 29, 2004 Ive heard the 'only' one to get is the NEW road Angel... although they go for about £399,!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gman 0 Posted July 29, 2004 Hey guys. Thanks. I have heard that the road angel is the one to go for but it is to much $$$ for me. also you need a subscription to keep it up to date. I have seen both a cobra and a snooper on ebay for around 50 quid. does everything except Ku band. which modle do you have henny? Also do they detect cameras that face away from you ( like most GATSO's) before you get to them or do they only go off after you have passes the camera?? Gman Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dazzyvr6 0 Posted July 29, 2004 your better off getting a gps based detector,they dont detect them they just have the locations stored in them,and they are the only ones that tell you about the new specs system that no radar detectors can detect Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mambomonkey 0 Posted July 29, 2004 Daz, - did Liam not tell you he's nicked my new road angel as long as the golfs down at the shed??? - Get it off him for a day and see what you think. Bottom line with these things is that any which use GPS will detect any camera aimed at your car, facing either way, so if its one aimed at drivers on the other side of the road it won't bother notifying you. Any units which don't use GPS and claim to 'detect' cameras like the cheaper snoopers, are not fool proof, get shit loadsa inteference and often pick cameras up as your underneath them, or not at all...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gman 0 Posted July 29, 2004 what do you get form the road angel subscription. also how long does it take for the gps to lock on to your possition? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dazzyvr6 0 Posted July 29, 2004 you get updates to new camera locations and risk areas,it only takes a couple of minutes for the unit to locate the satalites Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 29, 2004 Devices that use satellite-positioning systems to give drivers early warning of a speed camera will remain legal. whats the difference then???? they are used for exactly the same purposes, just means you have to slow for the empty cameras, seems st00pid to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted July 29, 2004 it also means that they can sit on bridges and get you with the mobile units which aren't in the Road angel maps yet and know they won't get sussed by radar/laser detectors... :mad: really gets my goat this does... guy I know got bottled, and the police don't want to do anything about it, yet he then gets done for 34 in a 30 100 yards after it becomes 30 from a 60... :mad: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 29, 2004 my mate was saying that his newly purchased Road Angel will be fine (I sent him the link), but the fact that it also detects radar and lasers means it'll be illegal, even though its GPS too, GPS only units will be the only legal ones Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted July 29, 2004 I've also heard good things about the all new Road Angel. When are the Gonvernment going to make their mind up about these things? They were illegal to use in the 90s, but legal to buy. Then they made them legal to buy and use a few years ago. And now they've decided to make them illegal again :roll: Obviously the revenue they're collecting from the millions of motorists that don't have detectors isn't enough for them, the greedy feckers. Well bollards to them. They have to catch you using it in order to prosecute and how would they do that without a speed camera detector detector? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mambomonkey 0 Posted July 29, 2004 I reckon the road angels are def the way to go cause they are GPS so not illegal, but also come with in built mobile lasar detection so in theory they'll protect u from getting gunned too. Daz, - if u are not keen on the subsciption then try and get your hands on a road angel 1, - my buddie's got one and he dosn't have to pay any kinda sub. Also, the revisions came with the lasar detection as well, so its pretty much the same as a new one.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henny 0 Posted July 29, 2004 my tracking device also acts as a road angel type device when hooked up to their new optional interface with no subscription costs... 8) Best of all worlds, and the safety of knowing you can tell where your car is at all times and can dis-able it from where ever you are just by phoning it... 8) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 29, 2004 I reckon the road angels are def the way to go cause they are GPS so not illegal, but also come with in built mobile lasar detection so in theory they'll protect u from getting gunned too. that was the point of my post, If they do have a laser/radar detector in addition to GPS they will be Illegal, whether they have GPS or not doesn't make a difference, its the laser/radar detection they are trying to ban. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reggit 0 Posted July 29, 2004 Radar detectors, cheap ones tend to false alarm all the time. If buying one, make sure you can turn off X-band, the police in the UK don't use it, but shop doors and loads of other stuff does, so false alarms galore. Laser detectors, all well and good, but when it bleeps at you, all you can do is wait for the fine because at that point it is too late, the traffic enforcement officer will know your speed. All it takes is 1/3 of a second for the cops to clock you. :cry: See http://www.speed-trap.co.uk for more info Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dazzyvr6 0 Posted July 29, 2004 most top of the range laser detectors will detect one being used upto something like half a mile away Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gman 0 Posted July 29, 2004 Henny what sort of tracker is it that you have? i thought all trackers you have to pay a sub. also which model cobra do you use? Also have you heard about this spray that you can put on your number plate and it cant be seen by the cameras. aparently it is LEGAL. If it wasnt for the points i would bother with a detector but i really dont want any points. Does the road angel 1 give you free updates then? :):):) G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ben16v 0 Posted July 29, 2004 there was a few mods like spraying hairspray or specific spray/covers on your plates to stop the photo capturing your registration but dont reckon it works and anyway cant they get a photo of your face from a lot of cameras (i think) :oops: if im wrong some good info on the road angel http://www.new-road-angel-gps.co.uk/ http://www.new-road-angel-gps.co.uk/NEW ... rGuide.pdf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joebrent 0 Posted July 29, 2004 Ive got a road angel 2, when they first came out staff were allowed to buy em for 200 quid! Naturally i got one, it is a nice piece of kit, even though tiff neddells voice does get on your tits after a while!! I would recomend one but i dont think i would of spent 400 quid on one.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomB 0 Posted July 30, 2004 I find one of the best policies is to use a 'pace car.' There'll always be someone wanting to go faster than you, just wait for them to go past, and crank it up to follow at a safe distance behind. This works especially well if the person in from has a radar detector :) I adopted this method since I got 3 points for getting nicked overtaking someone in my humble chip-fat powered Passat... at 97 nearly 3 years ago. :oops: You get to go like stink (especially if following something like an SLK), and if there are any traps/cameras then you see the brakel lights/camera flash in plenty of time to slow down. Of course, now I've made that public, that's the last time I get to try and keep up with a VR6 :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites