Are Radar Detectors Worth The Money?

[nsxt2000]

Having just returned off a trip from Atlanta to Columbus Ohio for NSXPO I was thinking about radar detectors. When I was younger (I am now 62) I always had a radar detector installed on my car, and went through several brands with limited success. In those days I did a bit of traveling and some states banned them - I remember Virginia in particuliar. At the time if stopped by a Trooper there you had the option of an exhorbatant fine or driving off over your detector.

About ten years ago or so I ceased using them. I don't know if I slowed down or was more aware of surroundings when on the road or what. Since then I have had three speeding tickets, although one should not have counted as I was falling off a mountain in Alaska. It was only later I discovered that the police always waitted in that spot to catch visitors passing thru. The locals were aware of the "trap". The other two times I was speeding but not paying attention. My bad as they say.

At NSXPO I noticed quite a few cars with detectors. We use to have a club member who had his entire glove compartment filled with the latest detection equiptment. Ironically enough, he thought that the best detection was to A. Be aware of what is going on around you and B. Ride in the far right lane as much as possible. His rational was that most people speeding pass in the left lane and police know it. That is where they have radar pointing most of the time.

Anyway, I an curious if forum members use detectors and if it has saved them a citation. Looks like the going rate for a detector is $125 to $350 range, so one saved ticket can pay for the cost. Another problem when I did use them was that law enforcement seemed to continuously be improving detection capability to make the detector you just bought obsolete. Does that still happen?

Any thoughts???
-Mike S.

[20Michael03]

Good topic. I personally think that radar detectors are in some cases great items to have and in other cases useless. This is coming from someone who gets a new one every 3 or so years. It would figure that the two times I got speeding tickets I had the radar detector silenced. Hah. And another way at looking as you mentioned, is that Police have always the upper hand. Unless your going to fork out 1000 bux for that one radar detector that pays for your tickets haha. And at that rate just drive slower.

[nsxt2000]

When I posted this remark about radar detectors I did not realize that in the October 8th "Auto Week" there would be a feature "Jamming With The Best". Each year in El Paso, Texas law enforcement experts gather to examine the electronic aspects of speed detection. The annual event is conducted by Speed Measurement Laboratories to see what is new on both survailence and detection.

Included in the discussion is the effect of "LIDAR" - light detection and ranging, and legal lidar-jamming devices, both of which are now in use. A wide assortment of detectors are tested with varying results. Each has different bennefits and liabilities and comes down to subjective feelings and money. Incidentaly, speaking of money I guess I was off the mark about cost for detectors. I have been out of the market for a while and the ones tested ranged from a low of $170 to a high of $2910, with most in the $300 -$400 area.

The next logical question is what do you get for $2910 in radar detection? This is the Tiger Lily PRSI-STi 360 ( for $2910 a long name is required). Tiger Lily makes custom remote mounts for the top detectors and this model uses the Beltronics STi as the basis. In addition to general detection features it includes laser jamming. The slick remote mounting makes it inconspicuous, but comes with a price.

The consensus is that no detector will prevent a ticket, but the better a motorist is armed, the less chance of getting one. According to the study awareness plays a big part in avoiding a ticket. Don't just rely on a detection devise, but be alert.

For more information take a look at the October 8th issue now on stands.
-Mike S.

[AddLightness]

When it comes down to it, the cop has to see you before you see him to get you. So yes, be aware and saveyourself a buck or two.