a lot of people claim that radar detectors are useless!

[vincestylez]

do you guys think so? some people say they are useless because if your alone and it beeps that means they already have your speed down, is that true?. i own a 8500 X50 and it helps a lot of times but at other times i don't get the reading until i think the officer already has my speed down. (this is against instant on radars of course)

[<<JAZZY>>]

No, they are not useless if used in the correct manner. They are only completely useless if you pick the wrong brand of radar detector and you don't follow the ten best tips for fearless flying.

Ten Best Tips for Fearless Flying

[Lucky225]

I never seen that article, but I disagree with #8, I love provocative LPs =)

[Lucky225]

Also disagree with #10 on what to say when pulled over, I'd never admit I was over the limit

[vincestylez]

i agree with #10 because sometimes they pull you over and just give you a warning because they didn't lock in your speed for evidence. if you confess you gave them all the evidence they need

[YTCD]

Yeah I will never admit my speed but if you want to get off on many other tickets, now I Go with an admit it approach, that way you show that you feel you were doing wrong and you plan to correct it. I was driving the other day and passed a undercover suv doing 70 in a 55 and passing cars quite often, not dangerously, I put my blinker on and also put my brights on and gave plenty room but i was passing several cars in a short amount of time. Well he pulled me over and I talked to him like I usually do. He said he paced me at 70 also. But i never would admit that but for driving recklessly and all of the thounsands of other charges he said to me I was doing I admitted and he ended up letting me off. I was being stupid though and wasn't driving how I usually drive 99% of the time, but still not going crazy.

But by all means in Some situations like an accident if you get reckless or something stupid pinned on you don't admit it at all.

[focalcivic]

No, they are not useless if used in the correct manner. They are only completely useless if you pick the wrong brand of radar detector and you don't follow the ten best tips for fearless flying.

Ten Best Tips for Fearless Flying

I never saw that article before, overall it is very good. I like this tip about the lights have them on and then turn them off.

This tip is interesting:

"Moving in a lane containing Class 8 trucks some distance ahead will also shield your car until you pass the truck. In daylight hours, you may choose to run at times with lights, at times without, hiding yourself in front of a group of trucks when you change illumination. The reason for this is that an enforcer, having "noticed" you from a long distance back, will be looking for a certain as-yet-unidentified vehicle with lights on (or without) as he moves quickly up through traffic. Suddenly, he is in identifiable range of a vehicle similar in size and shape to the one he believes may have been violating, only now the illumination is different from what he saw earlier, thus rendering him unsure."

[YTCD]

Even without light bars, you should be able to pick out these vehicles at great distances by looking for windshield-pillar mounted spotlights (carefully folded inward) and, more importantly, fat tires. When approaching a suspect vehicle from the rear, look for the above cues plus check the underside for the telltale stabilizer bar, especially on Chevrolets.

Fat tires I understand but is that true, I've never noticed that. But the stabilzer bar, can somebody give me a pic or explain it a little more. I've never seen anything like this.

Im very good at spotting undercover, and from great distances. But these could help me out if they are true. SUV's are difficult though, because until recently I havn't been looking for them because I've never experienced any that are undercover.

[focalcivic]

Even without light bars, you should be able to pick out these vehicles at great distances by looking for windshield-pillar mounted spotlights (carefully folded inward) and, more importantly, fat tires. When approaching a suspect vehicle from the rear, look for the above cues plus check the underside for the telltale stabilizer bar, especially on Chevrolets.

Fat tires I understand but is that true, I've never noticed that. But the stabilzer bar, can somebody give me a pic or explain it a little more. I've never seen anything like this.

Im very good at spotting undercover, and from great distances. But these could help me out if they are true. SUV's are difficult though, because until recently I havn't been looking for them because I've never experienced any that are undercover.

That article is dated 1990, so the rules about recoginizing cars has changed. Now there are too many types of unmarked cars/trucks. Like durangos, tahoes, impalas, intrepids I have even seen vans.

As for fat tires, too hard now a days because many cars have big tires. For stabilizer bars, IMHO too hard too see when driving.

[Z1NONLY]

Here is a video of my X50 being very useful.


YouTube - X50 Radar detector demo