dash mount question

[Mackid343]

now i know this is a bad idea and i wouldnt ever use it, unless i had to. but i'm just wondering if putting your detector on your dash and having it partially blocked by wipers is a very bad idea. does it actually has much of an effect on a detector like my bel v995? i tried it today when i was following my parents home. they arent crazy about detectors so i keep mine hush-hush around them. but since my dad was doing about 10 over on the way home, i figured that putting my detector on the dash above my vents in my grand am would be better than nothing. when i dont have a detector, i dont excede 5 over. simply becuase i know that if they see a high school kid doing more than 5+, you'll get a ticket around here. it seemed to pick up the usual falses a tiny bit later than normal (maybe a second or half a second). i know it wouldnt detect laser but i've never had a laser hit on the roads that i'd be on.

heres a picture of where the detector was in the car. it was in the crook between where the gagues are and the vents. it si about the same level as the wipers. this isnt my car by the way:

[Road Warrior]

I keep my S2 on the dash as well, left of the steering wheel, but my dash is totally flat, you can get some velcro and stick your RD right where you think you get an unobstructed view to the road ahead... important is 2 p/u all REAL laser alerts, so far my S2 alerted me all the time for the only 2 real laser alerts I've been through so far, details in my post on the "Real Experiences" section...
Snowy Wisconsin... it snowed in Toronto as well... until next April... dreamin' of Florida...

[AirMoore]

I dont think that you will find it to make a extremely massive difference...I must say where it seems to be, it looks as if the RD was completely level Front-to-Back, it should have a somewhat clear shot over the wipers....seems like it sits up an inch higher then them in the first place (maybe not....if it does clear them its not by much no doubt there, hard to tell with the pics angle).

Even so being that far away from the Windshield (probably close to a foot, if not slight more, away from the wipers) even if they did obstruct the view I dont think it would be as dramatic as it it was hugged right up by the registration and inspection stickers....that low or lower with the wiper blade literally 1 inch infront of it and the hieght of the wiper blade being slightly higher the the RD.

Granted it would be better if mounted otherwise, however I would much rather have a RD there then no RD at all as you said. I would maybe just keep it about 2-3mph under your normal speed over the limit with the RD there, just to see how it really does change the performance in your* particular case...everyones will be different.

Generally I wouldnt classify it as a 'bad' idea if it was a last resort, I would classify it as a bad idea if you spent 250 on a detector (just a random figure, I dont know how much you paid obviously), and decided not to use it because you werent 'sure' if it would work and still speed anyways, might as well slow down accordingly and find out how well it does work as a last resort....


I have numerous times taken them (different ones) down via 'button relseases' or just take the suction cup bracket and the RD right off the windshield......and slide off 'visor clips' to take them off the visor and placed it on the seat in encounters where I know an LEO would be there right next to me (stop lights)...everytime they still continued to beep...yes their signal strength did decrease from an insane loud or constant whirlwhind to a slightly calmer rapid onslaught of warning, but I dont think I ever lost even half the signal...and that was on the seat. Then again I only did this when the LEO was literally within 20ft sometimes 50 (sitting right next to me at a stop light....or ever worse....behind me EEEEK!)


So I can see how putting it where you are saying would be HORRENDOUS im sure it would still alert you decently to *radar* just dont expect your normal 'comfortable response timing everytime it goes off.


So now after I have said the same thing 27 times over I will let this end.

[Mackid343]

yeah, from the picture it looks like its higher, but its really about level. i think that it would work just fine if i had to use it. but i wouldnt use it by choice. i'd much rather not be caught becuase i used it in this manner than get a ticket and be screwed for the next few years on my insurance along with the ticket itself (i'm still in high school and i know my insurance will skyrocket if i get one. one of my friends did the other day and his went up about double!)
you were pretty close on your 250 figure. just add 50 bucks and you'll have it. i unfortunately didnt know about roys site when i got it at circuit city so i wasted 40 bucks.... 300 is a little much to let it sit in the glove box and not be used
i've done the same thing with some strong falses and speed signs, putting the detector on the seat or on my lap and it still alerted.

[Dilip]

I think for your high powered radars in the states it wouldn't make that much of a difference. But laser will definately be obscured from view and your detector won't alert.