Highway Travel in Pennsylvania

[JrFreak]

Hi all,

I start a new job soon where I'll be driving 45 miles each way on highway roads (Route 22 East of Pittsburgh) where the speed limit is 55. Yeah, 55. Four lane highway at 55...geez.

Anyways, I'm looking to buy a nice RD. I have an old Whistler 975 (which doesn't work anymore) and was wondering how much better the higher end RDs are over this one. I'm willing to spend $300-400 (maybe more) if needed.

What models would be good for 95% highway travel in PA?

Thanks for the info!
-Freak

[mikered30]

Welcome. Since you are in PA, you will need a RD that is great at instant on K band. V1 with shipping is just above your price range and is a great RD. Also check out the trap map on trapster.com - Speed Trap Sharing System

[GreenRadar]

I would suggest going with the Escort Passport 8500 x50, which is in your price range, but if you are willing to spend a little more, then get the V1.

If you decide to go with the 8500 x50 shoot me a PM and I'll get you a discount.

[supercowpowers]

If you pass by any "your speed is" signs...

or digital message signs that look like this:


... they will usually cause you to get a false alert on your detector, and PennDOT uses a huge amount of them. Historically they've usually been K-band but it seems like the new ones they order are Ka band.

Sometimes the police, either intentionally or by coincidence because there are so many of them, will run radar traps close to these falses and catch people who are ignoring their detector's alert.

The V1 is the only detector that can reliably alert you to the fact that there's enforcement activity around a false like that. The 8500 has a display mode that would show you if there are multiple radar sources, but there's no audio alert so you'd have to really pay attention to the display, and if the cop is toggling his radar on and off to avoid detection, you wouldn't stand a chance unless you were staring at it and not watching the road.

This is a situation I've only encountered 3 times in about 150,000 miles of driving, so it's relatively rare but not unheard of, and the uncertainty and having to slow down for 2 miles every time you pass one of those things isn't worth the savings, to me at least.

So basically... I vote for the V1.

[JrFreak]

Sounds like the V1 is a great choice. How does the 9500ix compare? It detects speed and red light camera (because of GPS capability?) and can almost has as good of detection range?

[Myriad]

V1 isn't a bad choice, but I do love my 8500x50 in expert mode for dealing with those falses (PSP troopers hide in their shadows, especially in construction zones).

You're going to see a lot of instant on, but I know from experience that PSP rarely sit on that stretch, especially during rush hour. You'll find that in general PA is pretty reasonable, especially during rush hour, and since stationary is required there really is only one or two places they can sit on that stretch without being obvious. Just watch when you crest hills, and you'll see what I mean. Even if you do get pinged, you'll probably have 14 or 15 MPH of leeway. You won't have to worry about locals. I (and everyone else) generally blow down that stretch of 22 at 75 or 80 - you will have no problem finding a rabbit. I've driven that stretch probably 35 or 40 times and I have yet to see a PSP. They like sitting on the airport side more. Have fun sitting in traffic at the tubes, though, haha.

[nine_c1]

PA does about the best job of neutralizing the advanatage of having an RD!

You will run into so many K-Band and Ka-Band drones..........not to mention the regular K-Band door sensors along 22..........that you'll be very tempted just to turn your RD off!

You will get alot of IO shots with the cheapo Genesis handheld radars that is popular with the PSP..........some may be very brief!

Since the drones tend to move around and QT is a concern, Escort's gps detectors with lockout capabilities may not be very effective in PA. The V1 may end up driving you crazy as well.......but if you can deal with it, the bogey counter and arrows may be your best bet, and you will not run the risk of missing a K-Band QT so long as you leave the V1 in POP mode.

If I lived in PA my first aquisition might be a good CB radio!

[supercowpowers]

Sounds like the V1 is a great choice. How does the 9500ix compare? It detects speed and red light camera (because of GPS capability?) and can almost has as good of detection range?

Speed cameras are not legal in PA. Red light cameras are legal under the following law:

§ 3116. Automated red light enforcement systems in first class cities.
(a) General rule.--
(1) A city of the first class, upon passage of an ordinance, is authorized to enforce section 3112(a)(3) (relating to traffic-control signals) by recording violations using an automated red light enforcement system approved by the department.
(2) This section shall only be applicable at intersections in the city of the first class agreed upon by the system administrator and the Secretary of Transportation who shall consider using the automated red light enforcement system at the following intersections:
(i) U.S. Route 1 (Roosevelt Boulevard) at Grant Avenue, at Red Lion Road and at Cottman Street.
(ii) Kensington Avenue at Clearfield Street.
(iii) Richmond Street at Allegheny Avenue and at Castor Avenue.
(iv) Aramingo Avenue at York Street.
(v) Thompson Street at Lehigh Avenue.
(vi) Broad Street at Washington Avenue.

So, unless you're in a "city of the first class" (Philadelphia is the only one in the state) and at one of those listed intersections, there should be no red light cameras.

Therefore, the GPS is only really useful for locking out false alerts and marking speed trap locations you think you might forget. There is a slight danger involved in letting it lock out falses because if the LEO's radar is close to the same frequency as a false you won't get an alert.

I don't have a 9500ix but I have a Beltronics RX-65 that uses the same horn. It works and gives you saves but its "off-axis" performance is not as good, which means it has a harder time picking up radar around curves. However, the actual range on a straight flat piece of road isn't far off from my V1. (The 8500 also uses the same platform, called "M4" so it and the 9500ix's performance should be close; the difference is the features.)

[Solidjake]

Go with the V1, it's superb at picking up Instant On and quick trigger. The arrows and bogey counter will be beneficial as well.

[supercowpowers]

Since the drones tend to move around and QT is a concern, Escort's gps detectors with lockout capabilities may not be very effective in PA. The V1 may end up driving you crazy as well.......but if you can deal with it, the bogey counter and arrows may be your best bet, and you will not run the risk of missing a K-Band QT so long as you leave the V1 in POP mode.

All of my detectors alert to the same falses, the difference is in how much information you get out of them.

(I'm surprised nobody picked up on the message on the sign)