Detectors and curvy mountain roads

[bkozz449]

I've been looking at getting a detector for about a year now, and I'd like your advice for my driving habits.

I own a Miata. Not exactly a highway demon or anything, so I don't really speed on the highway, and don't need a detector there.

Where I DO speed are on twisty rural backroads. Police aren't nearly as dense on roads like this, but they are there.

In a month or two, I'll be travelling to California (the mecca of awesome backroads), and won't have a clue where a officer might pop up to ruin the fun.

On a highway, it's easy to detect ahead becasue everything's so unobstructed. How do detectors work on mountain roads, where you're likely to get caught over a ridge, or around a mountain curve? Are detectors pretty much worthless for this sort of driving, since you're already within 500feet or so by the time either of you have line-of-sight?

Thanks for the advice!

[happya$$]

The Bel RX65 or the V1 will do the trick for you. They are both excellent candidates for your needs

[SmaartAasSaabr]

Well here is your problem.

Radar is high frequency RF - so it basically moves in straight "cones" unless it is reflected by trees/signs/cars. Your detection range is pretty poor, it can't see around a curve. However it can catch reflections and maybe part of the "cone".

If they use instant-on over there, coupled with you being the only car on the road... this is not good for you!

Detectors are best on rural limited-access highways. Good enough for very high speed, but enough traffic to keep the radar alive, plus excellent visibility and few curves hindering your detector.

[BiGeAsYgUy]

Get a Valentine One, the dual oversized antennas will work just fine.

[V1 Dave]

Or an Escort X50 would also be a good unit were not biased :shock:
Just try and keep a speeding vehicle in front of you as your radar target and or be very fast with the brake pedal.
Get used to how a detector works you dont need to slam on the brakes for a slow beep (week signal) full tone (strong signal) yes.

[matt1020]

an x50 would also work FINE along with ur RX-65 and v1!!!!!!!!!

[stealthJamal]

Out of the 3 X50's I had none of them could see Ka band unless it was straight ahead and pointed in my direction, the X50's seem to have very narrow view of Ka band, but not my original 8500. I would not go with the X50.

[jimbonzzz]

On curvy mountain roads, detecting weak reflections off of objects would be pretty important, since the cop might be around a curve, etc and not straight ahead. IMHO, V1 would be best suited for this. Even in Bob The VEIL Guy's review, he mentions that:

"V1 considers a wider field-of-view, of off-axis weak radar signals as potential radar threats, than do the other detectors"

http://www.laserveil.com/en/ultimate-radar-detector-review-05/epilogue-ii/

From my experience with the V1, this seems accurate...

Jim

[lordhamster]

I just came back from a trip to Washington DC. Between Washington and Cleveland there are some pretty curvy mountain roads and the V1 worked great.

I had one guy in a black honda pass me on one such curve. I was doing about 85, he was doing around 90-95. All of a sudden, I got a strong but short K band blast up ahead on the ol' V1. I slowed down to PA's limit of 55 and as I came around the next corner, I saw black honda getting pulled over by a state trooper. :)

It was great. When Black honda passed me, I looked for a detector, he didn't have one on the windshield that I could see.

I'm sure he is wishing he had one now. :)

[kai445]

I was driving to my grandmothers for easter, took 2 cars and my sister came with me, we were driving through some middle-of-nowhere town and all of a sudden and steady "X" and I'm like... wtf? (45 in a 35 at this point). I slow down (now 35/35). Now its "X." (Meter Exp)

Now she was like "Umm, maybe it was that motel back there" and im like "why the hell would a motel have automatic doors", and as we round the corner it ramps up, and dead ahead the straight away is a cop coming in the opposite direction.

Hooray for constant on X.

[lordhamster]

I was driving to my grandmothers for easter, took 2 cars and my sister came with me, we were driving through some middle-of-nowhere town and all of a sudden and steady "X" and I'm like... wtf? (45 in a 35 at this point). I slow down (now 35/35). Now its "X." (Meter Exp)

Now she was like "Umm, maybe it was that motel back there" and im like "why the hell would a motel have automatic doors", and as we round the corner it ramps up, and dead ahead the straight away is a cop coming in the opposite direction.

Hooray for constant on X.

What state/area was this in?

[kai445]

PA, near delaware water gap. (I'd turn on X not just in NJ but also near NJ if I were you).

[Jon_Doh]

I live in the mountains and so my testing has been done on curvy mountain roads. Detectors definitely perform differently on mountain roads than they do in the flatlands.

[sethy]

I have always noticed that the x50 does better over the hill, but the v1 is better around curves.

[FailedSenses]

I live in the mountains and so my testing has been done on curvy mountain roads. Detectors definitely perform differently on mountain roads than they do in the flatlands.

Has anyone been noticeably better than the other in your tests?

[SETITOFF]

Don't forget that mounting location will be very important for you and where you drive. Check other topic threads for advice on selecting the mounting location, high, low or middle.

[cjs180]

Last night while drivng on some rural roads that were very curvey and hilly I was doing 75 in a 55 mph and my V1 gave a blurp of K band. I slammed on the brakes and ended up waiting for a little better than 2 miles before I came up on the cop. He was shooting radar the other way at cars, but from the signal I got, I think he shot me also. He was parked just over a hill on the side with his yellow fog lights on. I got 3 breif warnings in that 2 mile stretch and that was it. He must have been using that "instant on" deal. My 8500 would of picked it up probably at the same time, but it was nice to know that he was ahead of me.

Chris

[SETITOFF]

A very good example of how radar waves travel.