We need a grassroots movement to stop the lies about "Laser Protection" on RDs

[STiMULi]

All of the manufacturers in one form or another lie about "Laser Protection".

Radar detectors will assist when properly used will help the owners avoid some tickets. Laser detection will almost never do the same when it is attached to a Radar Detector.

The more people I speak with, the more I hear that "RDs are pieces of crap because they still got a ticket". Many of these people were busted by laser and were pissed that they paid for "Laser Protection".

8 years ago it was the lie that what woke me up. I got a laser ticket using my Bel 980. I felt ripped off especially when the MC LEO took the time to show me how I was misinformed. I thought I bought "Laser Protection". I bought a lie.

Now take note of the windshields of the cars that you drive past. There are fewer and fewer RDs because most drivers do not feel they work.

They are right as they don't work as stated.

VALENTINE SAYS:
Full Coverage against radar and laser.

(full coverage?) Nope it is a lie.

ESCORT SAYS

It provides the best long-range protection against every known radar and laser gun in use in North America...

(protection?) Puhlease, such a lie!


COBRA SAYS

LaserEye® Provides 360-degree detection of laser signals

(detection is true but not close to expectations) If I stop breathing I might not get H1N1 but is that realistic?

Lets make them be honest and they may increase their overall sales.

What do you think will get them to be honest or is that just the business model of these companies? We are a strong and vocal group. What's it gunna take?

[ka34.739]

i do agree with you to a point yes they do make it sound like radar detectors protect your from laser witch is misleading. but on the other hand they will say what they need to say to make money it's a bit like a person going to go for a job interview no one is going to be 100% honest they are allways going to sell them selfs or else they would never get the job.

like the people who make radar detectors they. sell them i bet you if they said oooo you would be lucky if this device says you. by the time it goes off your already caught no one would by them.

at the end of the day doesn't matter how much countermeasure you got the police will still catch you no matter what.
the only thing they really do is provide information to us witch helps but it's not fool proof.

[supercowpowers]

ESCORT SAYS

It provides the best long-range protection against every known radar and laser gun in use in North America...

(protection?) Puhlease, such a lie!

As the only company mentioned that also sells a product with a laser shifter, Escort is especially guilty.

However, I don't think total honesty would improve anyone's sales. Someone who is disappointed that they got a laser ticket might not buy another detector, but would they have bought their first one if they knew? I think a lot of buyers are just looking for a magic box that lets them speed worry-free, and if they knew they would have to involve themselves and consider the risk of IO and laser they wouldn't bother. Those of us who will speed no matter what don't let the limitations of our detectors stop us from buying because we need the advantages that they do have and are dedicated enough to find other ways to protect ourselves.

[rocky2]

The companies I think are being short-sighted, they sell a $400-$500 RD to somebody and they get smoked by laser in the first couple of months. That person then gets mad and never buys another RD because they don't work. I think the companies should be upfront, and point the person towards laser countermeasures. Especially Escort they sell a jammer, I would inform the person buying the detector hey it detects laser but if you really want to be protected buy my jammer. At least if they get a laser ticket they where informed, I bet alot of people buy a expensive detector get in the car think they are protected and then they get a laser ticket.

[snoopyc4]

If you get rid of the laser protection advertising, people will be hesitant to buy RDs. Normal people want to believe that they are fully protected against everything. They foolishly believe the laser protection advertising because they have no technical background when it comes to RDs. That is what I believed when I got my 9500i. Why do you think there are so many Cobra users? They are cheap and they have the best advertising out of all the RD companies. 32 band protection and 360 degree laser protection Ultimately, getting rid of laser protection would make RDs cheaper but this would only benefit us enthusiasts not the "common folk". They'd probably go with RMR instead since RMR advertises radar AND laser detection/scrambling.

[voyager7]

Maybe it's just me, but when I bought my first Radar DETECTOR I knew it was just that a detector. When laser was introduced and the rd makers added laser DETECTION to the rd I knew it was just that a detector and not something that would stop laser.

Yes I do see your point, the wording is misleading.
But still the name of the device is Radar / Laser Detector not Radar / Laser stopper.

Maybe they should change the wording to "Radar and you got nailed by Laser Detector".

Laser detection will never be an early warning device unless you are lucky enough to get scatter and might be able to beat the odds and slow down.

[The Chariot]

Not enough for me to lose any sleep over, especially since technically they aren't lying. All depends on how you look at the words detection, coverage, protection, etc. If you want to require them to reign in the claims for laser, then none of them can claim protection from radar, because there's no stopping I/O when you're the first target.

[corkguykev]

Maybe it's just me, but when I bought my first Radar DETECTOR I knew it was just that a detector. When laser was introduced and the rd makers added laser DETECTION to the rd I knew it was just that a detector and not something that would stop laser.

Yes I do see your point, the wording is misleading.
But still the name of the device is Radar / Laser Detector not Radar / Laser stopper.

Maybe they should change the wording to "Radar and you got nailed by Laser Detector".

Laser detection will never be an early warning device unless you are lucky enough to get scatter and might be able to beat the odds and slow down.

I totally agree with you and I was the same back in 2003 when I bought my first Whistler RD. I read the bit about laser and using a little common sense, I knew that it would be an instant lock with no prior warning. All I could do was hope the LEOs in my area didn't use it but I was very fortunate that I didn't run into any when far above PSL or I was toast.

After a while, I got sick of it missing LEOs (running laser) and falsing like crazy for nothing so I shelved it and a few years later, I got my first ticket. It wouldn't have saved me anyway so I got another one. A more expensive Whistler but it still missed the LEOs running laser and I was very lucky not to get caught again a few weeks later. It did save me from one radar trap though but that was a rare kind as hand-held radar is pretty much gone here.

Then I came across this forum and found out a lot more info and shelled out for a V1 and a LPP over 2 years ago. I have upgraded to dual LPP on each end of the car in the meantime and have not looked back since.

I could have saved myself a lot of money by doing the research first but better late than never I suppose .

Even though the V1 is excellent on laser, I would not speed without a jammer here now. I have only seen one instance (out of many) where it would have saved me a laser ticket and that was this one last year...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgIHZPLWgAk"]YouTube - V1 laser scatter detection[/ame]

..and I wasn't even speeding at the time so that doesn't count although it was an impressive scatter detection but its not reliable at all unfortunately .

I still leave my laser detection active on the V1 as it compliments the LPP very well though. It can tell me when the LEO gets a lock after I switch off the LPP, it might get another scatter detection sometime and with a near false free environment, it does not annoy me either so it is not totally useless in that regard. Its laser alert is much harder to miss than the LPP if I have a window down when driving also .

[Fritter]

Or you could just slow your ass down......hehe


F

[ahmadr]

They are selling a detector and it correctly detects radar and laser pointed at it in 360 degrees. What's wrong with that?? Also, what would you or this community gain if they added a big disclaimer that warnings for laser and IO would most likely be too late?

How about starting a grassroots movement on something that actually makes some sense and benefits the community, e.g. against artificially low speed limits set below the 85'th percentile (NHTSA).