Is it worth to buy a radar detector?

Question

my brother wants one really bad. he speeds sometimes because he's hurrying and doesnt want to be late. is it worth it.

will it work well? i read that when it beeps then that means you have a ticket because cops are behind you.

he wants one for 100 bucks

Answer 1

With most departments using LIDAR (laser) and/or intermittent transmitting RADAR devices ... NO, a RADAR detector is not a good investment.

A RADAR detector is worthless against LIDAR, and only good against intermittent RADAR is it can detect the wavelength the officer is using AND the signal is present before the driver gets speed checked.

Here is a 100% successful method to avoid speeding tickets ... start driving toward your destination earlier!  If "you can make it" in 30 minutes, leave 45 minutes before you have to be there!  You have an extra 15 minutes to handle unexpected delays.

I have used this method for 25 years, hasn't let me down yet.  I am never late for work (usually 10 to 15 minutes early), and my last speeding ticket was in 1983 (which prompted me to use this system).  Worst case is that you are delayed for more time than you planned for the unexpected.  In that case ... just drive for safety and be a few minutes late ... what is the worst your boss could do to you?

Answer 2

Check to see if they are legal in your state. They are not lawful everywhere, just as some states don't permit police/fire scanners in cars.

Besides, most time they are useless. Want to use a device that will prevent a speeding ticket? Try your cruise control. Set it at the speed limit, and you will never ever need a radar detector. Works for me!

Answer 3

.....I'm not to sure, seems like a waste of money....

Answer 4

No.

Answer 5

It depends if Smokey the Bear is going to try to catch you from a static or rolling position.  If the police are stopped, they'll use their laser, not their radar to determine your brother's speed.  In a city, most traffic stops do come from cars, motorcycles, or even mounted cameras that are not moving and can use laser.  

If you're out on the highway, typically the man will use a Doppler radar, so that they can track speed without a calibration that would be necessary with a laser.   A seasoned highway patrolman will use sight and land marks to gage your speed and then only flip his radar on when you are in range.

Either way, the man has really perfected their techniques to out-do the radar detector.

Answer 6

I would tell you're brother to save his money.  Modern radar units do not measure the speed of the 'target' vehicle constantly.  The officer chooses when to begin measuring someones speed with a remote device.  By the time a radar detector picks up this signal, it is too late.

Answer 7

save the money for tickets he will recieve if he still cannot leave on time and slow down.

Answer 8

I agree with most of the answers here, they are worthless. Even if the officer is using radar the detector usually does not go off in time to save you from the ticket. Obviously is not using radar a "radar detector" does him no good.

Another thing about a radar detector is if I stop you and I see one of those stupid things in your car I will usually issue you a citation vs. a warning.

My advice WASTE Of MONEY

Answer 9

We use laser more than radar now so radar detectors are fast becoming obsolete.

Tell him to invest in an alarm clock if he doesn't want to be late.

Answer 10

NO!! they dont work! well not always, i had one, & got 2 speeding tickets cuz it never went off! They really arent worth it, PLUS its not legal in some states.

Answer 11

As an alternative to buying a cheap radar detector, I would seriously consider just never driving fast. A $100 radar detector is essentially worthless. (See source link for a discussion of cheap radar detectors.)

The cheaper the radar detector, the fewer features it has, the fewer radar bands it detects, the less likely it is to detect those bands, the more often you will receive false alerts, and the more visible it is to police radar detector detectors (RDD). If you use a cheap radar detector, you are likely to 1. not receive an alarm when you should, 2. receive false alarms when you shouldn't, and 3. receive a ticket and have the device confiscated.

So, is a $100 radar detector worth it? In my opinion, NO.

Answer 12

Most areas are using the trigger type units now. There is no signal for a detector to pick up until the officer hits the trigger and it's too late then. Easier to keep the foot lighter on the pedal.