I ust have to get one now so a little advice appreciated. I understand that Road Angel have a combined GPS and Laser Detector. Cleary this is the best of both worlds. However there is a laser detector called Cheetah that fits on the interior mirror at only £200. Of course this could be useful if they are banned in the near future.
Any one used either of these or other models ?
Cheers
Peter
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I had a courtesy car with a road angel (the dealer was pushing them), and I have to say it worked well. It was warning me about blackspots and camera sites - the blackspot warnings were particularly good.
The only problem was that I was worried about it being stolen, the same reason I'm hesitant about getting a portable GPS. I know they can be taken out when the car's parked, but I'm sure I'll forget from time to time.
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I know it's OK to own a radar detector, but isn't it illegal to use one?
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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In some countries, like France, yes it is illegal to even own a radar detector, let alone use it.
In the UK however, owning and using are both perfectly legal.
Extract from the Times Newspaper in 1998:
The sale, purchase and installation of a Snooper is perfectly legal. The use of one until recently may have contravened the 1949 Wireless and Telegraphy Act but a judgement of the Queens Bench Divisional Court dated 29th January 1998 makes it clear that the use of Radar Detectors is not unlawful as has hitherto been claimed by some. In the past a few prosecutions have been brought by claiming the use of radar detectors was contrary to section 5(b)(i) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 as amended by section 3 of the Post Office Act 1969. However the Acts refer to the interception of wireless communications for the purpose of obtaining information as to the content, sender or addressee of any message. The Court concluded that the radar transmission was not communicating a 'message' and therefore equipment designed to detect the presence of the transmission could not decode any such message.
It was further stated that section 1(1) of the Act, which requires a licence for the reception of radio signals, has been superseded by the Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus (Receivers)(Exemption) Regulations (SI 1989 No123) which exempts radar detectors and similar equipment from the need for such licences.
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I was going to get a radar detector a while back but two main things put me off:
a) A laser gun used either by an officer or in a camera van takes a reading in 0.3 seconds - I don't know how good your reflexes are but mine are nowhere near that good.
b) Price - given that major flaw, you're essentially paying all that money for something that detects GATSOs which I would say is only useful if you drive in places you do not know. If this applies to you, then a detector would be great. For me, it was pretty much useless.
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Adam
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Can say that having used an Origin B2 GPs based system the GPS ones are very good Given that:
1 The radar jobbies are not worth the money any more when for not much more you can get a GPS one that a: works and b: does not give false readings
2/ The major GPS systems have laser detectors.
There is however the train of thought that any laser detecting system is a waste of sapce as by the time it bleeps to warn you you have been done, unless you were lucky to get scatter bounced of something else.
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I use an Origin B2, and the only problem that I have is sometimes not getting satellite lock. I like having a digital speed readout nearer eye level as this means I don't look away from the road too long.
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I own an original Origin Bluei unit and have had it for a couple of years.
It works really well and even in areas you know it helps to have the beeping to remind you that you are approaching a camera. Also, venturing to areas outside my normal patch it is a useful aid to keeping the points down.
I did consider upgrading to one with built in radar detector, but I am still unsure if they suffer from interference which used to blight the old snooper systems.
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I am convinced the good ones do a good job, but two things concern me:
1) If you take your car across the Channel, to what extent do you have to de-mount the system in order to remain legal?
and to a lesser extent,
2) the general aesthetics, i.e. dashboard of the car sprouting yet another attachment and starting to look like a Christmas tree (I already have an excellent Alpine retrofitted SatNav).
Oz (as was)
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I have had a Cheetah for nearly a year now and have been happy with its performance. It does pick up false signals, but these are in predictable places, car parks and fuel stations mostly. It is good at detecting Gatsos, but only those that are active ;). To my knowledge my car has never been targeted by a laser, so cannot comment on them, but as I understand it a laser hitting the car in front can be detected and often multiple readings are taken so all is not lost if targeted.
Obviously the Mk1 eyeball is still the best detector, but in unfamiliar territory where your attention is often elsewhere a detector is useful.
It is worth checking the gadget shop for Cheetahs as over the last year they have often had special offers on them, £98.50 and £150 I have seen.
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Fit any device to your car you like BUT remember:-
V.A.S.C.A.R. - time and distance at the flick of an onboard computer
Unmarked car, bike - no detector will see them coming
Truvello and SPECCS - average speed readers - speaks for itself
I suppose the best device to fit is a 'speedo'. Then stay within 10% plus 1 or 2. Pretty safe that way until Gruppenfuhrer Brunstrom (North Wales RoboMoron) feels the need to make more money for the Government and they do us for minus 10% +2
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Truvello is not Average speed. And the B2 deals with Specs admiraby. Gives you the number of specs in the set, say 1 of 4, 2of 4, etc and tell you when you are through the set.
Have to agree tho every car is fitted with the best detector going, honed over millions of years. Comes in pairs called the Mk1 eyeball.
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Just spent £200 on a snooper, anything that gives you an advantage over the mobile laser vans and keeps my money and licence out of their pocket is worth it in my opinion.
The static cameras, specs, truvelos, gatsos aren't a problem as if your paying attention you can clock these. It's those sneaky poorly marked mobile laser vans on bridges that really get my goat.
Snooper do a laser difuser setup that goes in the front grill and prevents lasers getting a lock on you till you deactivate it but i'm pretty sure these are illegal and they're £300. I thought the idea of these laser detectors were they gave you a bit of a warning if it "smells" laser in the air i.e. off the car in front and gives you enough time to brake.
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Radar detectors - drive fast, then brake hard as it beeps (probably in response to a rogue signal), then drive fast again. What a brainless way to drive. I have a driver who got fined 750 euros for using one in France last month.
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Diffusers are illegal and if you are found using one, you will be prosecuted quite severely - I think the charge is perverting the course of justice - essentially, you are preventing an officer of the law from conducting his duties. ( I actually sound like I know what I'm on about there - I don't)
The only way a laser detector of any kind would be any use to you was if a van targeted a car in front of you and it picked up a stray beam. If you don't see the van, and it targets you, it gets a reading in 0.3 seconds so you are pretty much...well - defenceless.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was going to get one myself but given it would only *possibly* be of use, I decided against it.
One last thing - if you got a GPS one that picks up accident blackspots, then I suppose if the vans frequented these blackspots then you would be warned - but it's more passive than an actual detector of some sort - and you're relying on the vans actually enforcing the speed in blackspots.
I hope this helps.
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Adam
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