Coming home from work, stuck behind a cell phone toting grandma driving 20 in a 35, in the right lane, two lanes in my direction. Left lane was a long line of cars moving at 40 or so. Finally a break in the traffic and I just sort of blip the gas in second gear and go around her. Cop pulls me over and writes me for 52 in a 35! It took seconds! 1st ticket in a MINI. First ticket in two years.
Bummer!

 

Just had a similar experience yesterday. Had a golf tournament and jumped across the Minnesota border into Wisconsin (Hudson area). Came up behind a Lincoln Town Car moving along at 38 MPH. It was a loose gravel section 45 MPH and I didn't want to be late, or more importantly, get rocks on my shiney red bonnet. So I passed her with a clear shot. Just as I passed, I see the Sherriff set up on the right shoulder. Well you can't just back off as if you were changing your mind! So I passed gently and was doing 42, with the Town Car between me and the Sherriff. The cop pulled out followed for about a half mile and pulled my MINI over. He asked if I knew why he pulled me over (trick question-Never admit anything!) I said NO and he told me the speed limit. I quoted her speed and mine when passing, pointiing to my HUGE speedometer. He went back to the cruizer, 20 minutes later he gave me a WARNING!. I thanked him and caught up to my foursome on the second hole. (Note: Be respectful, remain calm, hold your ground) First time pulled over in the MINI after motoring for 3.5 years! Motor on.

 

Sorry, that's crapola! Hubby is buying me a radar detector/jammer because of my newly acquired lead foot. I wonder if the detector, etc. will even work? Never had one before ...

 

its worth spenting more for a RELIABLE unit e,g valentine

 

+1
Get a Valentine 1.
I've been using a V1 in my M3 for years. No tickets, but the V1 certainly saved me many times from getting one.

 

Sorry to hear bba... I'm real worried myself. I'm always going 5 - 10mph faster in my Lil'Buddy on every road than in any of my other vehicles and I'm pushing the limit w/those, and it still feels slow... I just don't feel the speed in it! ...I keep this going, I'm sunk!

 

Sorry, I'm a total newbie when it comes to detectors. Is that the brand name of one? I'll spend more $ for quality. Thanks!

 

The K40 Calibre system is very pricey but by far the very best system money can buy. They're so confident in the quality and effectiveness of their product that they agree to pay any speeding tickets you pick up due to being caught by radar or laser. I'll have this installed before I move to the west coast for sure.

 

V1 is the reigning king of detectors. I've used it for years.
http://valentine1.com/

 

THANKS!

 

Wouldn't be without my Valentine V1 -- they are software upgradeable too, so you can get new improvements without buying a whole new unit.

 

If the only cost of the ticket was the fine that would be great. However the fine for speeding is NOTHING next to what it does to your insurance rates.

 

The 2 big names in radar detectors are the Passport Escort & the Valentine One, they're both great and 100x better than any of the ~$100-ish cheapies you'll find at the usual consumer electronics stores.
The Valentine One has arrows to show you roughly where the cop may be.
The new Passports however, have an updateable gps database (which has been really common in europe for a while) and lets you store/block known false signals at specific locations & download/store speed traps, camera locations, etc...
http://www.escortradar.com/9500ix.htm
and for speed trap data, check out
http://njection.com/speedtrap/
I'm not trying to start yet another V1 vs. Passport debate, everyone has their favorite, it's like Apple vs. Windows or Mobile1 vs. Amsoil

 

I have been lookig at this one...a lot of money but it has some cool features...it is hidden and also claims to disable laser!!!! My dealer quote was $989 and then you need (2) diffusers at $295 each...wow, your looking at about $1650.00 delivered not installed...

 

I am an Escort dealer and their products trump all, if I thought there was something better I would carry it.

www.escortradar.com

 

If -- for arguments sake -- the Valentine 1 is better (and many believe so), you still wouldn't carry it. They only do direct sales.

 

I could have so gotten nailed today on a normally barren part of a back-road I take without an address for miles that I'd just done two dis-allowed passes on and that had a surprising amount of traffic coming in the other direction, and when I was going about 2x the limit and accelerating I see a vehicle in the dark via my headlights with lights on top coming in the other direction in the middle of the pack... but soon realize the colors on the car made him a harbor master or something like that. I took it up to about 75mph soon after that.

 

I've had a K40 and an Escort, but the best $$ I spent was on my Valentine 1. It has saved my butt too many times to count. Worth every penny.

 

You have had the K40? What one did you have?

 

Two Years ago I would say Valentine, but Escorts new products are fantastic. Read the reviews on the new stuff. I can field any questions by PM also.

 

Two Years ago I would say Valentine, but Escorts new products are fantastic. Read the reviews on the new stuff especially the 9500ci and ZR4 vs. the K40. I can field any questions by PM also.

 

I might be interested otherwise, but I already have a V1 & it works fine.

But I don't doubt you. In the 3.5 yrs since I bought my V1 I don't think there has been any progress, at least none that makes my V1 upgradable. If I put my serial number in at the V1 site it says I already have the latest.

 

The radar detectors'll help for sure if the cop is in front of you clocking you coming at him. But if he's behind you and you're speeding not so much. I went past 2 cars stopped for speeding that had passed me recently on a long trip and the cop car had no radar on when he passed me. I think they use radar sometimes and sometimes they turn it off to get the dudes with detectors too. Makes sense. They can tell when you're way over the limit without it.

 

If any of the reviews you are a talking about involve Craig Peterson or "Peterson Publications" in any way, shape or form, then I don't believe one word of them.

Any person who is paid by a maker of a product has no place in reviewing those products against their competitors. Corruption at its worst.

 

"Instant on" radar has been around for a longtime, cop trolls along turning his unit on and off when he sees a good target. That's precisely where a good radar detector earns its value, by giving you warning from far away while the cop's shooting someone else before you come upon him. Using a radar detector is as much art as science too, you've got to be visually alert at all times, learn to discern between the real thing and false alarms, and accept that after dark your defenses are way impaired. I'm still a huge fan of the V1, it's saved me numerous times.