the valentine and escort are about the same price ... we are going on a road trip soon ... are they really that good at false detections so that they are usable?
Occainsionally I get hit with laser beep if a Volvo or Mazda that has the laser cruise control is coming directly at me, usually on a 2 lane road. The software made huge strides. I will be sending my Gen 1 off soon to get the gen 2 unit. Should be even better. I do know you have to send the GEN 1 Valentines to get updated (Gen 2 has ability to update without going back to the manufacture), each update has had an improvment. Below is the prgression I've experianced
Unit purchased in 2010, use to get alerts when driving by automatic doors and gates, sent in for an update maybe a year or 2 later. No longer experianced door alerts
2016 I sent in for another update when all I had was alerts for blind spots, update remedied probably 90% of it
Fast forward today with crash avoidance systems etc with laser sensors, (Volvo and Mazda is what I noticed) I'm getting alerts again.
Gen 2 should be much further upgrade and update then I have. I know I have missed a few in the past years so I have too old of a unit to get the updates. So I have to buy the upgrade to Gen 2.
Here is the honest opinion on Radar detector....... They don't stop you from getting a ticket. It gives you the alert to determine if you are approaching a speed trap, or if there is an officer running radar in your proximity. You will NOT be able to get warned in enought time on Laser, But you will know the second the officer pings you with it. Lasers are instant for an officer, so you unless you have a jammer, when you get lasered.... You're done. Most of the time you can see an officer in enough time when they are shooting laser as most states have specific laws and procedures (you should learn them to protect yourself; or higher good lawyers)for a Laser ticket to be held up in court. Visable, triggered outside of their car, not moving, and most importantly, officially calibrated each day before shift on a certifed maker, and by a certified distance from that said marker.
Knock on wood I have not had a citation in several years. The 2 citations I have had to date were from unmarked units pacing me when I was driving my corvette. There is a common denominator that I will let you determine the validaty of those stops for your self. 78 in a 70 in a vette gets a ticket, but the minivan that blew past me didn't... story for another day.
I do a decent amount of long distance driving and I know the road I travel enough. However speedlimits do drop and that often is overlooked by drivers not familar with that area. My radar is simply a tool to help me avoid those limit drop speed traps, or that pescky highway patrol officer hiding behind a tree on the side. I don't use the radar to allow me to run 100+ mph, there is a time and place, and public roads are not for that. But running 8 or 9 over to shave time andget where I'm going is reasonable and worth the investment for added layer of protection.
