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Speed Camera Detectors

7K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  refman 
#1 ·
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/R...s/speed-camera-detectors/?548776740&0&cc5_775

I've always known these things are around, but never looked into it, or tbh understood them! ha

So, do they actually detect any sort of speed camera around and give you enough warning [not that I speed of course]? I'm mainly taking about the mobile cameras that are sat in the back of a cop car while the officer sits and reads a magazine, not the big yellow boxes that any driver should spot anyway.

Obviously I imagine the more expensive ones are more reliable and efficient at detecting/warning, do anyone have any experience with one?
 
#7 ·
So they only pick up the fixed ones eh, that's a bit of waste of money. I have Sat Nav on my phone which I use, could probably get some sort of speed camera app too. I had just assumed because of the prices that these 'detectors' were a little bit better and picked up the mobile ones.
 
#8 ·
Have pogo alert, had various for the last 10 yrs.
Tried the inbuilt apps in various satnavs but a load of rubbish, don't do directional so can't see the point.

Only benefit for fixed cameras, specs and cameras on motorways that have a warning sign on as advise which signs have a camera in. (Will try to advise that the useless copper in a van might be there but as not fixed not really worth it). Benefit you in roads that you don't normally travel on or camera's where the council do not want a cut (grey not yellow boxes),

Pogo just been purchased by road angel but at least road angels update via a SIM card whereas mine needs a PC.

Cost me £100 for 3 yr updates.
 
#9 ·
On roads which are new to me, I wouldn't be travelling at a pace which would need a detector, as I travel slower in new / unfamiliar areas.

I can't see the point in them tbh now, not at that price, just to point out fixed cameras.
 
#11 ·
Right, As you probably know theres different types of cameras. Main type are the big yellow fixed ones on the side of the road - gatso's. You can use most GPS devices to notify you of these. Satnavs, dash mounted gps systems etc. These are the easier ones to find.

The mobile ones use laser. As they just turn up anywhere they are much harder to spot. You can mark usual locations on your satnav or other GPS device although the problem then is it'll notify you of the point even when the camera isn't there. To beat laser you've only really one option - a diffuser. Usually 2 heads that you install to the front of your car which when they pick up the laser from the gun they pulse back another laser to stop the gun getting a lock on you. You get an audiable warning, slow down and shut off the diffuser allowing the opperator of the laser gun to then get a lock on you.

Be carefull tho as these aren't exaclty legal. Saying that alot open garage doors or you can get one that is a parking sensor and at the flick of a switch changes mode. Very handy to have that feature if asked ;) Some will produce jam codes on the gun which again you don't want or you'll be getting a tug regardless what speed they clock you at!

Jamming them isn't all that easy tho. You can get off axis shots, sunlight interfearance etc all of which will reduce the effectivness of the diffuser. Head on long range shots are the easiest to diffuse. The closer you get to the gun, the harder it is to diffuse.

Laser is deadly. It produces very little scatter so a dash mounted detector like a valentine one won't help in the majority of cases either.

If anyone wants a top diffuser that won't throw any jam codes up and has the parking assistant feature drop me a PM. I've one for sale brand new.
 
#12 ·
Using a jammer is perverting the course of justice, which you go to jail for. If the camera van can't get a fix on you they mark the DVD and you will get a visit. The camera van has a DVD running all the time, it is a camera it records, if you take your hands off the steering wheel to give the van the two finger V salute you will be done for dangerous driving. The only way to avoid these, is not to speed, otherwise take the punishment, for speeding as a jammer brings a higher sentence.

On the other hand a camera detector can be really useful, especially in a strange place, where you are unsure of your environment and it is easy to get caught out looking for places, concentrating on other things that can cause you to loose track of the speed limit.

RoadAngel Gem is my choice, it only has to save you once to pay for itself
 
#19 ·
Using a jammer is perverting the course of justice,
That is true. However, Your not jamming the gun entirely. You get tragetted, te diffuser gives you an audiable warning, You slow down to the speed limit and shut the jammer off, the cop gets a tag on you. As long as your not doing stupid speeds this process will take seconds and nothing will be expected. Only when people purposely jam the gun as they drive past will they realise. Guns struggle to get a lock in some situations anyway so a few seconds to get a lock is nothing.
 
#14 ·
Another one not mentioned. device is called "coyote" it does all the things you get with a tonton etc but it also have a feature where you can report mobile camera and once reported you update the people that are following you.
So if bob report a mobile speed trap on his coyote on the m25 at j7 and I happen to be driving on the m25 but I'm at j5/j6 then my coyote will tell me that I should be careful at j7 due to a possible mobile speed trap! So you basically helping each other out. Obviously the more people own it the better and to be fair it doesn't really work here due to not many people owning one but in France loads and I mean loads of people have one and work a treat. Only down side is that there is a yearly subscription.
 
#18 ·
My dad used to use a Valentine 1, although doesn't have it fitted anymore.

It would give you sufficient advanced warning of any radar devices ahead that you could be under the speed limit before they were in line of sight, tell you how many devices there were and their (rough) position relative to you. It also picked up automatic doors for pretty much every shop you visited and military / airport radar systems.
It would pick up laser detectors (the noise it made for these was a bit of a shock - compared to a normal K-band radar), but tbh if it knew you were in a laser zone, the laser gun had your speed.

They are fairly expensive little devices, if one of the best on the market and currently illegal in the UK.
 
#20 ·
It also picked up automatic doors for pretty much every shop you visited and military / airport radar systems.
That's why I don't use mine anymore. The amount of false alerts from automatic doors is unreal. That combined with the fact we don't tend to use mobile radar over here like they do in the US. Our radar is the fixed cameras and as you say, for laser the V1 is useless despite the fact it being one of the most sensitive detectors available. If you hear the laser warning, your being targetted.

Bottom line is if you want to enure you don't get laser tickets, drive to the limit or get a diffuser.
 
#21 ·
I used to have a Snooper Tigre system.

To be honest it was very useful in helping me identify which fixed speed cameras were no longer active and working as you never really get accurate information about which cameras have been switched off due to budget cuts. However I used to get a lot of false readings especially those signs that illuminate with your speed "slow down" etc.

As has already been mentioned though detecting laser is pointless as by the time you have detected it, they have done you anyway :(
 
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