WHICH SPEED CAMERA DETECTOR?

[stopextremism]

I want to get the best revenue camera...oops, I mean "Speed/Safety Camera" detector I possibly can. I spoke to Halfords today who said the ones that detect the exact positions of hand held cameras are actually ILLEGAL - is this correct? The speedcamerasuk website states that they are 100% legal - so who is correct?

Can anyone recommend the best one to detect both laser and radar cameras - the whole lot really! Someone suggested the Road Angel Gem Plus...I need something that

1. Automatically updates without plugging into laptop
2. Gets ALL cameras both hand held and static. And not just generally used hideout positions for plod either...actually where they ARE pointing a camera at me!

HELP!!

[pinchmeimdreamin]

[btcc123]

If you fit one of these you will become complacent and get done anyway.Better to drive to the speed limits and use some road awareness,they are not that hard to spot.

[stopextremism]

Well thank you for the advice so far...has anyone actually got any advice that replies to the questions I have asked and seeks to help me?

[unrepentant]

I use an Escort 9500ix and it works perfectly against radar. Laser is another matter as it doesn't emit a signal until the trigger is pulled. I'm not sure if Escort operate in the UK?

[39sl]

I wouldn't trust halfords to provide anything that could be considered trustworthy advice

Have a look at this site http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/speed-camera-detecto...

They provide much more information that must other UK websites I've seen

[39sl]

I wouldn't trust halfords to provide anything that could be considered trustworthy advice

Have a look at this site http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/speed-camera-detecto...

They provide much more information that must other UK websites I've seen

[stopextremism]

How confusing...so what is the difference between laser and radar?

[Zedboy1200]

Gem plus works very well for my 50k PA. Auto downloads and new'ish graphics download has recently modernised it. Strongly advocate hard working tho, for max user friendliness and ability to tuck it away in the corner of dash.

I don't buy the 'makes you lazy and complacent' comment. It's invaluable on roads you've never driven before, plus if you're a car phone user, then it keeps you legal in situations where your concentration wanders.

Ring Road Angel direct as they often offer big discounts.

[Zedboy1200]

Plus...... I have used Road Angel products for 10 yrs plus. Data bases are very comprehensive, although promised 'live van sites' data rarely delivers.

For the price it works for me!

[JimmyTheHand]

Not a detector, but Pocket GPS World do mobile applications which alert you to where cameras and known mobile sites are

[Geekman]

stopextremism said:

How confusing...so what is the difference between laser and radar?

Laser - camera vans and police speed guns. Possible to jam them, but you'll get in serious trouble if caught doing it. Detection is possible but usually by the time the device has detected it you've already been zapped.

Radar - used in GATSO and HADECS cameras. Possible to detect quite some way off with a device like a Valentine One.

Personally, I reckon a decent sat nav with live speed camera locations is about the best all round device you can get.

[Riley Blue]

JimmyTheHand said:

Not a detector, but Pocket GPS World do mobile applications which alert you to where cameras and known mobile sites are

Definitely this.

[markmullen]

I run Tomtom live and Waze all the time, for their live reporting features, when a van first arrives the first one past it reports it and then everyone subsequently coming towards it is warned.

Waze is currently beating tomtom for accuracy and completeness

[eybic]

markmullen said:

I run Tomtom live and Waze all the time, for their live reporting features, when a van first arrives the first one past it reports it and then everyone subsequently coming towards it is warned.

Waze is currently beating tomtom for accuracy and completeness

I've gone off Waze due to it's awful planning and timings. I used to love it but it started guiding me using strange routes and not re-routing to the best one so I've gone with Google Maps (I know they own waze) and it seems much better.

[markmullen]

In fairness I only use it for the alerts, tomtom for routing.

[Craikeybaby]

Zedboy1200 said:

Gem plus works very well for my 50k PA. Auto downloads and new'ish graphics download has recently modernised it. Strongly advocate hard working tho, for max user friendliness and ability to tuck it away in the corner of dash.

I don't buy the 'makes you lazy and complacent' comment. It's invaluable on roads you've never driven before, plus if you're a car phone user, then it keeps you legal in situations where your concentration wanders.

Ring Road Angel direct as they often offer big discounts.

I used to have a Pogo Alert+, which was great, until it broke and was replaced with a Road Angel Gem+, as Road Angel have bought out Pogo and discontinued the Alert+. The main problem I have with the Gem is that it only warns you of mobile camera sites with a 500m range, which is less than the range on the equipment they use.

[AlanN]

Zedboy1200 said:

Gem plus works very well for my 50k PA. Auto downloads and new'ish graphics download has recently modernised it. Strongly advocate hard working tho, for max user friendliness and ability to tuck it away in the corner of dash.

I don't buy the 'makes you lazy and complacent' comment. It's invaluable on roads you've never driven before, plus if you're a car phone user, then it keeps you legal in situations where your concentration wanders.

Ring Road Angel direct as they often offer big discounts.

Agree 100% with all of the above, only thing I would say is if you have a BMW or other car with a sun-protection windscreen the unit may not work on your dash as the GPS signal is blocked by the glass.
Have just fallen foul of this myself with my newly-aquired E92 M3, bought a new RA Gem Plus and it doesn't work.
Workaround used to be to fit an additional aerial under the rear screen and run the wire to the unit on the dash.
The RA Gem doesn't have an external aerial socket however

Oh and as for what Halfords told you...bks.

[bad company]

JimmyTheHand said:

Not a detector, but Pocket GPS World do mobile applications which alert you to where cameras and known mobile sites are

I tried their mobile application. It connected to my car via Bluetooth so the warnings all came through the car speakers which was great, no extra kit required on the dashboard.

The problem was that their database was too comprehensive. It was warning of camera sites all over the place, probably sites where a scamera van turned up 10 years ago and never returned. It all got on my nerves so I stopped using it and went back to my Pogo.

[JimmyTheHand]

bad company said:

The problem was that their database was too comprehensive. It was warning of camera sites all over the place, probably sites where a scamera van turned up 10 years ago and never returned. It all got on my nerves so I stopped using it and went back to my Pogo.

I believe the mobile sites are removed after a year if no further sightings - I can't recall when they changed. Personally I just use alerts to tell me when I should be more alert for Vans.