Speed Camera Detectors. i.e Road angel, etc...

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

Just read a review of Valentine one. I know very little about radar detectors, and since I now own a supercar I need to get protected from not noticing the speedo creeping steadily!

Valentine one big USP is that it detects 360 degrees. Is this imp here?

Are there any road angel, valentine one users out there?

Will it catch every single type of speed detecting equipment like camera, gatsos, average speed calculators, lasers in the back of a police van.

I do not speed as a rule, but sometimes it does happen... I simply do not want to get 3 points and a fine for doing 34 in a 30!

Also, what does a radar detector show you? Your speed? The speed limit? Or just that theres a camera ahead?

[miniandy]

You're better just getting yourself a GPS detector with Laser option if it is included. The radars are a waste of time as they go off when you pass Sainsbury's, and also when you appraoch a gatso. At least with GPS you get told where the gatso is, as well as the mobile sites etc. You'll never be able to detect average speed - only your eyes can detect if you are being timed.

[icamm]

I've got a V1 and yes it is good but as has been said you do get alot of false alarms. It also cannot detect Truvelo, speed/distance caculators (e.g. SPECS) etc. It will tell you which radar/laser sites are actually active though which a GPS unit won't. It will also detect vans and temporary speed checks which a GPS won't unless they are commonly used and have been added to the database.

If you decide this route checkout Ebay. There is a guy on their who sells direct from the US and they are MUCH cheaper than you can get them in the UK.

One warning though, the government are trying to ban radar detectors so the shelf life might not be that long.

When I can afford it I am going to supplement mine with a GPS unit as well to catch the other types (probably a navigation unit with a speed camera database rather than a specific camera locator such a Road Angel).

[Gixer]

Go here, its a top site (been around years)and he tests stuff out as well

www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/index.htm

For full protection you will need both GPS and radar. The V1 is over priced and the Bell Euro 550 performs as well as the V1. I've had a load of detectors and the Bell really is good. You can even tell it to ignore certain frequencies and that will all but eliminate false alarms though there are so few I could never be bothered. I say this even though mine has just packed up - I would still get another. Be careful buying a US market detector as different countries tend to use different frequencies a US home market detector will false alarm all the time in the UK...been there and done that.

I recently tried out the TomTom upgrade on my GPS as well. not bad it even tells you where the red light cams are BUT it warns even if the cam is on the other side of the road and it missed 3 Gatsos out on the A2 London bound between the Black Prince and the tunnel. Not good as those cams are some of the originals installed years back...wonder what others are missing

Hope that helps. I have loads of other links on my links page that you may want to look at

www.corvetteclips.co.uk/links.html

[icamm]

Gixer is correct on most US sellers of radar detectors but the guy I mentioned on ebay sells the Uk specific model at US prices. He sells under the name of radardectoctors1. He also sells the Bell and other detectors.

[justinp1]

I have a New Road Angel, and must say that it is a very good piece of kit. You can update the GPS positions of new cameras, and delete old ones by connecting it to your PC and connecting to the road angel site. It is very accurate, and gives you a good advance warning of all types of cameras with beeps where the time between the beeps gets faster the closer you are to the camera. The accuracy is proved when as soon as you are literally two metres past the detection area the warning stops.

It also has a laser detector, but I have never been zapped to say that it works. There is also the factor with all of these detectors that unless you are getting some reflection from another target luckily hitting your car, you are only warned when your car has been zapped. That doesnt help much.

Hope this helps.

[Gixer]

I have the 'original' road angel with lifetime subscription to downloads - anyone know if I can transfer that to the new model??

As for laser detection - The Bell is really good - its warned me well in advance several times with 'plod' guns. BUT both the road angel and the Bell fail to warn of mobile scam vans - I understand this is down to the equipment used - a much narrower beam that is maintained over a very long distance.