yes it has saved me a couple times when I would possibily of been doing 106kph in a 100 k zone I know the danger zone or 56k in a 50k zone with a speed camera van parked on the side (its not about revenue its about safety LOL) so yes I think it does save me and due to the ks I do chances of me getting pinged are a lot higher
mojo49,
Oct 26, 9:42pm
Had a radar detector for a while so I could push the speed limits a fair bit. Never got pinged but found the time saved between Whangarei and Hamilton (regular trip) compared to setting the cruise control around 100 kph was negligible. Also fuel economy is really good on cruise control. By the end of next year I will be on cruise control from the Johnson Hill tunnels at Puhoi to the Western side of Hamilton. Boring but easy driving and time efficient. Thrown radar detector away. Only doing about 35000km a year.
2get1,
Oct 26, 10:41pm
On a recent day trip up the mountain my Valentine warned me of I think it was 4 Police cars approaching, that were all targeting speed, well before I could see them, and thus I slowed down a little. So yes they work. Another point to remember is more often than not your speedo over reads by up to 10km/h so when you think you are doing 100 you are actually only doing 90 with a traffic building up behind you. Detectors are just another tool to use.
mileyfan73,
Oct 26, 11:15pm
Yea,I got stopped last month doing 114,I have a detector.He told me he hadn't turned his radar on until he saw me.Pinged.
xs1100,
Oct 26, 11:31pm
that's always a risk,they are not fool proof and yes with ka they can on and off in a split second but most of the time you are picking up those that leave it on and also the ones in front of you getting hit so you know they are around
noodleman4,
Oct 26, 11:44pm
Got lasered coming back from the streetraces yest in Kumara (no surprise), all was good as the radar picked up the car in front getting shot at first. I have a Bell RX65
gedo1 you have no idea.
2sheddies,
Oct 27, 2:49am
You must be confusing radar detectors with laser jammers. The former is legal in NZ, the latter isn't as far as I'm aware.
lookoutas,
Oct 27, 5:11am
If you go back to my post 9 about losing the GPS speed readout, it happened today. Picked up a cop that was out of sight, (good) and he was sitting about 200 metres inside a 70K zone. I was on CC at 103, so stabbed the brake peddle to switch it off, but his radar was on so I had no indication of my speed when I hit the 70K sign.
Hadn't taken notice before, but 70K is with the needle on the right side of the 40MPH naught. Went from Taumarunui to Taupo, and that was the only plod I saw. And that was just after I left. He was also in town when I got back, stuffing up my GPS. Got a good warning both times.
My cringe trip has always been between Turangi & Taupo, and that wasn't short of traffic today. We passed a truck coming back through the Bully Point area, and it had 30 cars backed up behind it! Where were the plods?
mrsbeeblebrock,
Oct 27, 7:55am
On the Desert Road where it's easy pickings.
thewomble1,
Oct 27, 7:58am
Having your mother-in-law sitting in the back seat . lucky to get to 100km so you won't need one.
lookoutas,
Oct 27, 8:07am
But if you do a lot of K's and rely on your licence as mentioned beeble, then get a good one. I know when my points hit 95, with 9 months to go before the first lot fell off. I couldn't afford to fart if a cop was in sight. That's when I made a spreadsheet to keep track on when they disappeared, and bought a detector. Jeez, I was a 'good boy' for that 9 months.
mdread,
Oct 28, 1:40am
I went through all this just recently trying to buy the best for my dollar, oringally was going to fork out for a escort redline, or valentine V1 - but in the end couldnt justify around $1000 for a new one. I ended up buying the new uniden LRD950 for $630 which has gps for mute memory lockouts and quiet ride (great for muting false alerts through town if you set it to 50 km/h), and has nz speedcamera and redlight databases loaded into it. Picks up the low powered speed camera vans as well. I am really impressed with its range so far. Its good too as it says Ka Band or K band, and the signal, so you know straight away if you hear KA 34.7 or close to it, there is a cop coming. As mentioned if you get a laser warning they pretty much already have your speed, so laser detection isnt really helpful. Check out RDforum website for anything you need to know about radar detectors - lots of info on there. The new uniden rated very well against the more expensive models.
gedo1,
Oct 28, 4:01am
Probably right - I may have no idea. However, while I don't know what speed you were doing and what the posted speed limit was at the time you were alerted, I can only speculate. So you may have faced a fine of $30 or $80 (depending how far above the limit you were). How much did the Radar Detector cost you? Let's say conservatively $300 - probably more as you said you got lasered so your detector can pick that up. Anyway, to have saved you, in monetary terms, you would have to be "nearly" pinged (but warned by your detector) about ten times or more. Any more "saves" after that and you are now saving money in fines. See what I mean? Now about that I do have an idea!
2get1,
Oct 28, 4:20am
wow right into the economics of it arent you, to perhaps try and make some think that detectors aren't worth buying lol Ive had my $1000 V1 for many years. In my last daytrip up the mountain it alerted me atleast 3 if not 4 times to a radar unit ahead and I slowed down. Im picking based on my speed at the time it nearly paid for itself in that one trip. Let alone the years Ive had it. Depending on how many km's you do and at what speeds they do stack up financially, let alone saving precious demerit points which to my knowledge I currently have zero
Keep to the speed limit and it's amazing how much money you will save.
Not exactly up there with all Einsteins theory's but pretty easy to follow for the majority of drivers.
or if you want to drive like a boy racer then install half a dozen radar detectors across your windscreen. Apparently its great for people trying to overcompensate for something.
gamefisher,
Oct 28, 6:26am
Time usage must be at a premium to you people lol because 10k in a 100k zone is 10% that equates to 6 minute per hour why not leave earlier 20 minute earlier for a 300k trip is not a big ask. It usually works out a lot less than that when there is a lot of traffic.
mals69,
Oct 28, 6:36am
Miss out the middleman - buy it direct off the valentine website, calculated NZ$480 landed back when dollar was better . (Real radar direct deal)
noodleman4,
Oct 28, 7:40am
52kph indicated prolly only 47/48 in a 50k zone. Its saved me lots of $ and demerits so its easily paid for itself.
noodleman4,
Oct 28, 7:43am
It aint about getting there first or saving time having a detector.
noodleman4,
Oct 28, 7:48am
Please thats all most of us want.
butterfly05,
Oct 28, 9:34am
For some maybe. I'll be damned if I bought a supercharged v8 and a radar to be back of the queue.
2get1,
Dec 23, 6:01pm
yeah but who said anything about cruising at 110km/h. if you cruise along at 130km/h with your detector and use your math as the example. that 6 minutes per hour becomes 18 and on a 6 hour trip that's a lot of time to save, even more so if you drive late at night or very early in the morning.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.