Radar Detector Reviews – Some Useful Information
As the debate on whether radar detectors should be made illegal or not rages on, the fact is that radar detectors are needed, and so, they sell.
Who buys radar detectors?
Although most people would immediately say “people who speed”, speeding is not the only reason given for buying a radar detector. People also buy radar detectors to protect themselves against radar gun error. The fact is that radar guns are fallible; this has been proven time and time again. So, by having a detector alerting you to the presence of a radar gun, you become aware of exactly what speed you’re really doing. And that can be valuable if the gun misreads.
How does a radar detector work?
Depending upon its design and quality, a radar detector can alert you to devices Bug Sweeper being aimed at your vehicle to calculate speed. This includes:
- Scanning the approved-for-use frequencies (X, K, Ka, and, in Europe, Ku) used by police radar guns.
- Presence of LIDAR (light detection and ranging) aimed at your license plate, headlights, or fog lamps.
Because radar is more frequently used than LIDAR, while most good-quality detectors will alert you to radar signals in time to slow down, only higher-end detectors come with laser detection. Even then, they detect the laser about the same time it detects you-and at that point, slowing down isn’t an option.
So why bother with laser detection at all?
On its own, LIDAR detection isn’t enough to prevent you from being clocked by laser if you’re speeding. However, by having a radar detector that alerts you to laser presence, you become open to a few options. Add on products like anti-laser license plate covers and anti-reflective coating for headlights can be used to reduce the effective range of a laser gun and give you a few extra seconds to slow down. For the serious-minded, there are also laser jamming and laser shifting devices available to block laser signals before they hit your car.
What are the best radar detectors?
Features to look for include advanced radar detection, 360-degree laser protection, auto-scan for eliminating false alarms, and stealth to render your detector invisible to police radar detector detectors.
The Radar Detector Test
Because no two radar detectors are created equal and no two drivers travel the same roads, there are a series of radar detector tests that can be performed to determine which is the right detector for you. This includes testing how well it detects radar and laser; how it performs long range, over hills, and in POP mode; and even how well it disguises itself from radar detector detectors.
While the debate as to the real reason why people buy radar detectors and even whether they should be made illegal continues, at least for today, radar detectors are out there and available for anyone who wants one. From basic models to self-learning ones; the radar detector is getting smarter by the day.
