Has a speed camera detector saved you?
06-14-2005, 12:02 AM
#21
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I have a Morpheous Micro Pilot which detects cameras. Its fabulous.
Its easily transferrable so it is always with me/us on long journeys...and it has yet to miss a camera...gives you loads of warning.
I wouldn't want to be without it now.
Its easily transferrable so it is always with me/us on long journeys...and it has yet to miss a camera...gives you loads of warning.
I wouldn't want to be without it now.
06-14-2005, 01:05 AM
#22
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Originally Posted by Martino,Jun 13 2005, 11:02 PM
Certainly my Road Angel has saved me. The GPS based thing is great reminder and advance warning on roads you don't know. The radar detector has never picked up anything to my knowledge.
06-14-2005, 01:15 AM
#23
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Point of accuracy - the GPS units do not 'detect' cameras, they 'simply' know where you are and compare your position, direction and speed to a database of known sites. If the site is new, or you have not updated your unit recently, then they will not help - but this is not a frequent event in my opinion.
What is GREAT about the GPS units is they know about the SPECS units - which radiate nothing and so are 'undetectable' by any other means.
My money is on increased use of SPECS systems. To me they are fairer in that they look at average speed over a reasonable lenght of road. Near me we have a section of bends on a dual carriageway, the site of many accidents. This is now protecteed by four cameras, but people just slow for the camera as they approach the bends, then accelerate around the dangerous bit, then slow for the camera at the exit. Result is a reduction, but not an elimination of accidents - one death just a few weeks ago. SPECS would sort that. Of course removing the bends and the STUPID cross roads in teh middle of the bends would be even bette, but there are real issues preventing this from happening.
I am interested in people's experience of the laser detectors. My understanding is you have about a second from being laser illuminated to being clocked. I doubt that is sufficient time to react in a way that helps.
I doubt, by the way, that a laser would be used from a moving police car, unless it was being used to see if there was a detector - or jammer - on board the target. It would be possible to construct a laser that gave the speed of an object against a stationary reference, but that would need two beams, one targetted on the object, one on a known stationary reference. That would leave a challenge of 'you measured my speed against a car coming in the opposite direction - so of course it looked like I was doing 60'.
What is GREAT about the GPS units is they know about the SPECS units - which radiate nothing and so are 'undetectable' by any other means.
My money is on increased use of SPECS systems. To me they are fairer in that they look at average speed over a reasonable lenght of road. Near me we have a section of bends on a dual carriageway, the site of many accidents. This is now protecteed by four cameras, but people just slow for the camera as they approach the bends, then accelerate around the dangerous bit, then slow for the camera at the exit. Result is a reduction, but not an elimination of accidents - one death just a few weeks ago. SPECS would sort that. Of course removing the bends and the STUPID cross roads in teh middle of the bends would be even bette, but there are real issues preventing this from happening.
I am interested in people's experience of the laser detectors. My understanding is you have about a second from being laser illuminated to being clocked. I doubt that is sufficient time to react in a way that helps.
I doubt, by the way, that a laser would be used from a moving police car, unless it was being used to see if there was a detector - or jammer - on board the target. It would be possible to construct a laser that gave the speed of an object against a stationary reference, but that would need two beams, one targetted on the object, one on a known stationary reference. That would leave a challenge of 'you measured my speed against a car coming in the opposite direction - so of course it looked like I was doing 60'.
06-14-2005, 01:34 AM
#24
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Got 9 points in 6 months. Bought a Road angel 2 and not had any more since.
Of those 9 points, 3 were from a gatso (driving at night in rain on a unlit duel carriageway) Speed limit was 50. I was doing 65. The road angel would have DEFINITELY saved me that one.
The other 6 points were from Laser Scamera vans. Not sure how well the road angel would have done to protect me from these :
- doing 86 on the A14 - the w@nker got me before I had even seen him - I was probably 1KM away.
- doing 36 in a 30. I didn't even know I had been done - first I had heard about it was the letter in the post.
The laser warning hasnt ever gone off on the RA2, but then I haven't had a laser pointed at me in my knowledge since being on 9 points.
So if I had bought a road angel before I would have been on 6 instead of 9, and my insurance premium would be about 300 quid cheaper and 60 better off from not being fined.
I.e. if you speed, get one - they pay for themselves in time....
Of those 9 points, 3 were from a gatso (driving at night in rain on a unlit duel carriageway) Speed limit was 50. I was doing 65. The road angel would have DEFINITELY saved me that one.
The other 6 points were from Laser Scamera vans. Not sure how well the road angel would have done to protect me from these :
- doing 86 on the A14 - the w@nker got me before I had even seen him - I was probably 1KM away.
- doing 36 in a 30. I didn't even know I had been done - first I had heard about it was the letter in the post.
The laser warning hasnt ever gone off on the RA2, but then I haven't had a laser pointed at me in my knowledge since being on 9 points.
So if I had bought a road angel before I would have been on 6 instead of 9, and my insurance premium would be about 300 quid cheaper and 60 better off from not being fined.
I.e. if you speed, get one - they pay for themselves in time....
06-14-2005, 01:34 AM
#25
i have a road angel 2 and it has proved invaluable in detecting cameras in areas i haven't driven before. the laser detector has gone off once to twice too and has alerted me to detector vans i wouldn't have seen.
i got caught 2 months ago by a laser van parked on a road i have driven on a thousand times. i didn't have the road angel in the car that day
the only problem with them is that you can start to feel invulnerable about getting caught speeding.
i got caught 2 months ago by a laser van parked on a road i have driven on a thousand times. i didn't have the road angel in the car that day
the only problem with them is that you can start to feel invulnerable about getting caught speeding.
06-14-2005, 02:30 AM
#26
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Hey,
I bought a road angel about 12 months ago and its lived the last 10 months in a cupboard.
If I drove round the country a lot it might be useful but I dont and I know where my local cameras are and I doubt that the laser detector would give me sufficient warning to be able to substantially reduce my speed should the need arise.
Instead I use lady luck, so far weve been good together and Im hoping theres no divorce looming. 0 points on my licence, and im crossing the toes on my lucky rabbits feet.
If anyone fancies buying my road angel, reasonable offers considered, hardly used.
Cheers
I bought a road angel about 12 months ago and its lived the last 10 months in a cupboard.
If I drove round the country a lot it might be useful but I dont and I know where my local cameras are and I doubt that the laser detector would give me sufficient warning to be able to substantially reduce my speed should the need arise.
Instead I use lady luck, so far weve been good together and Im hoping theres no divorce looming. 0 points on my licence, and im crossing the toes on my lucky rabbits feet.
If anyone fancies buying my road angel, reasonable offers considered, hardly used.
Cheers
06-14-2005, 03:10 AM
#27
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Originally Posted by Shipley,Jun 14 2005, 08:02 AM
Morpheous Micro Pilot ...
Its easily transferrable so it is always with me/us on long journeys...
Its easily transferrable so it is always with me/us on long journeys...
How does the Morpheus transfer then?
Are any of the other systems readily portable? I thought they had to be hardwired in
06-14-2005, 04:15 AM
#28
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Road Angel easily transferable. When purchased you get 2 power leads - power from ciggy lighter, I ordered a seperate bracket from RA's website so now easy to swap between both cars.
06-14-2005, 04:18 AM
#29
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My RoadAngel has saved me from coutless potential bans and a lot of points. Its invaluable to me, especially driving in unknown areas and unknown city centres.
06-14-2005, 04:30 AM
#30
It's the ones hidden behind trees & signs, you can't always see them.
Plod cars, like aircraft, do set off detectors. They're full of radio gear.
The Civic is not yet protected. I feel very vulnerable driving it.
Plod cars, like aircraft, do set off detectors. They're full of radio gear.
The Civic is not yet protected. I feel very vulnerable driving it.