Radar Detectors

Best Protection Beltronics BEL 970 Radar Detector If you have a need for speed and a disdain for tickets, than the Bel 970 Vector LR is for you. This is definitely...

Beltronics BEL 980 Radar Detector Technical Details:980 Key FeaturesDetection Mode:City / Highway modesDetection Area...

There’s always the moral or ethical question when it comes to radar detectors. “If you wouldn’t speed, you wouldn’t need a radar detector” people always tell me. Well, I see things just a little different. There is no question as to why Law Enforcement Agencies are so adamant about speed enforcement: It’s an easy way for the local governments to make money. It’s a revenue issue, not about promoting safe driving and preventing accidents while protecting life and property. Speed traps make enforcing the law very profitable. No question about it. Speed Enforcement is soley for the purpose of generating revenue. This concept is reinforced by the fact that on and off-duty Police can ignore posted speed and traffic laws without the threat of a citation.

This is an exerpt from an ad for radar detectors. It couldn’t be more true or accurate.

“Traffic citations are a HUGE moneymaker for your local government. It’s almost like a randomly imposed tax. That is exactly why the police are so diligent in their efforts

to catch speeders. Why do you think your city is willing to pay an officer 30 or 40 thousand dollars a year to sit on the side of the road and zap cars with his radar gun?

There’s an old adage: “crime doesn’t pay”. It’s true. If a burglar is convicted, the government collects no money. However, if a speeder is convicted, the government gets

to collect 50, 100, 150 dollars or more. Multiply this times the number of citations issued and it amounts to a TON of money. A large city can reap 100 to 400 MILLION dollars a year just for handing out little pieces of paper.

Would you like to keep them from taking YOUR money?”

This is where I have decided to take a stand, especially in a city that has been plagued with violent crime.

I did a lot of research and comparison shopping before I selected the Bel 980. Most of the reading I did was consumer reviews from the multitude of radar detectors available. There are several excellent units to use, including the Escort Passport 8500 and the Cobra XR-1050. Overall, the Bel 980 got the best reviews, especially where “warning range” is considered. One of the nice features about the Bel 980 is the programmable feature that allows the user to customize which bands of radar to monitor. I turned the “X” band off, because it is obsolete in speed radar. There is a whole list of features that are possible with the 980.

The warning range can be very good, depending on what kind of radar you are facing and how fast you are going. Your reaction time is key in defeating speed traps. For example, if you’re doing 75 in a 55, you can slow down to 60 and not have a problem. If your doing 90 in a 55, you might slow down to 70 or 75, but you still might get caught. It depends on if you’re up against stationary radar or “instant-on”/pulsed radar, which is much harder to react to. Bel gives you a small manual discussing these types of radar.

This detection range and your reaction time are crucial in beating the ticket. Trust me, in The People’s Republic of Maryland, there are no speeding “warnings”.

The signal strength meter is an excellent feature. This meter reads from 1-9 and there’s a bar graph which corresponds to the number. This will help with warning range; if the strength meter passes 6 or 7, you’re likely facing a speed trap. In addition, the Bel detectors are fully upgradeable, as new technology develops, or if it has lost any sensitivity.

The manual that comes with the 980 could be more specific as to how and where to mount the unit so it can see the road. The diagrams and descriptions are ambiguous. You’ll also find that the detector likes to chirp at traffic lights and garage door openers, etc.. Keep in mind that there’s no mistake about it when your passing though a speed trap, though.

Take a stand with the Bel 980? It’s my detector of choice, and it’s already paid for itself.

Works like a champ! Beltronics BEL 980 Radar Detector *** UPDATED 7 MArch 02 **** While I stand by my review that the BEL980 is a solid unit, I feel it is only rig...

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Bel 970 Radar Detector Beltronics BEL 970 Radar Detector The Bel 970, also known as Vector LR is the best radar detector I have found yet. If the Valentine One can beat ou...

Bel 980 At Last! Beltronics BEL 980 Radar Detector Let me start off by saying that I have have reviewed almost every detector on the market. I visited Motor Trend's...

Paid for itself many times over. The best detector I’ve ever had. Beltronics BEL 980 Radar Detector

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Tags: 8500, Beltronics, Cobra, Escort

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