Has blind spot monitoring made radar detectors ineffective?

[JohnnyG]

Radar detectors make me drive too slow.

 

[repairman54]

Been using detectors since the Fuzzbuster came out in the '70's. They save my butt more intown than on the highway with the in-town yo-yo of posted speeds.
As others have said, on the highway a fast guy will come along and pass you, just fall in line behind and let the show play out.

 

[MCompact]

Yep. I tell anyone looking to buy one it’s a tool you have to learn to use effectively, it’s not some magic device that will let you get away with speeding all the time. If you’re the only one or there is very little traffic and you get popped, it’s game over.

Not that I fly at high speeds, I just think a 35mph limit on a razor straight county road lined by cornfields is ridiculous… 45-50 (conditions permitting) is more comfortable and generally the flow of traffic on those roads anyway around me.

Back at the old BMW CCA Gateway Tech event there used to be a session on high speed driving without getting caught. It was taught by an F-4 Phantom II pilot. He started each class asking people if they got stopped soon after buying their detector. Almost every hand would be raised. During the dark days of the beyond moronic 55 mph NMSL I used to drive 80 mph on rural interstates in my Arrow GT or Bavaria; equipped with a CB and a 1st Gen Escort(a law school graduation present from my then girlfriend-now wife of 36 years), I was never stopped once.
If you are lazy and/or lack situational awareness you WILL get nabbed.

 

[Job]

I drove 532 miles yesterday. All of it on the interstate, at high speed. Time saved by going faster: 2 hours. I got home at 9:30 instead of 11:30PM. That's a huge safety factor. It also makes that "day trip" possible. I did the trip in 5 hours and 45 minutes.

Note: A Tesla Model 3 performance would take 10 hours to do the same trip. Due to hours wasted at charge stops, including a full hour charging at the destination, which is really annoying as that takes away from the time I have at the destination. It also requires driving much slower to conserve the battery to make the charging destinations.

So 95 mph average, with no stops, pretty much at 100 all the time? Are you saying getting somewhere is safer because it takes less time? Just wondering, what did you proceed to do at home from 9:30 to 11:30? Actually curious to learn the justifications. I honestly can’t even imagine driving that fast.

 

[MCompact]

So 95 mph average, with no stops, pretty much at 100 all the time? Are you saying getting somewhere is safer because it takes less time? Just wondering, what did you proceed to do at home from 9:30 to 11:30? Actually curious to learn the justifications. I honestly can’t even imagine driving that fast.

On my way back from the BMW CCA Oktoberfest 1984 I crossed Pennsylvania in my 1973 Bavaria at an average speed of 100 mph on a drizzly Sunday morning- while my wife dozed in the passenger seat. According to the owners manual the recommended sustained cruise speed was 120 mph, but I decided not to press my luck.

 

[john_pifer]

I was surprised to read that radar detectors are apparently legal in 49 states. I have a Escort radar detector that dates back to 2015. Over the years I noticed an increasing number of false alarms caused by blind spot monitoring (BSM). I believe it’s something that manufacturers of radar detectors are trying to solve. Apparently BSM setups use K band to detect adjacent vehicles and warn the driver. Has anyone seen any detectors that have solved the issue? PS, I know a lot of Bitogers already drive well beyond the speed limit so let’s try avoid discussing ethics here. Thanks.

I’ve had the Escort Max 360 since 2017. Still a really good detector, even though it’s almost 5 years old now, because Escort has done a good job of keeping the BSM (blind spot monitoring) filtering software up to date.

It does false alert sometimes to BSM signals from vehicles. But Ive learned to differentiate between the false alerts generated by BSM systems and legitimate threats by watching the signal frequency display. BSM falses are usually in the 24.000-24.099 range, while legit threats are normally 24.1 and up.

Also, the Max 360 has a signal strength meter, and BSM falses will present as more of a temporary ”blip”, while true threats will manifest as constant, persistent, strong signals.

So, I’ve learned to identify the real threats by using the frequency and signal strength displays.

The Max 360 also has arrows that identify the direction the threat is coming from. And after having a detector with arrows, I wouldn’t want to use a detector without arrows.

If I were looking to buy a new detector today, I would be looking at the Escort Redline 360, or the Valentine V1G2.

Running Waze is also a huge help, but, as others have said, the biggest thing is your situational awareness, and knowing where the threats are likely to be.

A radar detector isnt a free pass to speed everywhere, without risk. As others have said, it’s just a tool.

Oh, and check your six. A radar detector won’t save you from being paced from behind by an unmarked LEO.

 

[javacontour]

The updated Valentine 1 filters the BSM signal out. It works pretty well. I have one. The new Valentine detector should be even better.

I don't use it much - here's why: avoiding a ticket at high speed (I admit to nothing here, this is hypothetical, of course) is more than just a detector. My V1 will alert me of an instant on being used up ahead, but that detector alone isn't nearly enough, not when the cops have LIDAR, or when there is no other traffic on which the cop is using the Radar.

Avoiding being caught is more of a "first sight, win the fight" thing. If the cop sees the speeder first, the cop wins. If the speeder is on full alert, aware of potential hiding places, observing traffic (in particular, brake lights) well ahead, paying attention to the detector, and everything else needed to be first to spot the LEO and change speed before the LEO can get a valid reading, then the speeder will likely be OK.

But that kind of driving is exhausting. Fighter pilot with a fast car vs. cop. Knowing the threat, hiding places, etc. and paying full attention. Recently, during a wee hours of the morning return from Dulles Airport, after picking up my wife, I made a 4 1/2 hour trip in 2 hours, 45 minutes. The effortless power, and strong brakes, of the S600 were a great help, as was my V1. I've done it. Many times. Successfully.

But it's really hard work. And there is some risk that I will get caught.

I choose to spend most of my highway miles at 7-8 MPH over, cruise control engaged, SiriusXM playing, and a cup of coffee in hand. WAY lower stress than trying to shave off any significant time by going fast. The work level isn't worth the time savings. Often, traffic precludes any meaningful increase in cruising speed, anyway.

So, my V1 sits in a case. It's there if I want it, but rarely used any more.

This is where I've ended up as I have more years and miles under my belt.

There seems to be little benefit for the effort needed to go more than 7-10 over the posted limit. Coffee, a podcast or audio book and let the miles accumulate with far less stress.

It's only when oilBabe needs to "empty the walnut" as she calls it, does the stress level rise looking for a clean bathroom. Usually just after we've passed an exit with 4+ choices.