How reliable is the radar detector?

Answer 1

depends on the brand and type. Mine is very reliable, It always warns me in tyime

Answer 2

There are many variables. Features and performance vary. However, none of them can be relied on 100%. In cases where you are on the freeway, if you're travelling at 75 MPH and the cop is coming towards you at 75 MPH, you are approaching each other at 150 MPH, and you won't have much time between when your detector alerts you and the cop is able to lock in your speed. So-called "instant on" radar units can be troublesome too. The detectors are supposed to detect them, but they do so by detecting the "pulses" that are emited when they are activated. The theory being that when the cop turns on the unit to track the traffic ahead of you, the detector will notify you. Problem is, a well-trained cop doesn't use the radar to tell him when a car is speeding, he uses it to confirm what he already knows. So he waits until he sees a speeder, then turns it on, and it's too late.

Fortunately, it would appear that a lot of cops don't want to bother with that and prefer to just "set it and forget it". But if you're going through an area where they aggressively trap, then best beware.

Personally, I don't use the detector in order to allow me to speed, and I don't think most other users do either. I use it to avoid speed traps, places where the enforced speed is lower than what is truly safe and at which most people are travelling. It also serves as a reminder to me to check my speed. Just set it with filtering off, and it will generate enough false alarms to keep your lead foot from getting you in trouble.