Dougy Giro

Alan,

Dont worry M8 didnt take it as a slight on my Speeding (or lack of it ) Its a fair point about safety/blackspots, but its not on top of my priority list.

So - We shall say that we both agree that laser dectection on All decent GPS and Detectors are the same.

Coz in all honesty you got be lucky for them to target someone in front, then for you to pick up the scatter. so whether it can pick up a few extra feet at 1000m is here nor there. Although its range is 3 mile compared to 2 mile of most of the others - but this is virtually irrelevent coz they dont target you until much, much closer.

However Radar detcection is another matter, its virtually double (more in some cases) all the other detectors range capabilities.
The GPS would tell me a camera is there - however so would a V1 (if it was active of course)
GPS will also show me Truvelo and Specs. V1 wont.
GPS wont tell me mobile Gatso ahead though, and like i said before I consider this to be a major factor.

Question is : Do you want Truvelo/Specs or do you want Mobile unit detection?
You want the prior, i want the later and thats why we cant agree.

Howstuff works site is excellent and not connected to any particular manufacturer, as is http://www.speedtraps.co.uk/default.htm#compare

Yeah agree tis a good debate - I know a damn site more than i did a week ago.!!!!

Alan C

Dave,
It would be pretty boring if we all like the same stuff anyway.

I mean, driving around in a Focus (RS Excepted)! Now that is scary.

Yep, the V1 is definately for you, and this debate has at least agreed that both units are very close in their overall functionality, with one winning over the other in specific departments that appeal to different people.

It may be worth noting that RADAR mobiles are getting fewer (I must look, or ask into the split), with many forces turning to the much more accurate and un-avoidable Laser (just two of the several advantages for the operators using them).

So with laser and Truvello / Specs becomming more common the GPS location and siting database becomes more of a positive factor.

And as dba correcly points out, the ability to download up to date maps on a daily basis (if you travel that much) is a major plus point as GPS operators are becomming better at their job in updating databases with publicised mobile sites being updated quite often.

I beieve the Police are now required to publicise all mobile and blackspot patrols and the various national GPS databases get updated accordingly. I'm not sure how accurate this system is, or which manufaturer is better at producing the best lists (another research area!), but if they are working towards full coverage for all forces, then the detector only days are really numbered.

Dougy Giro

Yeah i take these comments on boared asell.
But radars still gonna be around for a good while yet.

Cheers
Dave

Alan C

They are mate,

But for how long?

As soon as I find out (in fact I'm going to give the local force a ring to find out) I'll let you know.

sillysi

Dave,

Why did I change my 990i for a RoadAngel? It was a simple decision for me, I wanted a device that detected more than just fixed Gatsos.

To me the RA was the only option, it is plug and play. Pop it on the dash and away you go. The SR6 good as it is had too many options/parts. I like the RA because of it's simplicity it just does what it has to do, nothing more.

I was happy with the 990i until I went through a Truvelo a bit to quickly, this made me realise how vunerable I was with just the 990i.

Si.

Ajax

Just go and buy a Road angel, good price, does what is says it on the box.

Little tip, get it hard wired up on the dash.
and it looks the dogs, with a GPS speedo in front of yer very eyes.

Just do it!

Alan C

I have sent off a detailed letter to the local authority asking many questions gathered from here.

This is mainly for my own benefit, but one that will hopefully be of great use to us all.

I have also asked for a possible live demonstration of the technology with operators so that we can get a better understanding of what they do and how they do it.

Would this be of interest to any Yorkshire or visiting guys if I could get such a meeting setup?

I will post this as a seperate thread in order to get a wider response.

Al.

Ajax

Join the 25mph club, no worries.
----------------------------------------
1. Speed camera wont catch you.
2. Saves petrol
3. Saves lives
4. You don’t need a road angel or similar
5. And you don’t have to keep watching your speed or going to laser demonstrations.

It will save a fortune for the country and put all the road safety van out of business.

JOIN NOW!

Alan C

No! Don't do It!

Several things will happen.

1. You'll start smoking a pipe and wearing a flat cap.
2. Folk music will sound appealing.
3. That 70's green 'sweater' will make a daily appearance.
4. Your credit card will get a battering at M&S for that 'lovelly' beige suit, beige trousers and beige shoes combo.
5. Large ammounts of hair growth will appear on you chin.
6. Warm 'real ale' supped in 1/2 pint glasses over two hours will be your main drink.
7. Leaflet campaigns will start to get everyone back into Morris 1000's, drop the 'dangerous' 70 MPH motorway limit back down to a more respectable 50 and stop playing that horrible rock music!
8. Bring back Trams!
9. For 50 pence I could go to the cinema, buy a bag of chips and still have enough change to get a bus home. Eeeh, they were the days!

Ajax

LOL

ZAZ

Another GPS system that is worth looking at is the Origin B2. It is a GPS system with laser detection aswell but a laser diffuser can be plugged into it and later in the year a radar detector plugin is being released.
I have the Origin Blue I (the predessesor but only GPS) and it is a good unit!

http://www.originb2.com

Alan C

ZaZ, thanks for that, but I think my search is over.

I'm picking up a Prodrive WR Sport in the next week and they are throwing in a Road Angel

So, my search ends. I'll let you know how this thing gets on in 'GATSO land' ie West Yorkshire!

Ajax

Good choice the Road Angel with a free Prodrive WR Sport

Don’t rely on any laser detector as it has to be in the right position to detect or jam.
When you detect it it’s to late anyway plus you need detectors on the front and rear plate/vertical boot area and on the screens for over bridge detection.

Least you won’t ever get caught on Gatso, Truvelo and Spects and you have the added information on accident backspots, so don’t overtake and become a statistic in these areas.

Also you will drive on the GPS speedo, because its spot on accurate when doing a steady speed

Alan C

lol!

I was pretty chuffed with the free sport. What a deal! Shame they couldn't stretch to buy one get one free though!

Beats a free set of batteries! Anyone got a better deal lately?

Ajax

Alan C:

Batteries, I got a WRX with a 2.0 flat four
Did not know Subaru did a battery model

Alan C

Got the car (Prodrive WRS) and got Road Angel on the dash.

First thoughts are excellent device. Straight out of the box it was letting me know of GATSO in my area that were only switched on a month ago.

Seconds to pop on the dash and into the glove box. The GPS speed indicator is excellent. Problem is my speedo reads about 4 MPH faster at 30.. Which is the more accurate?

sillysi

Alan,

Good to see you went for the RA, the RA's GPS speedo should be more accurate when you are travelling at a constant speed. It can take a second or two to catch up when you are altering your driving speed.

Si.

Alan C

Yep,

I've noticed that on acceleration and decelleration , it can take a second to catch up.

On constant speed it does read a few MPH slower than the clocks.

sillysi

I have tried mine out in four or five different cars and they all read 4-5 miles an hour faster than the GPS reading. You would of thought nowadays that speedos would be 100% accurate. Must be some reason why not, any one know?

Alan C

Because there is no need to spend the extra money on engineering them that way.

They don't actually need to be 100% accurate. To get them that way and calibrated would be a costly excercise.

From what you have said about the different cars you've had, and what's slightly re-assurung, is the fact that manufacturers seem to be making sure the clocks are a few % in error on the high side.

[Edited by Alan C - 11/07/2003 13:46:16]

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

just read the post about the speedo's wrong. ive head that by law they are set to read higher so you wont be speeding everywhere. this also accounts for the 10% plus 2mph rule, so they know you are definatly speeding not just going off an inacurate needle.
i was reading my bro in laws fast car mag (how sad) and someone was saying they had been done doing 115mph when the clock was saying 90. later found out that if you put 19 inch wheels on a saxo, the readings are a tad inacurate.

ive got gps nav in my car and at 30 on the needle, my gps works it out to 26, at 40 on the needle its 36 on the gps. ive checked upto about 90, but at higher speeds my scoob seems to be much more accurate


just my 2p worth

Simon

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

oh yer forgot to mention, im always driving around all over yorkshire, particulally west, in my gold 306, practically every day. so if you see a guy wave from a gold 306 pug wave back!

Simon

Alan C

Sy....

The 10% +2 rule is a 'guideline'. You can be done for doing 1 MPH if they wanted to be really critical.

It depends upon the officer(s) on the trap and the circumstances they and you are in. If it busy, foggy and icy then you may find them being very picky..

Sunny, dual lane with no traffic and you may be lucky to get 10% +5 or more?

The day speedos become very accurate is the day the above guideline becomes obsolete... Long live inaccurate clocks!

MatteeGee

Just to back up what SiHightower was saying, by law, manufacturers are allowed their clocks to read upto 10% above but not a bit below.
Basically, they know there clocks are not 100% accurate so they generally set them high so as to NOT break the law.

Paul Woodward

I've heard that laser detection is not really worth it as it will be too late. However I have a radar/laser detector and a few years ago was sitting it a set of traffic lights in the middle of the night and all of a sudden the laser detector sound went crazy. So I pulled away and stuck to 30 and sure enough 400 yards up the road was PC Plod with a handheld gun. I dunno if he was just practising with it before I pulled off, but it saved me that night!