Dash Cams & Radar Detectors

Qwerty143 · August 12, 2021

I know there are threads here talking about dash cams and/or radar detectors, but they are a year or two old. Any recommendations for either of them? Cobra makes the “Cobra Road Scout” that is a 2 in 1 but i haven’t heard from anyone who has one. Im in the market for one or both. Radar Detectors: Escort seems a bit pricey? Uniden? Valentine? Cobra?
Dash Cams: wow! Thousands of brands!
Just need some advice- input- suggestions before I make a decision. TIA

Liquid Plumber AT4 · August 12, 2021

Hey Lambo...... You may want to consider moving if these things are that much of a concern.

Hahaha haha!

Remember, if we need dash cams we should be moving according it "it's timmy" lol. I'm sure like myself you have plenty of

"personal 9mm protection" and the dash cam is more for safety.

Thought I'd bust ya. Enjoy your night!

Liquid Plumber AT4 · August 12, 2021

Let me know what you decided on for a dash cam....I got a few great recommendations from some other members on my post. I got a vacation coming up, so I'm gonna order mine after that.

Thanks!

Rob Mugs · August 12, 2021

I'm going to jinx myself here but I had a V1 back in the day and ended up with a few tickets here and there. Put it away about 8 years ago and even with my lead foot, haven't nabbed a single ticket. I won't say how fast I go on a daily basis, but it's over the point of a speeding ticket alone.

What do I use? Waze and my eyeballs. It's like having a CB asking about smokies but with 100s of thousands of users

Just my 2 pennies... YMMV

OnTheReel · August 12, 2021

Escort actually makes Cobra, and they do sell a good detector under the Cobra brand, the DualPro 360.

Unfortunately the Road Scout is not so good. Vortex Radar does a lot of testing on YouTube and you can learn more than you’ll ever need to know about detectors if you watch even just his beginner guides. He is not a fan of the Road Scout so I would avoid it for that reason alone.

https://www.vortexradar.com/2021/05/cobra-road-scout-review/

Personally, I have the V1 Gen 2 right now. Before that I had the Escort Max 3. Both worked very well. Depends on what you want to spend I guess. Every detector has it’s strengths and weaknesses.

Qwerty143 · August 12, 2021

1 hour ago, Liquid Plumber AT4 said:

Hey Lambo...... You may want to consider moving if these things are that much of a concern.

Hahaha haha!

Remember, if we need dash cams we should be moving according it "it's timmy" lol. I'm sure like myself you have plenty of

"personal 9mm protection" and the dash cam is more for safety.

Thought I'd bust ya. Enjoy your night!

Man- i thought your post was on another GMC forum! In shouldn’t have doubled up here on this one! My apologies! I’m on too many different truck forums. And unfortunately each one ends up costing me money with mods and all!!

Liquid Plumber AT4 · August 12, 2021

No worries at all Lambo. I was looking for a radar detector to, so im glad you posted it.

I hear you, lots of mod ideas on here. I actually am doing one that you did a YouTube video on for the electric retractable tonneau cover. It's due to arrive mid September. Looking forward to get that on for more protected space from the weather.

Transient · August 12, 2021

I've been driving for 25 years, and I've never had some sort of cop detector. Do I speed? Yes. I've even managed to successfully run from the cops once (Geos were never fast, but they were far more nimble than Crown Vics, lol). Statute of limitations is long expired, so it's safe to post that last part. Last time I was pulled over was summer 2017, but I haven't had a ticket since (I had to think about this one) 2009. There's a few things I've learned over the years to avoid tickets. Use your brain, and have good vision. Oh, and a concealed firearms permit (even in anti-2a states), a CDL, and a whole lot of respect towards the officer go a long way in avoiding tickets. I don't go any faster than 8 over the posted limit.

RCF71 · August 12, 2021

I have a Valentine 1 in my Camaro... has paid for itself MANY times!

As OnTheReel mentioned, they all have their strengths and weaknesses. The V1 does what I want/need just fine. If I had it to do over, I would buy it again no doubt.

Silverado4x4 · August 12, 2021

Radar detectors went obsolete about 25 years ago with the laser radar instant on but some small towns may still use ka band guns. Some departments are starting to move from laser to LiDAR and nothing the public can get to detect it. Laser is not going to be beat as once the officer gets you in the scope and pulls the trigger he has you with no time to respond. At 1000ft the laser has a width of about 2 to 3 feet wide on the target. He could be shooting a vehicle in front of you and your detector will not go off. Radar detectors are obsolete now.

Now the big problem with ka band detectors is they pick up parking, back-up, blind spot equipment on vehicles in front of you with alot of false alerts.

eppieguy · August 12, 2021

I've been running a Valentine for years in all of my vehicles, I'm currently running a Gen 2 now and it has saved me more times that I can count.

OnTheReel · August 12, 2021

3 hours ago, Silverado4x4 said:

Radar detectors went obsolete about 25 years ago with the laser radar instant on but some small towns may still use ka band guns. Some departments are starting to move from laser to LiDAR and nothing the public can get to detect it. Laser is not going to be beat as once the officer gets you in the scope and pulls the trigger he has you with no time to respond. At 1000ft the laser has a width of about 2 to 3 feet wide on the target. He could be shooting a vehicle in front of you and your detector will not go off. Radar detectors are obsolete now.

Now the big problem with ka band detectors is they pick up parking, back-up, blind spot equipment on vehicles in front of you with alot of false alerts.

I can name plenty of scenarios in which seatbelts, life jackets and parachutes don’t save us too, but that doesn’t mean we don’t wear them.

The small towns I frequent like Chicago and Milwaukee still primarily use Ka. Laser is nowhere near as ubiquitous as you make it sound. And instant-on radar (not laser) is still easily picked up with time to react when the officer is shooting cars ahead of you.

Also, modern radar detectors do very well filtering BSM. GPS lockouts and low speed muting also work wonders to keep things quiet when not needed. You might be surprised. I use the V1 Driver app with mine and the thing never ever falses. Never. And I pick up sheriff speed traps on the highway from a huge distance and again plenty of time to react.

Qwerty143 · August 13, 2021

I am really liking the 12" Mirror Dash Cam - CARCHET 2.5k Mirror Dash Cam. Good reviews. Not concerned with the reverse camera with lines it has, but you dont have to use them. It easily switches between the front cam and rear cam by command. Can have just the front cam to view, or just the rear cam to view, or both at once. Seems to be great video quality.
Radar detector: deciding between V1 Gen 2, Escort IX, Uniden R3, and Cobra Dual Pro 360.

Any thoughts?