Will US Radar Detectors Work In The UK?

[steveharman]

There seems to be a far wider choice of radar detectors (new and used), for sale on the US version of "a popular online auction site". Even including shipping the prices can be more competitive than UK stock.

Each model listed in the US seems to cover the same radar / detector _bands_ that we have in the UK and a few more besides. Would I be fairly safe to assume these US detectors should work OK detecting UK speed traps?

I've not seen any of the widely available detectors listing specific _frequencies _ they work on, just "bands" but my knowledge is patchy on this subject.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

[bad company]

I used a Valentine 1 for a while. Yes it did detect radar but there were too many false alarms for me.

I would get a Road Angel. Probably more expensive but much better IMO.

[steveharman]

Thanks for the tip - out of interest were either of your units US models?

Cheers,

Steve

[spookly]

I had a radar detector many years ago - absolutely pointless, and even more so now.

The number of false positives render them pretty useless. Many different things, especially automatic doors on shops, use the same radar bands... so it'll be chirping all the time in any built up area.

Also, in the UK now the mobile vans and police mostly use laser based stuff. For that, the detectors are mainly useless as by the time you detect something you're already had. Laser jammers are a bit of a legal minefield form what I can tell, and can fall into the PCOJ category of offence, not something I'd bother chancing.

So at best it'll give you advanced warning of radar based fixed cameras, but with lots of false positives. Those same fixed cameras are usually all on GPS based systems anyway and free apps like Waze.

I tend to just use my Mk1 eyeballs and a healthy dose of luck.

[Craikeybaby]

As above, radar is less of an issue in the UK, it is mainly fixed cameras and laser you need to worry about. I've got a Road Angel gem, which uses GPS for fixed cameras and known mobile camera hotspots, but also has laser, but that will only go off when your speed is being measured - so too late.

[HantsRat]

I wouldn't waste your money. Most UK police forces use Laser which will read your speed in 1/3 of a second. By the time your alert has gone off, your speed would've been read.

They're great for fixed camera sites though but don't pay for laser/radar detection.

[agtlaw]

Radar detection is useless for mobile sites in England and Wales, and unless you're travelling faster than the speed of light then laser/LIDAR is pointless. Get some form of GPS device, preferably with real-time info, Waze or similar.

[steveharman]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll happily go the app route - what do people think is the best choice?

Haven't used Waze in a while- tried Navmii for its offline mapping capabilities and that seemed to ping me when I went above the limit for the road I was on, but not sure if it actually had camera locations etc.

Steve

[gtsralph]

Try CamerAlert

[Geekman]

I've tried almost all of them, Waze is the best by far.

[bad company]

I didn't get on with CamerAlert as it seems to warn far too often when no speed traps had been seen for ages. Still trying to configure Waze properly. It visually shows cameras but I need an audible warning. Waze is also very data hungry.

[sunnydude]

I hardwired a road angel, they're good. Just bear in mind that its a subscription service though.

Laser detection is hopeless though, its never gone off even when going past a camera van.

[anonymous-user]

spookly said:

I had a radar detector many years ago - absolutely pointless, and even more so now.

The number of false positives render them pretty useless. Many different things, especially automatic doors on shops, use the same radar bands... so it'll be chirping all the time in any built up area.

Also, in the UK now the mobile vans and police mostly use laser based stuff. For that, the detectors are mainly useless as by the time you detect something you're already had. Laser jammers are a bit of a legal minefield form what I can tell, and can fall into the PCOJ category of offence, not something I'd bother chancing.

I use an Escort 9500ix and it works very well indeed. You can block out X band (garage doors) and it also remembers and stores them so as not to give false positives. It picks up all K and Ka band signals. The Ka band is always the cops and I can sometimes pick it up a mile or so before the speed trap / cop car. I would probably not have a drivers license without it given the low speed limits here, the large number of traffic cops and the fact that cities use speeding tickets to raise revenue.

Most cops here still use radar and the Escort picks all those up. Laser is different and the cops here sometimes set up traps using laser guns. They only give off a detectable signal when the trigger is pulled so you're right, if it's aimed at you then it's too late. However I have picked up laser warnings only to see some other car pulled over ahead so the detector is picking up the signal, just much closer. Police laser traps are usually easy to spot here anyway as they are on the highway at busy times and they use a guy on a bridge with a gun and lots of cop cars on a slip road or the shoulder waiting to pounce. The sea of brake lights ahead usually gives them away.

The biggest danger is the cop cruising with his radar off but they are usually easy enough to spot.

I have no idea if the escort works in the UK, I never bring it with me when I come.

[spookly]

unrepentant said:

I use an Escort 9500ix and it works very well indeed. You can block out X band (garage doors) and it also remembers and stores them so as not to give false positives. It picks up all K and Ka band signals. The Ka band is always the cops and I can sometimes pick it up a mile or so before the speed trap / cop car. I would probably not have a drivers license without it given the low speed limits here, the large number of traffic cops and the fact that cities use speeding tickets to raise revenue.

Most cops here still use radar and the Escort picks all those up. Laser is different and the cops here sometimes set up traps using laser guns. They only give off a detectable signal when the trigger is pulled so you're right, if it's aimed at you then it's too late. However I have picked up laser warnings only to see some other car pulled over ahead so the detector is picking up the signal, just much closer. Police laser traps are usually easy to spot here anyway as they are on the highway at busy times and they use a guy on a bridge with a gun and lots of cop cars on a slip road or the shoulder waiting to pounce. The sea of brake lights ahead usually gives them away.

The biggest danger is the cop cruising with his radar off but they are usually easy enough to spot.

I have no idea if the escort works in the UK, I never bring it with me when I come.

Nope, won't be much use in the UK. They don't use radar that much. GPS/social apps are a better bet.

I just use my eyeballs, and I've not had a speeding ticket in over 10 years.

[Actual]

I use TomTom Speed Cameras (on Android) which is free and uses real-time updates and can run concurrently with Google Maps or even Waze using a floating pop up window. I also use Waze on a second phone.

[s70rmp]

Radar is still used in the UK not as much as it was but it is still used

amazing what info you can get with a FOI request.

[agtlaw]

s70rmp said:

Radar is still used in the UK not as much as it was but it is still used

amazing what info you can get with a FOI request.

I haven't had a radar case for at least 15 years.