Escort Passport 8500

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

I can't say enough about this thing. It is the best $300 I have put into my car by far. I bought it last summer, and since then it has paid for itself -- probably twice over. I don't make a habit of driving recklessly, but I do typically cruise comfortably at 10 to 15 over the speed limit.

It isn't uncommon for me to pick up a K or Ka band signal from 2 miles away, over hills, and around turns. The other day I did just that -- in the rain!

But yesterday was another story -- yesterday was the crowning achievement of the Passport thus far.

LASER guns are recognized as the Boys in Blue's best weapon against speeders. Living near Minneapolis this summer, I feel a little like there is a bounty out for people like me... that is a young white male in a black sports car with out-of-state license plates. I came over a hill eastbound on US-212 right by Eden Prairie Mall (for those of you who know where that is). I was all alone, the first car over the hill. All of a sudden the 8500 was screaming and the LED's showed LASER. I was doing about 60 in a 50 or 45 mph zone. I got on the brakes and slowed to legal speed. Then I passed the unmarked, gray Impala, hiding behind an orange construction fence. To be honest, I expected to be pulled over. But he never moved. The 8500 successfully gave me enough warning in a situation of a LASER "instant-on" (where the cop has the gun off until he sees his target and then quickly turns it on). That is the most difficult thing for a detector to do, and the 8500 passed with flying colors. If you are looking at radar detectors, I can't recommend this one enough. By the way, I have never been pulled over in my WS6.

[FRMLAV8]

The Passports are supposed to be great detectors, but with instant on LASER there really isn't a warning.

If you were the only car then he had it pointed right at you, by the time you reacted to the detector going off he knew how fast you were going. Most likely he didn't feel like going after someone for 10 over limit. My cousin is a cop and he has told me that most highway patrol won't waste their time unless you are 15 or more over. Unless they see you zipping in and out of lanes or driving eradically(sp?).

I have noticed they are really cracking down this week too. With the 4th coming up they are everywhere.

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

Like I said... young male, black sports car, out-of-state plates. I would think 10 mph would definitely be enough. There is a distance, albeit small, that you can get a laser alert before the laser gun can register your speed. As I recall from the owner's manual, I believe you can pick up a warning from about twice as far as the gun can register your speed from.

Bands like K and Ka will register warnings from like 7 times as far as they can detect speed from.

I doubt this guy just "let it slide" in this case.

[FRMLAV8]

I hope you don't think I am beating this into the ground or anything, I just don't want you to have a false sense of security with the detector.

The range on the LASER can be up to 1000 ft, so I don't know how far you were from the cop, but usaully they won't turn it on until you are within their range. I also found this at Howstuffworks.com:
"The tight beam focus of laser speed meters (3 foot diameter at 300 metres) means that there is little or no scatter, rendering most radar/laser detectors useless unless the beam is aimed directly at your vehicle, by which time it would be too late for any warning to be of benefit, as it takes less than a second for your speed to be measured"

Again, please don't think I am trying to contradict your story or anything like that, I just know from experience (read: speeding tickets) that it is nearly impossible to beat instant-on LASER, because by the time you react they have you.

But either way - you didn't get pulled over - and that always makes for a good day

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

Oh i don't think you are beating on it at all. I appreciate your concern for my driving record too. I KNOW how good of a weapon laser is against radar detectors, and I realize that it is almost ALWAYS pointed at YOU if you get an alert.

I just think that in my situation (also, US-212 is simply a surface road with stop lights there, not a highway) that 10 over would have gotten me pulled over.

Maybe I was able to slow down to only 5 over by the time he got my speed, who knows. Or maybe I did just get lucky as you say. I doubt that he would go through the trouble to be as well hidden as he was, use a LASER gun (which are much less common than K or Ka guns) and not go after the black sports car with out-of-state plates if he knew I was going 10 over on a surface street.

Also, you are in Cincy, right? Are you telling me that an OHIO highway patrol officer told you they don't care unless you are 15 over???? I now of 2 or 3 people that have been pulled over for 67, 68 mph in a 65 mph zone in the middle of flat farmland Ohio. That is one of the main grudges people from Michigan hold against that state... we won't go into the others

[FRMLAV8]

He actually works for the county, but he knows the state boys as well as the locals. And he has been told by several that they won't waste their time for less than 13 over the limit. Some of the other ones go by 10 over.

If they got pulled over for 2 or 3 over then the cop was in a REAL bad mood or he used that as an excuse to pull them over to look for something else. But as a general rule they won't pull you over for just a couple MPH over.

Of course there are always exceptions - I onced passed an OSP in the middle of nowhere doing almost 100MPH, and he just smiled at me as I went by. My detector was beeping like crazy!!

And before anyone jumps in to blast me - I had just passed 3 cars on a flat peice of highway, and I don't make a habit of driving that fast.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

Any officer that pulls you over for doing 2-3 mph over the speed limit an ANY speed is a jerk of the highest degree!!!

I usually travel at 5-10 mph over. I have been pulled over 3 times. The first 2 in my Sundance. The first time I had it coming as I gunned it out of a parking lot on a college campus and didn't see the big white car with antennas all over it. The second time was outside of a Military facility (they are very picky). I went out the wrong side of the Citgo.

The only time I was pulled in my Camaro was after I reprogrammed and entered in the wrong diameter for the tires. My speedo was off. I must've been doing between 15-20 over and didn't know it. He said he wasn't going to pull me, but I didn't slow down when he was behind me. I felt like an idiot, but I appoligized and said yes I was speeding and just hadn't been paying attention. I got a warning...thank goodness.

One policy I do have is that if I'm pulled over I don't give BS. If I was speeding that's my fault and I know better...I'll take the ticket if it comes and will be happy he's doing his job. But less than 5 over?!? That would upset me....

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

There are several stories passed around by Michigan drivers about the Ohio State Patrol Officers gunning for Michigan plates. The speed limit is 65 in Ohio (ridiculous in some of the rural areas that it is that slow) and most of the time, PEOPLE OBEY IT! That's what gets me. I always consider it not to really be speeding if you are moving with the flow of traffic. 80 mph is common in Michigan, so it really doesn't seem like speeding. But I remember when returning from spring break in Florida, doing 70 mph all the way through the state of Ohio and being able to count the numbers of cars that passed me on one hand. I felt like I was flying doing 70 mph (which is the Michigan speed limit)...

Whenever Michigan drivers talk about their road trips, they never have anything but choice words for the Ohio State Troopers... We are under the impression that the 65 mph limit is a HARD LIMIT, and Michigan plates will get you pulled over for 5 mph over.

Another thing to consider about speed limits... don't cities realize that the faster they allow cars to go, the faster they get on and off the freeway... thus reducing congestion?

[FRMLAV8]

It must just be a Michigan thing, maybe the OSP doesn't like Michigan. I haven't heard that before though.

Ohio has some of the worst drivers in the US (in my opinion)!
They do 5 under in the fast lane and refuse to get over, they never want to get out of your way (no matter how fast they are going), they pay no attention to where they are.

I was almost hit 3 times yesterday, by people having no clue what was going on around them!

I have alot of pet peeves when it comes to driving, so I better not get started.

Randy

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

A few notes about states I have driven in and observations about their drivers:

Michigan: Home state, so I have the most to say here. There are two regions that I notice very different driving styles. Detroit area, and West Michigan... Detroit area drivers are aggressive, drive fast, usually do not use the turn signal when switching lanes on highways. However, I also find them to be rather competent and aware of their surroundings, they don't seem to struggle much with merging, or with handling themselves in thick traffic. West Michigan drivers drive slower, but still speed and seem to be much more oblivious to their surroundings, although they are more considerate to other drivers.

Ohio: Slow and oblivious.

Kentucky: Nothing jumped out at me. People seemed to cruise 5 to 10 over, use turn signals... seemed pretty normal, although the speed limit is 65 there just like Ohio. 65 mph speed limits are stupid in rural areas.

Tennessee: Faster, probably due to the 70 mph speed limit.

Georgia: Much like Tennessee, except in and around Atlanta. The fastest and most aggressive drivers I have ever seen. The speed limit drops to 55 through downtown, but you better stay above 70 mph or you will get run off the road. I guess they want to get where they are going before the next 8 lane traffic jam hits.

Florida: Old people!!! Talk about oblivious, it is hard to get more oblivious than people who actually ARE going blind. I have seen some crazy things in Florida.

Illinois: Chicago drivers seem to be aware of their surroundings, although inconsiderate as far as turn signals go... much like suburban Detroit drivers. Outside of Chicago it is ridiculous that the speed limit stays at 65 mph. They seem to move pretty well though.

Iowa: Same thing goes for Iowa as the drivers in Illinois outgle much with merging, or with handling themselves in thick traffic. West Michigan drivers drive slower, but still speed and seem to be much more oblivious to their surroundings, although they are more considerate to other drivers.

Ohio: Slow and oblivious.

Kentucky: Nothing jumped out at me. People seemed to cruise 5 to 10 over, use turn signals... seemed pretty normal, although the speed limit is 65 there just like Ohio. 65 mph speed limits are stupid in rural areas.

Tennessee: Faster, probably due to the 70 mph speed limit.

Georgia: Much like Tennessee, except in and around Atlanta. The fastest and most aggressive drivers I have ever seen. The speed limit drops to 55 through downtown, but you better stay above 70 mph or you will get run off the road. I guess they want to get where they are going before the next 8 lane traffic jam hits.

Florida: Old people!!! Talk about oblivious, it is hard to get more oblivious than people who actually ARE going blind. I have seen some crazy things in Florida.

Illinois: Chicago drivers seem to be aware of their surroundings, although inconsiderate as far as turn signals go... much like suburban Detroit drivers. Outside of Chicago it is ridiculous that the speed limit stays at 65 mph. They seem to move pretty well though.

Iowa: Same thing goes for Iowa as the drivers in Illinois outside of Chicago... except I think the speed limit goes back to 70.

Nebraska: Speed limit 75! Thank you! Someone finally realizes 65 mph is safety overkill for long, boring, flat, stretches of nothingness (I am talking to YOU Ohio).

Wyoming: What drivers?

Utah: Didn't drive enough there to get a feel for it.

Wisconsin: Speed limit stays at 65, and a lot of people drive it, but they stay to the right rather well. The nice thing is that the opposite lanes of travel are usually seperated by a buffer of trees, so cops going the other way can't clock you. Even if they did, they would have to wait 4 or 5 miles for the next authorized vehicle turn-around. They are very spread out. I maintained a speed of 85-90 all the way through Wisconsin on my way to Minneapolis without much trouble.

Minnesota: Minneapolis is kind of funny. People tend to "keep up with traffic" well... if traffic's going 80, they go 80. But the speed limit on I-494 is 60, so the bad news is, when people are going 60, they are all going 60. On 2 lane freeways, they seem to stay to the right rather well, but the "slower traffic keep right" book gets thrown out the window as soon as the freeway widens. Cars will do 60 in a 70 zone in the left lane. People also seem to drive like they don't realize they are in a big city. They seem oblivious, and are TERRIBLE at merging. I blame that on the idiot lights. Does any other major US city actually still use traffic lights on freeway on-ramps????

Well, those are just my observations, take them for what they are worth.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

You should see Texas...wow!

Picture this....Two lane road with a few turns in it (definitely not straight). Speed Limit: 75 MPH! These are undivided secondary roads with one lane either way!

People will drive between 55 and 75, but if you come up on someone they will move onto the shoulder and slow down for you to pass. Really cool IMO....and polite as well.

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

Originally posted by Joe K. 96 Zeee!!
You should see Texas...wow!

Picture this....Two lane road with a few turns in it (definitely not straight). Speed Limit: 75 MPH! These are undivided secondary roads with one lane either way!

People will drive between 55 and 75, but if you come up on someone they will move onto the shoulder and slow down for you to pass. Really cool IMO....and polite as well.

Well, I should hope so. If you only do 55 through Texas, you'll never make it out! There are people who drive crappy cars in Texas that can't do more than 55, and they have been stuck in Texas for years trying to make it out! haha...

[FRMLAV8]

Those are pretty good observations. I pretty much drive only in OH and KY, and you are dead on.

OH- oblivious and inconsiderate! >

KY- actually pretty cool. They move pretty well, and they will always get out of your way. I have made a few long trips down I-71, so I usaully set the cruise at 76. People in KY will move over as soon as they see you coming. But people w/ OH tags will stay right where they are even if the whole highway is empty. They act like they are too good to move- actually they are just oblivious to there surroundings!!

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

left out 3 states...

Indiana - Just like Ohio. Slow. I think it is hilarious when I see Indiana and Ohio plates on Michigan freeways. Why? Because they are ALWAYS putzing along, like they are afraid of the Michigan drivers who do 80, while they are used to 65.

Pennsylvania - Again, slow and strict on the limits if I remember right. It's been a while though.

Alabama - I found no problem in Alabama. They seemed to scoot right along and know what they were doing.

I'm realizing, for 21 years of age, I've driven to a lot of places! 15 different states -- not half bad.

[Kevin M]

IMHO

Being in legislation compliance myself I can tell you right now that guy let you go, you weren't worth his time.

Using instant on means I can shoot someone and get a lock in about 1/4 of a second. Considering that your perception time is over 1/3 of a second (assuming you're dead on looking at the detector) and that your reaction time is about 1/3 of a second, by the time you even have a chance to figure out you need to slow and then tell your foot to do it, you're done. The detector is only useful when you're speeding up and you get painted. If the guy's watching you as you're going up and you realize that's not a good idea, he'll probably ignore you even though it's obvious you have a detector.

Now, in my experience, at least most true sports car driver's are paying attention. They enjoy the car and concentrate a little more on their driving. (This includes those dumb@$$ ricers). It's usually the run of the mill Honda with some guy with his ear stuck to a cell phone that has his foot in it that is the menace.