glrnet Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Right guys, my trusty old Snooper Sapphire Camera Detector is coming to the end of it's useful life and I want to replace it. I'd appreciate opinions from anyone who has bought a detector recently. My old Snooper was only for static sites and known risk areas for mobile cameras and that seems to have served me well, however I would not be averse to a system that includes a laser detector. I do not want a combination navigation/camera detector. Advise and opinions much appreciated, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zugara Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I have one you can have, needs the subscription renewed tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choptop Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Are the laser detector ones still legal? Did they eventually get banned??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zugara Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 This one, but the model before it.... http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/origin-b2.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taffyjason Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 i recently bought a GPS based detector, i wouldnt trust it to tell me the time of day, far too many mobile camera's out there. I would like to know if older style radar/laser detectors are still out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomS Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I decided to give PocketGPSWorld a go via CameraAlert on my iPhone. £20 for a years subscription and you can get daily updates of any new spotted cameras. There's an incentive to add cameras you spot; free lifetime subscription. So people are adding camera's everyday! They do have to be verified by multiple users so it's not just a free for all on adding "cameras" you've spotted. It's worked well for cameras so far, driving to Derby it let me know of all static cameras and possible mobile cameras. Didn't see any mobile but it let me know of all mobile a fair distance before they appeared on the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasso Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I've got this one http://www.snooperuk.com/products/3zero/index.html Has everything you need and names the type of camera ahead of you. Provides high risk areas I believe by GPS and to be fair they're normally spot on, so always handy to pay double attention due to large number of accidents but no camera. When it senses a laser heck oh heck it wakes the neigbourhood up!! Handy as the handheld laser pick you up from some distance. By the time they've targeted and obtained a average speed you're off the gas. It scares the pants out of me when it goes off. Very good with cameras providing distance and healthy alerts 400yards in advance. It is very sensitive and will alert you of any kind of signal that 'could' be a camera or detector. Ranging on the strength of the signal it picks up it rates it from 1-5, 5 being a very strong signal. Only downside is it picks up the signal from automatic doors and the like you get at Tesco All in all I'd rather have something sensitive and full of EVERY type of camera and laser and be one step ahead. Good bit of kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubapics Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I decided to give PocketGPSWorld a go via CameraAlert on my iPhone. £20 for a years subscription and you can get daily updates of any new spotted cameras. There's an incentive to add cameras you spot; free lifetime subscription. So people are adding camera's everyday! They do have to be verified by multiple users so it's not just a free for all on adding "cameras" you've spotted. It's worked well for cameras so far, driving to Derby it let me know of all static cameras and possible mobile cameras. Didn't see any mobile but it let me know of all mobile a fair distance before they appeared on the road +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn-350 Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Road Pilot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 laser detectors are a waste of time, by the time they have warned you, you have been lasered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasso Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 They need to average your speed, so around 3-5 seconds. Enough time to hit the anchor, and lower your average. It may not prevent but can lower your chance of excessive readings on their laser. Trust me when this thing goes off its like a real cybertron laser coming into the car. I've had it go off before from a mobile laser and evaded capture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 laser detectors are a waste of time, by the time they have warned you, you have been lasered +1 I used to resell speed camera detectors for years and so was always ahead of the game technology wise and had many detectors before most people did. Laser detectors unless they have recently changed are indeed a waste of time. The laser only takes a second or so to record your speed by which time its too late for you to do anything. Laser Jammers on the other hand can jam the laser for enough seconds for you to drop your speed. However, I think laser jammers are illegal. Radar based speed camera detectors I gave up on a long time ago, so many false alarms. Personally now I dont bother with any speed camera detectors, i just use my satnav and/or a free app on my phone called Waze. Its a sat nav system, but users can report where they see police / mobile traps as well as accidents and hazzards. It also uses user data to show you average speed on roads etc. etc.. Its user based and all updated instantly so very accurate. Theres other similar apps out there, like trapster which also are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I use the free system of sticking to speed limits! Got 3 points last month and just attended speed awareness course last night. No more speeding for me! Ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4RE Leather Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Right guys, my trusty old Snooper Sapphire Camera Detector is coming to the end of it's useful life and I want to replace it. I'd appreciate opinions from anyone who has bought a detector recently. My old Snooper was only for static sites and known risk areas for mobile cameras and that seems to have served me well, however I would not be averse to a system that includes a laser detector. I do not want a combination navigation/camera detector. Advise and opinions much appreciated, thanks I thought you were a fitter of gagets:) You know what I have but am not posting, so Pm me fir details:) Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I thought you were a fitter of gagets:) You know what I have but am not posting, so Pm me fir details:) Peter is it a shotgun? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4RE Leather Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 laser detectors are a waste of time, by the time they have warned you, you have been lasered Mine aint:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4RE Leather Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/le30.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4RE Leather Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I thought you were a fitter of gagets:) You know what I have but am not posting, so Pm me fir details:) Peter is it a shotgun?/quote]Funny enough lol http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/le30.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I thought you were a fitter of gagets:) You know what I have but am not posting, so Pm me fir details:) Peter is it a shotgun?/quote]Funny enough lol http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/le30.htm Seriously though if you get caught with this on surely they'll throw away the key? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4RE Leather Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I am goning to end by saying this. These have been fitted to cars by a friend of mine for the last 5 years. Only one has had any aggravation and that was because he was a complete numpty. He deliberately would find radar sites and speed passed them. In the end the Police followed him and yes he went to court. But it was because he was Police baiting and his previous 2 x drink driving. No your not allowed to have them fitted to avoid speeding fines ect. However if you have a garage door or gate that works of the same frequency then thats fine provided you have the module fitted and remote control unit. I do:) They are fitted so that once they are activated they turn them selves off. I have mine set on 7 secs which gives you enough warning to slow down to the correct speed. The radar must lock on to you so they get a reading. After 7 seconds it will. The 1st couple of times if there is no reading they will flag up your car at Swansea. You may get a knock at the door from a friendly Police officer who will tell you to calm it and that they dont want to come out again. So as not to provoke a heated debate, all the above is based on hard evidance that can be supported. But to once again answer your question. No they are not legal. This of course is not an answer to safety as we should all drive at a speed that is safe for the conditions. But show me some one of long standing as a driver who has never ever gone over the speed limit, and I will show you a lier. I had mine installed so I can get into the automatic lift and through the barrier at a london address. There is a zero speed policy in the city and cameras will zap and lasers will fire at 32mph. So easy in a Zed to drive along the Embankment late at night at 35mph:) I do though highly recomend the Pogo Alert plus. This took over from the origine B2 and is purely a camera database device. Incidently, if you are in a say a 30 mph limit doing 30 mph passed a laser site, you will not activate a warning. This is because they laser is set up to bounce 2 signals off you. The 1st to check your speed. the 2nd to double check and if you are going above 30 mph it will send out a powerfull beam. It is this 3rd beam that does the damage. But will only activate if you are speeding:) Hence the equipment you have in the car is often refered to as useless. One thing i did find about the snooper was that soon after the latest one came out they installed Bus shelter information in real time. All london buses send out a signal so bus stops along the route can display when it is due. It is the same frequency as the snoopers of this world. l think this was done deliberately lol. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasso Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Lasers report back to the unit within a 1/3 of a second. Because the police are scrutinised thoroughly with their equipment, calibration and various locking issues they must use an average so around 5 seconds to ensure they have the correct vehicle, and sighted correctly on the number plate which is reflective. The bonnet or numbers cannot be used for risk of a deflected or inaccurate returning signal. So once the snooper has recognised the laser is aimed at your vehicle you have a short window in which to slow down. Hence the reason I was not prosecuted. Laser jammers as mentioned are illegal if used to avoid a police laser gun, but they have to prove it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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