I just purchased the Escort Passport 8500 last night from EscortRadar.com. I've couple questions that I would like to know about this radar detector.

1.) What does it say when there are cops around, beep maybe?

2.) How do you know if it's giving you the faulse alarm?

3.) How far can it detect and is it both front and back?

4.) Does it detect cops most of the time? I heard that it detects radar gun and radio in the police car.

5.) How to wire the radar detector so the wires won't be noticeable.

6.) Anybody ever gotten a ticket while the radar detector was on?

Please reply if you've used or currently using the Escort Passport 8500, I appreciate it.

P.S. I paid for the UPS Second Day Air Shipping, it should get to me sometimes this Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

I have the 7500 and Im toying with a new 8500 or a V1. The 7500 has been great for the last two years now and from that experience I can answer most of your questions but, not all.

1. It makes different sounds for different types of radar signals. The sound increases in intensity as the source gets stronger (cops get closer). It beeps and braps and you will get used to the sounds very quickly.

2. You dont know about the false alarms on any detector until you get used to it. The detector simply picks up a signal and does not know if it is false or not. That is the case with all of them however some, such as your 8500, can filter them out fairly well.

3. Radar signals bounce around alot so it will pick up from the back although the antennae is in the front. It picks up from the front at about 1.5 to 3 miles away. Often the signal you get will be the radar bouncing off a car well in front of you. It may seem to go away but, be careful. Could be instant on type.

4. It detects most of the time. I know nothing about it picking up police radio.. NOT.

5. My cord just dangles.

6. I got a ticket once for not paying attention to the signal. I learned from that one.

Good luck... your eyes are still your best defense against traps. Keep a good watch and let the detector serve as an auxilary. they are great tools.

 

Thanks you for replying me, I appreciate it.

Guess I chose the right one

 

1.) What does it say when there are cops around, beep maybe? Different beeps for different types of radar. The LASER is the shrillest! When you hear it the first time it will shock you. At the beginning, when you turn on the car it will give you a short sampling of the differnt beeps. This you can turn off after you decide which settings you prefer.

For myself, I prefer the vertical bars, which signal up to 6 different radar sources at once. As you get closer to the source the bars get taller, as you drive away from the source, the bars get smaller.

2.) How do you know if it's giving you the faulse alarm? The 8500 is known for it's ability to reject/minimize false alarms, mostly caused by reflected signals. Driving near airports and certain areas in the city, - garage door opener sensors in condos, security systems, - will give you signals (beeps) in a specific locations. You may turn the band that gives you most false returns off.

For myself, I know where these locations are; I have all bands ON.

3.) How far can it detect and is it both front and back? This depends on the type of radar emittet. Read the brochure and the website talks about sensitivity re the tests. Instant on/off radar usually gives you the shortest time to respond. (i.e. dig a hole and vanish!!)

4.) Does it detect cops most of the time? I heard that it detects radar gun and radio in the police car. It only detects radar and laser signals when they are turned on. Radar from a plane above is a problem for all radar detectors.

5.) How to wire the radar detector so the wires won't be noticeable.First mount the 8500 on the winshield and plug the cord into the cigarette lighter. Get used to the different signals and settings.

READ the INSTRUCTIONS!!

Then have it hardwired by a pro to the cigarette lighter.

Ask your MB dealer. At my dealership they have a sub contractor, who hardwired it.

6.) Anybody ever gotten a ticket while the radar detector was on? NO. Do not rely on the detector for 100% alerts when you are driving.

Remember, there are many UNMARKED cars on the road, and a lot of cell-phone users who can alert the highway patrols.

The Escort 800-433-3487 tel.# is always open to you for info/help/sales. I called them for additional suction cups and bracket for occasional use in another car. I also ordered the additional one year warranty.

You may want to order the hardwire kit, but first call your MB dealership re sub to install it and talk to sub or whoever MB dealer recommends.

Congrats and good luck with this fine product.

 

Thanks Karl, you've always been helpful, I appreciate your help.

 

lowryder listen carefully police have a new state of the art laser gun, now depending on what angle your car is being scanned you have approx. 6 to 8 seconds to react befoRE gettig caught. your first reaction should be to hit the brakes hard to slow down.90 percent of the time you won't get caught. the faster you are going the better chance you have of getting tagged.the boys at work have tested both radar detectors. your react time is critical. here in new york when you get pulled over speeding in a mercedes clk you know you bought your self one. ALWAYS REMEMBER WHEN YOU GET CAUGHT HAVE YOUR PAPERS READY, TRY TO HUMBLE YOURSELF,REMOVE YOUR RADAR DETECTOR OUT OF SITE, AND PRAY YOU HAVE A GOOD B.S. SOB STORY. GOODLUCK

 

Good advice & stay close to the speed limit.

REPEAT: How far can it detect and is it both front and back?

This depends on the type of radar emittet. Read the brochure and the website talks about sensitivity re the tests.

Instant on/off radar - laser - usually gives you the shortest time to respond.

(i.e. dig a hole and vanish!! ):o

Here is a list on Speed Traps & more...

http://www.speedtrap.org/stetlist.htm

 

both ESCORT 8500 AND THE VI did a good job on detecting the laser. in a wide open area theses radar detectors pick up the signals really good. most police cars that are shooting radar will try to find area's where cars dont pick up the signal as quick. THATS WHY I SAY ON THESES INSTANCES REACT TIME IS CRITICAL.GOOD LUCK TO ALL WHO USE RADAR DECTORS, BUCKLE UP, AND DONT EVER THINK CAUSE YOU HAVE A RADAR YOU WONT GET CAUGHT . YOU WILL EVENTUALLY. PICK YOUR SPOTS TO OPEN UP.

 

Karl K, The only radar used by the police in the air is to check for other aircraft wher they are flying, and or a storm scope. No speed measurement by radar from above, or laser for that matter. Just a good ol' Stopwatch, and an officer and or pilot with eyes. Not much too it actually considering all the high tech things out there.



Mountain Dean, no such Laser. The acquisition used to be much slower and is no much faster. Even with the older units acquistion would only take about 2 seconds. Which means if you are doing 80MPH, in 2 seconds you have traveled 234.08 feet. About the time for you and the car to react in concert with each other. Certainally not enough to make a difference in the clocked speed that significant.

Can these detectors save you from tickets, sure they can. However do not expect them to do it on there own, when you are the only car out there. You must pay attention to the beeps you get way before you are actually anywhere near the police car that spit the signal in the first place. Hope this helps.

 

randy your laser assement is dead wrong. when i was on patrol about 10 yrs. ago radar was slow an unadvanced. new york n.j, and maryland have up graded there laser device and its harder to be detected. most of the country has the newer teck. i'm no expert in this field by any means .like i posted earlier react time is the key,I WILL POST THE NEW LASER GUN ADVANCEMENTS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

 

Thanks for the replies guys, I learned a lot about the radar detector and how the radar guns work. Maybe I'll post another one about the radar detector once I receive it.

 

Mountain Dean, it appears I am confused with your mention of Radar and Laser in the same sentence as they are two different devices. Laser has only been prominent the last 7-8 years, and the technology changed with better lenses and light transmitters about three years ago. Radar has had many improvements including the change in bands, which also changed the width and bounce frequency, as well as the target acquisition circuitry. And I am in the business currently and have been for over ten years now, so perhaps the models and or equipment has changed since you last touched one.

 

Randy B wroteRANDY:
Which speed detection device(s) is linked to testicular carcinomas? Do you know since you are "in the business?"

 

Radar, is the one, and was the main reason for hand held units going the way of the dinosaur, except for motorcycle applications. Most guys would use handheld radar (Back when instant on did not exist, it was just on all the time) and place it in their crotch when they were not aiming the radar at a target. Basically Microwaving (No pun intended as it is microwaves) there crotch. We as an agency have not had handheld radar units since the early eighties.

 

Randy B:

Tnx for your expert response re old generation radar guns and related carcinomas.

Are there any studies, or do you know, of any potential radiation hazards from the radar detectors, since most are mounted near the rear-view mirror, - in close proximity to the brain?

 

I'm no expert in the cancer causing field of radar and microwave emmisions. I'm sure you can find a better source for that than me. My use of radar/laser detectors is very limited. Goes back many years, to when I had an original Escort, and than a Snooper D9000??? or D4000, I'm not sure. They were all great detectors at the time. They are now extinct in technology for detection. From the studies that were passed around through the unions, almost all of them blamed the handheld radar units on the crotch placing with hours of driving with them in the on position and resting in the lap. Since we have had the remote type units, there has not been a single claim for these types of cancer that I'm aware of. Hope this helps for wherever you were going with your thoughts.