Peace of mind
Written: Jan 30 '01 (Updated Jan 30 '01)
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Pros: Compact design, will work virtually anywhere (ie N.America, Europe etc) Very effective.
Cons: None yet
The Bottom Line: My first radar detector and very happy with its ability to detect operational speed camera's at good distances, allowing plenty of time to check your speed and ensure happy motoring!
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| mustangjockey's Full Review: Beltronics Vector 990 Radar Detector |
After having bought myself a Porsche 996 recently, I decided that it would be a good idea to invest in a radar detector to ensure I don't get caught out needlessly. I checked the other reports here at Epinions and then set about talking to suppliers here in the UK.
The price over here is listed as £349.95 but with a bit of shopping around I actually paid £289.00 (approx. US$421.50)
The unit arrived in the post the next morning and consisted of everything you would need as below:
Curly power lead for the cigar lighter
Straight power lead for the cigar lighter
Windscreen sucker mount
Non-slip pads
Visor clip mount
Instruction manual
and of course the Bel 990i
I have never had one of these units before and so this whole experience is a totally new one for me. The instruction manual talks of the different frequency bands that the unit will detect but does not tell you what police devices work on which frequencies which I think would have been a great help.
I installed the unit into my car in about five minutes, following the instructions, checked the default settings and then set off to find some camera's to detect.
I know of 9 camera's within about a 6 mile radius of where I live in Buckinghamshire. I have to say I was very disappointed with the fact that NONE of these devices set off any alarms at all on my Bel 990i.
I spoke to the retailer and they confirmed that the unit was set up correctly and should be fine, and that here in the UK only 1 in 15 static camera devices was 'live' and operational. Apparently, many of the camera's have no equipment in them but still have an effect on their mere presence on a road. Others will have a flash unit but no camera so again people will see the flash then drive around with more caution for at least the next few days in fear of a pending penalty! I decided therefore to persevere with the unit and have now been on a couple of longer journeys, with the latter being into London.
I can now vouch for the fact that the Bel 990i detects Gatso and Trevello camera's from behind and in-front. Most of the units I passed in London were active and I got about 200 yards warning when approaching from behind a camera (ie in the direction that it takes your picture as you pass by it) and about double that distance when approaching from in-front of the unit, and bear in mind that this is a very densly built-up area, and not on the open road. This latter one is mostly detecting a camera that is watching traffic coming in the other direction BUT, it is best to know either way and it does help you keep an eye on things.
One particular area near Vauxhall bridge, the alarm sounded when I was traveling in the flow of traffic at 37mph. I looked around and couldn't see a camera but slowed to 30 anyway. There was a cement lorry parked on my side of the road and he was blocking my view of the camera as I approached but would NOT have blocked the camera's view of me as I passed. Already my Bel 990i had made me aware of a camera that I would not otherwise have seen.
The retailers, web sites and manufacturers all seem to go out of their way to make you aware of the fact that a detector is not a licence to speed but is purely a reminder that there is a speed detection device in your immediate area and to check your speed. I fully uphold this view and as in my example in London yesterday, it is all too easy to follow the flow of traffic and pass through a camera at excessive speed without realising. I wasn't being dangerous and was aware of my surroundings but you can be pretty busy driving in a built up area, and in the eyes of the law could be speeding and thus suffer the appropriate penalties. This way you have a much greater peace of mind, and whats more I can take this particular unit with me if I travel across into Continental Europe and even over the States. Also it is one of the only systems currently available that is future proofed as the retailer can re-programme it with new frequencies as they emerge.
I am sorry that this report doesn't have lots of technical information and comparisons but I am afraid I don't have the ability or inclination to do these.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mustangjockey
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Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
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