Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Speed detector devices

General car related chat
Post Reply
User avatar
bubbabear
Member
Member
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 8:54 pm
Location: Wimbledon

Speed detector devices

Post by bubbabear » Sun Mar 11, 2018 7:48 am

Hi

Can anyone recommend a speed detector device that will sit on the dashboard. How effective are they at detecting speed cameras?

Thanks
X5 xdrive30d sport 2012, past E39 530i sport touring , e46 330ci.

User avatar
X5Sport
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 18777
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: Planet X6......

Re: Speed detector devices

Post by X5Sport » Sun Mar 11, 2018 7:58 am

GPS versions are really the only thing to use now.  More and more cameras use in road detector loops rather than radar so there is no signal to detect, and lasers as used by the vans or handheld will have got a reading before your detector will have screamed a warning at you! 

The SPECS (average speed) systems use time data between two cameras (or more), so again nothing to detect.

I used to use Road Angel products but now use the safety camera add-on in a Garmin Satnav (has better traffic condition data than the in built BMW system and cost less than a Nav update too!) which costs £16 a year.  It tells me that I am in a safety camera area and displays the camera symbol on screen.

My Road Angels had a laser pickup device but I don’t remember it ever triggering simply because the beam is aimed at a headlight or number plate, and being narrow there simply isn’t enough scatter for the detector to pick up, that and typically the laser will be aimed at less than 200m so if you haven’t seen the van by then you aren’t looking!
Last edited by X5Sport on Sun Mar 11, 2018 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

User avatar
pvr
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5254
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:13 pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: Speed detector devices

Post by pvr » Sun Mar 11, 2018 8:26 am

I use a Cheetah, and as I am only interested I the warning, it is in the glovebox and I can hear that perfectly well.

Move it between cars, primary use is when I have to go to London (rarely). I have no idea how anyone can drive there though as the place is littered with cameras everywhere in strange 30 and 20 zones. The Cheetah works very well (but is almost permanently warning me due to the sheer volume of cameras).
X5M F85,  Golf Clipper, Abarth 595 Competizioni, Jeep

911 50th anniversary -
Site & Forum Admin Team Member.

jagr
Member
Member
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 4:08 am
Location: Cheshire

Re: Speed detector devices

Post by jagr » Sun Mar 11, 2018 12:39 pm

I have a Valentine V1 in my X3 and a Snooper S2 in my Boxster.
2011 BMW X3 30d M Sport

RichM50d
Member
Member
Posts: 288
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2017 7:50 am

Re: Speed detector devices

Post by RichM50d » Sun Mar 11, 2018 10:01 pm

Can the factory sat Nav be updated with speed camera locations?

Post Reply