The daily grind in America consists of one constant for millions of Americans: the commute. We wake up each day and hop in the car to drive to work or school. Some of us sit in traffic for an hour or more, either because we are driving long distances or live in dense, urban areas. Traffic has a strange effect on some people. It can cause some people to simply zone out behind the wheel, while driving others into a state of nonsensical singing just to pass the time.
There are others who insist on trying to speed their way around traffic in an effort to cheat the system. Even if those individuals are successful, law enforcement is often waiting around the corner to tag them for speeding and issue a citation. Whether you are driving on your local highways to work or hitting the open road for a road trip, law enforcement is waiting to ensure that people are obeying speed limits.
If you have a radar detector in your vehicle, you are being proactive in protecting yourself against a speeding ticket. If you don’t, well you’d better pay attention to the speedometer. For those considering a new radar detector, or their first, we’re here to help. We’ve sifted through the feature lists, pros, cons, and consumer reviews of some of the most popular radar detectors available today. We’ve compiled all that information into useful reviews that help guide your shopping. In this review, we take a close look at the Whistler XTR 140.
Features of the Whistler XTR 140
The best feature a modern radar detector can offer is full-band protection. Police and other law enforcement officials use a variety of different radar and laser signals to tag speeding drivers. The Whistler XTR 140 offers full-band protection against K, X, and Ka radar signals, as well as VG-2 cloaking and safety radar band identification.
VG-2 is a technology used by police that can best be described as a radar detector-detector. The Whistler XTR 140 alerts you to the presence of VG-2 detectors active in the area and helps cloak your device from detecting by police. Emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, and laser signals that monitor road conditions and potential hazards can be identified by the Whistler XTR 140. This feature gives drives advanced warning of nearby emergency vehicles and alerts to potential hazards on the road ahead.
Other important features of the Whistler XTR 140 include Alert Priority, Quiet/Auto Quiet modes, and three City/Highway modes. Alert Priority helps identify the more important signal in the area when multiple radar or laser signals are detected. For example, if you are driving along and X-band and VG-2 are detected, the device will ignore the X-band alert and inform you of the VG-2 radar detector-detector.
The Quiet/Auto Quiet mode on the Whistler XTR 140 allows you to minimize the potential distraction of your device. When you push the quiet button before a signal, auto quiet mode is automatically engaged. This means that subsequent alerts will first be delivered in a low audio tone before switching to visual cues alone. If you push the quiet button during an alert, everything is silenced and only visual alerts will be provided.
Last but not least, the City/Highway modes make it possible for drivers to enhance the effectiveness of the device based upon driving conditions. Urban areas tend to have a variety of radar and laser signals that are not used by law enforcement. Without a City/Highway mode option, your radar detector would constantly provide alerts driving through a neighborhood as garage door openers (for example) use radar bands. With City mode, your radar detector can filter out irrelevant radar signals to focus on law enforcement signals.
Without a City/Highway mode option, your radar detector would constantly provide alerts driving through a neighborhood as garage door openers (for example) use radar bands. With City mode, your radar detector can filter out irrelevant radar signals to focus on law enforcement signals.
Pros of the Whistler XTR 140 Radar Detector
The Whistler XTR 140 lives up to the reputation of its predecessors from Whistler. The Whistler XTR 140 offers an average alert distance of one mile across all radar bands. For the average driver, this is more than enough time and space to adjust speed and avoid a ticket. It is also worth noting that the greatest benefit to this model is the value.
There are a lot of radar detectors available in the $40 to $50 price range, but few of them operate as effectively as the Whistler. What’s more impressive is the fact that this particular Whistler operates more effectively than many of its more expensive competitors. Many drivers also rave about the Twin-Alert periscopes. The periscopes are two bright, LED lights that flash to alert drivers about radar and laser signals detected in the area. The lights are bright enough to alert drivers even in sunny conditions and provide a good backup plan when audible alerts cannot be heard over the sound of your radio.
Cons of the Whistler XTR 140 Radar Detector
Few drivers have complained about the performance of the Whistler XTR 140. It has been noted by some drivers that the City/Highway modes are not as effective as advertised. Other common complaints about this particular model include issues with the alert distance. However, the Whistler radar detector never promises to deliver alerts from a particular distance. Given the cost-effective pricing on this model, consumers should have modest expectations about range from the beginning.
Honest Assessment of the Whistler XTR 140 Radar Detector
Radar detectors are often viewed as life savers by drivers. Far too many people believe that radar detectors have spotless records when it comes to detecting radar and laser signals. The fact of the matter is that $50 and $400 models have the potential for flaws. Those who experienced issues with the Whistler XTR 140 often had expectations that were way too high.
If you enjoy speeding on a regular basis and need a radar detector capable of long-distance detection, you’re looking at the wrong model. However, if you need a reliable device that can save you from tickets during regular driving conditions, this is the right model for you. It offers the best performance from a cost-effective model.