Escort Announces New Passport Max Detector and an End to False Alarms

Today I was cruising along I-95 south, coming out of the GWB. Right after the 80 split, I get passed by an Accord hauling ass. I slow down, because I know better; A Jersey State Trooper always camps out on the left, waiting to pounce on the unaware speeder coming around that bend. Even though he is right out in the open, by the time the Honda saw him, it was already too late. Speed traps down here aren’t always on the side of the road, sometimes they stalk congested traffic in unmarked units as well, and even use the occasional air unit. I have yet to find a detector that works effectively in metro NY. It’s a challenge for any system because the amount of signal interference makes it constantly chirp for false alarm. 

I got news the other day of a new detector announced from Escort, which makes some lofty promises and might be worth checking out. Apparently this device is a bit different because it contains an intelligent signal analysis which reads signals differently to cut down on the amount of false alerts. It also packs in a longer range, and faster response time, so you get that extra split second to hit your brakes if needed.

But back to the guy in the Accord - This radar detector also has access to GPS location technology, so if he had this system, it would have likely alerted the offender that there was always a speed trap here. The “Defender Database” as it’s called also flags the location of speed cams and other threats to provide advance warning.

At $549 it’s a bit of a lofty price for a windshield unit, but it has some nice features such as a customizeable OLED display that flows with your ride’s interior, and displays a wealth of useful information.

https://www.escortradar.com/passportmax/index.php

See below for press release from Escort

ESCORT Debuts Ultra-Fast PASSPORT® Max™ HD Radar Detector, Powered by Advanced Military Technology

WEST CHESTER, Ohio, June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Category leading innovator and holder of over 85% of radar patents,ESCORT Inc. (escortinc.com) raises the radar detector performance benchmark again with the release of its all-new High Definition PASSPORT^® Max™ radar & laser detector. Using advanced military technology, PASSPORT Max™ delivers high definition performance with ultra-fast signal processing and unprecedented noise filtering. 

“Our new PASSPORT Max™ is the best detector we have ever made," said John Larson, ESCORT President and CEO. 

True Digital Signal Processing allows PASSPORT Max™ to achieve ultra–fast processing speeds, unprecedented range reporting and DNA intelligent signal analysis for the ultimate in alert clarity. 

PASSPORT Max™ establishes never before seen performance levels for radar and laser ticket protection. 

By designing PASSPORT Max™ around advanced military high speed digital signal processing (DSP) technology, ESCORT engineers have given PASSPORT Max™ the ability to search for threats fifty times faster than any other radar detector.  PASSPORT Max™ literally scans for radar threats faster than 'the blink of an eye' (a human eye blink takes several hundred milliseconds while PASSPORT Max™ scans signals more than twice as fast).  

This dramatic increase in speed delivers a corresponding leap in detection capability and range. 

In an advanced new product test overseen by the category's leading authority, Speed Measurement Labs (SML), PASSPORT Max™ established three new benchmarks for the detector category.  Setting new records for longest range, fastest response time and greatest sensitivity, PASSPORT Max™ displayed the best performance that SML had ever witnessed. 

"In 30 years of impartial testing, we haven't seen this level of reporting range or immediacy of alerts by any other radar detector," said Speed Measurement Labs President and CEO.

In one test, physicists used an extremely low powered radar gun to test sensitivity. Typically, detectors do not see this source beyond the one-mile mark but PASSPORT Max™reported the same source from beyond seven miles! 

In another SML test, PASSPORT Max™proved its extremely fast response time by alerting to measured test signals more than four times faster than any competitor detector ever tested. 

To determine how far PASSPORT Max™could alert, SML engineers used the longest physical distance on the range. PASSPORT Max™reported every gun, every signal, to more than fifteen miles (standard detector testing for the SML range ends at nine miles as detectors predictably cannot pick up such weak test signals). PASSPORT Max™simply reported alerts from the longest distance ever tested. 

Additionally, high speed military DSP enables the PASSPORT Max™ to process signals with more than an order of magnitude increase in measured selectivity. An order of magnitude translates into a ten-fold increase in performance. This new level of selectivity, or intelligent signal analysis, is similar to the dramatic performance increase seen in forensics when technicians moved from fingerprint readings to the science of DNA analysis. 

PASSPORT Max™ 'sees' the DNA of every received signal, a technology that no other detector possesses. 

For drivers this means an entirely new level of signal information and awareness. PASSPORT Max™ filters the true alerts, those from radar guns, from unwanted false alerts, such as automatic door openers and motion sensors, that competitor radar detectors cry 'wolf' to over and over again.  PASSPORT Max™ reports with an accuracy that exceeds any other technology ever driven.

"...this is the best radar detector ever made," said leading industry analyst, Radar Roy.

PASSPORT Max™ also features a new high definition OLED (organic LED) multi-color graphics display. Drivers can choose up to four different colors for displaying critical driving information such as posted speed limits, over speed alerts, driving speed and more. 

The high speed DSP detector also includes ESCORT's patented GPS Location Awareness technology, which enables PASSPORT Max™ to alert to fixed position threats including red light and speed cameras, major speed traps and future threat technologies as they unfold. 

PASSPORT Max™ includes a mini-USB port for quick connection to the internet for software expansion, data base updates and more. With Internet connectivity, ESCORT engineers can always keep PASSPORT Max™ at the leading edge of detector performance.

PASSPORT Max™ is designed to connect with ESCORT's multi-award winning ESCORT Live™ ticket protection network. ESCORT Live™ helps customers drive smarter by dramatically increasing overall knowledge of their driving environment through threat and information sharing among networked drivers.

"As the category innovator, we simply keep pushing radar detector technology to new performance standards – PASSPORT Max™ establishes a completely new level of driving awareness and protection," said Tim Coomer, ESCORT Product Development Vice-president. "PASSPORT Max™ is the new best-in-class performance with record measured alert speed, record measured range and record measured selectivity for superior performance."

PASSPORT Max™ continues ESCORT's 30 plus year dominance of the radar detector category.

PASSPORT Max retails for $549.95 and is available factory direct. 

For more information on the new ESCORT PASSPORT Max™ HD Radar Detector, ESCORT Live™ ticket protection app and ESCORT's complete line of premium automotive products, visit ESCORTinc.com or, call the company direct at 800.433.3487.

About ESCORT Inc. 
ESCORT Inc. is the leading manufacturer of high-performance radar and laser detectors, the patented ESCORT Live™ real-time ticket protection network, ESCORT MobileTV™, Guardian Alert reverse obstacle detection systems, Entourage GPS-enabled navigation and tracking products, ESCORT QuickStart™ and other Drive Smarter products.  ESCORT manufactures products under the ESCORT, PASSPORT, Max, REDLINE, SOLO, Vector and BELTRONICS brands. The company is headquartered in West Chester, Ohio, with its principal manufacturing facility located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

I got 99 Problems and the TVB is one.

I'm driving on the Clearview Southbound the other day. I'm keeping pace with traffic, and take position behind a rapidly moving black A4 from the middle lane to pass a slow moving VW. It was a gorgeous day. The sunroof is open, the radio is blasting, and I feel great.

That is until I see the unmarked black NYPD Charger bust out from my left from his hiding spot.

He accelerates with such fury that his ass actually kicks out as he pulls out from the dirt underneath the overpass to the tarmac. Im not worried. I see him coming, and I slide to the right. The Audi in front of me was hauling ass, so I almost feel bad for him.

Then he moves right with me and gets right behind me, cherries ablaze. Crap.  This is gonna suck. I know im about to get pulled over, so my first move is to roll down all my windows and avoid the illegal tint ticket.

At this point I'm contemplating that I got two choices, yall-  pull over the car or bounce on the double put the pedal to the floor. Now a high speed chase is the wrong move, as I can’t outrun an Interceptor package V8 charger.

Plus I got a few dollars I can fight the case.  So....I pull over to the side of the road, and I heard "Son do you know why I'm stopping you for?"

"Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hat's real low" I said;  this was not received well.  At this point I realize my PBA and officers Union stickers won’t be of help.

"Well you was doing 74 in a fifty (four)".

So I got a ticket. Its OK, I'm not mad about it. I have the "don't do the crime if you cant do the time" mentality, and my respect for police officers reminds me he is out there doing his job. I was speeding, I got a ticket, I deserved it, lets pay the fine and move on. But this is where things went south.

Apparently, in NYC, Buffalo and Rochester only, traffic and vehicular infractions are handled by an Organization called the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) which is actually the militant arm of the DMV. This is different than the rest of the state where you get a ticket, and you can plead guilty or not guilty. If you plead the latter, you got to court, where the cop will likely knock it down. Not the TVB. If you dare to plead not guilty, the ticket actually warns you that there will likely be additional fees. They also warn that there is no reduction - you are either guilty or the ticket is dismissed. You better lawyer up if you want to fight because the tickets don’t get dismissed. In fact, it has even been reported that cops get in trouble if tickets are dismissed. Even on the ticket, it basically tells you don’t even attempt to fight this ticket.

In big letters, it tells me i have 15 days to respond, or my automotive world will end due to license suspension, they will kidnap my dog, and write mean things about me on yelp.

As you might know, there is now a fantastic world wide web out there of information sharing that we can all use to computerize our lives and make things easier. The TVB has also embraced this with an “E-plead” function of their website. When you log on using the ticket information, you are able to pay for your ticket and put it behind you. Sounds great in theory. So I logged on a few days after I got the ticket, and it says it is not in their database yet. I signed up to get the email, and they will send me a generated notification of when it becomes available. Great. So I researched this matter, and I found they actually never really post the tickets online in a timely fashion. I also asked one of my friends who works for the NYS DMV about this delay. She was unaware of the TVB’s practices, further contributing to their image as a rogue shadow splinter cell that exists within the states bureaucracy.

I got the email today. Today. I got the ticket nearly 20 days ago. I’m no mathematician, but that seems to be more than the threatening 15 day minimum. Foreseeing this delay, I thankfully dusted off my checkbook, and paid this by snail mail. Now let’s just hope they recognize it, as I always worry about the efficiency of blindly sending something and trusting the post office to deliver it.

But there is one more nagging thing that I have to deal with, and that’s the points. this infractions carries a 6 point penalty, which is very harsh. In NY, if you get 11 points within an 18 month period, you get an automatic suspension. So you better believe that im going to be taking a defensive driving course to lose 4 of those points, and help with any insurance issues that arise.

But I also learned something today. I don’t have to drive that fast. I was never a douche on the road; I never was a tailgater, or made unsafe lane changes. I let people merge in front of me, and I try to be courteous. But I do certainly prefer the left lane and have a lead foot. I think this is a good example of the system doing its job as I constantly remind myself to slow down to a reasonable speed, or risk losing my right to drive. But I am also saving gas, and being safer, which are also benefits. Did I just grow up? I think so.

 

The death of Panther from the people that use it

I’m a talker, or so I have been told. Maybe it’s my up-stater-ness, but like engaging people in conversation, and this holds true when I’m stuck in a car for someone for about an hour. Because of my job, I often find myself utilizing car service when driving or public transportation is not practical. Last week, I took a late night ride home from Manhattan with a Pakistani driver who had a lot of opinions and shared some knowledge with me.

Some guys just know more about the roads than us commuters can ever imagine. Among airline pilots and cops, my favorite people to talk to our livery drivers. Unlike NY cabbies, these guys have to have a good grasp on English, and an extensive knowledge of the tri-state area, not just the five boroughs. So of course, we had a great long conversation on the death of the Crown Vic/ Town car / Panther platform which is on top of the minds of many.

This is a very interesting topic which has some very passionate to fleet drivers and managers, yet we know nothing in the mainstream, and it affects us all. Here’s the scoop: after this year, Ford will discontinue the Panther platform, which is responsible for the Crown Victoria (cops cars, taxi cabs), the Lincoln Town Car (livery and fleet drivers, gypsy cabs) and the Grand Marquis (old people, already dead with Mercury).  Perhaps it is time to embrace a platform with better fuel efficiency and modern features. So let’s explore these groups, and how they are affected:

Cabs and Livery: For the cabs, this means a replacement in the next few years, which the city has decided to go with a Nissan minivan that’s drawing a lot of criticism, but hey, fuel efficiency. Other cities like Las Vegas are trying out the Ford Transit connect, which lost the NYC war due to fuel efficiency.  The livery folks are on their own; they tried the Camry hybrid, but found it to falter mainly on comfort and space. I was told you can only fit 2 large suitcases, whereas the venerable Town Car can fit 4-5 bags, and still have room left for a dead prostitute. It looks like the best runner up right now will be the Lincoln MKZ and MKX, basically a Ford Taurus and a Ford Explorer. Some of the guys drive hybrids, especially for the large Escalades and Tahoes, but with $5 fuel in our near future, efficiency becomes even more important, and we will be seeing less of this platform, especially as car companies are adopting a driver-owned fleet.

Cops:
No one feels the hurt from the death of Panther worse than cops who are losing their trusted Crown Vic Interceptor package for whatever the local community decides what’s next.

So why not the Ford Taurus interceptor Ford showed as the replacement? Simple answer is that it’s FWD. I talked to a couple of cops, and they hate the lack of control and torque FWD cars offer. While an AWD option is available, its doubtful many departments ill pony up the extra cash, and the hit to fuel efficiency makes it less attractive.  They cited the failure of the Impala as an intercept vehicle. I think this is a bad move on Fords part, as a good chunk of their community fleet sales are going to go to the Dodge Charger Pursuit package that’s already the scourge of NYC roadways. Another factor is intimidation. The Charger has it, but I think the Taurus pictured here will give the Charger a run for its money.

Old people: Don’t worry, Buick is coming back with a vengeance, no one is going to notice the Grand Marquis.

So why would Ford kill off such a successful platform with such a long history? While I am sure that they have their reasons, the common word on the street seems to be the influx of third party parts. See, the manufacturer makes a boatload on parts for cars. Rotors, radiators, drive belts, all of these wear out due to wear and tear, and are incremental revenue to Ford.  Now, there are so many third party companies undercutting the OEM parts, that the only way to get this revenue back is to completely overhaul the platform. If this is done, its going to be years before third party vendors can re-tool CNC machinery to reverse engineer OEM-like parts. Do I know this for a fact? No not at all. This could be totally way off, but this seems to be what the common thought is.

No Matter how fast you drive....

There is an important lesson here that a cop buddy once told me. He said

"NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU DRIVE, RADIOS GO FASTER."

Guess no one told that to these guys out in Holbrook, when they were clocked by a unit and intercepted (after crashing). At any rate, thankfully no one was seriously hurt, so thats another dangerous SRT4 and Evo off the road that I don't have to worry about.  At any rate, street brakes typically can't handle a 140 mph slow down off an on ramp, as these two inevitably found out.

Hit the link for the Daily News story

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2011/03/03/2011-03-03_photo_drag_racers_speeding_over_140_mph_crash_on_lie__and_miraculously_everyone_.html

 

Top 10 List for Metro NY Commuters

I am so freakin’ excited because summer is almost here. I actually hate the heat, and could care less about the beach, but summer means that all little rug rats are out of school and traffic decreases significantly. However, there is one more hurdle to pass, and that is today. The Memorial Day Holiday.

This Thursday is by far one of the most unpredictable traffic days of the year. We just don’t know if everyone is going to be taking Friday off to get a jump on their weekend plans. We don’t know how much extra construction there will be, because crews earn time and a half for working on the holiday. We don’t know how many non-commuters will get into accidents and cause major delays for the rest of us. But I can tell you the tolls will likely be hellish.

Nevertheless, I thought of something the other day. Everyone likes top 10 lists, so I put together a list of the top ways you know you are a hardcore commuter for the NY Metro Area.

1. You can straddle a pothole at 60 mph without breaking a sweat


2. You follow the person with their convertible top down on the CBX, and squeal with delight on the inside when they get the mystery water substance dumped on them that falls from the underpasses


3. 1010Wins and NewsRadio88 are your first two presets


4. Most other places in the world would consider our safe following distance to be tailgating


5. Don’t worry about that NYPD cop, I’m only doing 65 MPH in a 50 zone


6. You know that the word “express” usually means slower. For example, “express” lanes for NJ turnpike, Long Island “Express”way, etc


7. You have a deep appreciation for Jewish holidays, no matter what your faith is


8. You have a favorite toll lane


9. You know the Clearview is where it’s at


10. And finally, you get really annoyed on Fridays when all the slow, non commuters invade your way home.

Broken down:

99 Corolla, 96 BMW 3 series, 2000 Maxima, 96 Grand Marquis, 94 Grand Marquis

Quota Time - How to Spot an NYPD Unmarked Charger

Last night, I counted no less than 10 cops on my way home patrolling for speeders. This includes NJ State Troopers, NYPD, NY Staties and a Nassau Sheriff. So apparently, its quota time.* Mostly, they are using the newer Dodge Chargers to replace aging Crown Vic interceptors. The Dodges have the 5.7 liter V8 that’s pretty badass, but with a governor.

Before we go any further, let me say to always obey local speed laws and respect law enforcement, because they are just out there making the roads safer, getting idiots off the roads, and putting money in the municipal coffer. Speeding or any unsafe driving is not safe, and is not condoned.

But you should probably know what you're up against out there.

This is what the Police package Dodge Charger Interceptor is packing:
• Zero to 60 mph: 6.0 sec
• Zero to 100 mph: 15.4 sec
• Zero to 130 mph: 32.4 sec
• Street start, 5-60 mph: 6.4 sec
• Standing ¼-mile: 14.6 sec @ 97 mph
• Top speed (governor limited): 148 mph
• Braking, 70-0 mph: 179 ft
• Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g

That being said, here’s how to spot an unmarked Charger. See the below photos, but here’s where not to look:
• Exhausts – Dual exhausts used to mean unmarked. Now, even the V6 chargers have the dual exhaust.
• Light package – If you are close enough to spot hidden lights in the grill, its already too late
• Headlights – They are the same, but never HID or projector
• License plates – there no discernable special codes for law enforcement on unmarked’s
• Suspension –even though its beefed up, it’s not a discernible difference by glance

Note: taxi companies and liveries often buy used police cars for use as Taxi's. In NY, if it has an orange reflector in the back, its always a taxi.

This is what to notice: (numbers correspond to photos)
1. Rims – usually police departments use cheaper and easier to maintain black steelies with center caps
2. Antenna array – most will have 3 stubby antennas or a center mounted CB antenna
3. Spotlight on the river side is a dead giveaway. some taxi cabs leave them on
4. Brushguard / Pushbar
5. It’s what is missing here- the trim designation badge
6. Fog lights. Cop cars won’t have them, as they are always an optional accessory
7. License plate frame - only civilian vehicles from dealerships will have this
8.  Grills - typically, the body painted grill is on the SRT-8 and other higher end packages for the charger, so its pretty rare. you can bet that if the grill is not plastic chrome, it might be the fuzz.

 charger"][/caption]

Creative common license, photo by AEMoreira042281

http://www.flickr.com/photos/av8pix/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

- photo from www.autoblog.com"

The civilian model– images from www.autoblog.com


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* disclaimer - According to Police, quotas do not exist.

Broken Down - 2001 Mitsubishi Galant