VEIL VS chrome

huntin · #1 (**permalink**) 2009-04-07

In my area you don't see much in the way of laser speed enforcement. I think my detector has gone off twice in the last year for laser. But every year I see them using Laser a little more.
Summer is coming and that means the motorcycle cop will be out with his laser gun. I drive a 98 Chevy Tahoe which has a huge chrome bumper on the front. I'd like to give myself a lil warning but I don't know how much VEIL on my lights will help when the cop has that big chrome bumper to shoot for. Can VEIL be applied to chrome and would it help? If so has anyone tried it and how does it look?
I'm sure a laser jammer would be my best bet but it's just not worth the $500+ cost for the minimal amount of Laser use in my area. I also have concerns about jammers because I've heard the guns will tell the officer they are being jammed and in a rural area like this I think that would draw more attention than I would care for. Any Suggestions?

Veil Guy · #2 (**permalink**) 2009-04-08

huntin,

Welcome to STH.

I have not specifically conducted tests as to the potential vulnerabilities of having unprotected chrome on a vehicle in the form of a bumper. But you may not be as vulnerable as you might expect.

Veil can certainly be applied to chrome, but given the amount of coverage that you would likely want to do with a big chrome bumper, airbrushing would likely give you better results aesthetically.

I think a potentially better setup would be to install a reliable LED laser jammer like a Blinder M25 (for the front) or an Escort ZR4 combined with the use of Veil. These two products will work wonders for you (active and passive synergy).

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about certain lidar guns being able to detect jamming, as some popular guns don't even check, and others can have those results created by other circumstances.

I WOULD recommend that if you so chose to augment your Veil system with a laser jammer (regardless of brand) that you be sure to shut them down early (after any potential speed adjustment) and not jam-to-gun any lidar operator. There's jammer manufacturer marketing hype surrounding some products, but JTG'ing in the real-world is a bad idea, long-term. As long as you avoid this manner of usage, I would expect you to be just fine.

Veil Guy

TSi+WRX · #3 (**permalink**) 2009-04-08

For that large of a vehicle, if you're sticking with an LED-based jammer, huntin, I'd say to go with at least the Blinder M45 - or, alternatively, if you choose the ZR4, to bring that rear head up to the front (so that it can selectively protect center-mass, as well as allow you to then position your two "front" heads closer to your vehicle lighting).

And definitely, if you're using LED-based jamming, pair that with VEIL G4.

Heck, even if you decided to go with laser-diode based jamming, I'd *still* reinforce with VEIL, if it is aesthetically - as well as in terms of lighting output - an acceptable compromise for you.

Veil Guy · #4 (**permalink**) 2009-04-08

While an M45 may be required, ultimately, I have found in my own experience that properly placed two head systems with Veil outperform four head systems without.

Does it make sense to simply try a two head system first (regardless of brand) along with Veil before spending additional funds for a four head system.

By all means, if Veil is out of the equation, I too would suggest a four head system for the front.

But when the major reflection sources are eliminated (with Veil) a two head system may only be required.

I'd like to eventually see more 2/4 head systems with Veil to see these results in more detail (regardless of brand or system type LED vs. Laser Diode). Personally, my preference is to use LED jammers, as Blinder's reliability has been extremely high (as has been previous ZRn series) and there are not patent-infringement "issues" with such devices.

If you are close by, perhaps we could see in person...

Veil Guy

TSi+WRX · #5 (**permalink**) 2009-04-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veil Guy

I'd like to eventually see more 2/4 head systems with Veil to see these results in more detail (regardless of brand or system type LED vs. Laser Diode).

+1.

I truly think that passive protection is just as important as active protection, and furthermore, that there's synergy to be had.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veil Guy

Does it make sense to simply try a two head system first (regardless of brand) along with Veil before spending additional funds for a four head system.

By all means, if Veil is out of the equation, I too would suggest a four head system for the front.

But when the major reflection sources are eliminated (with Veil) a two head system may only be required.

I think that the only way to make this call - whether or not the end-user can "get by" with either a two-head LED-based system or a single-head of a laser-diode based system - will require true, first-hand, quantitative testing.

Unfortunately, without the ability to directly test, I think that it's a near-impossible choice for the consumer.

We've seen, too often recently, hobbyists in large communities such as RadarDetector.net reporting that what they originally thought was enough, sadly, isn't - and then updating/upgrading their defensive compliment.

Given this, I think that for the average consumer, those who are unable to quantitatively test their setups, the impossible choice is one of either (1) get a "passable" setup, now, and save a few bucks on the initial investment, but then risk a ticket (and the ancillary-cost fallout later: i.e. increased insurance premiums for years to come) or, alternatively (2), get an "overkill" setup, and potentially waste money in terms of the initial investment, but not have to worry as much about the latter.

IIRC, category4 utilizes a M45/VEIL G4 setup on his late-model Ford F150 truck, to excellent effect.

I wonder what would happen if he disabled two of his four Blinder heads?

Similarly, The Breeze on RD.net uses an "all three heads forward" setup of the ZR4, combined with both a matte-type front-end bra and VEIL G4, on his previous-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee.

I wonder what would happen if he moved that rear head to the back?

My best guess -> that neither of them would be happy with the results......