Re Radar Detection in the 164 AD V7 #819

["C.M. Smith" <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

Nobody asked,
 but,on the theme of installing Radar Detectors, a little creativity goes a
long way, and solves the problem of cigarette lighters that are not
designed for power plugs. Direct wiring of the power cord to a convenient
power source is a good solution, and reasonably economical as power cords
are not expensive and the detectors use miniscule amounts of power.

E.g. my mechanic wired the cord for my detector in the 164L into the power
source for the door mirror in the driver's door. The cord tucks out of
sight in the door pocket when the detector is not in use. The detector
mounts to the left side of the instrument binnacle using a standard visor
mount clip which installs "upside down" on my ancient Bel XKR Micro-eye.
Hey, don't knock it, it may be old and out of date but I have never been
successfully ticketed while using it in nearly 15 years of long distance,
high speed motoring.

It may sound awkward but it is really very convenient. If you are stopped
you casually slip the unit off the dash and into the door pocket on the
driver's side where no one notices it (turned off, of course). The power
cord even reminds you to remove the detector from the dash every time you
exit the car, which saves a lot of broken driver's side windows in the long
run (often a result of forgetting to return the detector to a non visible
spot, somehow I know the police aren't forcibly removing these devices from
unoccupied cars).

Altogether a much neater solution to the power cord problem than the
lighter plug, and hey you can recharge the cell phone through the lighter
socket at the same time, so you are ready to make that one phone call if
the detector gives you insufficient warning!

Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner 

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