Jeez ...
First: the OP states that Ka band is used by the majority of agencies nationwide. This is true, still to this day. The poster who said 'not necessarily because I live and drive in California' needs to do a little bit of traveling ...
... speaking of which: I've driven 8,600 miles in 28 different states in the past 2.5 months. 80 percent of that was in my Porsche; the other 20 percent (just last week) was in a Challenger R/T. I speed most of the time by 8-10 MPH, and in some places, more than that.
I do not run a detector. I haven't in about 20 years. If you're smart and pick your spots, they're unnecessary except for peace of mind ...
... and that can very easily backfire if you are pulled over because a detector will tip a LEO toward a guaranteed ticket if he were considering a mere warning. How do I know this? LEOs have told me this. Several of them.
To another poster's point: The absolute safest speed is the speed of prevailing traffic. IOW: Do as the locals do. If they're speeding by 20 MPH, do it. If they're not wavering above the speed limit, don't you dare waver, either. Locals will always know better than you, and sure as heck are more trustworthy than any detector.
I understand the allure of a detector and see the utility of one for certain drivers. However, they're not needed to drive quickly. At all.
Also, a tip: if there'a any sort of moisture in the air -- rain, drizzle, fog, even tire wash -- both radar and lidar are absolutely useless. Use that to your advantage.
