[Watsey]

I've owned a RoadAngel Gem+ for a couple of years (Pogo prior to that; Origin B2 when they were around) and on the whole it's been good.

Recently my subscription expired and RoadAngel required new firmware to be installed which has in effect bricked the unit : all warnings are disabled; device muted (and no means of un-muting); the Gem+ and the new RoadAngel software both show that my newly purchased subscription (22 August) is invalid.

RA have been shower of the proverbial; in effect treating the customer : return calls promised calls but no materialising; web contact forms ignored; and now offering to resolve the problem for an out of warranty fee.

It seems it's time to insist upon a full refund and move to a different platform, hence this post.

Two units appear to be reasonable alternatives :

Snooper 4Zero Elite
Cheetah C550

The Gem+ is a very good unit when it works and there are some features that I'd miss including over-the-air updates, road speed limit display, and average speed in average speed zones.

If anyone who has one of the above units can share the experiences, good and bad, I'd appreciate it.

BTW, I only use Mac.

[teaston]

The best alternative is to not speed

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by teaston

The best alternative is to not speed

Thanks for that awesome insight

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Thanks for that awesome insight

You are very welcome sir!

Seriously though, is it worth risking these days with the amount of speed traps about and cops using dirty tactics to catch you?

[Watsey]

I got zapped (camera van) last year for 36 in a 30. Not rushing (there's only so much time you can shave off a 1/2 mile journey to the tip), just trundling along in the traffic.

Easy to get caught, no matter what speed. I find a detector useful : average speed zones, schools, congestion charge zones, cameras where the speed limit has changed.

[robbiep]

If you're doing 36 in a 30 zone, not rushing but 'just trundling along in the traffic', then I'd suggest an advanced driving course.

Because you should be paying more fucking attention - to everything.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by robbiep

If you're doing 36 in a 30 zone, not rushing but 'just trundling along in the traffic', then I'd suggest an advanced driving course.

Because you should be paying more fucking attention - to everything.

We'll done. Found your soap box again.

Must be boring being so perfect.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Watsey

I got zapped (camera van) last year for 36 in a 30. Not rushing (there's only so much time you can shave off a 1/2 mile journey to the tip), just trundling along in the traffic.

Easy to get caught, no matter what speed. I find a detector useful : average speed zones, schools, congestion charge zones, cameras where the speed limit has changed.

I just use ACC everywhere, and I have SLI, does make it very easy to stick to speed limits.

[1 AKY]

Originally Posted by robbiep

If you're doing 36 in a 30 zone, not rushing but 'just trundling along in the traffic', then I'd suggest an advanced driving course.

Because you should be paying more fucking attention - to everything.

From your comment, I would deduce that your speedo has never seen 31, or north of that, in a 30 zone....?

[teaston]

Originally Posted by 1 AKY

From your comment, I would deduce that your speedo has never seen 31, or north of that, in a 30 zone....?

The speedo reads over by about 5%, so you can do 31.5mph

[Cilonen]

I have the Cheetah C550 and it is excellent, highly configurable (albeit a tad awkward at first as it feels odd pressing buttons in response to the voice prompts) and very accurate.

Lifetime Worldwide database for £35 is a total bargain.

It will only work on Mac if you have Boot Camp / Parallels and can run a copy of Windows though - updates can't currently be done without Windows.

[Nobby Clark]

Originally Posted by Watsey

I got zapped (camera van) last year for 36 in a 30. Not rushing (there's only so much time you can shave off a 1/2 mile journey to the tip), just trundling along in the traffic.

Easy to get caught, no matter what speed. I find a detector useful : average speed zones, schools, congestion charge zones, cameras where the speed limit has changed.

Your detector was worth every penny then?

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Nobby Clark

Your detector was worth every penny then?

Ironically, it was one of the very few times that the unit wasn't in the car. Now it's hard-wired and is used for every journey.

Just shows how easy it is to stray just a few mph over the limit and get zapped.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Cilonen

I have the Cheetah C550 and it is excellent, highly configurable (albeit a tad awkward at first as it feels odd pressing buttons in response to the voice prompts) and very accurate.

Lifetime Worldwide database for £35 is a total bargain.

It will only work on Mac if you have Boot Camp / Parallels and can run a copy of Windows though - updates can't currently be done without Windows.

Thanks for the input

[AndyEssex330d]

Originally Posted by Watsey

We'll done. Found your soap box again.

Must be boring being so perfect.

This made me laugh.

Aguri Skyway...helpful, if annoying, I have 9 points so I use it like a condom in Amsterdam.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by AndyEssex330d

This made me laugh.

Aguri Skyway...helpful, if annoying, I have 9 points so I use it like a condom in Amsterdam.

Cheers Andy.

Having read online reviews (Amazon) it seems that other have also had their Gem+ units bricked as a result of downloading the mandatory RA firmware update. It's either incompetence or a deliberate way to force customers to pay for a 'repair' or an upgrade to another unit.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Cheers Andy.

Having read online reviews (Amazon) it seems that other have also had their Gem+ units bricked as a result of downloading the mandatory RA firmware update. It's either incompetence or a deliberate way to force customers to pay for a 'repair' or an upgrade to another unit.

I'd bet incompetence.

[Watsey]

Either way I've not had a single day's use out of my new 3 year subscription, the Gem+ is bricked, and now RA is insisting on a paid repair to put things right. I suspect it's a con.

As a Gem+ user yourself, be warned !

The RA database it actually very good, and there's a Gem Pure due out in December, but I think it's time to switch now. RA customer service has been absolutely shit. Next step is to try and recover the subscription costs - with photo and video evidence of the Gem+ and the RA software both not working, yet I have a RA subscription confirmation, hopefully it won't be too problematic.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Either way I've not had a single day's use out of my new 3 year subscription, the Gem+ is bricked, and now RA is insisting on a paid repair to put things right. I suspect it's a con.

As a Gem+ user yourself, be warned !

The RA database it actually very good, and there's a Gem Pure due out in December, but I think it's time to switch now. RA customer service has been absolutely shit. Next step is to try and recover the subscription costs - with photo and video evidence of the Gem+ and the RA software both not working, yet I have a RA subscription confirmation, hopefully it won't be too problematic.

Fingers crossed because it's been by far the most reliable and functional option I've ever used.

My only issue is the ease at which some enthusiastic driving can lead to an emergency call!

[Nobby Clark]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Ironically, it was one of the very few times that the unit wasn't in the car. Now it's hard-wired and is used for every journey.

Just shows how easy it is to stray just a few mph over the limit and get zapped.

Over 25 years driving, my clean licence says outherwise

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Nobby Clark

Over 25 years driving, my clean licence says outherwise

But you're so much better and superior than everyone else, so how does it demonstrate that it's not that easy to get caught ?

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Nobby Clark

Over 25 years driving, my clean licence says outherwise

Well done you. Mummy will be very proud.