Absolutely correct. There are enough people out there that I don't even look twice at someone not going 20 MPH over the limit.
Kat, what you describe as "bleed" is probably the unit detecting an officer ahead using the on/off mode. If the unit is not on, nothing "bleeds" (unless it is some kind of older model I am not familiar with). With the on/off mode, the officer is selecting certain vehicles to check. He is watching for vehicles that appear to be going a certain speed. When he sees such a vehicle, he is turning the unit on to verify the speed, then turning it back off. If you are lucky, this will already be going on up ahead of you. Your unit will detect the instant the officer has his unit activated and will alert for the brief period of time his unit is on. You will then know to slow down until you pass him (if you are luck enough to see him). If you are unlucky, you will be the first vehicle he encounters and will get no warning at all.
With lasers, you will get no warning until the laser beam is hitting your detector. By then, it's too late.
Frequently I will stop people, but write them for the least possible violation (seat-belt or no insurance card, instead of speeding). Rarely more than one ticket per stop. I will never give a speeding warning to someone with a radar detector, as their speed was obviously premeditated.