6mil928

As far as the Valentine one goes I would have bought one already if they weren't so expensive. I just can't justify the cost. I have used Bel's, Cobra's, and Whistlers. All have been helpful in avoiding tickets. A friend of mine is a cop and he runs the valentine and says it's the best. I think I'll get with him and do a side by side with my cobra and see the difference in performance. Jason

Fabio421

The V-1 is great. As for jammers, I know that you can use LED lights that are tuned to the same frequency as the laser's and fool them that way. But as far as I know, you have to mount the LED's in your bumper, front and rear.

BrianG

It's been done over and over...... the results are always the same. Don't waste your time.

The Valentine 1 has superior reception, and the milti-directional indication and the multiple bogey count put it head and shoulders above the rest.

Ron_H

Valentine advises that once you learn to live with the arrows you won't want to do without them. It is absolutely true. The arrows give you instant perception of the gravity of the threat. In a flash, you learn to evaluate the source and look for it. Particularly threats from the rear are a menace to your peace of mind. You get a hit from the rear and know he is working his way toward you at around 80. You move right and wait, and surely enough, in a few minutes he passes by you searching for his next victim, but you smile knowing it won't be you. All else equal, the arrows are the saving grace of a Valentine. You'll learn to distinguish between different sounds also, picking out the real threats from the not so real, like traffic cameras, though last week a camera sound from my Valentine along a known speed trap road in Santa Clara County initially produced a passive response from me. I had already been going the speed limit since I had already beaten a rap in Appeals Court for an attack from a hungry and immoral bear in the past along that stretch of road. I waited. Surely enough, I spot the bear standing just outside the bushes up ahead with his bike parked out of sight and him aiming right at me. I wanted to stop and ask WTF he was doing, since I knew the "safe for conditions" speed in the engineering study for that section of roadway was 63 mph and the posted limit was 45. (That's not all I wanted to do. ) But I silently thought how thankful I was that Valentine made my detector. Thank you Valentine.

As for a list of things to do to beat tickets: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (to be trite about it). (1) Stay out of the left lane except to pass. Let me repeat that: Stay out of the left lane except to pass. Bears look in the left lane, not the far right. Many times they are in the right lane looking for you, particularly if they are pacing you. The left lane is assumed to be the fast lane, Where would you look? (2) Keep aware of your surroundings. That is a given if you are driving anyway isn't it? Where would you park your radar gun and butt if you were a bear looking for a snack? At the top or bottom of a hill, or just over the top. Think about it. Correlate your thoughts with your likely throttle position at those points. If he shoots you on a corner, or as you are coming around a corner, or from a plane when you were in a corner, you can question the measurement in court, (don't ask me to explain this point), (3) ALWAYS slow for the little towns along a through route. The bears live in those towns, and their kids and wives drive those streets. Slow down ten miles in either direction on either side of the small towns, period. (4) Always suspect on ramps and off ramps or highway overpasses. This is so obvious I don't even know why I'm listing it. (5) If you see white lines painted along the shoulder perpendicular to the direction of travel, SLOW DOWN and watch. You could be in a speed trap. Remember that both the citing bear and the observing bear must appear in court to convict you if you are caught by such a trap, (6)Never argue with a hungry bear. You'll find out he/she loves that. Be respectful no matter how absurd you think he is. Remember that your own words can hang you. And if you admit the offense, his work is DONE. Over. Pau. Finished. (7) Carry a notebook and even a small digital camera. Make notes as soon as possible after the bust no matter how trivial, and record all comments and thoughts while still fresh in your mind. Photograph the cite site in all directions and make note of signs and landmarks with distances from the area of the bust if possible. Remember the cars around you and their color just before and after the bust. Remember, you should be aware of your surroundings at all times when you are driving. TAKE THE TIME then to write down everything you remember before and during the bust. You'll wish you had. If your speedometer has a valid calibration, you may rely on your odometer to measure distances. Drive the path before the bust again and again making mental notes and take notice of relative positions. (your car and the cop's). Always ask "Where were you officer when you first observed my vehicle"? and record his answer if he cares to give it. You may ask him again in court. If he was over 15 degrees relative to your car during a radar measurement, you walk. DON"T ARGUE WITH HIM. The more you yak, the more he'll remember about you and write down about the bust. Keep your thoughts under your hat. You are innocent until proven guilty in court, and / or on appeal. Remember, that both you and the officer are human. Have you ever made an erroneous perception? Well, don't you think he can do that as well? Doesn't make him an ogre, just emotional, just like you and I. And the cities and jurisdictions make mistakes also. Count on it. Mistakes the officers don't realize are made. (8) Don't forget to ask how he determined your speed. If radar, immediately ask to see the readout on his gun or on his dash unit. In a criminal trial, you have the right to see the evidence used against you. That doesn't mean he hasn't kept the readout on a larger number in case anyone asks, but just ask anyway. If he refuses, make a note but don't push the point or him. Just smile politely.And keep your hands on the wheel in plain sight and don't even think about getting out of your vehicle unless he authorizes you to do so. Finally, realize you are not driving an "average" machine. You are going to be stopped for that "offense" whether or not you are guilty of any other sooner or later. Get used to it. Or buy a Taurus. But don't even analyze the purchase of a ValentineOne. DO IT. An ounce of prevention........

I want to go back to work now. That's enough for now. If all else fails, contact the BHSPI. They want to hear about it.

F4GIB

The last ticket I got, the cop said "expensive car" three times in a total conversation of 90 seconds. And he was all out of breath and excited. I wonder ... .

P. S. Today I have a V1.

pearlpower

Last time I got pulled over was from the CHP (part time cops). Even though a GTO was going in excess of 90 past me in the far lane he pulled me over for going 75. The GTO could not be missed. When questioned about it he get very defensive and told me to not pay attention to what others are doing and that ,"PEOPLE LIKE YOU SHOULD SHOW MORE RESPONSIBILITY!." Like me thinking Porsche owner? Guy was an absolute idiot. He went on to say ," I have been dealing with people like you all day long that have no respect for the law." I was going 75 max in a 65 and slightly faster than traffic at around 70-72 which exception of a Titan p/u going around 80 and the GTO. Again the GTO blazed by me as the cop was getting on the freeway. I even saw the CHP but did not think much of it as I figured the GTO was toast. I did not receive a citation though. 210 freeway west in the La Crescenta area. If there was ever a time I thought I was singled out due to what I drive ,this was it. This CHP officer (said loosely) was out to change the world in his mind. Very sad. No radar would have helped there. I wish I got his name. 928 was just a target for him.

Mogans

Glad this topic came up as I was thinking about getting a radar detector. A friend of mine used to have an Escort so that's the one I looked at online. Sounds like the consensus is V1 is the best out there, but can anyone offer a comparison on the Escort (didn't see any mention of the Escort, apologize if I missed it)
thanks.

Ron_H

Next time you hear that, you can take silent solace in the fact that California ignores Federal law when setting their speed limits on their freeways and sets them arbitrarily; when considering the supremacy of federal law, his comment seems to better reflect his attitude than yours. All day long he has been interfering in the free flowing movement of traffic that is simply operating at their comfort level and not experiencing any disruption or danger as a result. If that officer knew the engineering method for setting speed limits legally and safely, he would have stayed out of your life and finished the donut on which he was munching. What he is likely saying is that people like you can afford to be fined. Think that has anything to do with safety or the law? Think how many cars passed you at a speed at or above 75, while he was jawboning, and how many of them were involved in accidents? Fifty? One Hundred? More? Sheesh! Do I appear to be a moron??

Ron_H

Gary, when Heinrich sees this thread, you'll have a book to read on the benefits of the Escort over the V1. He seems to prefer it as you'll discover. Each to his own.
I know people who drive thousands of miles a year at well over the limit no matter where, and they prefer the V1. Heinrich has his reasons for liking Escort though.

pearlpower

I did several side by sides over a few months between the 8500blue and V1-latest version.

The 8500 is much quieter in a congested town and I would prefer it over the V1 for this as the V1 does not have the option to completely turn off the K band signals as the 8500 does and K band is used for damn near everything. But, I do not drive fast on the streets around town-generally.

For highway (what I drive almost all of the the time) the increased sensitivity of the V1 far outpaced the 8500 on any setting especially when the CHP is around a bend. The 8500 had difficulty picking them up while the V1 grabbed the signal every time. The V1 does false more but a KA signal on the highway in California is a CHP or other law enforcement.

The arrows which I equated to a gimic at first does help tremendously. Once , a cop was getting on the freeway and the V1 picked him up. I immediately noticed the CHP was way behind me due to the arrow. Because of this I also knew I was going around 75 and got off the freeway around the bend and waited for a few seconds and got back on way behind the CHP. If not for the arrow the precious few seconds would have been wasted. Not sure if I was going to get a ticket or not but why chance it?

Also I got pulled over with the 8500 in my other car in Simi Valley due to laser-45 in a 35-Simi Valley is tough boys and girls. Not once did the 8500 go off. The following week while out there I had the V1 and sure enough the motor cop was almost in the same spot and the V1 picked it up. Granted once laser hits it is probably too late but a reaction of some sort on my side is better than no reaction.
So, I kept the V1 and sold the 8500.
The V1 is not perfect but is the best for MY driving style. I would like it more if I could completely turn off the K band.

Mogans

wow! great comparison, glad I asked - thanks!

IcemanG17

Gary
Moral of the story......get a V1!!!

Funny that I don't have one...I have an escort I got for free at Sharks at the Lake!! Even funnier is I've never been pulled over in my super shiney RED 928...& not for a lack of trying! Been pulled over numerous times in every other car I own (all are red)...but not the 928???

Ron_H

C'mon Brian. Fess up. You can tell 'em the real reason.


Anyway, Simi Valley is a great place to live: it is full of cops living there also.
Careful around there. Didn't I tell you to slow ten miles before bear dens? Never do it near Simi Valley.

StevenB

On my run back from Sharktoberfest this morning, I have 6-8 KA hits going up 5 through the cental valley. Every single one was a CHP. My V-1 gave me plenty of warning, even for the one hiding behind the overpass dirt wall. He was backed in and was hitting people as they passed by him. I think other drivers think I'm crazy. They will be pacing me and all of a sudden I slow down. Sometimes it will be a mile or so before the bear is seen and then they understand. One car followed me 150 miles because they realized that I new where the cops were "hiding". The V-1 rocks.

Ron_H

If you buy a V-1 get one with a remote display. If other drivers know you have it, and they will at night because they can see the display it it is mounted on the windshield, those drivers will follow you on your flank and just behind you. You increase speed = they increase speed, and you decrease = they decrease. What a gas!!

Sometimes I'm all over the brakes and others fly past me and then they get nailed while I pass by slowly. Don't forget. Bears tend to run in packs. Where there is one, there is usually another to cover each other's back. In California, low profile cruisers are sometimes followed around by chase cars. Think you have defeated the threat? Guess again. Watch and wait. Another bear will show himself most likely. I hear they like donuts too. By the way, has anyone seen the white Camaro lately? SoCal maybe? Hope I never see it again. Ask Nicole why.