OT: Valentine1 Saved me today! TWICE!

JimC · 9th January 2002, 08:08

So I've had my Valentine1 installed in my windshield for about 3 months now and up until today it was more of a conversation piece than a tool to keep me away from Traffic School!

That changed today - not only did I get hit, I got hit with two different radars at the same time on the first encounter and then 20 minutes later got hit again. The Valentine came through for me! (I feel like I'm giving a testimonial for Mike @ Valentine!)

Details for those still reading: Heads-up for San Francisco Bay Area drivers, there must have been something going on today - maybe tomorrow as well? Around 12:35pm on Yerba Buena Road & 101N in San Jose, both the CHP and SJ Police set up a trap - the CHP gun was set for continuous on Ka; I picked that up about a block before the trap (as 3 minivans sped past me

) Just as I noticed 2 of the "soccer moms" being pulled over, the simultaneous warning for Laser went off - sure enough, it was the SJ Police trying out their Laser gun on me. BTW I was able to see him hit two more cars after me as well with the Laser - interesting that there was enough dispersion (sp?) for me to still pick his other targets up.
So after bragging to 1CoolVC on the phone (who didn't by the way have any protection when he got nailed 2 times in 1 week) I picked up another Ka by SJC airport (got about 1/4 mile warning) - it was a stationary CHP on his motorcycle by the De La Cruz overpass. Gave him a really nice 65 reading on his radar this day!

Suffice it to say, I'm really glad I spent the money (whatever it was that I paid for it) on this very nice addition to the beast - hopefully all my future encounters will be with the "give myself away" always-on guys, not those nasty instant-on mean dudes!

Tonight I pulled up the Valentine1 webpage Reprogramming the Valentine1 and turned off the K band and am seriously contemplating turning off X as well. After "hearing" from the CHP (Ka-Band) and SJ Police (Laser) today, I think I can finally put to bed all of the door opener false alarms that I've been too timid to turn off in the X and K bands.

==> In a previous post, Greg had mentioned that X (and I think I remember you saying K) weren't used in California - can you reaffirm this and if anyone else has had X/K-band encounters in California please reply back to this thread.

EBMCS03 · 9th January 2002, 08:19

Wow nice!

bobafett · 9th January 2002, 08:22

Woah there. First off, are they legally allowed to pull you over, especially 'testing' such things? Lucky you. Also, since when does the v1 pick up Ku and what is it (frequency, etc.)?

Lucky you indeed. Go Jim! Looks like I'm keeping it slow tomorrow (no jokes about the ride now!)

--Dan

JimC · 9th January 2002, 08:51

actually I should have said Ka
33.4 GHz - 36.0 GHz (Ka-band)
Ku is outside the USA

Quote:

Originally posted by bobafett
Woah there. First off, are they legally allowed to pull you over, especially 'testing' such things? Lucky you. Also, since when does the v1 pick up Ku and what is it (frequency, etc.)?

Lucky you indeed. Go Jim! Looks like I'm keeping it slow tomorrow (no jokes about the ride now!)

--Dan

AndyMenard · 9th January 2002, 13:56

Jim,

Congrats on evading the police on this one!!

By the way, I also have a V1 stuck to my windshield in the BEAST, and its saved my bacon many times.

CM5GO · 9th January 2002, 14:11

Im with you! V1 saves me almost daily

Worth every penny and then some!!

atomic80 · 9th January 2002, 16:11

Whoo hoo....yet another testimonial to the amazing prowess of our best friend, the V1.

It's also saved me on more than one occasions as well.

to Mike Valentine for coming up with such an amazing product!

Jason

Bart Carter · 9th January 2002, 16:15

Man, I have to get my V1 hard wired.

greg · 9th January 2002, 16:24

Yes indeed - I owe my freedom to the V1!

Jim - I only turned off X - I don't know if K is in use around here - but it doesn't create near the number of falses that X band does, which is where the door openers at Safeway live, among others.

Did you see this month's car and driver mag? (The one with the GT40 I want on the cover? )They did a fresh review of radar detectors, iincluding the latest greatest Escort/Passport. The V1 smoked every other detector by a wide margin.

Diamond Dave · 9th January 2002, 16:53

All,

How prevalent is the use of Laser out there? As luck would have it I got busted a few weeks back in what clearly was a Richardson, TX speed trap. They got me on an exit ramp doing 64 mph in a 45 mph zone. I'm sure this cop was using an old gun (not laser) and I would have been saved had I been using my V1. You can bet that over the weekend I hard wired it into the M5. Bart, it's a piece of cake - 15 minutes max!

Well imagine my surprise yesterday when I come up on another area where there is a known speed trap. Up ahead I see brake lights and commotion going on. Sure enough, two Evil Empire Richardson motorcycle cops with odd looking radar guns. I keep waiting for my V1 to go off but nothing. As my car approaches, the cop points and shoots me and the V1 emits a sound that I've never heard before. Laser! Had I not been on my toes I would have gotten nailed again.

Do most of you encounter the older radar that at least gives you some opportunity to brake or is Laser the norm?

DWP