Posted: 2/19/2005 7:32:38 AM EDT
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I was on I94 about 5 over the limit traveling with traffic. WHAM! The Escort starts screaming and the LASER indicator is going bonkers. The scary part is by the time the damn thing went off the LEO must of had me in his sites and because he already right on top of me. Couple dudes didnt like me not speeding and went around me got busted. They must have been the cars that were actually targeted but scary none the less. |
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I had a Texas DPS trooper stop me several years ago while I was still running an Escort detector. Must have popped me with the instant on because i never got more than one beep out of it. Long story short as I was sitting in the cruiser with him he saw it flashing through the rear window and ask me if I was a professional speeder. I told him no that it was there to detect the local revenue enhancement officers and not really used to try to fool the real professionals. He let me go with a warning.  BTW: I put the detector away and haven't thought about it again since they raised the limits back up to 70 like they should have always been. |
I have one. I speed like mad. I probably would without it. Situational awareness + valentine one = avoid 90% of tickets. Every once and a while you get popped. I just consider it another road tax. |
yup, i go outta my way to make a smart ass comment about their detector when i know i'm just goning to give them a warning.
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Our radar/laser detector goes off any time we're in front of a grocery store with the automatic doors. We can also pick up the McDonald's drive-through on our scanner. Pondered hijacking the frequency and harassing customers, then decided against it. Good thing too, a week later some punks were arrested for doing the exact same thing. |
BIG +1 for the V1 Ka alerts at 1.2 miles out here in the flat lands are not uncommon. The direction arrows and bogey counter add a complete 2nd and 3rd dimension to to the information you receive compared to other rdr detectors. If you are not using a V1, you are at a severe disadvantage. The best $450 I have spent in a long time. |
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I've been stopped for speeding twice in the past 3 weeks. Once on a real foggy night I passed a cop on a four lane road, 66 in a 55, and again this week for 48 in a 35. Both times I got a warning, so i'm betting next time my luck will run out and i'll get a ticket. Also, both times the officer checked my carry piece to see if it was stolen or whatever they do with it when they take it back to thier cruiser. |
| The only real time I have been burned was going down a country road alone. Then even with a detector, youre a sitting duck to Lidar and Instant on. But the LEO kept saying that this certain week he was going to vacation and that he wouldnt be available to goto court. I got the message. Pain to miss work for a few hours but no ticket. The magistrate was in a pissed offed mood too. Went for the jugular with every defendent. |
I'm just behind the times--I tend to drive the "Reasonable and Prudent" speed for traffic and road conditions, regardless of the relatively arbitrary numbers they paint on signs. You have federal highway money to thank for those relatively arbitrary speed limit numbers. Jim |
I'm biting my tounge.....(Valintine rules, I am a professional speeder.) |
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A couple years ago I saw an oncoming car that was pulling away from other traffic like they were standing still. Instant-on moving radar was activated/locked and it showed him at 85 in a 45. Lucky for me he was pulled so far ahead of the other traffic, I was able to light him up and u-turn behind him before the other cars caught up. I had one of our older police Explorers riding along with me that day and I go up to talk to the kid driving. The Explorer gets out to walk up a bit and watch/listen/learn. Driver's about 17, driving parent's car (BMW). I see a Valentine One on the dashboard. So after I get his license, I leaned down a bit, squinted like I was trying to see the detector, and said something to the effect of, "isn't that the 'Valentine One' that's supposed to be the world's best, never get caught, and costs way too much radar detector that people spend way too much on with the belief it's going to keep them from getting speeding tickets?" Kid says, yeah, it works pretty good. I said, well, might want a refund now, and go on to explain he's getting a ticket, etc. I go back to my squad to write the ticket and my Explorer is already back in the squad. I asked him why he got back in the car so quick. He said he saw the Valentine One too, and when he heard what I was saying, he tried to keep from laughing out loud but couldn't, so he walked back and got in the squad. So while they may have a real use for the tactical speeder, they won't save you if you drive like an idiot. Blending in is good (for the wallet). Sticking out is not. |
| I used to pop speeders so quick that their detectors never went off, or just beeped for a split second. Of course when they heard the beep it was way too late. When running radar, I would leave the beam off until I saw a vehicle that appeared to be exceeding the posted limit. |
I've been VERY lucky, but when my luck runs out, it's going to be very expensive. Might as well put it off until I have a chance to get rich, right? 
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I rarely ever speed. If I do, it's to keep up with traffic so I don't create a hazard. The last time I sped on purpose was back in 2000. It was 0300 hrs. on I-20 coming from Fort Worth. The interstate was almost vacant. I think I was doing somewhere near 115. Arlington PD caught me. When the officer asked if there was an emergency I told him, "no, I just wanted to see how fast my vehicle could go." I was ticketed for 105 in a 65. I paid a couple hundred dollars and did the traffic school thing so it wouldn't go on my record. |
That's what you're supposed to do. The radar isn't the fishing bait, your eyes are. The radar's the hook. Using the radar to find the speeders will get it tossed by any reputable court. |
I once had a cop compliment me on my Valentine One. Turns out he had used one before his lawman days, and was suprised that it hadn't alerted me! He asked me how he caught me(puzzled!), I told him I was on the phone and had turned down the volume a few miles back (why lie?). We both had a chuckle over that one, he wrote me the ticket, I thanked him for his couteousy, and he then said "Thank you Mr. 53Vortec, and I gotta compliment you on your choice of automotive electronics... They work alot better when the volume's up! " We had another laugh over that one (it was late and he was bored) and went on our seperate ways. Best ticket I ever got As was stated earlier, radar detectors REQUIRE situational awareness to work. If your head is in your ass, you're gonna get busted. As well you should, because you shouldn't be speeding (or even DRIVING, really) with your head in your ass. |