Got Radar?

I don't care what the radar haters say My V1 has saved me much more the my $400 dollars spent. Arguing that they are worthless is only because people don't understand how to use them.

 

Thats exactly how all my cars are wired....

Hardwired for my V1

 

They are worthless in the sense that you "shouldn't" need them if you are not breaking any laws

 

This^.

Do you have a pic of it mounted; what mount; etc?

 

In CO it pretty much is. The sworn-in officers assert that they 'visually estimated' the speed at 'x' MPH and just used the radar to confirm it, which is utter BS but the judges seem eager to readily accept it to clear his docket. The officers 'training' usually consists of 30 minutes driving around with the salesman.

I'll admit that after sitting in a fixed position all day and using VASCAR to estimate traffic speeds between two points they can get within 2 MPH.

I sat in the back seat on one session while they were playing 'hot thumb' doing their VASCAR thing and they would make a guess before the target vehicle went through the traps, they were damn close. If the target was 10 over they'd call it in to their chase car over the hill.

I have a couple Valentine V-1's, one stealth mounted on the bike, under the headlight and remoted to a hard glasses case on the bars and audio plumbed into a speaker in the helmet.
The other in the Taco on the top left corner of the windshield...works well.

I rarely speed around towns, but out on the highways I wick it up a bit where the posted speeds are unrealistically low. I like having the Valentine especially out in the boonies where the locals depend very heavily on the revenue generated by questionable tickets. It's easier to listen to them ping traffic ahead then slow down to 5 under to make sure you don't have the hassle.

I usually wait for a 10+ over 'rabbit' to fly past me then I pace him about a half-mile or mile back. The Valentine gives me plenty of notice when they paint him up ahead of me.

Whit

 

Here is my install. I basically ran the power up to the overhead console and tied into the 12v line that is active when the truck is on.

 

Obviously I can't speak for every one, etc. but in my 12 years at the same agency, I've never been told to write X amount of tickets. I'm sure quotas do exist on some level throughout the nation though.

Admittedly, every place is different, but I receive a lot of training in using radar for speed enforcement. Not only that but we have to be within 3 miles per hour visually estimating a vehicle speed to continue with our certification as an instructor.

When you say "questionable" tickets, what exactly do you mean?

 

Nice.

Here's a mount I found that does not rely on suction cups.

http://www.blendmount.com/products.html

(mounted in a Tundra)



I almost wonder if you rotated it 180*, it would mount above the rear-view mirror. I'll have to do some investigating.

As for it getting stolen, take it out of the mount when you leave the vehicle for long periods of time. "The design uses the stock lock and release of the Valentine."

 

Lasers used in radars are pretty sloppy. The longer the distance the bigger the spread. Weather conditions affect their performance. Humidity, air density all affects them. Hence why figuring out how to cut usable distance is a key.
K and Ka are probably the most useless. Those are infrared and every time they go off they alert everything in big radius. My 8500 used to pick them up from over mile, way, way above visual.
Still all three are pretty good at zapping people so its better not to be speeding.
Also if you ever around Tri state area avoid 684 that place is shark field. To give you idea my friend bought cheap cobra and end up with 3 speeding tickets in one day. Smashed cobra against the wall.

 

Only problem with mounting it any higher is you block the rear facing sensor(s)

 

You are probably right. Worse comes to worst, I'd just mount it low as pictured. Worth a try. I want it out of my line of sight as possible, but I don't want to hinder the V1's detection.

EDIT: I was wrong anyway, the unit would have to be upside down... Scratch that idea.

 

does a Stalker II count?

 

In all of them you should be able to split face from the rest of the system. Not sure if new ones are the same way the old ones used to be where sensors inside are on separate board.

 

You can make that argument if you want for me the warning is a good time to check my speed and check my surroundings. Y

ou want to take the all radar users are law breakers who should be ticketed, then you take that stance, but I hope you don't own a gun either because we all know gun owners are just criminals. PS, my glock is also in the truck with my V1 so I guess I am just a law breaking dangrous person.

 

I really don't have an opinion either way(at least not one that I will post on TW), just stating why some would think they are useless.

 

I use to have a radar detector. I got rid of mine though because I have eyes and I can see what is in front of me and I don't speed very often.

 

Ive got one. My father got myself one after my first speeding ticket. He got one for himself after getting written a speeding ticket for 7 over on the interstate. (he was going 7 over but really...?)

Around here there are alot of four lane divided hilly roads with 35mph speed limits. Cops sit half way down the hills and clock people all day.

It is just a nice reminder to check your speed when you are rolling down those hills. I mean how fast can my 03 4-banger really go??

 

http://www.laserveil.com/

It's this stuff... absorbs laser waves to delay the gun from getting a reading. It works best with a laser detector... gives it more time to pick up the beam before the cop gets a reading on you. These guys tested it and seem to be pretty un biased:

http://www.guysoflidar.com/july-2008/laser-jammer-test.html

That was only tested on top of a jammer so no results of veil alone, but it still improved in every case. Can't hurt with how cheap it is compared to a jammer.

I have the Passport 8500 too (I think it's the x50... the red display whichever that is. Bullshit that they charge another $60 for the blue display). I am amazed at how far it'll pick up K and KA bands... probably at least a mile off under ideal conditions. Most speed traps I've come upon are using the radar constantly anyway, but even the POP mode will give you enough time to slam on the brakes before you're boned in my experience. I've gotten one ticket with it and it was with laser... the thing didn't even go off. It has only gone off once with laser and I saw the cop checking speed long before it went off. As for radar though, it has saved my ass countless times. It gets annoying in the city with false alarms but the mute button is nice and you kinda get used to being able to tell what is a false alarm (mostly automatic doors on grocery stores and such) I like it and will continue to use it... It's just fun to feel like you're outwitting the police with a speed trap (Even though I know damn well I'm not haha)

 

Looking at the color of it, it does look like the same thing or atleast compound limiting laser reflection is the same.
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I am guessing law enforcement has to say this stuff does not exist or dont work
The truth is Tri states are all now mandating front license plate and have switched to highly reflective ones. Also enforce - no cover on it.
I wonder why

 

Mythbusters are debunked these things regarding radar (ka, k, and laser). As far as the license plate issues... it's harder to read them with any covers over them. Some states have these systems that scan license plates via camera and checks to see if they are reported stolen, etc., also they can mask expiration decals, or other anomalies used to detect fake plates, etc.

It doesn't have anything to do with their effectiveness at fooling speed measuring devices.