Any reason why I shouldn't pull the trigger on this?

[WRXtranceformed]

So yeah, I got a speeding ticket on 81 yesterday. Which really sucks because EVERY day I just hit the cruise control at 73-75 and cruise all the way to work. Today, I just happened to have to speed up to pass a line of tractor trailers who were blocking me from the exit, and a state trooper nabbed me. Even gave me a window tint ticket in the Lexus too hahah

I used to run a radar detector in my old WRX 24/7 and loved it. It really makes you more aware of the surroundings, it helps you to feel less like a fish in a barrel when it comes to highway travel. My old detector broke, and figuring that the times / technology had changed since then, I did a little research and found this:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.radarbusters.com/products/beltronics/bel_sti_driver.asp">http://www.radarbusters.com/products/be ... driver.asp</a><!-- m -->

Not only is the range on this way better than my old detector, but also it has a remote stealth sensor that you can use to get alerts and to turn on / off the unit. Most importantly, it is now and forever completely immune to all radar detector detectors due to the magnesium case it's housed in that blocks all of its signals. It's like 4xs as much as my old detector granted, but it's way more advanced as well.

I obviously know detectors are illegal in VA, and I've heard things ranging from 1500 dollar fines to like 150 and they take the detector. Anyone or any lawyer (Jess?) know for sure? I was pulled over once or twice with my old detector (that was immune to some RDDs too) and never got in trouble with it.

It's not even that I speed much at all beyond the speed of flowing traffic, but I hate that feeling of knowing that the one time I did I was nailed. The old detector saved me more times than I could count. What do you all think?

[Jess]

Since I'm not at work I don't have my VA Code book with me, but here's what I found:

46.2-1079:

...This section shall not be construed to authorize the forfeiture to the Commonwealth of any such device or mechanism. Any such device or mechanism may be taken by the arresting officer if needed as evidence, and, when no longer needed, shall be returned to the person charged with a violation of this section, or at that person's request, and his expense, mailed to an address specified by him...

...No demerit points shall be awarded by the Commissioner for violations of this section...

The statute doesn't mention a fine, but I'm sure it's lumped together with other traffic infractions in another code section.

[Apoc]

Did you notice that the site you linked actually sells Beltronics and Escorts? I'd look around for more reviews... but buying one should be a no brainer. As long as you're not dumb about it (read: stopping next to a cop at a light with it dangling from your windsheild) you should be okay with any high end model.

FWIW, I've had a V1 for ~5 years and its paid for itself at least 4 times over.

[Mike]

if i were buying a detector it'd be a V1. everything i've ever heard about them says they're leaps and bounds ahead of the rest.

[WRXtranceformed]

I would buy a V1, but I don't think it's invisible to all of the RDDs out there. That's the ONE thing that's holding me back from a Valentine.

This is a huge deal to me. It would suck to spend so much money on a radar detector to have it taken the first time I use it.

Since you own one Chris, do you know whether it's invisible to VG1, VG2, VG4 and all of the Spectres? If so I'll reconsider my purchase on this one.

Thanks for the tip Jess. Honestly I'm fine if that's the only punishment involved... they take it to prove you guilty then give it back haha. I have a feeling there's a hefty fine involved.

[Apoc]

It's not invisible to the Spectre RDD.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.valentine1.com/lab/Previously2.asp">http://www.valentine1.com/lab/Previously2.asp</a><!-- m -->

That said, I haven't had a problem... yet. :knocks on wood: In Virginia, I use the visor clip, remote display and am very anal about hiding the cord (ask RJ). I also have a tendency to find a fast car and follow it so even if a cop detected it, I'm not sure how he'd know which car it's in. I don't use it every day but I've run it plenty of times down to VIR. The last trip it saved me a ticket (and the guy next to me got one, see above about ghosting someone) and the trip before that it saved my co-driver a ticket.

[WRXtranceformed]

"Does it find V1? Very likely, according to reports we've been hearing from a few V1 users. One participant in an internet chat room, who claimed to be a Canadian enforcer, said 'I've snagged a Valentine 1 already.'"

I've heard only but the best things about V1, but that pretty much made up my mind. At least he was honest!

[Apoc]

Sounds like your mind is already made up but as soon as they figure out a way around it they'll upgrade their old models for the cost of parts.

[WRXtranceformed]

Who is they, Valentine 1? I know they provide upgrades.

Supposedly this Beltronics model will be forever undetectable, no matter what RDDs come out and no matter what frequencies they scan. The magnesium case acts as a physical shield for the radar detector, sort of like when you put on the lead shirt at the dentist's office. I'd be more skeptical if there weren't empirical tests showing that it works... on each type of RDD specifically.

[Apoc]

I don't trust anything that claims it will never become obsolete, especially if it's electronic. I'd rather a company admit that there's no such thing and offer to upgrade it when they can.

I'm also not really sure I trust the claims about the magnesium case because the V1 has one as well. I mean, the evidence is the evidence but it doesn't appear to be solely due to the magnesium case.

There are areas (laser and area covered) that the V1 is better than the other two high end models. IMO, you're putting too much emphasis on stealth and not enough on actually saving your ass. I'm not here to convince you to buy the V1 over any other 'cause I don't work for them. My point is there's a lot of misinformation and false claims out there on the subject and you need to read as much as possible.

The bottom line... and the answer to your question... is I believe anyone who does any decent amount of highway time in the Commonwealth should own a high end model.

[WRXtranceformed]

To me, the only real benefit of the V1 is the arrow system. Otherwise, the range is comparable between all of them. Even my old PNI Silver Bullet only sensed radar at like 3 times the distance that it could detect me, and that was more than enough to warn me to slow down.

Valentine offers upgrades for a cost, Beltronics does a trade-in program. It's all the same shit in the end, you're right about that =P

[JustinG]

from what ive heard valentine 1 shits on all other detectors...

[WRXtranceformed]

From consumersearch.com:

Best laser detection.
The Valentine One took a lot of criticism in last year's reviews for its inability to detect radar guns in POP mode, which operates in hard-to-detect spurts. But Valentine has now added this feature, and aside from a high rate of false alarms, reviews say it works very well. The Valentine One is also great at detecting beams from laser speed guns, but once a laser has locked onto your vehicle, it's generally too late to avoid a ticket. Although the Valentine One is an excellent all-around radar detector, some reviews say its design and features are behind the times, and that it is too expensive, especially when the Escort Passport 8500 X50 is just as effective.

[xvxax]

Get a Valentine One, conceal it and use the concealed display. A popular place is the 3rd brake light. If you're in Virginia now almost all state police use Lidar. Both the Passport ZR3 (I believe there is a passport Laser model that combines Radar and laser protection)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.escortradar.com/zr3.htm">http://www.escortradar.com/zr3.htm</a><!-- m -->
or a Lidatek system (laser only)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.lidatek.com/">http://www.lidatek.com/</a><!-- m -->
are great systems that have excellent feedback on the bmw forums I frequent.
I had a Valentine one in northern Virginia and about 2 years ago I only picked up about 1 in 10 state troopers since they were all using laser. I can only imagine it's fewer now.

That being said Laser Jammers are illegal in Virginia (I think) and I personally haven't used a laser jammer in Virginia so I can't really tell you if an officer will notice his signal is being jammed. I have been accused of using one by a state trooper in my bmw though because my car is black and I don't run a front license plate and he couldn't get a signal off the front of my car. I simply denied his claim and recieved a laser jammer "warning." I didn't get my hood popped or anything silly like that. I guess decide how much a ticket is worth to you and the work it from there.
-Peter

[mpg9999]

Get a Valentine One, conceal it and use the concealed display. A popular place is the 3rd brake light. If you're in Virginia now almost all state police use Lidar. Both the Passport ZR3 (I believe there is a passport Laser model that combines Radar and laser protection)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.escortradar.com/zr3.htm">http://www.escortradar.com/zr3.htm</a><!-- m -->
or a Lidatek system (laser only)
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.lidatek.com/">http://www.lidatek.com/</a><!-- m -->
are great systems that have excellent feedback on the bmw forums I frequent.
I had a Valentine one in northern Virginia and about 2 years ago I only picked up about 1 in 10 state troopers since they were all using laser. I can only imagine it's fewer now.

That being said Laser Jammers are illegal in Virginia (I think) and I personally haven't used a laser jammer in Virginia so I can't really tell you if an officer will notice his signal is being jammed. I have been accused of using one by a state trooper in my bmw though because my car is black and I don't run a front license plate and he couldn't get a signal off the front of my car. I simply denied his claim and recieved a laser jammer "warning." I didn't get my hood popped or anything silly like that. I guess decide how much a ticket is worth to you and the work it from there.
-Peter

The V1 will pick up laser (and its very good at it), but the question is will it be in time to slow down. Lasers start out with a very narrow beam. The further away from the source the larger the radius of the beam will be. This means that the further away you are, the more likely you are to have an advanced warning. If your close enough its possible to not even pick it up especially if the detector is mounted high (which is where you want it for the most advanced warning). Fortunatly its hard to hold a laser gun 100% steady so there will be some wobble, so the laser sweaps across the roadway and you hopefully pick it up before the cop tries to clock you.

Detectors, Radar Jammers, and Laser jammers are all illegal in VA. Radar Jammers are illegal in all of the US (Its controled by the FCC). Lasers are controlled by the FDA and there is no federal ban on them. In virginia, pretty much everything is illegal through state law: "It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth when such vehicle is equipped with any device or mechanism, passive or active, to detect or purposefully interfere with or diminish the measurement capabilities of any radar, laser, or other device or mechanism employed by law-enforcement personnel to measure the speed of motor vehicles on the highways of the Commonwealth for law-enforcement purposes."

Fortunatly there are no points if you are caught. Radar detector detectors can detect a detector because they are super-heterodyne recievers. This means they emmit a signal called local oscillator emissions. The RDD tunes into the frequency of these emmisions. The V1 simply uses a different frequency then what the VG2 looks for. The spectre scans a much larger frequency range and can detect the V1. According to radar roys testing though, the V1 wasnt detected until 166 feet, while others were detected much further away. I should also say that I don't really trust most of his tests. First of all he is selling detectors, so he has a reason to have some detectors do better then others (he does not sell the V1, thats only available through V1). There are also problems with the way he conducts his tests. For example, they hold the radar guns in their hands instead of using a solid mount like a tripod. With a human holding it you can not control the wobble of the gun and this will change results.

Detecting a detector can also be tricky if your in a group of cars. Its very difficult for the cop to know which car has the detector. If you run a power switch to your detector and shut it off anytime you are approaching a cop, I think you will have pretty good odds of going undetected even if they have a spectre.

As has been stated before, the V1 uses a magnesium case. This isnt to keep signals in, but to keep them out.

If anyone wants some ideas on how to mount everything, shoot me an IM. Keep in mind about what you guys post on the interent .

[HAULN-SS]

So, is it illegal to have one in your car? What if you do a lot of out of state driving? Seems like if the power was off when they got to your car, they have no case?

[mpg9999]

So, is it illegal to have one in your car? What if you do a lot of out of state driving? Seems like if the power was off when they got to your car, they have no case?

The entire law can be viewed here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-1079">http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... +46.2-1079</a><!-- m -->

In particular, it says: "Except as provided in subsection B of this section, the presence of any such prohibited device or mechanism in or on a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section. The Commonwealth need not prove that the device or mechanism in question was in an operative condition or being operated."

Its prima facie evidence. This means that the law assumes you were using it if you have it, whether or not you actually were. They don't have to prove you were using it. Pretty awesome, huh? The only thing that can save you is as it says, section B:

"A person shall not be guilty of a violation of this section when the device or mechanism in question, at the time of the alleged offense, had no power source and was not readily accessible for use by the driver or any passenger in the vehicle"

So if you have it in the trunk, you'll probably be ok. If its in the back seat with no passengers where you can't reach it, you might also be ok.

[KPWSerpiente]

Am I the only one who doesn't stress this shit?
Drive the speed limit.

-T

[WRXtranceformed]

Nobody goes the speed limit on 81 Travis =P

[BLINGMW]

Nobody goes the speed limit on 81 Travis =P

yeah, but if you're going 5-7 over, kind of a mid-pack speeder, and you're not driving a F&F looking car, you've got nothing to worry about.