[holmes011]

hey guys, so i recently got a valentine v1 and i hadn't really tested it out so last night i went around to places i know where cops basically live. what i found was this thing is very sensitive, which isnt a bad thing at all, but it has only picked up 2 cops of the 11 ive seen since last night and one of the correct alarms went off right as i saw the cop and i was going a little fast and thats when i started to get annoyed and yelled "what are you doing?!?" and yes i was talking to the radar detector. basically my only reason for being annoyed is that it goes crazy at every highway sign that says stuff about construction or traffic or as i go by any grocery store but as soon as i drive by a cop along the side of the road trying to catch people speeding the thing is silent.

so my question is has anyone else had a similar experience? i have it set to alert every thing (A is always being displayed). my set up to my knowledge is good, its centered a little below the rear view mirror? anyone have suggestings as to why this is the case?

also im not sure but if this doesnt belong in this section im sorry

[be1ieve1111]

You do know it only works if the cops has his radar on right?

[e90n52b30]

Sounds like an escort 9500 is a better option for you.

[QC335]

Originally Posted by holmes011

hey guys, so i recently got a valentine v1 and i hadn't really tested it out so last night i went around to places i know where cops basically live. what i found was this thing is very sensitive, which isnt a bad thing at all, but it has only picked up 2 cops of the 11 ive seen since last night and one of the correct alarms went off right as i saw the cop and i was going a little fast and thats when i started to get annoyed and yelled "what are you doing?!?" and yes i was talking to the radar detector. basically my only reason for being annoyed is that it goes crazy at every highway sign that says stuff about construction or traffic or as i go by any grocery store but as soon as i drive by a cop along the side of the road trying to catch people speeding the thing is silent.

so my question is has anyone else had a similar experience? i have it set to alert every thing (A is always being displayed). my set up to my knowledge is good, its centered a little below the rear view mirror? anyone have suggestings as to why this is the case?

also im not sure but if this doesnt belong in this section im sorry

No, you just have no idea what you are talking about or how to use a radar detector.

[Aleksey]

Originally Posted by QC335

No, you just have no idea what you are talking about or how to use a radar detector.

Cool story bro! It seems that you might know how to use it and what might be wrong, care to share?! Cus I'm in the same boat as OP... Just got it a week ago, and it's crazy when there are no cops around, but as soon as I encounter one it dies down, even if they have radars pointed in my direction... Mounted in the middle of the windshield...

[psmitty95]

I agree with be1ieve1111. I just got a escort 8500 x50 black a few weeks ago and originally thought it was broken. The first 5 or 6 cops i drove past the thing was silent but would go crazy at grocery stores. After all that i got really worried and told one of my friends who knows all about this shit and is friends with a lot of the cops in my area and he told me most of them don't even turn their radar on. He said they told him the majority of the time they're trying to catch people running red lights or going through stop signs not speeding. After a while i finally ran into a cop that was using radar and the thing worked like a charm. It picked him up about .5 miles away on a very hilly and curvy road so i finally realized it was working as it should. So i think that the cops your running into either aren't using their radars or they're using laser. If they're using laser theres nothing you can do except get a diffuser because radar detectors don't do shit against laser. The only way they'll detect laser is if for some reason the cop shoots it almost directly at your radar which they almost never do.

[Chris@codemybimmer]

I use a whistler pro 3450 and its perfect in imo. its caught 10/12 cops ive run into. once or twice when i drive really close to an automated door it will go off though.

[STP]

Originally Posted by Aleksey

Cool story bro! It seems that you might know how to use it and what might be wrong, care to share?! Cus I'm in the same boat as OP... Just got it a week ago, and it's crazy when there are no cops around, but as soon as I encounter one it dies down, even if they have radars pointed in my direction... Mounted in the middle of the windshield...

Depending on what the officer is using. Meaning the type of equipment he is using to detect your speed, the V1 may or may not pick anything up.

Some officers use lidar (laser), which is instant on. Generally used when he sees you within a certain distance, and he activates his machine. Thats the top indicator light with the L.

KA band is used quite often as well. Generally stays on pretty consistently, and my V1 can pick it up approx. 1/4 or more away depending on obstruction.

K, and X I will pay attention to because I'm paranoid, but have mostly found them to be false. ie.. stores, signs, etc...

Again, a lot of things factor in here. What does the officer in your particular question above use, at that time, and is he activating it all at that exact moment you see him.

I was driving on the NJTP today and saw (3) cops and only (1) I picked up a laser on the V1, but luckily I wasn't speeding at that exact moment.

Do some reading guys: http://www.valentine1.com/v1info/.

Don't panic that V1 sucks, or is broken, or blah, blah blah yet. You're going to get a lot of people from here recommending passports, V1's, etc.... everyone's got their pro's and cons.

Best of luck

[Coolieman1220]

Originally Posted by be1ieve1111

You do know it only works if the cops has his radar on right?

Originally Posted by QC335

No, you just have no idea what you are talking about or how to use a radar detector.

Originally Posted by Aleksey

Cool story bro! It seems that you might know how to use it and what might be wrong, care to share?! Cus I'm in the same boat as OP... Just got it a week ago, and it's crazy when there are no cops around, but as soon as I encounter one it dies down, even if they have radars pointed in my direction... Mounted in the middle of the windshield...

LOL this thread made my night. well no, Tebow getting annihilated is making my night.

I love when friends are in the car asking what it is, they see a cop and are like why didn't it beep? Yes radar has to be on.

Not everything is as simple as it seems. Figure out how to use it and you'll love it.

[holmes011]

ok well im not gonna say i understand the thing fully but ive read the manual over 2x and i think ive got a pretty good understanding of the unit itself, i was just worried i might have overlooked something. i also understand that the radar has to be on, i just would assume that of over 10 cops that ive seen , most of them being on the side of the road, some would have a radar on, you know? finally, im not in anyway saying the V1 is bad, i love it, i was just worried i had overlooked something. and actually, right after i started this thread i went out and it started going crazy and then about 10-20 sec later i saw a cop and got all excited...probably one of the few times ill ever say that while driving

[QC335]

This could be mind boggling but...not every patrol car is equipped with radar.

[WildBee659]

Radar is just a tool use by cops to verify the violator's speed after he has already determined the car is speeding. In other words, he keeps the radar on standby mode until he sees a car that he believes is doing 80mph in a 55 zone, he activates his radar to verify his estimate, he will usually be + or - 5 mph within his estimated speed. By the time the radar detector goes off he already clocked you.

So are they useless, no, not all cops to this and also don't be the lead car. Let someone speed ahead of you, when the cop clocks him your detector will warn you. Drive safe and enjoy.

[krhodes1]

In my area, the only thing a radar detector is good for is absolutely ensuring that if you get pulled over, you are GOING to get a ticket. The chances of getting a warning if the cop sees it are somewhere between zero and non-existant. And almost evey construction sign has the radar emitters on it to set them off.

If the cops are hunting speeders, they are either using instant-on radar or laser, and you are screwed either way. The tailights of the cars ahead are just as good as a radar detector, and a lot less annoying. If there are no cars ahead you are just screwed.

Radar detectors were nearly a license to speed when I was a kid, but not so much anymore.

My $.02.

[QC335]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

In my area, the only thing a radar detector is good for is absolutely ensuring that if you get pulled over, you are GOING to get a ticket. The chances of getting a warning if the cop sees it are somewhere between zero and non-existant. And almost evey construction sign has the radar emitters on it to set them off.

If the cops are hunting speeders, they are either using instant-on radar or laser, and you are screwed either way. The tailights of the cars ahead are just as good as a radar detector, and a lot less annoying. If there are no cars ahead you are just screwed.

Radar detectors were nearly a license to speed when I was a kid, but not so much anymore.

My $.02.

If you say so.

[jk715]

escort 9500x is the way to go if your annoyed of false alarms. GPS lock out is money when your in the city. Also, the red light camera warning is a plus. V1 is great for the long road trips but when your driving day to day i prefer the escort.

[EDM92]

You guys are all just stupid, I can read my V1 perfectly. Learn how the technology you're buying works before you actually buy it.

It's called a RADAR detector, not a COP detector. There is no such thing as a COP detector. If the cop doesn't have his radar on, it's not going to pick him up.

[Kolyan2k]

anyone know why they put radars in construction signs?

[thkfast]

OP,

I also suggest you set your V1 in the "long L" mode instead of "All bogies".

Reduces false alarms when in town.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by WildBee659

Radar is just a tool use by cops to verify the violator's speed after he has already determined the car is speeding. In other words, he keeps the radar on standby mode until he sees a car that he believes is doing 80mph in a 55 zone, he activates his radar to verify his estimate, he will usually be + or - 5 mph within his estimated speed. By the time the radar detector goes off he already clocked you.

So are they useless, no, not all cops to this and also don't be the lead car. Let someone speed ahead of you, when the cop clocks him your detector will warn you. Drive safe and enjoy.

I hate when people do this because they usually just sit in your blind spot, or follow too close, and when an emergency comes up they hit you or are in the way so you can't make a proper avoidance maneuver (say when a deer jumps out into the road). My opinion is if you are going to drive over the speed limit, then just have the balls to take the consequences of your actions; don't try to hide behind the women and children...

So people follow me in the manner you suggest, thinking "oh, he's driving a 'Beemer', he must be running a radar detector; I'll just follow him." When this happens, usually on a 4-lane highway (2-lanes each direction), when it's safe to do so, I rapidly change lanes (if the follower is behind me) and slam on the anti-locks; it just freaks them out and they have no idea what to do then. And I just laugh and laugh and laugh.

[jakefitz]

Originally Posted by QC335

No, you just have no idea what you are talking about or how to use a radar detector.

You are an idiot. GTFO

[Seminole]

This thread.

[xG35c]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

anyone know why they put radars in construction signs?

These were supposed to be used for that SWS "safety warning system" radar detectors manufacturers used to advertise as a key "feature". The detector would display a message when picked up, ie "construction ahead". Not sure what went wrong here - perhaps no standards or incompatibilty. My money is on the units need programming to send a message and no construction co has ever bothered!

To the OP: Visit the V1 website and print a copy of the programming guide. This detector can be setup to be much more resistant to falsing in the city. The laser falsing however, can't be reduced. If your use is mainly city you probably would have been better off with a GPS enabled Escort.