yahtzee

Is it detectable and what do they do IF they detect it? Oh yeah, how good is the valentine for those in the legal states?

vp911

The V1 is the best. NO DOUBT.

Cops cant detect it unless they see it. I dont know the legality of it in your state.... common things to avoid: hard wire it so there arnt wires hanging around... use remote display so at night thecops cant see the red flashing lights on the display... and mount it either very high so its not in the middle of your class, or very low so it doesnt stand out either

yahtzee

They are illegal in my state, hence the "in virginia" and "is it detectable" parts. No point in forking over 4 bills to have some smokey yank it off of my dashboard.

vp911

I am well aware that they are illegal in VA... I was saying I don't know what the FINE would be if they caught you...

it is NOT detectable by any radar detector detectors... i believe called VG2 protection

yahtzee

Sorry...thought you didnt know...

vp911

I should have made it more clear its cool... you could always get a hidden system...

www.escortradar.com maeks hidden ones... but not as good as the V1 in general...

Intox1221

Also if u want to go the hidden way also check out k40 radar detectors on www.k40.com

JPSMAN

While not many officers in VA us the VG2 detector-detector technology, what many do instead is observe your habits when radar is being operated. If they think you may be operating a detector they may sit back a half mile behind you and then observe your actions when you the radar unit is turned on. If there are no cars in front of you and you nail the brakes it is pretty obvious that something is going on.

I am just very cautious when using in VA, especially at night, because you can't see who is behind you. If you are caught with the detector and you have a VA drivers license, most cops will ask to take the detector.

I would still intall and use it though, just a few thoughts......

fasttl

Neither the V1 or the Escorts are detectable. Ive used both, they are comparable in performance, but the V1 falses constantly.

vp911

The V1 falses constantly? I don't have that problem... like with all detectors it will go off when around the automatic doors... other than that there are no falses....

I happen to think the V1 blows away the passport - simply because of the arrows...once you get them, you can't live without them.

Mike_TX

radartest.com says there isn't a detector made today that isn't detectable by the latest "detector-detectors". Some are harder to detect, but the cops can detect any of them if they have the newest equipment.

imax

If they detect it that is a traffic offense in Virginia. They can write you a citation AND confiscate the radar unit.

IMHO, I would NEVER pay the exorbitant price charged for the V-1; ridiculous. I have had two Passports/Escorts and been very pleased.

PTN

check this out... http://www.caranddriver.com/article...3&page_number=1

albeit, this is a little dated but it is a very good review.

i think one of the big differences as far as falsing goes is that with a current BEL detector you can turn off various radar bands. X-band is usually responsible for much of the falsing in my area and mostly no cops use it here so i just turn it off and so to me, it's one of the best features you could have. my detector is always quiet except for an actual detection around here.

the V1 does a great job though of detecting cops well before any other detectors do as per the review and people i know who own the unit. they do seem to get more falsing than i do though. but it depends on the area. i don't know if the V1 has the feature to be able to turn off detection of radar bands or not.

i can say that with my BEL i am always amazed at the long distance between when i get an alert and before i actually see the cop as long as the radar is on all the time. instant-on is of course always a problem for anyone.

1995hoo

I have used the V1 in Virginia without detection. The point made above is a good one, though--there is a Virginia Supreme Court opinion holding that if a cop uses radar and you slow down, they have probable cause to pull you over and search your vehicle for a radar detector.

It is ILLEGAL for the cops to confiscate a radar detector for any purpose other than using it as evidence in court, and the law requires them to return the detector upon the conclusion of court proceedings, but there are all sorts of stories about cops conveniently "losing" them.

missmyprelude

Only recently (i.e. the past 2 years or so) has any detector come close to being as good as the V1. Now, there are several out there that are very good. I can't say how good since I've only read about them. I've had my V1 for 8 years now and have learned to rely heavily on the "arrows" that someone above mentioned. Between the range, usability, and other features (and of course the fact that I haven't had a speeding ticket in over 8 years) I would be willing to pay a lot more than the $400 stipend that I originally paid for it.

Ania

I also thought that radar detectors couldnt be detected i was wrong and i was even proven wrong when my boyfriend who is a cop told me that they always know when someone has a detector. He states that there is no thing like a radar that can not be tract. Now if the cop doesnt have his radar gun on then he will never know. However some cops dont care and will not pull you over for it.
As far as what they do i have heard a couple things some take it away...some place it behind your tires and make you drive over it...(very rare though) and some just give you a warning or a ticket i think its like 45 buck ticket... hope this helps

rets

.

dashotgun

here is an independent write up of the bel vs. val1 vs export
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090

http://www.speedzones.com/

VG1 is not used any more anywhere the current method is spectre and all radar dectors can be detected at some point. I drive with my detector on localy in VA and the chance of being caught is low in my opinion. A friend got caught with his 80 fine and the detector was returned. I seriously doubt they would make you back over it to wreck it. read the article and make up your own mind regarding the worth of the arrows or not. I have an exscort.

Acuraluvr

iTrader: (2)

V1s are lik 400$$??? saw it in a magazine, where r they illegal?

vp911

virginia...and im not sure maybe another couple states....

BstonBruin

whats the best value "bang for the buck" in terms of radar detectors that do the job. I wanna get one...but i dont wanna fork over 400 dollars

jdone

Stripped to basics a radar detector is just a radio receiver that allows us to know if government agents are using electronic devices to spy on us. Hard for me to believe this should be illegal anywhere in the United States and hard to believe the citizens of the People's Republic of Virginia consider themselves part of the south.

Answer-change the GD laws.

1995hoo

Just Virginia and DC, and a number of Canadian provinces--in Quebec it is illegal even to possess a radar detector! (In Virginia you can legally possess it and you can have it in your car if it is disconnected from any power supply and inaccessible to the driver. That's how they avoid the issue of out-of-staters passing through the Commonwealth who stick the detector in the trunk.)

SouthernBoy

I am a native Virginian and I love the state, but this intrusion into my rights is an irritant, for sure. Where the hell do these bastards get off thinking they can search someone's car for light and transient reasons? Where's the search warrant? What happened to the Fourth Amendment? This is a main reason why we went to war against the British and killed a mess of them to drive our point across.

Acuraluvr

iTrader: (2)

^ really.... its lik those writ of assistance that the british used to check for smuggling in the colonies..... (SS)

Road Rage

I helped push through the Va General Assembly the issue that having a radar detector could get you 6 points!!! Same as reckless. Never before had the DMV levied such a penalty. Thankfully, some of the more "performance oriented" members of the GA smelled a rat, and we got support - the DMV was instructed to back off.

It does not take a theoretical physicist to understand that while being found with a radar detector can get you a small fine, speeding can get you a bigger one, points, and surcharged insurance rates. Helllooo!!????

I have had one since 1978, the date of my last speeding ticket!! - with a little creativity, I have never had an issue with being "outed".

And yes, I use a V1 in the S2000 - the TL gets an Escort. As an EE, I will vouch for the design and construction of the V1 - non pareil.

SouthernBoy

I haven't had a moving violation since April, 1971. Hell, I don't even know the essentials about "points".

When I get on it, it use a bit of common sense and watch what I'm doing.

PTN

get a BEL or an Escort for < $300, (how much less depends on where you buy) and you'll be happy. it won't be as sensitive as a V1 but it will be very good.

Modeler

I live in Northern Virginia and don't care whether detectors are illegal. The reason for that is very simple: radar detectors in Virginia are irrelevant! Why, you might ask. Because, most of the tickets in VA are issued by cops using LIDAR at very close range. In 95% of cases you would not have enought time to react to your detector's warning about laser.