[ettil]

As I was being chauffeured tonight it's not my ticket but might as well be.

Just a warning for any VA users (yeap that's me) we got pulled over by a brand spanking new VA State Trooper car that picked up our V1 (husband's Ford Escape was the vehicle of choice). Woke him up from his paperwork and he pulled up next to us, a bit ahead, then dropped back and flipped on the lights. Immediately asked for the radar detector. $102 to Fairfax County & and he didn't confiscate.

Moral of the story - they've gotten much better at finding V1s. This is the first ticket in 10 years/6 cars/always on where a detector detector has gotten us.

[tman]

ouch!

[ettil]

ouch? Possession tickets are much better than speeding tickets!

[tman]

i meant ouch that you got pulled over period. i would've used a more colorful descriptor if it had been worse.

[FrankoQ]

Originally Posted by ettil

As I was being chauffeured tonight it's not my ticket but might as well be.

Just a warning for any VA users (yeap that's me) we got pulled over by a brand spanking new VA State Trooper car that picked up our V1 (husband's Ford Escape was the vehicle of choice). Woke him up from his paperwork and he pulled up next to us, a bit ahead, then dropped back and flipped on the lights. Immediately asked for the radar detector. $102 to Fairfax County & and he didn't confiscate.

Moral of the story - they've gotten much better at finding V1s. This is the first ticket in 10 years/6 cars/always on where a detector detector has gotten us.

what? how?

[ettil]

Originally Posted by tman

i meant ouch that you got pulled over period. i would've used a more colorful descriptor if it had been worse.

eh getting pulled over happens. I start to get worried when it doesn't happen after a year or so. I came to the realization a long time ago that I'm just one of those people who attracts cops but only in the non-fast cars.

[ettil]

Originally Posted by FrankoQ

what? how?

well you see Frank they have these devices detect if you're using a radar detector. For the longest time they didn't used to pick up V1s but technology changes and then it's the matter of being in the right place at the right time.

We figure the trooper was just so shocked that he picked up a radar detector that he couldn't resist pulling us over to find out if his technology was actually working properly.

[bts]

Originally Posted by ettil

Moral of the story - they've gotten much better at finding V1s. This is the first ticket in 10 years/6 cars/always on where a detector detector has gotten us.

Just curious as to what firmware you have. Is this the latest and greatest? I don't know that there are recent updates for detection ... might be worth a call to V1.

[FrankoQ]

Originally Posted by ettil

well you see Frank they have these devices detect if you're using a radar detector. For the longest time they didn't used to pick up V1s but technology changes and then it's the matter of being in the right place at the right time.

We figure the trooper was just so shocked that he picked up a radar detector that he couldn't resist pulling us over to find out if his technology was actually working properly.

oh!
good to know.
I thought he saw it. I usually leave exposed and just turn it off in VA.
At least he let you keep it.

[ettil]

Originally Posted by bts

Just curious as to what firmware you have. Is this the latest and greatest? I don't know that there are recent updates for detection ... might be worth a call to V1.

Hmmm would have to go out and grab them. It is out of date but the last time we checked firmware on this one, it was mostly minor stuff. Good idea to check again on updates

It's actually been pretty interesting to see which revision of the hardware picks up what. Mine's 9yrs while my husband's is 7yrs. I always pick up the eternal "your speed is" sign and his never goes off but he always picks up the laser at the toll booth and mine doesn't make a peep.

[ettil]

Originally Posted by FrankoQ

oh!
good to know.
I thought he saw it. I usually leave exposed and just turn it off in VA.
At least he let you keep it.

Nope didn't see it - concealed display so no lights up above plus tinted windows. It was at 9:45pm. Just immediately asked for the usual (license & reg) and then next asked for the V1. No real poking his head in through the window. Said you know it's illegal and they have devices to detect them - totally volunteered that info (something we knew anyways). Didn't like my "we just came back from MD" which was true.

4 tickets and no confiscations though we thought he was going to. It's worth the risk to/for me.

[tman]

Maybe you should go here and get an upgrade...

http://www.valentine1.com/upgrades/

[FrankoQ]

Originally Posted by tman

Maybe you should go here and get an upgrade...

http://www.valentine1.com/upgrades/

BTW, my V1 saved me 4 times already! whoohoo!

[pseto]

thats the 1 reason I hate going to VA, and I never remember to take my V1 down.

[45ACP]

I heard that satellite radio gives false positives to radar detecting detectors and many cops know about this. Maybe you could've gotten away with it if you blamed it on XM/Sirius, even if you may not have had it installed in that particular vehicle.

[coffeeman]

I used to live in Nazi Virginia, and the radar detector law, and personal property tax were my two major complaints, with regard to driving in Va.

If you read the Communications Act of 1934, it states that every citizen has the right to own and use a radio receiver, which is exactly what a radar detector is. I know that many have tried to challenge Va's detector law, and I'm amazed that no one has ever prevailed.

As a side note, I was pulled over in Richmond a few months ago for the same thing. I had no radar detector, but the MB that I was driving had radar cruise control, which the State Trooper detected. I was not very nice, as I suspected that the MB's cruise radar had tripped his radar detector detector unit.

After switching it off, to demonstrate to him that this was what was causing his alarm, he went away.

[PSI Power]

How close where you to the State Trooper when he detected the V1?
I thought they could not detect it if they were close enough to detect some of the bleeding radio frequencies through the casing.

At least they did not confiscate it.
Thanks for the heads up.

[bavarian19]

It does not help that VA seems to employ more police officers than I EVER see in any other state...

It just bugs me that they do so much 'fundraising' and less patrolling of areas that need it...


My radar detector is an old school one, but still does the trick. I dont even bother having it up in VA...

[WxSquid]

Originally Posted by bavarian19

It does not help that VA seems to employ more police officers than I EVER see in any other state...

It just bugs me that they do so much 'fundraising' and less patrolling of areas that need it...


My radar detector is an old school one, but still does the trick. I dont even bother having it up in VA...

I thought so too until I drove back from my trip through Ohio. Ugh, that was bad. I was going 2 over, and *anyone* that passed me was nailed.

[dinkoh]

Originally Posted by PSI Power

How close where you to the State Trooper when he detected the V1?
I thought they could not detect it if they were close enough to detect some of the bleeding radio frequencies through the casing.

At least they did not confiscate it.
Thanks for the heads up.

Out of curosity, is it still illegal to have it mounted by not turned on?

[pseto]

Originally Posted by dinkoh

Out of curosity, is it still illegal to have it mounted by not turned on?

good question, although whenever I'm in VA, I just take mine down to be safe(and if I remember). However, I always thought it was possession that was the key.

[FrankoQ]

Originally Posted by pseto

good question, although whenever I'm in VA, I just take mine down to be safe(and if I remember). However, I always thought it was possession that was the key.

I just turn it off.