V1 lets me down (sort of)... <long-ish speeding ticket story>
 

Well, got my first ticket since buying my Valentine One two years ago. Can't say it hasn't saved me hundreds of dollars over it's life in my cars but here's the setup:

For the first time in the last 2 months I'm in the 97 Land Cruiser, V1 mounted high up, right above the rear-view. On my way to work at about 8:30am. For you S.Cal locals, heading S on PCH out of Port Hueneme on the last straight before Pt. Mugu. Cruising along...

Oncoming car comes around the point about a half mile down and V1 goes crazy a second later. Meanwhile I manage to bleed speed down to 'well above' before I get clocked. No other cars on the road.

The lights go on and the police car slows to turn around. I know I'm toast. Speed limit 55 and I was still at least 60+ when our cars passed each other. Throw the V1 under the seat and put the phone charger in the lighter socket. I go for the complacent approach. I pull over at the big turnout at past the point and wait with my signal on for the cop to come and get me. Seconds later the red lights show up in the rear view and I pull farther off the road, at least I can get a nice ocean view while getting bent, right? She approaches the car and says 'I guess you know why I pulled you over?'

"Sure do, when I saw you approaching I looked down and realized I was doing 65 (surprise in voice)! I slowed immediately and pulled over when I saw you turning around. This is the car my fiance usually drives and I just didn't realize how fast I was travelling."

"Uh huh. The readout on the radar gun locked at 89 mph. License, registration, and proof of insurance please."

Well that's a hum-dinger, ain't it? 34MPH over the limit. I am SOOOO f***ed. Of course as I hand over the insurance card I realize that it says Drivers: Todd & Michelle and Vehicles: Toyota Land Cruiser and PORSCHE TURBO. Not used to driving the fiance's car, huh? I make note of the smirk on the officer's face as she reads THAT one. However, next comes...

"Sir, I appreciate you pulling over and your courtesy. At the speed you were travelling I have to write you a citation however I think that 80MPH is sufficient in this case."

Thanks, I think. It's still no carnival at 25 over but it's a start. Urgh, back to the CA Vehicle Code book and a quick check to see when it was I last went to traffic school. You got's to pay if you wants to play!

Quick aside: Last traffic school I went to was supposed to be 'Comedy Traffic School'. The first thing the instructor says is 'Welcome to Comedy Traffic School. I'm not funny." to which he recieved scattered chuckles. He follows with "that wasn't a joke, the funny guy is sick so if you want a refund, now's the time". He wasn't kidding, that wasn't funny.

Moral of the story? The V1 is great but don't grow to complacent in the miracles of technology. I can't blame it (blind corner made of ROCK) but I had become too used to it alerting me to every situation requiring speed reduction. Operator error :(

(P.S. - please don't bother with the irresponsibility speaches, I'm all grown up now and am certainly not complaining about the ticket as I was knowingly breaking the law. I will pursue the matter under the court system of my county knowing full well that I am responisble for my actions and the repercussions thereof. Thanks!)

Valentine is a great piece that has paid for itself many times over. But you are right, it won't save you every time. On my lunch tour yesterday I get to wind out 3rd on the SR ramp....shut it down to enter traffic. Normally with no traffic on the four lane I would be doing 100+ but not sane yesterday afternoon. Just enjoyed the drive up to the interstate in tight traffic. A state patrolman shoots me with a radar gun out of no where.....no one else in line warrents a hit, just me, so no warning and I didn't even see him till he was just across from me going in the opposite direction. About a 1 second warning.....I would have been so busted, Valentine or not :)

Todd,

Used to live in Montana, and Germany before that. Speed limit for a while in MT was "safe and prudent" and unless you were driving crazy and below 120 or so, the highway patrol would wave as you were going by. Same with Germany except many places on the autobahn were unlimited.

Driving 20-30 over the limit is not unsafe if you do it in a good car and have some training. The speed limits are put on everyone to keep the idiot in a 20 year old Chevy or Ford from trying to take the corner at the same speed that we in our 911 take in 3rd and flat out.

No need to apologise and as long as you are on a highway and there is no traffic around, anyone trying to give you trouble for speeding has other motives... IMHO.

Joe

Instant-on is hard to outfox, which I suppose is why they invented it.

Then again, on-line traffic school is pretty painless.

Was her radar accurate at 89mph? Just curious...

Chris

Jack. If you were to write a book on a subject you know very well, might it be Traffic School?

I have said this before...but will repeat it again.
Radar might be sensed and perhaps avoided or at least slowed down to the limit.
BUT...the new stuff is LASER...no warning...no false returns....these units turn on for about 1/1000 of a second and then off again...no emissions at all when not triggered.
If you can sense that burst...and slow down in that time...I do not want to be behind you (locked up brakes, down-shifting, and lots of praying...LOL).
Technology is advancing...more electronics...cheaper speed traps...and communities that live on speed tickets.
I am not preaching the speed limit...I am always over the limit myself.
But, be prepared...you play...you pay (up here in Canada...you pay BIG).
Have a nice day.
Bob

Instant on radar, and especially with the combination of a lightly travelled road and an officer who uses it with discretion, will kill you every time.

My only ticket in the last 5 years with the V1 was in a similar circumstance. On the way to the track, pulled out at 4:30 AM on a Saturday. Two lane secondary highway, no traffic in either direction at that hour for miles. Not a chirp out of the V1 until popping over the crest of a hill and it screams at full tilt. That'll wake you right up...:)

Had there been any other traffic that the cop had been pasting ahead of me, the V1 would have picked up some of that signal spray and given enough warning for caution. However, not much you can do in a full frontal ambush...which would include all Laser hits as well.

Tim

89? Wow...I didn't think LCs could get above 75.......:)

find out if she was trained, or certified on that piece of equipment. if she was trained, ask for a dismissal. works in washington.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I have a 97 TLC also. It is amazing how that 6 cyl can pull a 3 ton truck isn't it?

Jeb
'79 930

I have a Phantom II Jammer...has saved me BIG TIME...

Further to HawgRyder's post, just how effective are the K40 laser defusers? The company claims it will pay your speeding ticket if you have one of their units installed and you are nailed by Laser.

Anyone have one? Do they work?

See:
http://www.k40.com/Products/Radar/LaserDefuserPlus.html

Chuck
93 C2

when is bill gates gonna build a 911 coated with the stuff they coat the stealth bomber in, radar absorbant paint. I read somwhere thet he bought a pair of 959s and they were stuck on a dock somwhere in Seatle with flat tires because customs would not let them in. Are there any 959s on the road in the US?

cough (bullshiit) cough

http://www.radarbusters.com/support/product-tests/6.asp
"Rocky Mountain Radar
We receive several inquiries per day as to why we do not sell or recommend the passive radar and laser jammers manufactured by Rocky Mountain Radar sold under the name(s) of the Phantom, Phantom II, Phantom III, Black Widow, Phasor, Shadow, Eclipse, Mirage and Spirit to name a few.

Well the bottom line is that during our testing of these units we have NEVER found one unit to work and if you have one that does, we will buy it from you for three times the money you paid for it (or if your a dealer or manufacture, three times the money you sell it for)

Recent tests
On September 15, 2002 we tested the newest product from Rocky Mountain Radar, the RMR-C302. We purchased this passive scrambler from a competitor's website for $319.95. We video taped portions of this testing and you can click here to view this testing in Real Video (1.2 Megs). . . ."

Todd,
Sorry to hear about your ticket, it sucks. As for traffic school goes, do it on line, it's much better then sitting in a class for 8 hours.

Paul

'88 Carrera Coupe

Kurt, thanks for the link. It would appear that ACTIVE Laser Jaming does work - I'll have to do more searching. The K40 site claims these are legal since they do not involve radio waves. I wonder . . . . . .

Chuck

Ultrasonic cockroach repellers, etc...
 

I have to agree with Kurt V. re the jammer issue.

In my opinion, I've never seen any reputable tests that show the passive ones to be of any use whatsoever, and the FCC is a little testy (i.e. its a felony, I believe) about the use of active ones.

There's some more entertaining reading re the RMR/Phantom jammer and others in general in this article as well.

Tim

Red-Yes there are some 959's running around the States. Up until a few years ago I was told there where 4 of them here in this country legally. I know there was two of them for sure as both where in Hickory NC. One was red and one was a Pearl White.

I asked at that time how and if that was the case how come Bill's fabeled car is sitting in Customs. Didn't get a real good answer but I spoke to the owner of the white one. Said he was visiting the factory and caught a glimpse of the car and decided he had to have it and pursued it asap. Think he said he paid as much to get the car into the country as he paid for the car.

I saw the titles to both and they where both titled as 959's. That is good enough proof for me. I heard the Red one was wrecked and someone in NY bought it. The white one was sold a few years back at Foreign Cars in Greensboro.

Since that time the DOT/EPA has started allowing cars with historical importance into the country for limited use. Since then I have heard of several other 959's in the country.

I live in Concord NC which is just north of Charlotte. While tooling down third street I was passed by a Mclaren F1. Gotta love the new rules

At least I can do it online (assuming that the last time really WAS 18 months ago, I'm trying to dig through my records over the phone via fiance right now). I think I'm in the clear and Ventura County will let me do online. When I did Van Nuys (LA County) for the last one they didn't allow online. Hence the un-comedy traffic school.

I'm only gonna fight if I can't do school. I guess I feel that I was speeding, and they did catch me fair and square. I also think the more money they make on radar the more complacent they are with what they have, the lower the percieved necessity for laser. Like my one ticket is going to change it all, yeah right, that's like saying my one vote makes a difference in our democracy (sarcasm filter!)...

Now, who's got the 'best' online traffic school?

Oh and one more thing. If I where Bill Gates and had all his money, I would build myself my own little road course and take those 959's to the track. Wouldn't be fun driving them on the street anyway.

Then let the locals use the track at a very low cost when he wasn't using it. Kind of the Pacific North West Ring if you will

Todd,

Since you live in California, the Ticket Assassin web site should be of particular interest to you. Check it out.

I did this:

http://trafficschoolonline.com/

highly recommended.

I've said on previous threads to never be the point man.. I always/usually follow the fastest car on the road.. hanging back about 1/8-1/4 mi..
sometimes you can pick up laser scatter thru the car directly in front of you that's being hit.
there are a few active laser jammers out there.. the Blinder M-10 has a big rep.. Don't know if the others are as good.. I've been waiting out the laser jammer install.. the Blinder doesn't automaticall turn off after a few seconds.. so the PD will probably figure out he's being jammed unless you turn it off..

here is a good article from Nat'l Motorist Ass


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/Lasertest.jpg

Mister Gates got a ticket on the 520 bridge at three-something in the morning a couple of years back driving a Porsche, and I think it was a 959. I think he was doing 165 or so. Makes you wonder how somebody can get away with stuff like that.

You know, I hear he has a lot of money.

I tried a few times to get a clear picture.. can't find how to "compress"/whatever.. if anyone that doesn't have Super vision and wants a readable article

RoninLB@optonline.net



http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/dom.gif

A good read in the new Motor Trend, New Car Buyer's Guide, about avoiding speeding tickets.........covers some info about radar detectors, how to act and what to say once you get pulled over. Some advice on ways to drive with the pedal down and not get nailed.

Radar detectors are NOT illegal in California.

20/20 but "I" would have goten offensive when I heard that high a number......asked to see the unit.

Did your detector register a laser hit? If not, a KA hit or a K hit needs a bit to calibrate. Fight it.....

I have been a lucky guy once.

I was poking along behind a motor home in a construction zone for about 5 miles. As soon as we cleared the construction and the road opened up to 2 lanes again I romped and stomped around the motor home. Probably hit about 95 or so.

Then, about 10 miles down the road I see red lights in the rear view. Hmmm, I think, I am at the speed limit (70) wonder what is up.

Officer states he had me at 93. Took me 10 miles to run you down. I audibly gasped and said "I can't believe it" (I guess I am not the smartest guy around!!!!). Officer replies "Are you saying that I am not being truthful?". Oh, no officer, I just don't understand that I could have been that fast. My next stroke of brilliance was when I said that if I was on patrol I would target the bright red Porsche also. He didn't think much of that either.

After much discussion, mostly one sided, his side, he wrote me a warning!!!!! I thanked him and with a shake of his hand I was off and running again.

Yes, I am a lucky man!

one should always be stocked with a fresh dozen of KrispyKremes for just such an occasion.

Would that qualify as a bribe? If all that sugary goodness is bribery, color me guilty!

I have always liked the reply to the question:

Officer: Sir, do you know how fast your were going?
Driver: Yes, Officer, but do you know how fast you were going to be able to catch me???

I have found the best way to beat the system is with a good lawyer. Some how they have creative ways of having a ticket dismissed.

When I lived in SC, the ticket would stay on ones record for 3 years from the date of the ticket. True with insurance too. But, if you contested the ticket, one could delay the 'posting' of the ticket for a year or more. Thereby reducing the 3 years to 2 or less.

Many of you should realize you are suggesting that Mike's (MMARSH) counterparts are not clever. That's a big mistake, IMHO...

Call me old fashioned but when I do something wrong and get caught I take my medicine.
Chris (former speeder)

"Instant-on" equals only one thing......

LASER.

There is NO defense for that. Mike Valentine has not even been able to fiqure out how to out smart LASER.

But I guess he'd better....'cos in a few more years almost every P.D. will have exlusively LASER equipped Motor officers.

not true.. I just posted an article above that confirmed the Blinder M-10.. and many others have confirmed it

Laser is bad. Instant-on radar is also a problem.

In California, anything that messes with a laser unit's ability to function (active, passive, whatever) is illegal.

Just recently I had an very unexpected encounter with instant -on. I was in the middle of Death Valley, hadn't seen a car for miles am doing over 120 on a very straight (55mph) road when I see a car coming from the opposite direction down the hills way out in front of me. I slowed down some as I didn't want to blast by this guy, never entered my mind that it would be a CHP. Slowed down to a hundred and then thought what if it is. Down some more to about 80 when I realized that the oncoming car was looking black with a white top and then POW! The V-1 went crazy and I about *****. He stuck his arm out and waved me to slow down and he kept on. Boy did he have me. Ruined the rest of the cruise thru the desert. Can't defeat that kind of thing. Bummer about your ticket!!

todd

what a bummer, i know that sinking feeling you get. i got lucky, and am VERY careful about speeding now.

on the subject of detectors, there are heavy fines in france for using them - don't know about the uk!

Jack I say this mostly in jest but I thought it would be funny.

Back when laser first started to be used I remember an article in one of the car magazines that stated that laser had to be aimed at something reflective or vertical.

Some prime targets where head lights and front license tags. They went onto say that you could effectively diminish the range of laser and possible buy your self some time by running some high intensity head lights all the time. Something to effect that High intensity (high wattage) gave off a lot of infrared radiation and this interfered with the laser that was being used. If I remember correctly they backed it up with testing.

So following that advise changing your bulbs to a higher wattage and then running your headlights and fogs when ever the car is moving would be against the law.

Don't know if this still holds water if it ever did but when laser becomes prevalent in my area I will give it a go.

I am an Electronics Technologist....have been for many years.
If anyone can show me a unit that is capable of defeating the modulated laser....I'll be the richest man in the world inside of 3 years.
There are no patents for such a device...I've looked.
There are about a zillion governments waiting for the device to be invented.
If the device is invented...then LIDAR is dead.
All LASER guided weapons are just so much junk.
Any further development of LASERs is useless unless it is for cutting purposes.
My $.03
Bob