Macster

noticed recently.

I've been on and off the road the last week or so and I'm seeing something I have not seen before.

On my way north on 99 north of Fresno and making good time. Truck comes up behind me and in the slow lane and at the last minute dives over and in to the space between my car and the car ahead of mine. I knew this was going to happen so I had backed off the pedal a bit.

Anyhow, traffic clears and the truck now speeds up and stays in the fast lane. Another car pulls over into the slow lane and speeds up. I'm in the fast lane a safe distance behind the truck running pretty fast.

On this section of 99 it is not a freeway and I passed a car pulled into the oncoming direction's left hand turn lane. Out of the corner of my eye I spot the markings of a CHP cruiser. I back off the throttle pronto and then set the cruise to 65mph.

In the rear view mirror here comes the CHP car and its moving but no lights on yet. I signal and move over and the cruiser passes me with what I felt was a glance over by the officer but I dared not look over at him.

On went the cruiser and he tucked in behind the truck. After a few moments on comes the light bar and the truck moves over to the right with the CHP cruiser on its tail.

Wondered why I got no warning. I looked up and noticed I had forgot to turn the V1 on.

This is not what I'm talking about I justed wanted to post the above because I got darn lucky.

Now what I've noticed is something that goes like this:

For instance, the other day I was heading south on I-5. I got a few chirps from the V1 and slowed down the a bit under the limit.

A recent model Mercedes sedan passes me going quite fast.

Not too far down the road I pass the M-B on the shoulder with a CHP car behind. Ouch.

Then last night on the way across I-40 from Barstow to Needles I get a warning chirp from up ahead. I slow down. Here comes this time a Lexus just smoking by me.

Sure enough not too far further down the road I see the dark shoulder of the right side of the road light up with CHP lights and out shoots the cruiser. I go past the cruiser after it stopped the Lexus just in time to see the CHP officer open his car's door with what looked to be some anger. Oh, I'm glad I'm not that poor Lexus driver...

Still on I-40 now some miles (still) west of Needles, I get another warning chirp from ahead.

I slow down and the signal gets stronger/louder. CHP cruiser coming from the other direction. I see the vehicle as it goes past and I resume my speed. But a few miles later I get a chirp this time from behind. Officer probably did an about face.. It happens.

I slow down and monitor the progress of the cruiser coming up from behind. After some miles but before the cruiser catches up to my car in the rear view mirror I spot the cruiser lights come on and another car gets pulled over.

My point is that after all these years I'm seeing other cars get pulled over. It always frustrated me a bit to when I get a warning from my V1 and slowed down other vehicles around me were blissfully unware of the proximity of a bear trap and continuing zooming past my car right and left.

One of the potential joys from using a radar detector is to me anywhow is after getting a warning of danger up ahead (or from behind) leaning back with some smugness and waiting to see another driver get pulled over. Save one time, one time, over the 10+ years I've had this V1, I've never seen this happen. It seemed like the other drivers were blessed or something.

But within the last few days almost every time I've gotten a warning from my V1 shortly thereafter I see another vehicle get pulled over.

About time. Hehehe. About time.

I'm looking forward to see if this new trend continues the rest of my road trip.

Sincerely,

Macster.

PAULUNM

CHP is using more Lidar, but I still see a decent amount of cruisers with their Radar permanently on. There will be instances with Lidar just as there are with Laser that a detector won't do you much good.

I've had an issue with my V1 losing calibration. Thankfully I was made aware of this issue by one of the "your speed is" signs not lighting up the detector. Something to be aware of.

fly2low

all forms of government are cash strapped
this is a revenue source that is being utilized with increasing frequency
speeding tickets are not about safety

nick49

I have the K40 with front and rear jammers, never even a close call. It seems to warn a mile or two in advance on the freeway and indicates if it's in front or behind. Came with the car and very worth while.

adam_

There no radar jammer, and I think the K40 laser jammer is a passive diffuser thing which has been shown to be pretty much useless. AFAIK. ....K40 is big on marketing and light on specs.

Macster

Just an update. The trend continued Saturday. Got a hit on the V1 not too far out of Kingman still west of Seligman and hit the brakes first then topped a slight crest and spotted the bear in the middle. I glanced down and I was going 70mph in a 75mph zone and in the 'fast' lane, which I thought highly suspcious behavior, and even did the glance over this time at the cruiser but as I drove on past and went on east the cruiser didn't move to come after me which is always a good sign, but a moment later it pulled over another car that hadn't been too far behind.

Then into New Mexico and a driver in a new Mazda was enjoying his nice new car. I got a warning and backed off to 75mph and the Mazda driver went on and sure enough I see the cruiser lights light up a distance ahead. When I got there the cruiser had pulled over the Mazda.

I have always encountered bear traps on this route before but they were always light. That is I could drive 100 miles or 1000 miles or almost be to my destination then encouter alot of a bear activity then nothing the rest of the way.

This time I'm seeing it in every state (so far) and it is hot and heavy.

I have to really be on my toes. Today we'll see what Texas and Oklahoma and Missouri have to offer in the way of bear activity.

Oh, enjoying the cheap gas and cheap(er) motel room rates. In Kingman snagged a nice room for under $45 and last night in Tucumcari stopped at a Best Western and the clerk informed me I had enough BW Gold Card points to qualify for a free room!

Sincerely,

Macster.

cannon1000

How about some pics of your journey along the way? :-)

Be safe and have fun.

Macster

Here's a couple Not much of a picture taker...

At Barnes/Noble bookstore in Flagstaff:




In motel parking lot in Tucumcari:




Snapped at a dealer a few weeks ago...something blue....oh and orangey...



Sincerely,

Macster.

Mikelly

I pretty much gave up on using my detector when traveling after getting popped twice in 30 days and being given only warnings... My detector barely blipped due to the instant on being used by the troopers in both instances, certainly not enough time to react. Fortunately both times I was in my truck and was able to hide the unit from the troopers. Virginia doesn't allow radar detectors and the ticket is small, but the increase in insurance rates more than makes it a deterant.

Mike

SeanR

V1 saved my *** from laser on Thursday. Only the 2nd time in three years it's happened but somehow got some scatter when he was tagging a car in front of me. Was able to slow down and watched him hit me a couple of times before he picked up another car. Love this V1.

Dock

My V1 has saved me so many times I've stopped counting.

catchacab

Using a radar detector doesn't make you invincible. One needs to learn how to use the information a radar detector gives you and how to drive with a radar detector to make it a lot less likely to receive a spying ticket.

Dock

All true.

If you are by yourself and the officer is using instant-on radar or laser, and he waits until you are within the speeding reading range of the measuring device before emitting any energy, then a detector by itself is basically useless. In this case you have to stay pretty close to the speed limit unless your visual look out (or CB radio) is good enough to risk higher speeds.

Radar detectors rely on early detection for protection, and early detection means the officer is either emitting radar energy full time, or he is using instant-on radar on car(s) ahead of you (allowing your detector to receive the energy going past the car(s) ahead of you as he briefly shoots them with energy).

adam_

Most cops are somewhat lazy here in CA and just leave the Ka on when doing radar enforcement....rarely see instant on.

Lidar is a challenge. Try not to be in front in the fast lane... and have t a Lidatek on my DD. Not the Pcar. P car is actually not that easy to get a nice steady signal as I have no plate.

I too chafe when I slow down and others blow past.... but every once in a while one of them gets nailed!

Macster

The drive across the rest of NM and Texas and Oklahoma into Joplin Mo was uneventful. A few bear sign and I spotted one vehicle (big rig) pulled over but that was that.

The biggest problem was the blasted wind and the cold. High 30's with a 25mph (and probably gusting to more) makes for a cold that just bites.

Night before across NM before I stopped in Tucumcari I forgot to mention the fog, with the temp in the high teens. No ice though, thank goodness, but I still took it easy.

Then last night into Oklahoma ran into more fog, a bit of rain, drizzle. Temps in the high 30's so no danger of icing.

Anyhow, it looks like the bear activity is dying down, at least where I am now.

Sincerely,

Macster.