V1 Moments

Before I was sent back to Vietnam the second time, I was trained as a Wild Weasel pilot. Wild Weasel is an Air Force nickname for fighter pilots and electronic warfare officers who are specially trained to detect and interpret radar signals with the goal of keeping enemy radars from threatening friendly aircraft, especially in … continued

I have – wait, HAD傭een an Escort/Passport devotee for just about ever. I had an original Escort and had stayed with them till last week. But this past year I kept getting a “service required” message on my Passport 8500. After turning it off, it would work for a little while, then act up again. … continued

On the September 11 just passed, I turned 62. The wife says, “Honey, I have a great idea; let’s drive down to Haubstadt for dinner.” You do not have to push me to do that, so out comes my BMW M3 CS for a nice drive through the southern Indiana countryside. A quick history: I … continued

After plenty of research, the Valentine 1 looked best. Still, the penny-pincher in me balked; would the Bogey Counter and directional arrows really be worth $399? I bit the bullet and two days later V1 was on my windshield. The next morning I was on I-20 heading through the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex when I came … continued

I’m running very late on my way to Christmas in Detroit with my family. Finally, I get past Chicago and all of its rush-hour arterial sclerosis. I’m on fast forward; I dare not arrive in the middle of the night again and wake up my grandparents. I’m weaving in and out of all 4 lanes … continued

I had my Vette out on Saturday. Normally I don’t use radar detectors, but in that car you have to. Anyway, I rolled on to I-43 and five seconds later V1 went nuts telling me the radar was behind me. There were two cars back there, a minivan and a Bonneville. I thought maybe the … continued

Driving without my Valentine One is like walking naked down Main Street, yet I’d been without it for 3 months. My last car was totaled when a nephew blew a stop sign. And being the persnickety sort, I couldn’t simply mount the V1 on my dashboard; it has to be hardwired and stealthy as possible, … continued

I decided to replace my old radar detector with a V1. The first run with it was a weekend road trip from Los Angeles to Palm Springs. On the way out, I received a few false alarms, but no sign of authority figures. The return trip would be the true test of whether I keep … continued

On a sunny afternoon in Vancouver, WA, when I was coming home on highway 14E, I got a Ka alert. It was just one light, but it was persistent, so I thought there might be some business up ahead. I slowed to the posted and moved over in front of a black Navigator from the … continued

I was on my way to work using my Beltronics RX65 Pro when I passed the usual X band falsie right before the grocery store on the corner. My detector always goes off there, night or day. So I ignored the alert and continued to hustle. Needless to say, I was shocked when I came … continued