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Valentine One Radar Detector: Whoop! Whoop! That's the Sound of the Police! By: Gary V. Joseph I have a love/hate relationship with my valentine. Let me clarify; with my new, ultra-sensitive Valentine One (VI) radar detector. The VI is touted as one of the only "full coverage" detectors and definitely delivers in that respect. It is equipped with the ability to find all radar bands (X, K, Ka, & Photo); track four directions including your rear, and indicates the direction and number of bogeys (threats) being traced. Our evaluation of the VI included a 42-hour roundtrip drive from Maryland to Houston for the NFL Super Bowl as well as through the busy streets of Metro D.C. The orchestrator behind the VI is Mike Valentine who previously specialized in Microwaves. His 25-year obsession with radar technology is so innovative that it can sometimes overwhelm. In this age of traffic cameras; radar speed limit signs; and automated door openers which can nowadays be found at just about every store, it was hard to ignore the abundance of false alarms you get when passing through urban areas. I would drive by a hospital hoping I was not disturbing the patient's equipment or roll through an Ikea parking lot thinking I was being tracked by six MD state patrol cruisers. Though, they would all be false alarms! However, the V1 earned its $399 price tag where it mattered most. Especially for those testosterone driven BMW M5 and Chevy Corvette owners. The VI was continuously scanning the parkways and highways alerting me to the "Ghost in the Darkness" lurking between trees and camouflaging in the crevices. To say the least, it was always an interesting driving experience through Washington, D.C. and its downtown area as the VI alerted me to every threat like an overly dramatic girlfriend. It continued screaming at me every chance it got. So I would lower the volume by way of two convenient controls. Conversely, riding through the Maryland suburbs was pretty uneventful and the V1 sometimes felt unalarming. But then I would enter MD's Montgomery County, which is "speed trap central," and my boy (or girl in this case) would react like my 2-year old rottweiler Keeba when sensing a stranger disturbing her domain. A major plus is that the V1 would actually go looking for threats and let me know far in advance of any closing bogeys as well as how many. Driving into Virginia near the U.S. Pentagon was an instant reminder that radar detectors are illegal there, with the V1 alerting me like Osama was coming. Ironically, VA is where I got my first two speeding violations going back and forth to college in Atlanta years ago. All in all, my experience with the VI was worth its weight in radar. For buyers new to detectors, I would suggest the concealed display and the direct-wire power adapter to free up 12V outlets for cell phone chargers and portable satellite radio units. The V1 proved it's a necessity for drivers who wish to enjoy their new 300-plus horsepowered toys, but need to avoid those expensive speeding tickets and the accumulating points that come with them. So in the end I do love her. www.valentineone.com