Michael Valentine, who turned a childhood interest in amateur radio into what we all know as the radar detector, and saved a lot of drivers a lot of tickets in doing so, has died unexpectedly at the age of 74.
Sorry to hear that Mike has passed. I've been using his detectors for years and the continuous upgrades to improve them have kept me loyal to the brand.
Highway hero, even after the bastards came out with K and Ka frequency bands. Nows there's Lidar. When I was young, I needed it; now I'm old and the speed limits are 75.
When I was a new driver "radar speed detectors" were rare. The cops in my area used 2 pneumatic rubber tubes laid across the road with a known distance between the two. The tubes were connected to a timing gauge that calculated the time between the front tire going over the first tube and then the second. Then it translated it to the vehicle's speed.
Two white marks on side of the road, plane in the sky radioing cop below as to which car to pull over. Yes, some hoodlems would go out at night and paint over the white stripes or even paint new ones a farther distance apart. Daryl
"hoodlems would go out at night and paint over the white stripes" Daryl. You must have an evil mind. No one would even think of doing such a thing ... in daylight. :)
Have a V1 and a G-Analyst. Called direct to Valentine Research and spoke to his mom when placing the order for the V1 27 years ago. Good products but bumper proximity radar drives the old units nuts even after upgrade. Oh well.
Had One of his old Escorts & saved me many times in VA. Yes, in VA, the retarded state where radar detectors are illegal and where there’s a cop behind every tree. Thank God I’m outta there.
He raised a question we should all still be thinking about. Does the Government have any right to monitor activity in the absence of reasonable suspicion that any crime is being committed?
In '79, when the Navy began to operate against Iran in the Persian Gulf, we didn't have adequate defense against the F-14 fighters we had sold Iran 5 years before. We literally put modified "fuzz busters" in our aircraft to use as radar warning devices. RIP, Mr Valentine.
Sorry to hear that Mike has passed. I've been using his detectors for years and the continuous upgrades to improve them have kept me loyal to the brand.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. The man saved me thousands of $$$.
DeleteQHM
Highway hero, even after the bastards came out with K and Ka frequency bands. Nows there's Lidar. When I was young, I needed it; now I'm old and the speed limits are 75.
ReplyDelete"died unexpectedly"
ReplyDeleteLots of that going on these past three years.
doctors are just baffled.
DeleteYeah, a guy I know just died of suddenly last night
DeleteWhen I was a new driver "radar speed detectors" were rare. The cops in my area used 2 pneumatic rubber tubes laid across the road with a known distance between the two. The tubes were connected to a timing gauge that calculated the time between the front tire going over the first tube and then the second. Then it translated it to the vehicle's speed.
ReplyDeleteTwo white marks on side of the road, plane in the sky radioing cop below as to which car to pull over. Yes, some hoodlems would go out at night and paint over the white stripes or even paint new ones a farther distance apart.
DeleteDaryl
"hoodlems would go out at night and paint over the white stripes"
DeleteDaryl. You must have an evil mind. No one would even think of doing such a thing ... in daylight. :)
Have a V1 and a G-Analyst. Called direct to Valentine Research and spoke to his mom when placing the order for the V1 27 years ago. Good products but bumper proximity radar drives the old units nuts even after upgrade. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteSpin
Had One of his old Escorts & saved me many times in VA. Yes, in VA, the retarded state where radar detectors are illegal and where there’s a cop behind every tree. Thank God I’m outta there.
ReplyDeleteMy Valentine One had a remote display.
DeleteHe raised a question we should all still be thinking about. Does the Government have any right to monitor activity in the absence of reasonable suspicion that any crime is being committed?
ReplyDeleteYes we do.
Delete-The Government
Rights!? We don't need no rights. We don't need no steenkin' rights!
DeleteIn '79, when the Navy began to operate against Iran in the Persian Gulf, we didn't have adequate defense against the F-14 fighters we had sold Iran 5 years before. We literally put modified "fuzz busters" in our aircraft to use as radar warning devices. RIP, Mr Valentine.
ReplyDelete