My local Tesla Rangers (names withheld for their protection) were kind enough to grant me a test drive so I could drive a performance version. We also decided to attempt to answer the question of can a Valentine 1 radar detector function normally in a Tesla. I was lucky enough to book a time that had several cancellations surrounding it. We took the car out on I-684, a long, straight three lane highway that I know like the back of my hand from fifteen years of commuting. I know every radar trap along the stretch and we were intentionally trying to find one. The Valentine 1 was mounted on the windshield immediately to the right of the mirror. This is the zone that Tesla was nice enough to inform me that has a small window in the IR coating.
About five minutes into the test drive I cut my speed from 75 to 60 MPH as we came around curve. My Tesla Ranger companion looked at me quizzically until he glanced down the road. There he spotted our target. A State Trooper sitting on the median. I looked up at the Valentine 1. Absolutely silent. Simultaneously a silly SUV decided to pass us on the left at high speed. Uh-oh, sure enough, as we both went past the State Trooper the lights come on and he pulls out. I knew we were fine speed wise but thought it was possible that he was coming after us to get a closer look at the car. No such luck for the SUV. The trooper zoomed past us and pulled over the hapless lawbreaker. :scared:The Valentine 1 remained silent.
Not good. Like most V-1 users I have come to trust it given the many tickets it has saved me from. Further up the road, I knew there was a highway sign with a radar trigger. This time the V-1 started chirping. Now I was really puzzled, and swung the car around for another pass. Once again the V-1 detected the sign. Somewhat unsatisfied we decided to head back. On the way we encountered a candy red Porsche Carrera. This is a standard uniform for the hedge fund and I-bankers who are indigenous to Northern Westchester. I pulled up along side him and he gave a sneering look of superiority at the black Model S. A strange thing then happened. A Tesla grin came across my face. However, this was not the normal grin of innocent joy one usually reads about on the Tesla Motors Forum. This grin was more like the evil one that came across the Grinch's face when he looked down on all the unsuspecting Whos in Whoville. I floored the car. It was like going into warp drive and in an instant the Porsche was a speck in my rear view mirror. Fighting my adolescent urges, I took my foot off the gas and let the Porsche catch up....then I floored it again. Bye bye Porsche.
Soon we approached the original speed trap. I was very unsatisfied with our radar test results and really wanted an answer. I pulled the car unto the center divider and walked over to the State Trooper. He was very intrigued by the car and looked it over carefully and asked the Ranger a bunch of questions. He was a car guy, and actually knew a great deal about it. Gingerly I asked him about the SUV and he explained that he had tagged it with laser not radar. Mystery solved. I asked him if he would paint us with radar to test the the V-1. He did so and it lit up like a xmas tree. Mission accomplished, although it is impossible to know if the windshield will diminish the V-1's superior sensitivity since this test was at point blank range. Not surprisingly, the IR coatings blocked the laser rebound from the SUV. Laser detection only tells you you are about to get a ticket and is somewhat a non-issue.
Satisfied we headed home. I heartily agree with those on the forums that have stated that the nonperformance Model S is plenty fast and for all practical purposes is more than enough car. However, what I felt blowing the doors off that Porsche has nothing to do with being practical. I am opting for the performance version. I only hope the V-1 will save me.
About five minutes into the test drive I cut my speed from 75 to 60 MPH as we came around curve. My Tesla Ranger companion looked at me quizzically until he glanced down the road. There he spotted our target. A State Trooper sitting on the median. I looked up at the Valentine 1. Absolutely silent. Simultaneously a silly SUV decided to pass us on the left at high speed. Uh-oh, sure enough, as we both went past the State Trooper the lights come on and he pulls out. I knew we were fine speed wise but thought it was possible that he was coming after us to get a closer look at the car. No such luck for the SUV. The trooper zoomed past us and pulled over the hapless lawbreaker. :scared:The Valentine 1 remained silent.
Not good. Like most V-1 users I have come to trust it given the many tickets it has saved me from. Further up the road, I knew there was a highway sign with a radar trigger. This time the V-1 started chirping. Now I was really puzzled, and swung the car around for another pass. Once again the V-1 detected the sign. Somewhat unsatisfied we decided to head back. On the way we encountered a candy red Porsche Carrera. This is a standard uniform for the hedge fund and I-bankers who are indigenous to Northern Westchester. I pulled up along side him and he gave a sneering look of superiority at the black Model S. A strange thing then happened. A Tesla grin came across my face. However, this was not the normal grin of innocent joy one usually reads about on the Tesla Motors Forum. This grin was more like the evil one that came across the Grinch's face when he looked down on all the unsuspecting Whos in Whoville. I floored the car. It was like going into warp drive and in an instant the Porsche was a speck in my rear view mirror. Fighting my adolescent urges, I took my foot off the gas and let the Porsche catch up....then I floored it again. Bye bye Porsche.
Soon we approached the original speed trap. I was very unsatisfied with our radar test results and really wanted an answer. I pulled the car unto the center divider and walked over to the State Trooper. He was very intrigued by the car and looked it over carefully and asked the Ranger a bunch of questions. He was a car guy, and actually knew a great deal about it. Gingerly I asked him about the SUV and he explained that he had tagged it with laser not radar. Mystery solved. I asked him if he would paint us with radar to test the the V-1. He did so and it lit up like a xmas tree. Mission accomplished, although it is impossible to know if the windshield will diminish the V-1's superior sensitivity since this test was at point blank range. Not surprisingly, the IR coatings blocked the laser rebound from the SUV. Laser detection only tells you you are about to get a ticket and is somewhat a non-issue.
Satisfied we headed home. I heartily agree with those on the forums that have stated that the nonperformance Model S is plenty fast and for all practical purposes is more than enough car. However, what I felt blowing the doors off that Porsche has nothing to do with being practical. I am opting for the performance version. I only hope the V-1 will save me.