Open letter to John Turner

[jimbonzzz]

The Guys of LIDAR take a lot of flack sometimes. Not everyone agrees with the way we do things, and that's fine. However, it is one thing to disagree with us, and another thing to make false statements about us. We don't respond to everything people say, since we'll never be able to please everyone. But somethimes, when someone publically makes false statements about us, I feel I need to respond publically to set things straight.

This time, the message is to John Turner, who operates Tiger Lily Products/1stradardetectors selling radar and laser countermeasures.


Mr. Turner,

I enjoyed meeting you at SML 2006, as well as chatting with you on the phone or email on occasion in the past. However, I have a matter that needs your attention. Recently, one of our readers pointed us to some statements you made about one of our past tests. It's clear from your rants that you disagree with some aspects of our testing. You have some interesting perspectives on things, and make some interesting points, and of course you are entitled to your opinions. However, the statements that our reader was concerned with are as follows (see highlighted sections):


http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39-m5-e52-z8-discussion/139539-group-buy-blinder-m47-laser-jammer-2.html

"In 2008, GOL held a laser jammer test, asked all manufactures not to attend, then they privately invited Laser Interceptor to the test, allowing LI staff to adjust the Laser Interceptor for each laser gun tested. Basing test performance on tests that are tweaked for max performance on each laser pass is not objective testing in any way."



You make the same implications in your "newsletter":

http://www.1stradardetectors.com/news/Laser_Interceptor_Laser_Jammer.html

"If Laser Interceptor was indeed permitted to tweak their LI laser jammer for each laser gun tested, the laser jammer test results would be mis-leading."

"...it does not appear the 2008 Guys of Lidar laser jammer review was conducted in an objective manner. Thus at best, the Laser Interceptor and Blinder M45 are equal in performance for 2009; until an objective test is conducted with only production "out of the box" products, and not permitting any modifications of the tested products during the laser test."


Your statements referenced above are false. LI staff was NOT allowed to adjust/tweak/modify the Laser Interceptor for each laser gun tested. In our 2008 laser jammer test, the Laser Interceptor was blind-purchased, and was under lock and key until it was ready to be tested. At no time did a Laser Interceptor representative have his hands on the tested unit until after the main laser jammer test had been completed. I have several witnesses who can attest to these facts.

I'm not sure where you are getting your information, or who is "yanking your chain" (I could guess, but I won't). I'm sure your incorrect statements were just a mistake, oversight, or misunderstanding on your part. However, they reflect very badly on the integrity of the Guys of LIDAR testing, in which we take a great deal of pride. I'm sure you wouldn't like it very much if someone made false statements about the way you do business. I'm also sure it wouldn't reflect well on you if people thought you made a habit of making false statements to help sell your products.

If you disagree with the way we do things, fine. But if you are truly a professional, you will edit your "newsletter" and forum postings to remove the false statements. I am also going to ask that you are more careful not to make false statements about us in the future. You have been in the industry for a long time, and I'm sure you would never be as unprofessional as to purposely libel Guys of LIDAR or anyone else to help sell your products.

Sincerely,
Jim
Guys of LIDAR


BTW: If "agreenrhino" happens to read this, GOL is far from "broken up": we are alive and well. You haven't seen anything from us in 2009 because we're all busy people, we all have day jobs that give us the money to go out and test these products. I suppose it would be much easier for us if the manufacturer of the tested product threw a few G's our way to sign off on it (like "other" testers), but that just isn't how we roll.

[snoopyc4]

Nice, profesional response Jim. I guess he thought GOL allowed the LI staff to tweak the LI so that it could perform better against the Stalker but that happened after the testing was done. Next time you see false information broadcasted like this you can also add that other LIDAR testing groups have gotten similiar LI results to GOL's.

[jimbonzzz]

I guess he thought GOL allowed the LI staff to tweak the LI so that it could perform better against the Stalker but that happened after the testing was done.

Actually that happened in 2007 while the LI was still being deveoped, before it was even available at retail. Mr. Turner is clearly referring to our 2008 test.

[snoopyc4]

Has LI been tested at SML? Mr. Turner keeps mentioning that in the M5 thread.

[happya$$]

The LI tweak of the Stalker happened in March of 2007 in AZ. That was done for the LI PROTOTYPE that we tested not the RETAIL version that was tested in 2008

[djrams80]

I believe that the only two people to touch the LI at GOL 2008 were myself and thestaton, who did the install.

[happya$$]

I believe that the only two people to touch the LI at GOL 2008 were myself and thestaton, who did the install.

I will be honest I was amazed too that the RETAIL LI did SO well. Apparently Mr. Turner was too so he is reaching for anything to try and explain LI's performance

[Freebird]

The LI is to laser jammers as the V1 is to laser detection! The BEST plain and simple.

[jerry540i]

And, remember that we specifically asked the LI guys to leave the test course when we tested the LI.

J/

[snoopyc4]

I guess he thought GOL allowed the LI staff to tweak the LI so that it could perform better against the Stalker but that happened after the testing was done.

Actually that happened in 2007 while the LI was still being deveoped, before it was even available at retail. Mr. Turner is clearly referring to our 2008 test.

Right, my mistkae