Police chief denounces 'cowardly' iPhone users monitoring speed traps

Washington Examiner ^ | 7 Jul 2009 | Haley Peterson

[KRyanJames]

Area drivers looking to outwit police speed traps and traffic cameras are using an iPhone application and other global positioning system devices that pinpoint the location of the cameras.

That has irked D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier, who promised her officers would pick up their game to counteract the devices, which can also help drivers dodge sobriety checkpoints.

"I think that's the whole point of this program," she told The Examiner. "It's designed to circumvent law enforcement -- law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives."

The new technology streams to iPhones and global positioning system devices, sounding off an alarm as drivers approach speed or red-light cameras.

Lanier said the technology is a "cowardly tactic" and "people who overly rely on those and break the law anyway are going to get caught" in one way or another.

[keats5]

Now it’s “cowardly” to seek freedom from excessive government interference.

[taxtruth]

Everyone should time the yellow lights in their city/town.Lately,I’ve seen some reduced to 2 seconds which is illegal.3 seconds is legal.

[DustyMoment]

Did I stumble into a time warp??

This is kind of old news, isn’t it?

[I Buried My Guns]

FYI: In Texas it is not illegal to avoid DUI check[points. If the police see you stop before one, make a 3 point turn, and drive away, they do not have probable cause to stop you.

I think that's awesome.

[dusttoyou]

why it’s okay for troopers to consistently break the speed limit

Just doing their job getting to the scene and protecting some innocent donut shop from excessive supply.

[bondjamesbond]

[bikerman]

where there is a will there is a way

http://www.gpsangel.com/?page_id=1&sid=

[MichiganConservative]

Now it’s “cowardly” to seek freedom from excessive government interference.

The MommyState loves you and wants to do things to you for your own good. When you speak hateful things like that, you make Mother Pelosi and the police chief woman cry.

[JimRed]

One of our small towns in our shore summer resort area regularly parks empty patrol cars on a couple of the 25 MPH through streets. Since you never know if the car is occupied, it slows folks down without creating paranoia. So we can surmise that their goal IS public safety.

[slumber1]

Sorry SlowBoat...your name says it all!

[Tom D.]

"She said, 'with the Internet and all the new technology, it's almost impossible to stop the flow of information.'"

I bet the Chinese government thinks the same thing.

[RandallFlagg]

LOL!! Reading about this makes me almost want to go buy an iphone.

“Cowardly?”
What a jackass. These pukes admit so many times that it’s not about safety, but revenue.

[EEDUDE]

“These types of motorist traps are designed to generate revenue.”

Yep, and they are working overtime. I commute between IN and NC every two weeks. The last couple of months I have seen huge increases in the number of cops with radar along the interstate highways.

I used to almost never see them, now they are everywhere. Every little town along the way has their cops out there.
They apparently desperately need the revenue.

Sad to say I have contributed twice. ;(

[Travis T. OJustice]

Their special

Their special what? What about their specials?

[4yearlurker]

I remember Saddam Hussein calling us “cowardly” during the war for using technology. That's the first thought that popped in my head.

These cameras do NOTHING but generate revenue. If the DC police chief says different she is a bold face liar.

[wny]

"...law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives..."

Crapola. It's not "law enforcement" It's revenue generation. I recently was ticketed for rolling (at driveway speed after braking) thru a stop sign at 5:15 in the morning. Cop was sitting 50 yards down a darkened side street watching the stop sign, residential intersection - not even a primary side street. I was probably the only car in motion for a mile in all directions. Did I come to a full stop at the stop sign? No. But this is still harassment and revenue generation. Pure and simple.

[jmc813]

This idiot is also about the biggest gun-grabber on Earth.

Imagine the poor guy that has to have sex with that.

[Deaf Smith]

"Lanier said the technology is a "cowardly tactic"

If you find yourself in a fair fight, then your tactics suck.

[JimRed]

If the police see you stop before one, make a 3 point turn, and drive away, they do not have probable cause to stop you.

Here in Jersey I have no idea if it is legal to avoid them, but they usually try to set them up where escape routes are lacking, like divided highways with no turnarouds in visual range of the checkpoint. When approaching them (not having had a drink, naturally) I'm often tempted to try to turn off just to see what would happen. Have not done it yet.

But really, if that ain't probable cause, what is? It WOULD be probable cause to stalk you for a few miles, maybe?