Plastic Strip Shields License Plates From Traffic Cameras

WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC) ^ | July 15, 2002 | Kamal Wallace, Staff Writer

[Constitution Day]

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Too many people in Fayetteville tried to race through intersections before the traffic light turned red, so the city installed cameras to nab red light runners. The traffic cameras are coming soon to Raleigh, Cary and Chapel Hill (also in Rocky Mount - CD). But, before some cameras are up, there is a way around them.

[Alberta's Child]

I may not have been clear about that. An "all-red" phase is not required -- it's just that it is often used at busy intersections and/or intersections with higher speeds where it hadn't been used before the 1980s or thereabouts.

[chadmaster]

Most of these cameras are pole mounted, right?

[NC_Libertarian]

I'm thinking about shooting out the cameras around where I live, but I'm worried I might be put away for 20 to life for "terrorism".

[JavaTheHutt]

I agree, stretching the timing on the yellow light probably wont help much, but if there is a pause of one or two seconds between one light turning red and the next light turning green, I think that would reduce a lot of accidents.

[ijcr]

Ok. Let's get this right, to avoid accidents you wait with a death grip on the wheel at a green light.

Your eyes darting from side to side holding the panorama of the crossing fixed, counting the seconds, just in case a masked, amber light/ red light runner, emboldened by your temerity tears into the intersection and suprise, suprise, you get rear ended three times.

I thought Homer Simpson was a cartoon character.

[traditionalist]

I agree, stretching the timing on the yellow light probably wont help much, but if there is a pause of one or two seconds between one light turning red and the next light turning green, I think that would reduce a lot of accidents.

Yes, I think you are right, but I believe this is already the case at most intersections in America.

[traditionalist]

The correct solution would be to cut the power to the traffic lights, or eliminate the government funds that pay for the operation, maintenance and use of the cameras.

Boy, you libertarians really are kooks.

[Alberta's Child]

There was once a man who was visiting New York City for the first time. He jumped into a taxicab and told the driver where he was going. The guy stepped on the gas and drove down Broadway, weaving through traffic. When they came to a red light, the cabbie just stepped on the gas and drove right through the intersection. This happened four times, and by the grace of God they were not involved in an accident.

After the guy had run the fourth red light, the passenger could not refrain from speaking up.

"What kind of a cabbie are you?" the passenger asked, "Don't you know how to drive?"

"I been driving here for couple of years," said the driver with a heavy Middle Eastern accent, "My brother -- he come here ten years ago and he been driving a cab ever since. He told me that driving through red lights in New York is not a problem -- nobody ever comes on the other street."

They came to another intersection just as the light turn green, and to the passenger's surprise the cabbie stood on the brake and came to a screeching halt.

"Now what was that all about?" the passenger asked.

"Must be careful and look both ways at green light," the driver said, "in case my brother is coming on the other street."

[jackbill]

Just more proof that entrepeneurs are smarter than government bureaucrats. But we knew that, didn't we?

[Great Dane]

My wife has one on her car. We haven't had a problem with it... yet.

And you probably won't have a problem, we added the plexi to protect the plate, paid $100 for "N1DANE," so we thought it was a good idea to protect it, the plexi was never meant to fool camera's.......... that was an unintended consequence. :-}

[Frohickey]

The correct solution would be to cut the power to the traffic lights, or eliminate the government funds that pay for the operation, maintenance and use of the cameras.

Boy, you libertarians really are kooks.

Whats kooky about wanting another tax cut? Tell you what, you can write a check to the amount of your tax cut and send it for the redlight-camera enforcement fund. How about that?

[okie01]

"It's made of a series of louvre-like plastic tabs that allow your license plate to be seen from directly behind the vehicle, but makes it impossible for the plate to be read from a point above the vehicle and off to one side (where red-light cameras are typically placed)."

The "Venetian Blind Effect". Simple. But effective.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

Nope, not everything...how about, say, going out on a limb here and maybe this is just a wild@ssed idea, but...how about actual police enforcement?? The police are much more likely to be not break down and give lawabiders tickets, and you can fight them in court. You can't fight the omniscient traffic camera.

The guy is right, this is done for revenue enhancement. If the problem was really that bad they'd have actual cops at these intersections. Drunk driving is more of a problem.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

The problem you're missing is that shorter yellow times = less reaction time to make stop/go judgement, even to the point where these times could be negative, resulting in running the red light or making an unsafe stop and possibly being rear-ended...all detailed in the Dick Armey report.

A yellow time that is too short coupled with an all-red phase is not adequate.

[Ajnin]

The cameras are not going to prevent accidents just like gun laws don't prevent crime. However, these traffic cameras will make the general populace more accepting of even greater limitations on their privacy and liberty.

[Alberta's Child]

. . . shorter yellow times = less reaction time to make stop/go judgement, even to the point where these times could be negative . . .

I didn't miss that point -- I've pointed out several times on this thread that if a signal is not designed to provide adequate perception/decision/stopping time at the posted speed of the roadway during the yellow phase, then the signal design is flawed. In a case like this, the engineer who designed it ought to be fired, then beaten with a hammer. In a case like this, the engineer would pay for his mistake in a way that a police officer or (even worse) a politician never would.

Armey made numerous allegations in his report, some of which were valid and some of which were based on some misconceptions of how traffic signals are designed. If you know anyone who has been unjustly ticketed at one of these intersections, send me a Freep mail with the details. I know that there is an ingrained sense of injustice and "fighting the system" here, but in a country where someone can get a few hundred thousand dollars for spilling hot coffee on himself, I'm certain that a design flaw in a traffic signal would attract the attention of every lawyer on the face of the earth.

[chuckles]

Down here in east Tejas, we have little black bugs that come out in the billions about twice a year. We call them luv bugs, cuz thats all they do. If you drive over 50mph for about 2 miles, you can't see your plate any more. Then reverse and put back to front and repeat. Put front to back and you are set. Oh, and wash your windshield and headlights.

[Securo]

I have a variation to mention about "the eliminator." I notice that in New YOrk City, all the arab taxi drivers are using something to obscure their licenses, which are supposed to be visible to the passenger.

[Blackdakota]

Yea most of them are on poles and mainly just to catch you running red lights. There are no camera's to detect speeding that I know of here. Another website with products marketed towards preventing the camera from seeing the plate is..

http://www.phantomplate.com

[mewzilla]

These plastic cover things are illegal in New York State.

Too bad. Guess folks will just have obey the law and not drive like idiots.