DEAR SERGEANT AL: Do you know of any way you
can defeat a red light camera? Other than smashing the camera, is there a way to
get around the picture taking while skirting through a red light with a camera?
--I’VE HAD IT WITH PHOTO ENFORCEMENT TRAPS
Dear IHIWPET: As an officer of the law, I
cannot of course support or condone the destruction of public property, or any
property for that matter. Over the years and since their inception, I must
admit however, that I have seen red light cameras go through various states of
criminal mischief and destruction of public property. Depending on the
jurisdiction and the amount of damage, tampering or destroying a photo
enforcement device, whether for speeding or red light, can be either a serious
misdemeanor or minor felony, and if caught somewhere else, say, on another
camera or by a witness, it can definitely lead to a heavy fine if not some jail
time.
We cops too are subject to the wrath of the
red light camera. Make no mistake about this: photo enforcement does have a
deterrence element like old-fashioned police enforcement, but the main attraction of photo enforcement is in fact revenue
collection. If we the police are not careful to document an actual
police emergency for cause as to why we went through a red light camera, we
have to open up our own personal pockets to pay the fine just like you do. SO
trust me, photo enforcement can be as annoying to us as well.
SO what can a motorist do to defeat the
purpose of a photo enforcement device? Well, other than the obvious, one option
is to get a license
plate deflector shield. Sounds like a part off the
starship Enterprise . . .
Deflector shields have various forms of
effectiveness, from limp that you will get another photo ticket guaranteed, to
overkill that you can’t see the plate numbers clearly, so you will eventually
get pulled over by the police.
If you shop carefully, you can find an
effective shield that if photographed at the right angle by a photo enforcement
camera, your license plate number will be distorted and unrecognizable in a
photo. I’ve seen other similar devices that run the gamut of effectiveness (or
lack thereof), including “Photoblocker” sprays:
Some shields I’ve seen do such a good job
that you can hardly see the plate number at all! And in that, there lays the
problem with deflector shields: they are ILLEGAL in most jurisdictions, and
very much like a
broken taillight that is itching for a cop to pull you over,
your deflector shield will stick out on the roadway in more ways than the deflector dish does on the Starship Enterprise.
But there are things you can do to reduce the
possibility of getting a notice of violation in the mail, even if the camera
stutter went off with a flash.
My friends at the AAA Auto Club and How Stuff Works tell me
that red light cameras are based on sensors in the roadway that when rolled
over activates the shutter.
Most red light cameras are
designed that even after the shutter flashes, if you are able to stop the car
after rolling over the shutter, you can back
up over the shutter to re-activate the camera. By doing this, you are
demonstrating to the camera that you are making an effort to stop for the
traffic light, albeit imperfectly, but legally enough NOT to receive a notice
of violation by mail. The trick is to do this at a rate of speed that enables you to back
up immediately after a quick full stop past the shutter. Something else to consider in photo enforcement is weather
conditions. Since wet weather requires a
longer reaction time and distance to stop, red light camera jurisdictions
generally give more leeway during bad weather as to whether to send a notice of
violation. But of course a motorist should not use that an excuse for
running a red light camera in wet weather!
So there you have it IHIWPET,
no ticket from me, I’ll let the cameras do all the talking and ticket writing. Consider
yourself forewarned when it comes to photo enforcement cameras. The best way to
get around a red light camera is to know where they are; slow down when you
approach them, and damn be sure to stop when the light is red before the stop
line or crosswalk. If you pass the shutter after a flash, immediately stop and
back up past the crosswalk (safely please, look behind you) until the shutter
goes off again. License plate covers and sprays are iffy, some don’t work, some
work too well, or some will get you more into trouble than you were initially
looking for. Speed cameras are another beast; so perk up if you see signs of
upcoming photo radar, and consider yourself toast if you get caught via a speed
camera. BOTTOM LINE: While they’re still picking the bugs out, and the courts
in various states are giving push back to their legality, photo enforcement is
still the wave of the future, and they literally will be staring down your rear
view mirror with a FLASH as you sail through an intersection or past a mile
marker, so you better get used to it!
Drive on, be safe, and good luck!
Related Reading:
Related Reading:
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Sgt. Al here. I welcome your comments, ideas, and suggestions. You have questions about the police, and I'm interested in hearing what you have to say as a citizen. Thanks!