The city where I live just installed a lot of red light cameras around my town and I'm thinking about buying some of that photoblocker spray. Has anyone used it? A lot of the places online I found say it does, but they also have links to buy it, so I'm hesitant to trust them.
BTW, I'm not asking so I can run red lights, but rather because I know it's just so the city can make money and I hate that.
Go to the drugstore. Price out a can of hairspray .vs. "photoblocker" (probably hairspray with a different label). It's the original "photoblocker spray can product."
Realize that "the other side" is no doubt aware of and working to foil any effectiveness of such products - ie, they will alter flash position, camera type, etc to render them ineffective.
The easiest way to avoid revenue enhancement is to not do whatever it is that's being revenue-enhanced. Be sure to file complaints (and write letters to the editor, if you still have a newspaper) about short yellows if you find that light timing appears to be altered to make red light camera revenue greater. As Farakin can tell you, that's not enhancing safety.
Doesn't work. Now if you're really creative you can try a computer monitor privacy screen so you can only see your plate from straight on and not high up where the cameras are but you'll be stopped by the cops in no time. The one other thing that the mythbusters haven't tried is a slave flash to overexpose the plate on the picture. I have a small but powerful slave flash unit and tried placing it next to my plate and took a picture with flash and it certainly rendered my license plate unreadable. And if done right could be very stealth. All you have to do is find out if your red light cameras always flash and if they have a preflash sequnce and program that into your slave flash.
Outlawed them here a few years ago. :wink: I had one from the red light cam of me being pushed thru the light by an 18wheeler and they tryed to send me a fine for running the light. I said you morons if I would have ran the light I would still have my Firebird and let my lawyer handle it.
Watch Mythbusters. They proved it doesn't work.
Yep, as far as beating traffic control, if it's on Mythbusters, it doesn't work. They won't show you what does work.
I know one municipality was handing out tickets left & right for "california stops", but changed the policy after too many complaints.
Plastic clear/tinted number plate covers over here were banned due to reflection from flash
dude, just wear a cape when you ride. Really though there isn't a legal way to beat those cameras. The sprays don't work, speed doesn't work, and covers can work but are illegal. The best way to beat the camera is not to speed or run the light.
On another note if you live in a state that doesn't really specify where your plate has to go you could more it more under the tail so that it is visible above the rear tire from behind, then the cams would just take nice pics of what appears to be a bike with no tag. As for cars, just install the bond plate mod, push a button and your plate says suck it, push again and its legal :icon_lol: :icon_lol:
$1000 fine in Florida for not having your tag on with the letters horizontal and readable...they passed some pretty tough laws in 2008. Of course, it doesn't help that we have all these f'ing squids on gixxers here in Tallahassee doing wheelies past the Capitol building while wearing Abercrombie and Fitch shorts, flip-flops, and tank tops with no helmets.
that sucks, I was hoping it worked. I wish I could do the bond plate mod on my car, that would be awesome.
Quote from: tripleb on May 28, 2009, 12:31:43 PM
that sucks, I was hoping it worked. I wish I could do the bond plate mod on my car, that would be awesome.
Yeah and it was the only mod that beat the camera on mythbusters :icon_lol:
Quote from: natedawg120 on May 28, 2009, 12:24:20 PM
dude, just wear a cape when you ride.
:laugh:
(http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200903/superman-and-his-per_460x0w.jpg)
HAHAHAH Fat chicks are like scooters, fun to ride till your friends find out!
Those things are everywhere in hollywood. There is an intersection where they consistently flash at me while making legal left hand turns. Luckily i have not received any unwarranted citations to contest. From what I've read they are not 100% automated. There is person who reviews the photo and video before issuing the ticket. There was another article in the la times which officials estimate more than 80% of the tickets go to rolling stops on right hand turns, not running red lights.
Id say as long as your not running red lights, just watch the rolling stops.
Too bad we are turning into a surveillance state. I can see us catching up with Britain in the next 20 years.
I just lost a lot of respect for superman because of that pic
You could do a wheelie through every intersection so your plate is facing down.
Oh, and be sure to flip off the camera while you do it.
Even when not speeding, I flip off the speed cameras that line the highways here in AZ. There was a report that they aren't only taking photos but they are video recording with face recognition software to track movement of people on the highways. So I make sure to flip each one of JUST IN CASE.
Quote from: utgunslinger13 on May 28, 2009, 01:32:08 PM
Even when not speeding, I flip off the speed cameras that line the highways here in AZ. There was a report that they aren't only taking photos but they are video recording with face recognition software to track movement of people on the highways. So I make sure to flip each one of JUST IN CASE.
"JUST IN CASE" they don't recognize his face, lol
Go for what you know - Bob!
Quote from: utgunslinger13 on May 28, 2009, 01:32:08 PM
Even when not speeding, I flip off the speed cameras that line the highways here in AZ. There was a report that they aren't only taking photos but they are video recording with face recognition software to track movement of people on the highways. So I make sure to flip each one of JUST IN CASE.
Sure, you sacrifice a certain degree of freedom, anonymity, and privacy for the ability to show your displeasure to Big Brother.
Seems like a moral victory...at best.
Not that I wouldn't do the same thing.....
There was someone on here about a year or two ago selling the "james bond" type plate flipper :thumb:
I wouldnt use one, but it was cool :cheers:
If your red light cameras are like ours in OZ most only take a picture of the front of a vehicle so bikes are no problem because no number plate on the front, though they have been trying for a few years to legislate front number plates for bikes but thankfully they never succeed having said that if all motorcyclists were to keep punching red lights they would find a way :thumb: :cheers:
Rest assured Trip we have a few more months to run red lights. Dyer can't get it to go through the house:
May 9,2009 "A bill to allow red-light cameras anywhere in the state died in Tallahassee last week, but Orange County leaders are going to press ahead with their own local measure.
County Attorney Tom Drage said today that $150 tickets could be handed out in Orange by September. Given the inaction by state lawmakers, it likely means they will go only on county road intersections, thus keeping cameras off some of the heaviest-traveled byways, he said
Commissioner Linda Stewart, one of the lead advocates for the measure, sent out a red light memo Monday, arguing the county needs to press ahead on the issue.
Drage said to look for a hearing on minor changes to the ordinance Orange passed recently, which authorized the cameras, to come up within the next couple months. Vendor contracts are now being worked on, he said."
I think red light cameras are just a way to get more money from the everyday citizen. Kinda ironic how we (the taxpayer) are paying for this technology then we are the ones who get nailed with the fines double whammy! What about all of the Foreigners who rent a car will they get a ticket too or are they going to be soft one them? I don't condone running lights but I don't believe this is going to make anything safer. I'm honestly more afraid of people slamming on their brakes as the light turns yellow so they won't get caught causing more rear end collisions. Here is also another good read: http://www.cybercrimelawyerblog.com/2009/03/are_red_light_camera_tickets_a.html
Mary
It's easy, you know where the red light camera is, don't run that light.
Wait till you've fixed speed cameras to contend with as well.
There have been documented cases also where intersections which have had these cameras installed where they've shortened the yellow light time. Just in the city next to me a newspaper article was written that said yellows were shortened from 4 seconds down to 3.5 seconds, sneaky bastards the yellows are set to allow safe stopping from the posted speed limit you can't just arbitrarily change the yellow time without causing safety issues. The only reason for this was to let more people get caught on blasting through the red. More yellow time allows people to safely stop whereas if the yellow is short you do have more people slamming on the brakes and possibly causing accidents cause of the camera paranoia.
I don't condone any form of red-light running, but I also don't approve of the decisions of many municipalities to outsource the operation of red light cameras to third parties.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/05/texas-towns-wont-put-down-red-light-camera-crack-pipe.ars
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/02/italian-red-light-cameras-rigged-with-shorter-yellow-lights.ars
I suspect most "photoblocker" sprays are just this:
http://www.kpg-industrial.com/products/reflectalite_spray_paint/
Over here the cops do not handle camera's it is contracted out. The cops can do it but it is rare we see cops next to a camera.
The new cameras they have here now (road side cameras) take pictures of your front and rear plate. Yes 2 cameras 1 front and 1 rear to be able to get bikes.
Just to make it interesting WA police are aslo testing a high speed licence plate scanner. The device is set up on the freeway same as a normal multinova camera and scans each cars number plate that goes by. Any issues with the plate EG out of rego, false plates, suspended licence, unpaid fines etc the device alerts the operator to radio ahead to a waiting cop to pull the vehicle over. :police: :police: :nono:
Quote from: qwertydude on May 28, 2009, 08:57:15 AM
The one other thing that the mythbusters haven't tried is a slave flash to overexpose the plate on the picture. I have a small but powerful slave flash unit and tried placing it next to my plate and took a picture with flash and it certainly rendered my license plate unreadable. And if done right could be very stealth. All you have to do is find out if your red light cameras always flash and if they have a preflash sequnce and program that into your slave flash.
Brilliant! Literally. :icon_mrgreen:
Quote from: GeeP on May 29, 2009, 08:54:03 PM
Quote from: qwertydude on May 28, 2009, 08:57:15 AM
The one other thing that the mythbusters haven't tried is a slave flash to overexpose the plate on the picture. I have a small but powerful slave flash unit and tried placing it next to my plate and took a picture with flash and it certainly rendered my license plate unreadable. And if done right could be very stealth. All you have to do is find out if your red light cameras always flash and if they have a preflash sequnce and program that into your slave flash.
Brilliant! Literally. :icon_mrgreen:
I'd love to see the slave triggered by the officer's lightbar ;) (our local cops use high-intensity flashing LEDs)
Note that the retroreflective sprays will only be effective if there is a bright light near the lens (i.e., a camera flash or a spot light). Here's another retroreflective paint by Dupli-color:
http://www.duplicolor.com/products/nitelites.html
I know your original question wasn't specifically about how to get away with running red lights... But... I have a few options for you.
1. Take your plate off and run as many red lights as you want.
2. Get an under-tail and move your plate waaaaaaaay up under the tail.
3. Organize your community and protest the cameras.
4. Hire OJ's lawyers and sue the city, saying that the cameras are unconstitutional and an invasion of privacy.
5. Don't run red lights.
Just get one of these www.flipaplate.com
haha, that's awesome :thumb:
Wonder how long it'll take to be declared illegal equipment and the guy taken to court over it.
That's what they were talking about on Mythbusters and TOTALLY ILLEGAL.
Mary
Another idea that's been used before is to steal the plates off a town officials car that is the same model as yours. Place tags on your car. Run through the lights several times one night and then return the plates. I just wish i could remember where that happened at.
Although I can't tell you to try this because it's illegal :angel:
Problem with doing that is they'll just make the tickets "disappear".
If you can figure out who's in charge of the project, get their plate number, make some fake plates for all your friends, and run red lights all night long... They'll have to make hundreds of tickets go away. :laugh:
I can't even imagine all the charges you would get if caught...
I made a fake plate for a friend once out of white cardboard and sharpies as a joke. It looked too good. The lettering spelled out "I B ghey". He didn't notice until a friend of ours who was a trooper saw it and commented on it. He had it on for almost a week. Said he kept trying to figure out why all these guys were honking at him on the interstate. lmao Sweet Jesus was he mad at me.
Quote from: Esteban on May 29, 2009, 09:13:11 PM
I'd love to see the slave triggered by the officer's lightbar ;) (our local cops use high-intensity flashing LEDs)
Note that the retroreflective sprays will only be effective if there is a bright light near the lens (i.e., a camera flash or a spot light). Here's another retroreflective paint by Dupli-color:
http://www.duplicolor.com/products/nitelites.html
Except that by the time you're getting the flashing light bar, its immaterial whether the camera got your plate or not, because you're being stopped.
There are cameras all over Tallahassee, but they are for traffic engineering, not for enforcement. You can't even use them in crash enforcement.
I love how at the end of the one video on the flipaplate site that it says they have a kit for all sportbikes and then say for offroad use only. They have a loophole selling it i guess aiming it at track/street bikes so when going around the track you have your license plate flipped up.
Quote from: dohabee on May 30, 2009, 08:33:49 AM
Just get one of these www.flipaplate.com
Huh, I might just get that.
Not for the reasons discussed here (I don't think we have these cameras in NY/CT yet) but that's some pretty good security for license plate theft! (Already had mine stolen once).
I know some guys use them to avoid paying on toll roads, but we don't have speed cameras around me in Texas yet.
Another tactic I have seen that made me LOL is when going through the toll tag lane on the toll road cover your plate with one hand while flipping the bird.
I went on a cruise with about 100 sport bikes in dallas a few weeks ago and at least 10 or 20 guys used that trick.
Quote from: respite on May 28, 2009, 01:02:32 PM
Those things are everywhere in hollywood. There is an intersection where they consistently flash at me while making legal left hand turns. Luckily i have not received any unwarranted citations to contest. From what I've read they are not 100% automated. There is person who reviews the photo and video before issuing the ticket. There was another article in the la times which officials estimate more than 80% of the tickets go to rolling stops on right hand turns, not running red lights.
Id say as long as your not running red lights, just watch the rolling stops.
Too bad we are turning into a surveillance state. I can see us catching up with Britain in the next 20 years.
California law says you have to have a picture that contains both the driver's face and front license plate, which is why cops have become so hardcore about front license plates lately. I have no idea how this works for motorcycles. I imagine that it isn't possible to get a red light ticket if you're wearing a full face helmet. The constitution allows you to refuse to incriminate yourself by identifying a picture of you, and if they don't have your face, I think they've got no way to positively identify you. Not that I'd want to run red lights around here, I'm too afraid of someone else also running the light and killing me...
I don't think anyone is intending to run red lights. The issue, or at least the issue I have, is that these are being installed to prevent accidents, they're there to make the municipality some money. What makes it even worse is that a private company is running and maintaining them and issuing the tickets and more tickets=more money for them, which is bullshit.
Quote from: qwertydude on May 28, 2009, 05:41:25 PM
There have been documented cases also where intersections which have had these cameras installed where they've shortened the yellow light time. Just in the city next to me a newspaper article was written that said yellows were shortened from 4 seconds down to 3.5 seconds, sneaky bastards the yellows are set to allow safe stopping from the posted speed limit you can't just arbitrarily change the yellow time without causing safety issues. The only reason for this was to let more people get caught on blasting through the red. More yellow time allows people to safely stop whereas if the yellow is short you do have more people slamming on the brakes and possibly causing accidents cause of the camera paranoia.
Pardon for the following tangent on yellow time, traffic piques my interest. As part of the college education (in Orlando when all the camera idiocy started in 07 or 08, conveniently), my transportation engineering class taught us how to time lights the old fashioned way with set times for each cycle, not withstanding the fact that most lights now having in-road sensors (actuated signals) inputting/processing raw info directly. 3sec was the recommended minimum default time for the yellow cycle, however, yellow is tied to posted speed. However, most lights are *also* timed with an "all-red" 1 sec time. -All-red being when signals for entire intersection is red.- So you'd actually have 4 sec effective to get through the intersection "safely". Actuated intersections would still have set yellow and red times.
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/Publications/signal_timing/04.htm <-- Basic signal timing, very interesting. Keep in mind that for states with a higher elderly population (FLORIDA), they may adjust reaction time to account for the increase in average driver age or deacceleration speed for roads with a significantly higher truck percentage. This is also an excellent resource page if you think your local lights are being timed unsafely.
However, this was all "theory" we were taught. I know for a fact there are quite a few lights in good ol' Otown (especially near the college) WITHOUT all-red. Stupid? Extremely. The lights in your town may have originally been timed conservately, and then adjusted later. Perhaps not fair to the daily intersection user, but perhaps allowable by sound engineering recommendation.
Also, if I remember my class correctly, a LONGER yellow can actually cause MORE people to run the light. I can't recall the reasoning behind this though. I would rather see lights timed with a longer ALL-RED vs. a longer yellow.
Orlando's issues with the camera came up because of the extrememly LARGE number of red runners causing accidents. The college was also experimenting with placement of solid bars (2-3' in width) at calculated distances before the interections as a visual point for drivers to determine if they would make it safely, i.e. if traveling the road at the posted speed and had crossed the bar as/before the light turned yellow, maintaining posted speed would allow safe passage of the intersection. I'm not sure what the study ultimately concluded, but it sounded like a great idea and I hope it gets used.
Now, I don't like the idea of a camera being able to write me a ticket. But - I have been waiting patiently at too many lights, been given the green, let off the brake and had to STOP due to some idiot running a RED RED.
For the blocker spray, just don't run the RED. Unless the person on the back of your bike is in labor and you are in transit to the hospital, I don't see any reasons for running a light on something that should have more than adequete brakes to stop in time, but then again... why a person in labor would be on a motorcycle in transit to the hospital is a whole 'nother can of worms. ^_^
Quote from: cstilt on May 28, 2009, 01:30:10 PM
You could do a wheelie through every intersection so your plate is facing down.
Oh, and be sure to flip off the camera while you do it.
LOL! And yes...red light cameras only cause you to break things.
Best solution I found was mounting your plate a little lower and bending it to follow the profile of the tail. Cops can read it, but cameras can't.
Here in AZ if you are wearing a full face helmet they don't send you the tickets. +1 for a tinted visor.
what do you mean bend it to fit the profile?
I'm not sure if anyone has brought this up yet....
But THE best way to beat those....
DON'T RUN THE LIGHT!!! Plain and Simple.
Quote from: dohabee on May 30, 2009, 08:33:49 AM
Just get one of these www.flipaplate.com
That reminded me of this product: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16963
This is why they aren't working but yet they say they are. http://www.wftv.com/video/19626959/
Also, this is why I wait a second or two on the green! THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME! It almost seems as if it is in reverse you go on red and stop on green. Which is how I got in my accident the car in front of me slammed his brakes on at a green light! Of course ,one of my friends (i know bad sterotyping) he said "it takes them a few seconds to translate it!"
These people are not going to pay the fines. Only thing that will stop them is some time in jail!
Mary.
PS can we just shoot David Maus. OMG I hate his commercials!
The thing that really irritates me about the potential for this is the fact that actuated signals often dont' pick up the bike. You'll be sitting there FOREVER. Some states have laws that allow you to proceed through the light after a certrain period of time, if its clear and all, but Florida isn't one of them.
Having said that, the only time I've intentionally run a red is the above situation, and it was after sitting for long enough to have roots growing around my wheels.
With the cameras, it would certainly bring this to a halt.
Quote from: jdw03n on June 08, 2009, 05:27:42 AM
The thing that really irritates me about the potential for this is the fact that actuated signals often dont' pick up the bike. You'll be sitting there FOREVER. Some states have laws that allow you to proceed through the light after a certrain period of time, if its clear and all, but Florida isn't one of them.
Try this http://science.discovery.com/videos/brink-home-with-kip-kay-green-means-go.html
Quote from: dohabee on June 03, 2009, 01:58:25 PM
I know some guys use them to avoid paying on toll roads, but we don't have speed cameras around me in Texas yet.
Another tactic I have seen that made me LOL is when going through the toll tag lane on the toll road cover your plate with one hand while flipping the bird.
I went on a cruise with about 100 sport bikes in dallas a few weeks ago and at least 10 or 20 guys used that trick.
They must have pretty long arms!
The time is coming my friends... the time when all forms of fun will be illegal or restricted, taxed, and monitored by state employees with their pants around their ankles.. our world will be a giant peep show for the sickest individuals in our society, the bureaucrats. :icon_sad: