speedpeddler

Looking to purchase some kind of blocker for my license plate that will prevent the photo cameras from getting a good read on my plate.

I've seen several different kinds of blockers advertised from spray on coatings to plactic covers and even louvers so the plate can only be seen from directly behind. Some of these seem like they may actually work.

Anyway, I know of lot of the forum members live in areas where photo cameras are common and would like some input from anyone that has experience with them and what they have done to counter them.

azncantonw211

Get the smoked out covers from advance auto parts (~7$) and spray the inside with hair spray. Do this once a month

stevebez

I was interested in this a while ago and on telly they (I think it was Fifth Gear - UK) did a test with a camera and all these "products" and none worked...

I was disappointed....

Houstonnewbie

Mythbusters on Discovery tested every known plate blocker and none worked...not even on a Gallardo going 140mph through a simulated toll booth. I'd save your money.

stevebez

Ahh thats where I saw it....!!!

chiromikey

as mentioned, they don't work...

SterlingE55

http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/vi...-speed-camera/
Not saying there isn't something out there that would do the job, but here's the video.

jtc55

anyone try photblocker spray?

http://www.photoblocker.com/

Thericker

I didn't watch the entire Myth-buster special, but the louvers whn painted blk or very dirty appear to work (you need to use huge spacers to angle the plate downward, so whn cameras see plate image from above st louver effect indeed works) Don't ask how I tested this, hehehe flashes went off no ticket in mail 2 mo ago...

I previously was victim of the infamous Red-light cam on Wilshire by Federal building right before the (405) $500 ticket!! never again!!!

bfnnrgn

What about the electronic screen that turns white when current is applied?

Jdub55

I currently have it on but don't know if it works or not because I haven't been flashed. I kinda doubt it though because I took a pic of my plates with my digital camera (flash on) and it looked normal, I know it wasn't the same angle as the photocams and all but it came out looking very normal.

C43AMG

....excellent thinking Mr.Bond.

prodigymb

i saw an ad for in the paper, but now i cant find it. its an led screen that turns white...

anyone know the name

bfnnrgn

You could always do this too:

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/val..._unpaid_ph.php

I Like Soup

I seem to recall Top Gear doing a bit on their airfield. They didn't have a blocker of any sort, they were just curious up to what speed they worked. If I remember correctly, they had a car go by at over 180mph and it didn't get photographed.

MB_Owner

I haven't seen an objective independent review of any of these technologies concluding they are reasonably effective against fixed (pole-mounted) cameras as well as the mobile (roughly four-foot height) cameras either mounted roadside on a tripod or in unmarked parked cars/vans.

Keep an eye on Radar Roy's web site. If a device ever shows up which works well, he'll cover it.

In Germany, in addition to fixed and mobile roadside cameras (plus cameras mounted on overpasses), we have unmarked moving camera cars disguised to blend in with the speeders. Two violations within an enforcement zone (roughly 12 miles long) doing 20 km/h (12 mph) over the posted limit nets you a €2,000 ($3,000) fine, six month driving suspension and beaucoup points. Lower penalties for being 10 km/h over the limit. If you're going really fast, they'll chase you down with something like the car below and haul you off in cuffs. Getting flashed twice in the enforcement zone kind of dilutes any excuse that you "didn't see" the speed limit sign...the Polizei (and judges) take the position that you were intentionally speeding and you get nailed accordingly. Since these double-car enforcement zones are constantly moving, you never know where they'll be. So, it's just not worth the chance, I don't speed excessively.

Having said that, I will admit I recently got flashed right at the start of the city limits entering Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This was still just a country road with no structures even close. In-city limits are 50 km/h (31 mph) and the mobile camera was set up a mere 50 meters inside the city sign. I was slowing, but not fast enough. The resulting picture showed me 10 km/h over the limit, they subtracted 3 km/h for any possible equipment error and I got a €30 ($46, no points) ticket in the mail three weeks later for being 7 km/h (4.3 mph) over the limit.

jbrinkley

lcd thing here. http://platehider.com/buy.html I'd love to know someone that had one of these. Looks like he did this in 2006?

MB_Owner

Seems to work OK but without a sensor front & back to automatically trigger the thing based on the photo camera's flash (visible light as well as IR), it seems to have limited utility. I'm thinking maybe the film can't shift to an opaque state quickly enough to work with this sort of an automated set-up.

Plus, you have the problem of the newer speed cameras with high-ISO digital CCD sensors which work satisfactorily in available light...no flash at all. So then you'd have to trigger off the doppler and that's a constantly-changing frequency. You're talking big bucks to field such a piece of military-grade hardware.

F1Bobby

I have the deflector cover on my daily drivers (not the MB) and I have not been hammered yet. I got tagged in Scottsdale a couple years ago on the 101 SB and that was pretty much it so I purchased the covers and the Photo Blocker spray. Do they work? I don't know! I can say this. When you stand off angle to the car in the same manner that the cameras are set up in SoCal you can only see a partial plate number. Again, do they really work? No way to tell. I have since purchased an Escort 9500IX and it tells me where the cameras are so I am more prepared for their intrusion. These cameras are only revenue generating devices. When people know where the cameras are they slow down for that section. Like on the 101 in Scottsdale, as soon as they are out of the speed cameras section they all haul *** again...

str8ridin

I wonder if that 3M privacy film that is meant for computer screens works. Basically, whatever is covers, you cannot see if from an angle. And most traffic cameras take a picture from an angle.....

deaguero

The Passport 9500ix is a great choice period.

I have had mine for over a year now and I love it!

With the weekly updates you should be as current as possible on all the new locations. The Federali's (Local Breed that is) are in need of "Revenue" and what better way than an automated machine/camera to keep up the ka-ching, ka-ching all day and all nite!

Keep your pocket book safe

Phil

hooleyboy

there is nothing that really works. the spray does not work. Multiple news shows tested it and it failed every time. your best bet to stop photo tickets is to get involved with an organization and have then taken down. Generally speaking, Most Republicans are against Photo Radar and Dems like to use the money from the tickets to fund pet project. Not saying Republicans dont do that either though.

Your best bet is to write your state and local reps and tell them you want the Scam cams taken down as its a violation of a bunch of your Constitutional rights. In the mean time do 200mph past them... They will never know you were there..Just kidding.

Thinks to note if you write your reps. Tell them they have never stopped a drunk driver. Tell then Law enforcement should not be subbed out to the private sector. Tell them the millions of tax dollars spent on the photo enforcement program can pay for thousands of new police officers on the road thus creating more jobs.

A big company here in AZ is Redflex Holding. They runs a lot of the scam cams here in AZ. A huge chunk of the money made from the photo tickets goes directly to..... ready for this..... Australia! Where they are located! Crazy our government not only subs out Law Enforcement, but they sub it out to another country!

deaguero

They get a % of the take? Man that really blows!!

I heard once that they get to dictate the % of the take too!!!

So much for ethics in government! Well I guess Ethics & Government is an Oxymoron

Phil

hooleyboy

Not only do the private companies get a % of the fine money. The state has to meet a fine quota or risk voiding the contract. As far as I know thats how it works in every state.

What was happening here in AZ and slightly fell on def ears was.. Yellow light times were cut in half after the install of a redlight cameras at intersections to increase the number of fines issued. total scam.

These things are sold as life saving devices when in fact a life has never been saved from any form of photo enforcement.

I even read some place that rear end accidents had increased due to people hitting their brakes when coming up to a photo radar station. I for one always slow down when I come up to one, but then I just speed right back up. I'm not the only one who does that too.

Its total Government greed IMO.

Another kicker is a private company who mails out and processes the ticked has total access to your cars info and your driving info. Thats personal stuff. In states Like Massachusetts your drivers ID number can be your soc security number. Now a private company has access to that. Its scary once you think about it.

X2Board

Hooleyboy: We are way past Orwell's 1984.

You want something scary, take some time and read the Patriot Act.