Route 66 Photoblocker

[brownwho63]

We live just a couple of blocks off the original 1926 alignment of old U.S. 66 in STL County and the traffic is horrible due to the growth of little burgs like Des Peres, Manchester, Ballwin, and Ellisville and some are in the discovery phase of red-light camera installation. No appeal, no warning ticket, no explanation - - just a ticket in the mail. Some run as high as $95 (Arnold area) and it's only a matter of time before the short yellows here turn to red while we're in the middle of an intersection.

 

Sooooooo......the purpose of this post is to inquire whether or not any of you has used the PhotoBlocker plate spray (over-exposes the photo) advertised in various mags because I'm considering buying a can and spraying the inside of my clear plastic plate covers rather than the plate itself. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks...Bliss

[Dave Reese]

...the purpose of this post is to inquire whether or not any of you has used the PhotoBlocker plate spray (over-exposes the photo) advertised in various mags because I'm considering buying a can and spraying the inside of my clear plastic plate covers rather than the plate itself. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks...Bliss

 

 

A few months ago I saw an episode of Mythbusters on Discovery Channel where they tried a bunch of special things to prevent license plate cameras from getting the plate number. None of the paints or plastic covers worked, and the only time the camera could not get the plate number was when they were using it at a drag strip and trying to photograph the plate at three digit speeds. I would not recommend that method either.

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

One of our local news channels tried out several methods, including tiny reflective mirrors on the license plate, kind of like the cat's eyes that used to be on road signs. The only method that worked every time was not to enter the intersection on red. I have been practicing and find that I can do that 100% of the time in our area, so long as I am traveling at a rational speed and paying attention to the road. Of course I have the advantage of a built in warning system I can't ignore, named Sheila.

 

Frankly I don't mind the traffic cameras. Between the house and town I drive a road with three schools and several housing developments with young children. There are probably half a dozen signals. For some reason those 7 and 8 year olds watch the light and dart across the street the moment it turns green. They should be better trained by their parents, but that lacking, I prefer caution over making the light.

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

[Kevin C. Redden]

I tend to agree with Dave. I saw the Mythbuster's episode as well. The best advice is to not run the yellow light, for I dont' think they'll get you for a green light. If then, then you got a complaint.

 

Also they did an episode on how to beat speed radar, and lazers. Nothing worked there too. The only way is to keep your speed at/below the posted speed limits.

 

- Kc

[Alex Burr - hester_nec]

Maybe one of those rotating licence plates that James Bond had on his Aston Martin................?????

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

[windycityroadwarrior]

Okay, come on--you are approaching a green light at an intersection at a reasonable speed. Whenever approaching a green light, you still do check for cross-traffic, since you never know what other drivers are going to do. You also check for pedestrians/bikes/other hazards, as you would for any intersection at any time. Things are clear, so you proceed as you are legally entitled, to go through the intersection on your green. The second your car crosses into the intersection, the light turns yellow, and it is red by the time you clear the crossroads.

 

This scenario above has NO schoolkids, NO hazards, NO illegal actions, NOR even any potential problems. Yet people I know who have encountered the above scenario have gotten tickets. If the light is green when you go in, why do you still get a ticket? This is the problem--not scofflaws, but overzealous punishment of people who do nothing wrong. THIS is the problem with these red light cameras--they catch people who entered the intersection on a valid green light but do not clear the intersection before the red.

 

This is NOT about dangerous driving, it is about wasting everyone's time, energy, gas, and money.

 

Regards,

 

Dave Clark

[mobilene]

Two words: revenue generation.

 

I read an article not too long ago saying the best way to reduce (though not eliminate) red-light runners is to make the yellow last longer.

 

(They obviously haven't been to Indianapolis, where the rule is, "If the guy in front of me can make it through the yellow, so can I!")

 

But with the red-light cameras tends to go a shortening of the yellow, so more people get caught. It's a big load of crapola.

 

jim

[roadmaven]

Two words: revenue generation.

 

I read an article not too long ago saying the best way to reduce (though not eliminate) red-light runners is to make the yellow last longer.

 

(They obviously haven't been to Indianapolis, where the rule is, "If the guy in front of me can make it through the yellow, so can I!")

 

But with the red-light cameras tends to go a shortening of the yellow, so more people get caught. It's a big load of crapola.

 

jim

 

I'm not aware of any "ticket cams" around here, other than those police cams that are popping up in high crime areas. To my knowledge they don't pay attention to traffic on those, unless there's an accident. Speedway's due to get 20 of those things in the near future.

 

But as you know Jim, Central Indiana is becoming a haven for the evil traffic circle, so a ticket cam would seem to be a waste of $$$. There are a couple of circles over in the Avon area. I don't know if I mentioned this to you, but part of Speedway's redevelopment will involve TWO traffic circles in the soon-to-be realigned 16th Street. This is what the intersection of 16th/Crawfordsville/Georgetown Roads will look like (Dixie Hwy alignment, for those of you playing the home game):

 

 

Knowing how busy this intersection is in the morning and evening, I cringe at the thought of going through this thing when it's done in a couple of years.

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Central Indiana is becoming a haven for the evil traffic circle.....

 

Someone must have “discovered” the traffic circle, because they are growing everywhere. Personally I, like you, thought they were going to be a big pain here. I made jokes about parking a bulldozer in the circle to push the wrecks out of the way. I imagined chaos, and countless accidents.

 

I was wrong. I have yet to wait more than a second or two, if at all, to enter and pass through, even at peak traffic time in the morning and evening.

 

We have a half dozen on high traffic streets and I have only one complaint I consider legitimate. If a single lane enters a traffic circle that carries two lanes of heavy cross traffic, timid drivers in the single lane entrance may block the entrance momentarily.

 

But even in the worst case, I have not waited half as long as I have at the signal just down the street, with comparable traffic. And an attorney friend who defends traffic violators made a good point in that accidents that do happen in traffic circles are minor because the circle slows cars down. Nobody gets T boned. Maybe that is the answer to our yellow light discussion...no lights to worry about and no cameras to curse! Viva la circle!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

 

Dave

[usroadman]

Okay, come on--you are approaching a green light at an intersection at a reasonable speed. Whenever approaching a green light, you still do check for cross-traffic, since you never know what other drivers are going to do. You also check for pedestrians/bikes/other hazards, as you would for any intersection at any time. Things are clear, so you proceed as you are legally entitled, to go through the intersection on your green. The second your car crosses into the intersection, the light turns yellow, and it is red by the time you clear the crossroads.

 

This scenario above has NO schoolkids, NO hazards, NO illegal actions, NOR even any potential problems. Yet people I know who have encountered the above scenario have gotten tickets. If the light is green when you go in, why do you still get a ticket? This is the problem--not scofflaws, but overzealous punishment of people who do nothing wrong. THIS is the problem with these red light cameras--they catch people who entered the intersection on a valid green light but do not clear the intersection before the red.

 

This is NOT about dangerous driving, it is about wasting everyone's time, energy, gas, and money.

 

Regards,

 

Dave Clark

 

 

My wife got one in Delaware last year. I thought they were pretty fair though. The notice came with two pictures. Here's your car behind the stop line and the light is red, then here's your car in the intersection and the light is red. And, they have a web link where you can watch the video if you'd like. She clearly goofed. I paid without argument. I would be pretty pissed though if the "behind the stop line" picture showed a yellow or green signal. That would be a little over zealous in my opinion. So, I guess different jurisdictions set up the cameras differently.