Anti-speed camera number plate frames
01-06-2001, 06:53 AM
#31
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Last night I watched a TV program on TLC, called "Police, Camera, Action". Anyone else catch it?
On one section of the program, the reporter did a skit on radar reflectors, which included several D.I.Y. gizmos. The results were that all plates were captured on camera satisfactorily, except the anti-radar plate, which was a bit fuzzy and only partially readable. The kicker was that when they took a negative image of the plate, it read perfectly!
My conclusion was that it doesn't matter what anti-camera device they come up with, the cops will probably have a way to counteract it. Before I'd invest in something like this, I'd be interested to find out if anyone has ever bought one of these things, and positively knows that he wasn't caught on camera.....but that would be almost impossible to prove.
On one section of the program, the reporter did a skit on radar reflectors, which included several D.I.Y. gizmos. The results were that all plates were captured on camera satisfactorily, except the anti-radar plate, which was a bit fuzzy and only partially readable. The kicker was that when they took a negative image of the plate, it read perfectly!
My conclusion was that it doesn't matter what anti-camera device they come up with, the cops will probably have a way to counteract it. Before I'd invest in something like this, I'd be interested to find out if anyone has ever bought one of these things, and positively knows that he wasn't caught on camera.....but that would be almost impossible to prove.
01-06-2001, 07:01 AM
#32
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I can live with cameras for red light runners but for speeding down a country road is unacceptable. Instead of getting plate covers everyone should split a case of black spray paint for the camera lens and help everyone out.
01-06-2001, 08:48 AM
#33
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MUZ, If you do not expose the film, it will have a milky-green look, or a milky maroon/lavender look. The Silver content will be higher, but the film will be solid, non-transparent.Develope it (without a phantom on it) and the film will be clear. So your best bet would be to have someone pile some cardboard on the film casset and shoot it with a low exposure, that should get the tint that you want! Food for thought! good luck.
01-06-2001, 12:02 PM
#34
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I should mention also that I have had only one speeding ticket in several years and I agree that red light runners and other lunatics should be nailed. It's the cameras on major highways and country roads where the speed limit is purposely posted too low for the road conditions that I consider to be blatant revenue raising. For example on a wide smooth 4 lane road devoid of schools, houses, pedestrian crossings etc that is posted at 80KM/Hr then 70KM/Hr then back to 80KM/Hr. This is where Johny Law seems to like setting up photo cameras.
oufly2 - I hear what you're saying. The black spray paint vigilante thing is a nice idea for pole mounted cams but I'm not much of a pole climber these days. Plus here you would have to overpower the policeman and jump in his van just to paint his photo radar camera. One may as well just hold their hands out for the cuffs to go on
I have a clear number plate cover on my car and I noticed when I received the ticket that my plate showed as a bright white blur (totally indistinguishable) in the main picture, but in the enlargement it was clearly readable so they obviously have the capacity to enhance the image.
I'm not condoning any of this BTW but I do think that photo radar is aimed solely at raising revenue and the x-ray thing would be interesting to play around with.
So who amongst us is placed to get their hands on some film and try it out? Perhaps test from angles with digital camera (with flash) and also try the negative thing out? One could do this off road and break no laws I'd imagine.
oufly2 - I hear what you're saying. The black spray paint vigilante thing is a nice idea for pole mounted cams but I'm not much of a pole climber these days. Plus here you would have to overpower the policeman and jump in his van just to paint his photo radar camera. One may as well just hold their hands out for the cuffs to go on
I have a clear number plate cover on my car and I noticed when I received the ticket that my plate showed as a bright white blur (totally indistinguishable) in the main picture, but in the enlargement it was clearly readable so they obviously have the capacity to enhance the image.
I'm not condoning any of this BTW but I do think that photo radar is aimed solely at raising revenue and the x-ray thing would be interesting to play around with.
So who amongst us is placed to get their hands on some film and try it out? Perhaps test from angles with digital camera (with flash) and also try the negative thing out? One could do this off road and break no laws I'd imagine.
01-06-2001, 12:49 PM
#35
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BTW we now have 5 buyers ...
AusS2000
2kturkey
Muz
and friend
..and another board member who private messaged me so I'll respect his privacy.
Do you guys want to go ahead in light of the conversations that have transpired in this thread?
AusS2000
2kturkey
Muz
and friend
..and another board member who private messaged me so I'll respect his privacy.
Do you guys want to go ahead in light of the conversations that have transpired in this thread?
01-06-2001, 04:18 PM
#37
Just watched a special on TV last night "COPS, Camera, Action". Lots of footage from Europe. One segment covered license "masking". Don't get your hopes up. The cops just increase the resolution (i.e. zoom in). They previewed a half a dozen methods and then showed how the COPS adjusted. Luckily the Big Brother camera concept hasn't caught on too much here in the states.
01-06-2001, 04:52 PM
#38
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Utah S2K: You obviously missed my post above - but saw the same show anyway! The techniques of the cops in the Europe are way ahead of anything they use here in the U.S.
As a side note....remember that cabinet-sized computer in the Police Center that now does the job that three big rooms of computers used to do? I installed those monsters when I worked in the U.K.! There were 9 separate large system computers. How quickly technology changes.
As a side note....remember that cabinet-sized computer in the Police Center that now does the job that three big rooms of computers used to do? I installed those monsters when I worked in the U.K.! There were 9 separate large system computers. How quickly technology changes.
01-06-2001, 08:35 PM
#39
Just so no one is under the wrong impression, I'm not getting these so that I can do 120 past every fixed speed camera in the Sydney metro area whilst mooning the camera.
I don't expect this to be 100% effective. And I certainly won't be relying on it. But if it saves me 1 in 3 tickets then I'll be more than happy. 'course I'll never know this, but it'll make me feel a little safer.
[This message has been edited by AusS2000 (edited January 06, 2001).]
I don't expect this to be 100% effective. And I certainly won't be relying on it. But if it saves me 1 in 3 tickets then I'll be more than happy. 'course I'll never know this, but it'll make me feel a little safer.
[This message has been edited by AusS2000 (edited January 06, 2001).]
