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Do PhotoBlocker Type License Plate Spray and Plate Shields Really Work?

17K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  Anita 
#1 · (Edited)
I saw the same articles that another board member, Stoner, saw in the WSJ last week that talked about new methods of catching speeders and ways to avoid tickets. The one article talked about products that potentially made your licence plate unphotographable by traffic cameras either by obscuring the plate numbers via a license plate shield (the article reviewed the Super Protector) or by reflecting the flash from the camera back to the camera using a plate spray (they mention Photoblocker).

Do these products really work?

Thanks!

Anita

Here's the original thread www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=43526
 
#2 ·
Anita........

What you are NOT told, is that if a law enforcement officer does an actual inspection of your plates for whatever reason (possibly having pulled you over) he will cite you a ticket for the plastic shield over the license plate, since it blocks or at least obscures the plate numbers from being CLEARLY seen!
I know this since I recently retired having been a detective for 22 years. This will only add fuel to the officer's fire, and he'll jack you up as much as possible with multiple summonses!!!
Please don't bother with it.
Robert :cheers:
 
#3 · (Edited)
I can only comment on the plate covers. We HAD them on all three of our cars, but recently removed all for the following reasons:.
1. My wife in her CLK500 got a Photo Radar ticket from a mobile van parked in a bus pullout in downtown <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com /><st1:City><FONT color=black>Phoenix</FONT></st1:City><FONT color=black>. From the provided photo it appears the rear picture was taken from a distancewith a telephoto lens, so the target angle was enough so the license plate was legible through the Plate shield. Does that make sense? That ticket cost her $135.00 and traffic school.</FONT></P><P style=<O:p
2. I was pulled over in my Landcruiser a month ago by the Arizona DPS on Interstate 17 for my plate not being legible while he was passing me. I talked him into giving me a warning ticket. <O:p

3.I had one on my Beast, but I removed it for fear when that day comes when I get ticked for EXTREME speeding it will only add to my pain.<O:p

I have THREE like new covers if you are interested. Make me an offer.<O:p

<O:p</O:p

Anita said:
I saw the same articles that another board member, Stoner, saw in the WSJ last week that talked about new methods of catching speeders and ways to avoid tickets. The one article talked about products that potentially made your licence plate unphotographable by traffic cameras either by obscuring the plate numbers via a license plate shield (the article reviewed the Super Protector) or by reflecting the flash from the camera back to the camera using a plate spray (they mention Photoblocker).

Do these products really work?

Thanks!

Anita

Here's the original thread www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=43526
 
#6 ·
FAST 5 said:
FAST 5 rests his case! Enough said..........
:wroom:
Most if not all automatic photo tickets are provided by a private company hired by the municipality and are tied to a guarantee of income to that company thus making a vested interest in revenue production the main draw not safety.
No one who is in their right mind drives an M5 thinking that they are going to not attract the attention of a cop.
Fast5, I have always enjoyed your comments in previous threads but own up man; if you are a retired 22 year detective it is going to be that pocket full of PBA cards that gets you out of trouble before anyone looks at your license palte cover.
Go for it Anita!
 
#7 ·
#8 ·
The plate covers obscure the numbers from the camera of a photo radar stationary unit when the car is at about a 35 degree angle to the camera. Thats about the point that the camera takes the picture, so they do work.

The spray on coverings work in about the same manner but are not premanent, reapplication is required every couple of months or so.

These are countermeasures that will probably raise the ire of a cop if he can see you have them. They are not as stealthy as a laser jammer or radar detector.

In the end , it's still a cat and mouse game.


On a more philosophical note:

If your of the opinion that the government has no business to expose you to microwave radiation without asking you, you can use these devices as well as others to state your objection. They wont care, they didnt care about the fallout dangers to people in the above ground nuclear blasts of the 50's in Nevada, but you can protest with these devices.
Who knows, maybe 30 years from now they will determine that this type of assault on the human body caused genetic deficiencies that they can blame for a host of illegal human behavior, thus removing the responsibility of action from people even more than today. ROFLMAO, (strictly tongue in cheek for those that might think I'm serious).
 
#9 ·
Pete:
I beg to differ with your comment concerning the angle the photo is shot.
My wife's ticket clearly shows every letter and numeral of her license plate.
It cost her $135.00.<O:p

The plate cover is a very bad attempt to skirt the law and it will only gives you a false sense of security on the road. Also, remember most state laws clearly state that the officer must be able to read your plate from ANY angle, so you can get a ticket for having it on your car.
I got lucky and got off with a warning. I would have probably got a ticket if I were in the Beast that morning.<O:p</O:p

I have three like new covers (CHEAP!) if you have any interest.
<O:p></O:p>


Pete said:
The plate covers obscure the numbers from the camera of a photo radar stationary unit when the car is at about a 35 degree angle to the camera. Thats about the point that the camera takes the picture, so they do work.

The spray on coverings work in about the same manner but are not premanent, reapplication is required every couple of months or so.

These are countermeasures that will probably raise the ire of a cop if he can see you have them. They are not as stealthy as a laser jammer or radar detector.

In the end , it's still a cat and mouse game.


On a more philosophical note:

If your of the opinion that the government has no business to expose you to microwave radiation without asking you, you can use these devices as well as others to state your objection. They wont care, they didnt care about the fallout dangers to people in the above ground nuclear blasts of the 50's in Nevada, but you can protest with these devices.
Who knows, maybe 30 years from now they will determine that this type of assault on the human body caused genetic deficiencies that they can blame for a host of illegal human behavior, thus removing the responsibility of action from people even more than today. ROFLMAO, (strictly tongue in cheek for those that might think I'm serious).
 
#10 · (Edited)
Well I dont know how photos are shot in most states, but around here they are shot at somewhere close to 35 degrees, my wifes picture on her ticket confirms that.

On this site you can see the principal of the stationary radar photo license shields in action. Clearly shows how the angle of incident scatters the light. This one only works on horizontal "by the road side cameras", not the overhead ones at intersections..http://radarbusters.com/products/photo-radar/Super-Protector.asp

ON this site you can see how the laser diffuser covers work. From what I can tell , these are two different coverings for the plates. This one does NOT obscure the license plate number so it's no good for the stationary photo radar.
http://radarbusters.com/products/photo-radar/Laser-Shield.asp

And here is a link for the spray on flash covering for your license plates. http://radarbusters.com/products/photo-radar/Laser-Shield.asp
 
#11 ·
I've never felt a need for ticket-camera countermeasures, for four reasons:

1) Photo enforcement cameras at intersections take pictures of people blowing red lights, which I never do.

2) Photo radar is never instant-on. It blasts out X-band or K-Band 24/7, and the V1 picks it up in plenty of time.

3) My car is registered to an out-of-state corporation, with no individual person to send a ticket to.

4) If, in spite of all that, I did get a photo enforcement ticket, I would treat it as an opportunity to engage in some civil disobedience. The legal opinions I have seen mostly concur that photo tickets are unconstitutional and advise simply ignoring them. It would be interesting to see what came after all the bluster and threat from the issuing department.
 
#13 ·
dwasifar said:
I've never felt a need for ticket-camera countermeasures, for four reasons:

1) Photo enforcement cameras at intersections take pictures of people blowing red lights, which I never do.

2) Photo radar is never instant-on. It blasts out X-band or K-Band 24/7, and the V1 picks it up in plenty of time.

3) My car is registered to an out-of-state corporation, with no individual person to send a ticket to.

4) If, in spite of all that, I did get a photo enforcement ticket, I would treat it as an opportunity to engage in some civil disobedience. The legal opinions I have seen mostly concur that photo tickets are unconstitutional and advise simply ignoring them. It would be interesting to see what came after all the bluster and threat from the issuing department.
1) I don't make a point of running red lights either but I got a photo ticket once. I guess the yellow light was a bit shorter than I expected. Never say never.

2) Famous last words.

3) Good idea until you get pulled over and the officer sees you have of unpaid violations.

4) Good luck. I will come visit you during visiting hours.
 
#14 · (Edited)
CEC said:
1) I don't make a point of running red lights either but I got a photo ticket once. I guess the yellow light was a bit shorter than I expected. Never say never.

2) Famous last words.

3) Good idea until you get pulled over and the officer sees you have of unpaid violations.

4) Good luck. I will come visit you during visiting hours.
My, what a warm, friendly tone your response took.

Let's take it point by point.

1) I don't make a point of running red lights either but I got a photo ticket once. I guess the yellow light was a bit shorter than I expected. Never say never.

With my driving habits this risk is minimal.

2) Photo radar is never instant-on. It blasts out X-band or K-Band 24/7, and the V1 picks it up in plenty of time.

2) Famous last words.

Well, if you have evidence to the contrary, I'm sure we'd all like to know about it. Photo radar as it exists in the real world either sits unattended and blasts all passing traffic, or else is operated from a van and blasts a lot of passing traffic. Either way you get plenty of warning.

3) Good idea until you get pulled over and the officer sees you have of unpaid violations.

What unpaid violations? None of them would ever touch me personally or go on my personal license.

Think it through, man. If the cops take a picture of a license plate and it turns out to be owned by a corporation, all they can do is ask the corporation who was driving the car at the time; and if the corporation can't (or won't) answer, there's not much else they can do. Obviously the corporation itself does not drive the car, so the corporation can't be convicted of the offense, and the cops are out of luck. The law is clear on this point.

4) Good luck. I will come visit you during visiting hours.

You just get more and more charming as you go. But I don't think you can visit me, because you must live very far away - I can't think of anywhere I'd be driving where they put people in jail for contesting a traffic fine.

Okay, here's how it goes, legally. First off, service of a ticket by regular mail does not satisfy the legal service requirements unless you sign and return the form stating that you waive your right to formal process service. (Note that this is different from receiving a ticket in an ordinary traffic stop - in that situation you are being served by the officer. The photo ticket has no such encounter and leaves the service requirement unfulfilled.) The mailed photo ticket will contain various threats of additional fees and penalties if you don't sign the form, but you are under no obligation to do so, and if you don't, they have to hire a process server and serve you a summons in person. I'm given to understand that a lot of jurisdictions stop right there.

But let's assume that you do then receive a personal summons. The next step is to send an attorney to court to ask the state to prove you were the person driving the car at the time. Without your drivers license or your personal face present in the courtroom, the state has no way to prove that you were the driver. As I understand it, this is usually sufficient to get the case dismissed. If not, then you can go ahead with the legality and constitutional arguments, at which point you will probably be offered a dismissed-with-payment deal in exchange for going away and not creating a legal precedent.
 
#16 ·
dwasifar said:
3) My car is registered to an out-of-state corporation, with no individual person to send a ticket to.
.
I don't know what country you live in, but I'm in California/U.S. and the ticket goes to the DMV and is attached to the car's record. Next time the license plate or VIN is run by a cop, your busted. The laugh is really on you, as you'll be telling the cop that you didn't know about the ticket as they are towing your nice M5 away by using a towing company that will mess it up.

To answer the orriginal question, I have one of these Photoblocker plates, but decided that it would easily attract the attention of the police giving them an excuse to pull me over. The risk of being pulled over because of the plate far outways the risk of getting a foto radar ticket to me. I don't run red lights, and always use a V1.
 
#17 ·
Philip said:
I don't know what country you live in, but I'm in California/U.S. and the ticket goes to the DMV and is attached to the car's record. Next time the license plate or VIN is run by a cop, your busted. The laugh is really on you, as you'll be telling the cop that you didn't know about the ticket as they are towing your nice M5 away by using a towing company that will mess it up.
One more reason not to live in the People's Republic of Kalifornia, I'd say.

Did you happen to notice I said out-of-state corporation? A cop in one state is not going to pull up records for another state.

I know you'd feel better thinking that if you can't get around your state's particular revenue racket, no one else can either, but try to get over it, because the facts are otherwise.
 
#18 ·
Pete said:
In the end , it's still a cat and mouse game.
I was going to rant and rave about "speed traps", but I think the quote from Pete above says how I'm going to deal with the situation.


Pete said:
On a more philosophical note:

If your of the opinion that the government has no business to expose you to microwave radiation without asking you, you can use these devices as well as others to state your objection. They wont care, they didnt care about the fallout dangers to people in the above ground nuclear blasts of the 50's in Nevada, but you can protest with these devices.
Who knows, maybe 30 years from now they will determine that this type of assault on the human body caused genetic deficiencies that they can blame for a host of illegal human behavior, thus removing the responsibility of action from people even more than today. ROFLMAO, (strictly tongue in cheek for those that might think I'm serious).
Really, you're kidding??? And here I thought I had the ideal way to explain away certain of my behaviors.

Anita
 
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