I have no EZ-pass. At least the time stamped tickets don't have any data linkage to you that I know of after you pay your toll. But I've heard they want to do away with all toll takers. How's that going to work for out of state cars?

I grew up in an era where radar for tickets wasn't even going on. What's going on now is really ugly. Too many people don't even realize what we've all lost.

Driving a classic car helps!

 

Lol, George! Highway ECM(counter-measures.) I love it! Would that you could make a destructive version, though, one that not only fries the bogey's detection gear, but his/her ECM (eng control module) as well!

You can forget about gubmint limitations via ecm to posted speed. Anyone laboring under the delusion that speed limit enforcement has anything to do with safety, or more incredibly, that ANY state or municipality has an interest in a totally compliant populace needs a new thinking cap!
Far more likely your second scenario regarding tollway citations. Better check the mail. It's ALL about the revenue; with increasing compliance, the coffers are drying up.

 

Honestly speed enforcement has always been a game of cat and mouse. As technology progresses, so has enforcement on both sides. We were spoiled for a while in Jersey with the judge declaring Laser speed detection illegal, but that has since passed.

I don't know if you could argue that you are consitutionally entitled to a "fair" chance at breaking the law without detection (such as automated databases or polling OBDIII etc).

I've heard of rental car companies fining renters for taking a rental car above 80mph using some sort of black box technology. And you agreeing to it in the fine print of the rental agreement you have signed.

One of these scenarios led to a lawsuit and it just got overturned.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...57C0A9639C8B63

They will never have any sort of orwelian or electronic control not enabling you to speed however, because they will not issue citations, and therefore not get the revenue.

Take care,

George

 

I wish it were that easy to just fry the detection gear, and disable the PCM while you're at it LOL. No one understands that you cannot send any meaningful amount of power wirelessly, besides in the movies.

As far as the toll pass citations.

This has gone to court here in the NY/NJ area, due to a case in NY (or the car was registered in CT). Where a driver cause a fatal accident whilst traveling at an aggregious rate of speed. The prosecution used his EZ Pass records to establish not only that he had a consistent and well documented history of speeding, but that he was driving with an average speed in the triple digits minutes before the fatal impact.
They used this evidence to charge and convict the driver with a form of manslaughter, reckless driving yadda yadda yadda. He got 5 years or something.

So he appeals the conviction arguing that them finding his EZ Pass records and using them was illegal and a violation of his civil rights etc. Basically the court ruled that the records can ONLY be used for evidence in the case of a inditable offense, and only by subpoena. You can also voluntarily introduce them as evidence in your own defense. (Establish an alibi due to traveling here or being between these two points).

The court specifically forbid their use for any other purpose by law enforcment, including the issuance of traffic citations except non-payment of tolls. (for now at least). I completely agree with pretty much everything you've said as far as the system having no interest in stopping speeding premptively.

Take care,

George

 

Yes i was thinking about velcro, but whatever, the RX is the wife's and she doesn't give a $hit. My STR already had the bracket on, and I put a smoked cover on it, makes it look alot less noticeable and actually not that bad.

 

What's funny is that in Jersey that smoked cover will get you a bigger ticket (fine wise) than the plate not being there at all will.

Apparently "Unclear or obscured" Plates is a bigger violation than "Failure to display a registration plate".

Take care,

George

 

Oh that is interesting George. It makes sense though, to them ...

Any dollar numbers on this.

I just drive slow and avoid it all ... well mostly

 

$42 bucks for "failure to replace a lost, damaged or defaced registration plate" - cause if you don't have it it's LOST right?

$68 for displaying an unclear license plate. (I.e. the cover).

Ironically driving a not at all registered vehicle (that is insured) is only $47

Problem being, if you slap any old plates on it, then it takes it to $176 for display of a ficticious license plate.

Take care,

George

 

I'm kind of surprised that the fines are that low. I expected them to be north or $150. Mine already had the leaper plate on it so I just put the license plate up.

What can you do to cut down on reflectivity?

 

Well, in terms of just making the plate less reflective? 2000 grit wet sandpaper and a matte clearcoat will help, but not that much.

See laser is a gift in terms of being able to get away with murder. It's a focused beam of light that needs an almost perpandicular surface to reflect it back. However a LOT can be done to diffuse the beam and prevent it's reflectivity. AND it's LEGAL - after all it's just light. Interefereing with radar requires active broadcasting of radio waves, on prohibited frequencies. Have you ever driven next to Newark Airport on the turnpike with a radar detector. I can only imagine if some clown decided to broadcast harmonic waves of the radar frequencies so his car couldn't get clocked.

See laser is just light. So the key is to absorb or diflect it. A few high power 1w IR led's strobing 3-4 times a second mounted in the high beam housings and reverse lights / rear tag lights will make the car virtually impossible to get a reading off except at extremely close range. (I.e. wher ether the window angle or roofline still manage to reflect back to the gun).

I'd be kind of careful deploying a system like this, especially around town (as the local cops transition to laser as well). If it were my car hypothetically I'd link the system via microcontroller to a vss signal so it only actvated after a certain speed.

Ie stealth mode on after 73, 74 mph.

The one issue you face is by blocking reflectivity / diffusing the laser light, you also forgo any chance to detect it.

That's all these laser "jammer" systems are...

Take care,

George

 

A little late but got to take some pics today:



^Here's my front plate. The top wire tire runs through two holes I made in the frame then underneath my mesh grill. You'll have to remove the mesh grill; you can loop the wire tie right around the screw located bottom center, reattach the grill, and viola it's done. The front plate frame is a little crooked b/c of the sheer weight of the leaper plate frames. I haven't gotten around to replacing these frames with the cleaner and lighter ones from minagallery.





^Here's a closer look. Simple and clean.



^ The bottom wire ties are hooked in via a small l clamps underneath the bottom grill. Already rusted apparently but unseen to the naked eye. I run two on both sides and run them straight through the frame and plate screw holes.



In any event. The frame and plate hold strong and the paint is good beneath so if I ever decide to remove the plate for whatever reason there won't be any issues. I hope this gives you some ideas and helps a bit.

 

My R came from PA, so no holes drilled at all. I ordered up a plate mount today with some other stuff but I'm going to have a hard time drilling holes in my nice smooth bumper.

I was pulled over many years ago by a DPS trooper in west Texas but I may have to chance it again.