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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Topic: Really REALLY EZ Pass (AKA: Product protects license plates from being photographed)
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Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 12-14-2004 11:13 PM
In Pennsylvania, at least, there is a law that makes it illegal to obscure your license plate. Even if it's just because some dirt or some snow got on there. The driver is responsible for making sure.
Just this evening there was a news story on TV that said the cops were going to start busting people with snow on their plates.
I'd say that this stuff obscures the license plate and would therefore be illegal. At least it would be in Pennsylvania. I'm sure other states have the same or similar laws.
Furthermore, I'd put forth that this stuff has no purpose but to make it easier for people to break the law. If you don't run red lights; if you don't skip toll booths; if you don't exceed the speed limit you have no reason to fear that some automatic device will take a picture of your license plate. Therefore, if you put this stuff on your license plate, the ONLY reason is because you PLAN to break the law.
On top of that, somebody who planned to commit some other crime like robbing a bank could use it to make it harder for the police to track his car.
So... There are THREE reasons why it should be illegal. Even if it's not specifically illegal right now, the "obscuration rule" would make it indirectly illegal.
Now, as Steve pointed out, I don't think it would work in all situations. First, in bright daylight the camera wouldn't need flash. No flash = no retroreflection. The camera would get a perfect picture regardless. Even if flash was used I'd think that, if the ambient light was sufficient to get a good picture the effect would be minimal.
Second, as Steve said, putting the flash at another angle from the camera would cure the problem all togehter, whether the flash is used or not.
Third, I think those red light cams take multiple exposures. As the car moves through the camera's field of view its position changes within the film frame. If the camera took, say, 4 exposures, alternating flash and no flash, chances would be pretty high that at least ONE of them would come out. Even then, a PARTIAL plate number might be enough to pin down the registration.
Fourth, identifying marks on the car would give it away. How many white Mazda 626's with fake bullet hole stickers on the trunk that have a dented in rear passenger door are registered in Erie, Pennsylvania? How many white Mazdas are there with those markings and a plate that starts with the letters "ENC-????" are there in all of Pennsylvania. (In the entire world?) Probably only one... The one that's registered to ME.
I already counted two or three ways they could bust you for this stuff. On top of that, they'd throw the book at you for whatever other crimes you commit while you are in posession of an adulterated license plate. (It's obvious that the act was WILLFUL and PREMEDITATED.) Then they'd probably dream up some charge like, "Willful Evasion of the Law", or some cockemamie thing like that.
This junk smells like bad Ju-Ju to me!
Man! If you ever get caught with this stuff on your license plate, you'll probably find yourself so far up Shit Creek that a paddle wouldn't do you any good even if you DID have one!
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Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 12-15-2004 01:33 AM
It's basically clear spray paint. It won't wash off.
That also means you can't UNDO it. If you put it on and later you decide it's a stupid idea (Which it is) you can't get it off. If this stuff turns out to be illegal and a cop catches you with it, you're toast. Even if all you wanted to do was just to "check it out".
Remember this: Red light cam's don't take pictures of innocent people.
1) They are aimed at the center of the intersection where you SHOULDN'T BE if the light is red.
2) They are not tripped unless your car crosses the inductive loop in the pavement.
3) If I remember my traffic rules correctly, a YELLOW light means, "Don't enter the intersection! But, if you are ALREADY passed the white line, keep going." If the light turns red while you are inside the "box" you are technically in violation of the rules.
The only real defence against a red light cam is to prove that this really wasn't your car or that the camera malfunctioned. If the camera malfunctioned, it will be clear because the traffic light in question is always inside the frame of the camrea.
If the judge holds up a picture of your car and says, "Is this your car?" There are only two things that can save you:
1) "No, sir. That's not my car."
2) "Yes, sir but, as you can see in the picture, the light is green."
Thus, in the eyes of the red light cam, there is no such thing as "cutting it close".
Don't cross that white line when your're not supposed to and you won't get in trouble. Plain and simple.
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