License plate cover to prevent photo radar/red light running tickets

[chuckw951]

Hi,

My wife and I live in Maryland. My wife commutes into DC every day. So far she has got two speeding tickets by photo radar. The ticket you get in the mail is actually kinda cool. It shows a larger picture of your car and then a zoomed in picture of your license plate along with your speed and the speed limit. No question, she was guilty and will pay the tickets. DC has turned this system into another revenue stream.

I've seen plastic license plate covers which supposedly prevent the cameras from getting a clear picture of the license plate by photo radar/red light cameras. Do these things work, are they legal, can I make one from parts at home depot? Any thoughts?

Chuck

[vash]

i think i read something about them. dont they polarize the plate so the camara just reflects back light? i bet money they are not legal.

[concentric]

Originally posted by unfixed
i think i read something about them. dont they polarize the plate so the camara just reflects back light? i bet money they are not legal.

Yup, this is how some of the products used to work. I worked for Lockheed/Martin, who managed the TCA (Transportation Corridor Agency), a series of toll roads in the Orange County, CA area. To catch violators (non paying drivers), we used radar tripped cameras in conjunction with custom image enhancement software developed for the purpose. Pictures were taken and toll violation tickets sent to the driver via their DMV info. I asked some questions about how people tried to avoid tickets and they described a product like the one you're talking about. Interestingly enough, if you went fast enough at that time, you could be out of the frame by the time the camera snapped the pic. Speed had to be 115+ though. People would also take their plates off and do stuff like cover the plates with mud or tape pieces of paper over them.

JCM