expert opinion needed - best redlight cam protection?

**will0g** · 04-26-2007, 04:52 PM

question for all you experts - what is the best way I can protect against that annoying s**t that seems everywhere now?

Is VF decent? I read it does not protect against double-flash cams or cams that shoot movies. How common are those?

What about sprays? How about the plate covers?

And what kind are the toll booth cams? Not that I'm in the habit of running tolls, but just in case...

thanks!!!!!

**TSi+WRX** · 04-26-2007, 06:22 PM

Use the search function and do a little research, and you'll find your answers rather quickly.

---

But in welcoming a newbie to our midst, I will give you a quick tip-off (and leave you to do the detailed reading on your own) - pretty much, nothing works (either outright failures or is not consistent enough to prove to be a "proper" countermeasure), short of a flip-up or electronically-optically blanked plate/plate-cover.

The only thing you can do, short of being James Bond in such a manner, would be to make sure that you don't go through such devices.

Either memorize those critical areas (and research ahead-of-time when in an unfamiliar city), or use some kind of GPS-enabled tool (either your GPS nav-device, or a specialized unit like the NavAlert, or a GPS-enabled "position of interest" marking detector, such as the Escort 9500i) as a reminder.

**will0g** · 04-27-2007, 04:21 AM

Thanks for the tip mate! I actually went through some extensive research prior to posting this...

Anyway, what do you mean by "electronically-optically blanked plate"? Also, check out what some someone has posted:

quote:start

It refracts the plate numbers from any angle. But you have to mount it correctly. Mine is tilted slightly downward at a 10 degree angle. But I drive an SUV. The cop can view the plate from straight on or slightly to the side. But from the cameras angle it is not fully readable. And if the cop it passing you in the next lane he may motice it. It depends on the plate cover you get. Some are more extreme than others.

You need to review the laws in your state becuase you may get pulled over if a cop notices it. I get about 1 ticket a year from it here in CA.
But it is a "fix it ticket" and costs $30. It does not go on your record or insurance in any way. It's one step up from a warning. So I just put the cover back on later. The plates save me thousands in fines per year here including the Laguna Nigual Toll (which I just blow through every time) so I think it is worth it...

That's CA. Your state may not even have a law that covers these plates.

There are alot of web-sites selling them now. Here are three from strongest to weakest.

http://www.specterguard.com/original07.htm

http://www.photoreflector.com/about.htm

http://www.phantomplate.com/photoshield.html

quote:end

What's your opinion on this? Seems to work decently, for that dude at least.

Do you think that a combination of VF + spray OR VF + plate cover would work at least in most places?

**TSi+WRX** · 04-27-2007, 06:25 AM

Cool beans - I didn't mean to insult you with the "research" statement....just wanted to be sure that you've read through the ground-work.

The "electronically-optically blanked plate cover" - I'm hesitant to put up a direct link here due to Forum rules - is just that. It's a clear plastic plate cover, but utilizes an electrical charge to re-align its' visual properties, causing the cover to become opaque. It's the same type of technology that's been utilized, mainly on the show circuit, for automotive moon/sun-roof or "panoramic vista roof" solar control.

As for the optically "distorting" lenses on plate covers, the problem is exactly that - while you may defeat certain camera setups due to the angle from which they take the single photostill, the problem will come into play for more advanced motion-capture cameras, as well as will present if the camera mount - or even the road surface on which you're traveling - presents to the mounted camera an angle of view through which your plate can be visualized.

In other words, I do not consider it proper protection, simply because it is not consistent enough.

[ Additionally, the legality of such protection troubles me - I know from having walked around and driven around many vehicles equipped with such distortion lenses that they are READILY apparent to any enforcer. As my own personal concerns for countermeasures is based heavily on the fact that I simply do not want to have the hassle of being stopped (as for me, "time is money") for a "fix-it-ticket," this is not a viable solution for me, particularly as my daily travels is in dense urban traffic, and I will often have an enforcer sitting right at my tail (not that I'm doing anything wrong at all, but rather, that's just how traffic stacks up). ]

Even the combo of the various available measures now - all implemented simultaneously - may or may not offer you sufficient protection. For example, with your proposed triple-protection, which may seem to be quite overkill, it would be rather easily defeated by Redflex.

Please know, friend, that I am not pointing out all these negatives because I'm a proponent of such red-light or speed-cameras. I'm opposed to both on a personal-belief level (even though I also would never run a red...or even a yellow...unless the situation demanded I do so - i.e. a big-rig bearing down on me with locked brakes, which HAS happened to me twice in the past, and is why I so vehemently oppose this method of traffic-control).

I am merely sharing with you my own frustration in finding reasonable protection.

ops:

**da mail man** · 02-18-2008, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by will0g

Thanks for the tip mate! I actually went through some extensive research prior to posting this...

Anyway, what do you mean by "electronically-optically blanked plate"? Also, check out what some someone has posted:

quote:start

It refracts the plate numbers from any angle. But you have to mount it correctly. Mine is tilted slightly downward at a 10 degree angle. But I drive an SUV. The cop can view the plate from straight on or slightly to the side. But from the cameras angle it is not fully readable. And if the cop it passing you in the next lane he may motice it. It depends on the plate cover you get. Some are more extreme than others.

You need to review the laws in your state becuase you may get pulled over if a cop notices it. I get about 1 ticket a year from it here in CA.
But it is a "fix it ticket" and costs $30. It does not go on your record or insurance in any way. It's one step up from a warning. So I just put the cover back on later. The plates save me thousands in fines per year here including the Laguna Nigual Toll (which I just blow through every time) so I think it is worth it...

That's CA. Your state may not even have a law that covers these plates.

There are alot of web-sites selling them now. Here are three from strongest to weakest.

http://www.specterguard.com/original07.htm

http://www.photoreflector.com/about.htm

http://www.phantomplate.com/photoshield.html

quote:end

What's your opinion on this? Seems to work decently, for that dude at least.

Do you think that a combination of VF + spray OR VF + plate cover would work at least in most places?

...i have one of "these" and they work great!..so great that i got a ticket in january by a florida trooper!.....gave me the option of paying an $80 or a $7 ticket.....guess which one i chose?.....still on my car thou.......looking for other alternatives...

**RacerX** · 02-18-2008, 11:37 AM

If you don't want a cover on the plate, i'd also suggest the GPS mirror:

GPS Mirror

it'll remind you as you approach them, and give speed limits as well.
plus if you want to connect your radar detector or jammer or "parking sensor" to it, you can as well, and get all the alerts through the mirror.

We are also doing a "spotter" program, so depending on where yo live, "deals" are available.

PM me for more info.