Photo Radar

[metallicat]

Do you LEOs have photo radar in your area? If so, have you seen those clear plastic type things that cover the license plates that when a picture gets taken of the plate, it reflects off causing the numbers or letters on the plate to be unreadable? Are you allowed to pull a car over and take that cover off of their plate? Essentially, they are saying right there that they speed.

Also, if you see a car get a photo radar ticket while you are driving in your patrol car, are you allowed to pull that car over for speeding, even though the only proof you have is that he just got a ticket from the photo vehicle?

[mcsap]

I hate to bring this up ( again) but Pennsylvania is the ONLY state that does not allow municipal PD's to use radar. Only State can use it. This is a carryover from the 1960's or 7o's when some small dept's ran radar all day just to make $$ for their town. Things have changed !

We do have other devices that we use. VASCAR, Robic, ESP infrared and clocking.

[RNMountie]

Here in British Columbia, photo radar is illegal. There was alot of uproar from the general public regarding this, and all the camera's (which were installed at quite a cost) are now just hanging idle at all intersections.
Clocking is still done, and done quite regularly. We have speed watch stops set up mainly in school zones, and just recently, a new program has been implimented where 2 speed zone stops (radar)are set up between 2 and 5 kilometers apart, and if you are caught speeding at BOTH , a member of the COP (Citizens on Patrol), radios to the officer ahead and that officer then pulls you over, and tickets are issued. It's been somewhat effective, but people still just don't get it.....slow down.

[Darin]

So a clear plastic tag cover that you can buy all day long at AutoZones is illegal in VA.? I did not know that.

[Chief_Wiggum]

Originally posted by Darin
So a clear plastic tag cover that you can buy all day long at AutoZones is illegal in VA.? I did not know that.

In most states you can't use them. Look up the law that relates to "display" of the plates. You will find that most states say they must be free of foreign material or some such wording.

The reasons are numerous. The plastic interferes with visability. The sun and headlights reflect off the plastic making them harder to read. The tinted covers make the plate harder to read at night. And they interfere with the plates reflective properties.

Some laws just make a simple blanket statement to prevent people from putting stickers or what ever on the plates. But, overall, you can't put anything on or over the plates, in most states.

[gdowkpc]

Portland, OR uses Photo Radar and red light camares.

There are different produts that work to foil the cameras, however any alteration of the plate is illegal. Any coverings over the plate are illegal, too.

There are even plate diffusers that are plastic license plate covers taht diffuse LIDAR. Any covering over a plate whatsoever, whether chemical or plastic, is illegal.

It is not a money issue for the department here. The one's making all the money are the civilian vendors. The city actually loses money when citizens take the tickets to court. Expect to see more civilians in traffic enforcement in coming years. It's the new trend.

It would be bad form to cite a driver who just got a photo radar ticket. It might even be considered douple jeapordy if it was in the same general vicinity.

I was observing a photo radar van once from a hidden vantage point. I observed a vehicle as it approached the van, as the reader board indicated the speed (somewhere in excess of 11+ mph over the limit), and then the camera taking the picture. However, the car still had dealer paper plates so there was no way for the photo radar van to identify the owner. I chased the owner down, issued the citation, and had the photo radar operator later sign the cite as officer #2. I admit, it was a little hardcore and zealous.

[zander_zye]

The photo radars in Fremont have decreased the amount of collisons in major intersections by 50% over the past year. I welcome them -

Hey - I have a question perhaps you can answer.

At what point are you considered to be running the red light. Say that you enter the intersection on the yellow - are you allowed to clear the intersection (for instance if the guy in front of you slows down unexpectedly) - or are you in violation once the red light activates? Also - what about those people (especially the left turners) who bunch in going in to the intersection after the red light has activated?

[vadep]

Originally posted by Darin
So a clear plastic tag cover that you can buy all day long at AutoZones is illegal in VA.? I did not know that.

Virginia Motor Vehicle Code 46.2-716
Altering appearance of license plates
.... No colored glass, colored plastic, or any other type of covering shall be placed, mounted, or installed on or over any license plate IF such covering in any way alters or obscures......

So if the clear plastic cover alters or obscures the tag in any way, then yes it is illegal. It's easy to articulate even a brand new CLEAR plastic cover obscuring the tag (sunlight, headlight reflections, etc...)

[Darin]

The covers I have on my plates are 100% clear(no tint) and doesn't obscure anything. I've had plate covers for 10 years on my truck and never had problems.

[Chief_Wiggum]

Originally posted by Darin
The covers I have on my plates are 100% clear(no tint) and doesn't obscure anything. I've had plate covers for 10 years on my truck and never had problems.

I would still bet the "covers" are illegal. Check the laws in your state and see. Like I said even the clear ones cause problem with reflection from the sun and headlights and they interfere with the normal reflective properties of the plate. Anyway, read the entire section of your states laws on display of license plates and let us know how it's worded.

[zander_zye]

Illegal in CA

And you must have front and back plates no matter what the idiot at the car dealer told you! (tell them to read 5202 CVC)

[Darin]

Chief, vadep posted an excerpt of the VA. motor vehicle code above.

[jeff92k7]

Anything that covers the plate and makes reading it more difficult is illegal in Texas.

[gdowkpc]

Originally posted by zander_zye
Hey - I have a question perhaps you can answer.

At what point are you considered to be running the red light. Say that you enter the intersection on the yellow - are you allowed to clear the intersection (for instance if the guy in front of you slows down unexpectedly) - or are you in violation once the red light activates? Also - what about those people (especially the left turners) who bunch in going in to the intersection after the red light has activated?

Oregon's law is the strictest in the nation. It says you must stop for a yellow light unless it is unsafe to do so. So, running a yellow light is the same as running a red. However, I typically will make the stop unless front tires of the vehicle have not broken the first limit line when the light turns red. It's kind of like waiting for the speeder to hit 11 over the limit before stopping them.

California's red light law says you can proceed through a yellow light with caution. I have heard officers there will cite you if you are in the intersection when the light turn red. It is an interesting statement since Oregon's law is stricter yet California seems to enforce that law a little tougher.

The photo red light cameras here have loops that are prior to the beginning of the intersection. Some people believe, and it has been misreported in the news, that the loop is out in the center of the intersection.

It takes 2 pictures, the first one takes the picture at the limit line and the second is when the car is in the middle of the intersection. Each picture records how fast the driver was travelling and how many seconds the light had been red.

I don't know the law in California as far as the left turn drivers are concerned. But like above, I think if you enter the interection after the light turns red, you're good for a ticket.

The interesting problem comes with intersections that allow drivers to make unprotected left turns, meaning they must yield to oncoming traffic prior to turning. Most people will wait out in the intersection for an opportunity to turn. Is seems logical and more efficient. However, Oregon states that a driver is not to enter an intersection unless they are able to clear it. Often times, there will not be an opportunity to turn prior to the light turning yellow, then red. The car is left hanging out in the intersection until opposing traffic has satisfied that driver that they are indeed stopping.

Couple the driver wainting to turn left with an oncoming driver who is running the yellow and the left turner is hung out there for quite awhile. The left turner can be site with failure to obey a traffic control device, since they did not wait behind the limit line until there was an opportunity to turn, and they got caught in the intersection an the light cycle.

[Solego]

Red light cameras are illegal in Florida, thank goodness. It would be kind of difficult to explain to my Captain, "Yeah, that's my patrol car, but that's not ME driving!"