EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a weekly series on avoiding red light tickets here in Chicago–soon to be the red light camera capital of the world.
In the war against red light cameras, specialty aerosol sprays to coat your license plate was the initial skirmish of this long battle.
According to reports, many, if not most, red light cameras employ a very strong flash to photograph your license plate. Based on that theory, when sprayed on your license plate, these high-gloss sprays reflects the camera’s flash back toward the camera, overexposing the photo and thus, and theoretically, making your license plate unreadable to the camera.
The original anti-red light camera spray, Photostopper was created in an effort to defeat the red light camera’s ability to document vehicle license plate numbers. It costs $19.95 per can, and can cover six plates according to the sales information.
Another product is called Photo Fog, and comes in a spray pump. It claims to perform in the same way as these other aerosol sprays and sells for $23.00 per bottle.
While Photostopper claims to be the first, PhotoBlocker spray, created in 2002, seems to be the dominant product in this product category.
Phantom Plate, the manufacturer of PhotoBlocker, is based in Harrisburg, PA, and produces several different anti-red light camera products. We will explore many of these other products in during the course of this series.
The spray costs $29.95 per can and can cover four plates. There are lot’s of testimonials and information at the PhotoBlocker website.
There doesn’t seem to be any consensus on whether these sprays work or not. There are testimonials provided by Phantom Plate, and news reports claiming it does work. On-Track, the manufacturer of Photostopper and Photo Fog also has a quiver of media reviews. But red light camera manufacturers and police enforcement, along with other news reports say this strategy does not work.
“We have had NO issues with reflective sprays,” laughed Brian Steele, spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Transportation.
Steele says these sprays don’t work on Chicago cameras because the flashes are mounted at angles, so the flash does not hit the car’s license plate head-on so this blinding effect the spray is supposed to inflict upon the camera, does not occur.
“I’ve never heard that before,” said a surprised Joe Scott, Marketing Director for PhotoBlocker, in respect to the way the flashes are angled. “It’s still a bright flash of light no matter where it comes from.”
“We’re not really concerned whether it (sprays) work or not,” says Jennifer Martinez, spokesperson for Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC). “We don’t have an opinion either way. Our issue is safety and making sure people stop at red lights. Our vendor has done some testing and they say it (spray) doesn’t work.
“Of course they’re going to say that (the spray doesn’t work),” continued Scott. “We have 500,000 satisfied customers in the United States and internationally.”
The cops and the camera manufacturers say that their technology has improved with a higher and faster samplings of frames being shot, so the camera, if it is blinded for a milli-second, can still view the license plate before or after the flash.
Mr. Steele says that the cameras not only take two still photographs (an initial photo when the red light is blown and another 1.2 seconds later), but also takes video of the vehicle and event.
Although, the spray has been tested with some speed camera units and, according to one TV news report, seems to work well.
So, who really knows. Obviously the jury is out on this one. I’ve never tried it and I’m mildly skeptical of how well the spray concept works here in Chicago. My strategy has been to not blow through stop lights anymore and that has seemed to be working well for me.
I guess the only way to really know is to buy PhotoBlocker or Photostopper, spray it on and then blow through a few intersections with red light cameras and see what happens. Perhaps we should put a fund together to reimburse someone to buy the spray and run a few red lights.
The only other spray I’ve seen is something called Sprayonmud. It was allegedly developed for people to easily make their SUV look like it’s been actually four-wheeling out in the hinterlands, without going through the effort of doing so. A secondary use has been to spray the product on the back of your vehicle, making it look like you “accidentally” partially covered your license plate in mud. Therefore, red light cameras couldn’t record your full license plate number if you went through a red light and therefore, wouldn’t receive a ticket. Obviously, covering or obscuring your license plate is illegal.
However, the Sprayonmud website is down and I can’t seem to find it for sale anywhere and get the feeling the company is defunct.
But, here’s a story from Wired Magazine on the product: Spray-On Mud Makes A Splash.
So, when it comes to license plate sprays, my advice is caveat emptor, it might be best to save your money and just don’t blow through the red light.
MythBusters proved these sprays do not work.
GPS detectors like GPS Angel (www.gpsangel.com) is an effective way of warning you when you are near these cameras.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2007_season)#Episode_73_.E2.80.93_.22Speed_Cameras.22
FYI – MythBusters link.
The Germans, at the first onslaught of their scammeras, which were for speed enforcement, mounted photo-eye controlled battery powered strobe flashes (a camera slave flash) in the back windows of their cars. When the strobe on the scammera so did theirs. There were some resulting images published which showed it was effective. Doing a lot of photography myself my theoretical plan of attack would be some sort of active IR transmitted interference with the auto-focus systems. Just a thought…
In Chicago, there’s video that goes along with your pictures. They should be able to zoom on your license plate on the video thereby removing the flash part of the equation which would overexpose the image if used on a license plate. Nice try. It may have once worked when it was photographed only, but with the video it’s pretty tough to outsmart them. I’m still open to ideas.
Remember in “The Incredibles” when Mr. Incredible was on the island and those guns shot that expanding black goo all over him? I say we shoot that same stuff at the cameras! (If you don’t have kids, you still need to see the movie, just because!)
Mike-
I personally, don’t think the spray will work with Chicago’s red light cameras, for all the reasons I reported on.
But, it seems, with some speed camera and red light camera systems, it may work. Ultimately, I leave it to the reader to decide whether to spend their money or not.
I have a plate flipper that works well. Every time I approach an intersection with a camera down the plate goes at the touch of a button. Also, I have a new radar detector with GPS that alerts to every red light and speed camera in the US and I update it every week or so via USB on my computer.
Good luck sending me a ticket!
Chad. Looks like you’re spending way too much time and effort so you can run red lights. Here’s a suggestion: Try stopping at them. Thats a pretty cost effective method to avoid tickets with little to no effort or installation costs.
Of course the way to solve this problem is like here in GA. Finaly we got the politicos to add 1 sec to all trafic signals with photo enforcement. Guess what the total number of accidents went down below what they were with the cams. (and before the cams) Also a reduction in total injuries at these intersections. But an 80% drop in revenue resulted in most cities/couties removing the cams….all of a sudden it was not “about the public safety”
So lesson learned if you want to protect the public add a second to the yellow light and people dont get hurt….wow how simple (and cheep) is that?
An illegal alternative is what has started as a revolt in the UK. The burning of speed cams. http://bit.ly/3L5fF8 “burn mother F*&Ker Burn”
Jawga
I still see no sense in buying these products and running redlights. It seems people who buy these products have no disregard for safety. Next time they run a redlight and crash maybe theyll get some sense.
This stuff didn’t work, I blew all the red lights and I still got pulled over.
john – “This stuff didn’t work, I blew all the red lights and I still got pulled over.”
really?
so a camera pulled you over did it?
the reason to stop or hinder the effectiveness of red light cameras is NOT so people can blow through red lights. its because the use of red light cameras are patently unconstitutional.
not only that…they CAUSE more accidents than they prevent (a documented fact) as people slam on their brakes in an attempt to stop before they get flashed.
Obviously their not interested in your safety!!!!! Only money!!!!!The police always say they only want you to be safe but it’s a bunch of crap. They want to keep their jobs and the city wants to make you pay for their dunkin donut eating asses.
Mark…the Cops don’t even want these cameras.
The Politicians want them to give business to their friends in Clout companies..
Choaswyrm you are a victim of what we call trolling. Urban dictornary if you need help with the word troll.
I want a solution that will protect me from accidentally running a red light. I’m not trying to “blow through” red lights with blatant disregard for safety. But Chicago puts the “Photo Enforced” signs 50+ feet BEFORE the intersection. If you’re sitting at a red light and turn right on red… there’s your ticket. Not really fair, eh?
Just do what I do and encourage visitors to avoid Chicago all together. That Mayor is going to turn it into another Detroit soon anyway.
I just got a traffic camera speeding ticket even though I used their paint. It doesn’t work!
Harvey,
I don’t think anyone here would be surprised that the spray doesn’t work.
Officers don’t want these hideous bits of business. Politicians use them as silent revenue agents, collecting secondary taxes for use of government infrastructure. Like a very expensive road tax. We don’t like getting tied up with taking the additional traffic accident reports they cause. We aren’t happy that they cause an already dissatisfied public to blame us for something we have nothing to do with. It’s a horror show for us anyway you slice it. The cities spend millions on these stupid things and we drive unsafe antiquated patrol cars with bologna skin tires, loaded with trunks full of first responder equipment that doesn’t work because it’s well past it’s prime. Please don’t blame police for these monstrosities.
I sprayed it on my junk and stood naked at the intersection holding my license plate while flashing the camera. Never heard from the Po Po. So maybe it does work.
Talked to a cop in the Baltimore area,a nd the cameras are set up for quotas just like the cops, I drive a limo in the Baltimore area and I use my GPS to warn me of red lights and speed traps. If I hear that this stuff is 100% a lot of limo drivers will be buying this stuff.
Do u ship to Ireland thanks
The real reason to outsmart cameras isn’t about red lights anyway – it’s about thoise Toll Roads! We shouldn’t have to continually pay to drive on an old stretch of road when Tolls are supposed to only be for new roads until they are paid off. Not so in Austin, TX.
1st. Red light tax in 48 years of driving! Embarrassed! These cams don’t allow for sudden stoppage or dramatic slowing of traffic beyond and underneath an intersection! The light is green, I’m payin attention to the intersection, traffic, my speed! Wtf! I’m hung out in the middle of an intersection…..BS! $158.00!
1st. Red light tax in 48 years of driving! Embarrassed! These cams don’t allow for sudden stoppage or dramatic slowing of traffic beyond and underneath an intersection! The light is green, I’m payin attention to the intersection, traffic, my speed! Wtf! I’m hung out in the middle of an intersection…..BS! $158.00! And, another “Drive-Up” Tax scam to add in with the seat-belt law;DUI ck pts.; cell-phone ban. Gee, too bad, bank robbers , snatch ‘n grab and car thieves won’t drive up to the cops too.
In New Orleans (not sure about other places), the ticket is linked to the license plate, not the registration. I had 3 tickets, one for 37 in a 25, one for a right turn after an almost stop (a New Orleans cop behind me would not have stopped me for that), and another for just missing the light in a 45-mph zone on wet streets. Anyway, I went down and got another license plate which costs $53. All the tickets went away. Thought this might help others.
I protest the camera tickets because they are actually illegal, or were until the laws were changed without proper procedure. Now, local law enforcement is being used to collect for a private company which owns the cameras and makes millions (maybe billions now). See if they (law enforcement) will help you collect from a deadbeat for your private business. Not happening.
I tried phantom plate spray and it did not not work!
Waste of money !!!!!!!!
.
Mark…In Illinois…the State references the License Plates to the VIN number and will provide that information to all Municipalities that have a collection agency or internal Finance department that goes after people that get tickets.
If you check out a few of the Geeks other threads, you’ll see people complaining about how Tickets from decades past have caught up to them even though they don’t have that car or plate anymore.
Just got one in Elk Grove IL, where they have video too, except the website is conveniently down for days so you can’t see evidence. Best advice above – AVOID CHICAGO! But better still, AVOID ILLINOIS AT ALL COSTS! Pervasive corruption at every level of govt, from your tiny suburban park district office to the governor’s mansion. Everyone is trying to figure out a way to get their greedy hands in the cookie jar. That’s fine, until the cookie jar is your pocket. I’ve been here too long and will be moving out first chance I get. Stuck for now but that will change.
Big revenue stream for greedy politicians, most of whom are siphoning off the ill-begotten funds via sham contracts with croy pals and the like. Is that cynical enough for you?
Let’s face it these red light cameras are not there for our safety, they print money for the city. I don’t run red lights although my sales job has me traveling all over the Chicago area. What I don’t hear people talking about is making right hand turns. If the coast is clear and you make a right hand turn during a red light, without coming to a complete stop, then the camera activates & you’re mailed a ticket. I’ve was almost rear ended a few times while trying to comply with the law. Issuing tickets for simple right hand turns at a traffic lights because you didn’t come to a complete stop is ridiculous & dangerous as not everyone is in the habit of doing this.