An engineering student at UNC Charlotte was caught with a device made to block police photo radar. He used a switchable electric window glazing that turned his car license plates to gray at a touch of a button.
The student’s job caused him to work late at a local restaurant. Having to sit at a near by traffic light for what he considered to long made him come up with the idea to make a device to allow him to go through the red light with out the photo radar getting a shot of his plates.
He said he ordered the glass cut to the shape of his plates and wired a switch to his dash so he could darken his plates before going through the red light. After weeks of getting photos of the same car with no visible plates local police waited for him at his usual red light. With in 2 hours they caught him coming home from work.
After being confronted by police he admitted he knew it was wrong but it took almost 5 minute for the light to change at the intersection and it was worth the risk of getting caught.
The glass he used to cover his plates was a liquid crystal suspended particle device (SPD). It contains molecular particles suspended in a solution between plates of glass. When not activated, the particles move randomly and collide, blocking the direct passage of light. When energized, the particles align rapidly and the glazing becomes transparent. This type of switchable glazing can block up to about 90 percent of light.
The local University paper said he recieved $400 in fines. It would have be cheaper just to have had a little more patience.
for some reason police can roll through red lights (even when not responding to an emergency), but “ordinary people” can’t. power to this kid, but it’s unfortunate he wasn’t smart enough to realize that they would watch on eventually. at 5 minutes for a light change with no traffic coming, i would have rolled through it already. (you can go through a light if it is broken, and if it takes longer than a minute or so to change, then it most certainly is broken)
“you can go through a light if it is broken, and if it takes longer than a minute or so to change, then it most certainly is broken”.
This was a an automated system for recording license plate numbers. He would’ve gotten a ticket each time.
If the light is that long, and there is a photo radar set up, most likely it was done deliberately as a trap to motorists to pad the city coffers.
This is a great story!
In NC, is it legal to make a right turn on red? If so, why didnt he just make
a right and then a u-turn and then another right?
If this was a quiet road without a median that would take all of 20 seconds.
But still, the SPD was a GREAT idea!
would’ve been cheaper to shoot a camera with an air gun or a paintball gun. and then again once they replace it. + it’s fun
it also shows your irritation; leading to the change in laws.
In NC you can make a right on red (most of the time). Not sure where this kid was driving from, but some of the lights around the university area have the “No Right Turn On Red” sign.
Something wrong here when the cops lie in wait for you to go to work
Somebody Else Says, in 6-21-2007 at 12:29:51 from 192.35.35.35
“This is a great story!
In NC, is it legal to make a right turn on red? If so, why didnt he just make
a right and then a u-turn and then another right?”
Why? Because he’s an engineer. I have worked with other engineers for 25 years and I can tell you that they will go to any length and any expense to make the most complex solution as long as it is the high tech solution. Turning right probably never occurred to him.
There are several reasons turning right may not have been an option–it’s a “T” intersection, right is a one-way, etc.
I’ve never seen a light take five minutes, I time lights for my impatient wife to prove to her how long lights really are–usually between two and three minutes.
My dog can hold a treat on his nose for three minutes–why can’t this kid wait?
if you think its funny, then laugh. if you dont, move on. why judge?
If they can afford to install red light cameras, they can afford to actuate the signal. This device recognizes cars and changes the signal. It is highly unusual for a signal to have longer than a 120 second cycle time over night.