Student Prank Exploits Speed Cameras

by Jordan Yerman | December 22, 2008 at 09:35 am

617 views | 38 Recommendations | 14 comments

Maryland high school students have repurposed speeding cameras in to prank machines using only glossy photo paper.

The practice highlights the obvious problem with speed cameras: they photograph everything that passes by at a certain speed, and can therefore be tricked, since they don't actually think.

Basically, students from Richard Montgomery High School are copying the license plate numbers of their "enemies" ('cause high schoolers lead such vicious, angsty lives) on glossy photo paper in a font that looks just like the one Maryland uses for its license plates. They tape the crappy fake license over their own, and intentionally zip past a stupid speedtrap camera, and a couple days later, their victim receives a ticket in the mail.

"This game is very disturbing," the parent said. "Especially since unsuspecting parents will also be victimized through receipt of unwarranted photo speed tickets.

The parent said that "our civil rights are exploited," and the entire premise behind the Speed Camera Program is called into question as a result of the growing this fad among students.

A more nefarious version of this trick has been documented in England, where the perps actually copy number plates of vehicles similar to their own, in effect cloning their victims' cars.

A blog dedicated to driving and politics adds that a similar, if darker, practice has taken hold in England, where bad guys cruise the streets looking for a car similar to their own. They then duplicate its plates in a more durable form, and thereafter drive around with little fear of trouble from the police.

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Yuliya Talmazan

at 10:16 on December 22nd, 2008

To quote Miss Marple, "How clever, how wicked."

polylogue

at 09:17 on December 23rd, 2008

The inventiveness of kids. Now if it can only be put to good use.

Tomitheos

at 09:37 on December 23rd, 2008

technology vs technology or is the issue about student drivers; an interesting civili rights twist to this story that opens up to more, thanks for posting jordan!

Paschen

at 09:46 on December 23rd, 2008

Hum, That could really get expensive and it would be very hard to battle in Court as well as more expensive.

sinister pictures

at 10:01 on December 23rd, 2008

You'll just end up with cameras like ours in Britain that also capture the image of the driver

FOC Friends of Carlotta

at 11:10 on December 23rd, 2008

Does this indicate an opportunity for bit of wildlife photography.

FOC Friends of Carlotta has contributed a photo to this story.

car1edb

at 11:35 on December 23rd, 2008

good work! - but in the uk they have front facing cameras that get your face too :(

caitlinmary.

at 15:21 on December 23rd, 2008

Photo by Caitlin Maloney
http://www.flickr.com/photos/caitlinmary

caitlinmary. has contributed a photo to this story.

Webel Photography

at 18:33 on December 23rd, 2008

Motion Blur in Hong Kong
Photographer: Steve Webel
http://stevewebel.com

Webel Photography has contributed a photo to this story.

harringtola

at 20:47 on December 23rd, 2008

There is always a downside if there is an upside. Someone was bound to find it.

photorelativity

at 21:20 on December 23rd, 2008

Photo by Rosemarie Hughes-Croucher

My Website

My Flickr photostream

photorelativity has contributed a photo to this story.

nielsjl

at 01:05 on December 24th, 2008

There are a lot of these speed-trap camera signs in the UK now. Makes me wonder who has the time to wade through all these images?

My Flickr Photostream

nielsjl has contributed a photo to this story.

car1edb

at 13:56 on December 24th, 2008

santa's doing it too - Santas Disable Enforcement Cameras in Tempe

alistair.gollop

at 17:07 on January 2nd, 2009

interested in Intelligent Transport Systems? Whatever your viewpoint, have a look at www.ukroadsignals.com the traffic engineering practitioners resource site based in the UK for information and current standards.

alistair.gollop has contributed a photo to this story.