Police chief denounces 'cowardly' iPhone users monitoring speed traps

[Lloyd Danforth]

The last sentence is interesting.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Devices-that-warn-drivers-of-speed_-red-light-cameras-draw-police-ire-7930619-50074717.html


Police chief denounces 'cowardly' iPhone users monitoring speed traps
By: Hayley Peterson
Examiner Staff
July 7, 2009
Apple iPhone (file photo) (Getty Images file photo)

Area drivers looking to outwit police speed traps and traffic cameras are using an iPhone application and other global positioning system devices that pinpoint the location of the cameras.

That has irked D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier, who promised her officers would pick up their game to   counteract the devices, which can also help drivers dodge sobriety checkpoints.

"I think that's the whole point of this program," she told The Examiner. "It's designed to circumvent law enforcement -- law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives."

The new technology streams to i-Phones and global positioning system devices, sounding off an alarm as drivers approach speed or red-light cameras.

Lanier said the technology is a "cowardly tactic" and "people who overly rely on those and break the law anyway are going to get caught" in one way or another.

The greater D.C. area has 290 red-light and speed cameras -- comprising nearly 10 percent of all traffic cameras in the U.S., according to estimates by a camera-tracking database called the POI Factory.

Lanier said the cameras have decreased traffic deaths. Red-light and speed cameras have been a hot topic in Montgomery County since Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed a bill in May allowing local governments to place speed cameras in school and highway construction zones.

Montgomery County police did not respond to calls and e-mails for this story.

Ralph Ganoe of Silver Spring said he uses detection software from a Washington-based company, PhantomAlert, to avoid speed traps and crowded intersections.

"Well, my pocket has money in it," Ganoe quipped, when asked about the software's impact on his driving record. "Everybody's got a heavy foot. ... Now I don't have to worry about where [the cameras] are at."

PhantomAlert mimics radar detectors — which are outlawed in D.C. and Virginia — by alerting drivers of nearby enforcement "points of interest" via global positioning system devices. PhantomAlert keeps up to date on traffic enforcement through its users, who contribute information online.

Founder and CEO of PhantomAlert Joe Scott claimed nine out of 10 police departments across the country support his software.

"If police come against us, it's going to make them look like they are only [after] revenue" from the camera-generated citations, he said.

Photo radar tickets generated nearly $1 billion in revenues for D.C. during fiscal years 2005 to 2008.

In the current fiscal year, Montgomery County expects to make $29 million from its red light and speed cameras. Lanier said efforts to outlaw the software would be too difficult.

She said, "with the Internet and all the new technology, it's almost impossible to stop the flow of information."

[Kat Kanning]

 

[Pat McCotter]

"Almost impossible," Cathy?

"Officers [will] pick up their game?"

[violence]

Police chief denounces 'cowardly' iPhone users monitoring speed traps

Area drivers looking to outwit police speed traps and traffic cameras are using an iPhone application and other global positioning system devices that pinpoint the location of the cameras.

That has irked D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier, who promised her officers would pick up their game to   counteract the devices, which can also help drivers dodge sobriety checkpoints.

"I think that's the whole point of this program," she told The Examiner. "It's designed to circumvent law enforcement -- law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives."

The new technology streams to iPhones and global positioning system devices, sounding off an alarm as drivers approach speed or red-light cameras.

Lanier said the technology is a "cowardly tactic" and "people who overly rely on those and break the law anyway are going to get caught" in one way or another.

The greater D.C. area has 290 red-light and speed cameras -- comprising nearly 10 percent of all traffic cameras in the U.S., according to estimates by a camera-tracking database called the POI Factory.

Lanier said the cameras have decreased traffic deaths. Red-light and speed cameras have been a hot topic in Montgomery County since Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signed a bill in May allowing local governments to place speed cameras in school and highway construction zones.

Montgomery County police did not respond to calls and e-mails for this story.

Ralph Ganoe of Silver Spring said he uses detection software from a Washington-based company, PhantomAlert, to avoid speed traps and crowded intersections.

"Well, my pocket has money in it," Ganoe quipped, when asked about the software's impact on his driving record. "Everybody's got a heavy foot. ... Now I don't have to worry about where [the cameras] are at."

PhantomAlert mimics radar detectors — which are outlawed in D.C. and Virginia — by alerting drivers of nearby enforcement "points of interest" via global positioning system devices. PhantomAlert keeps up to date on traffic enforcement through its users, who contribute information online.

Founder and CEO of PhantomAlert Joe Scott claimed nine out of 10 police departments across the country support his software.

"If police come against us, it's going to make them look like they are only [after] revenue" from the camera-generated citations, he said.

Photo radar tickets generated nearly $1 billion in revenues for D.C. during fiscal years 2005 to 2008.

In the current fiscal year, Montgomery County expects to make $29 million from its red light and speed cameras. Lanier said efforts to outlaw the software would be too difficult.

She said, "with the Internet and all the new technology, it's almost impossible to stop the flow of information."

[CJS]

 Great article Lloyd !

She said, "with the Internet and all the new technology, it's almost impossible to stop the flow of information."

I hope she and all her fascist friends get migraines because the internet is still ( mostly ) free .


The contempt she has for those her department is sworn to serve and protect turns my stomach . My wife has to remind me how expensive an arrest for disorderly / obstruction is every time I see  cop mistreating some one because I like to ask why they feel a need to be so rude .... so much fun .

[peaceful_porc]

This just shows that the primary interest of law enforcement isn't public safety, but revenue. *Shock!* I love the cop going, "We'll get 'em, anyway!" What an attitude!

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Lanier said efforts to outlaw the software would be too difficult.

They'll likely just start enforcing the "no hands" law. Texting while driving is illegal around here so literally touching a phone can be a ticket.

[violence]

you could probably turn it on and set it down

[violence]

ooops i reposted this in another forum section.

[Kat Kanning]

merged the two topics

[UOGSammich]

I really enjoyed the claim of this tactic being "cowardly" from whomever had a lack of response for it, "well crap guys, someone has documented the monitoring devices we installed in the public domain".

"cowardly tactic" and "people who overly rely on those and break the law anyway are going to get caught" - Yep, can't argue against percentages, but you sure can lower them.


This is the simply the future of "radar detectors"

Goodluck to the police department, if they find a way of banning/outlawing/or making this app worthless more will just emerge. Kudos to whoever spend the time developing it.

[KBCraig]

I really enjoyed the claim of this tactic being "cowardly" from whomever had a lack of response for it, "well crap guys, someone has documented the monitoring devices we installed in the public domain".

I'm reminded of the lone kid being confronted on the schoolyard by the bully and his gang: "What are ya, chicken?"

The bully's definition of a "fair fight" was best summed up as, "We both trade some licks, then I win. If you start to win, it's only 'fair' that four of my buddies/brothers/cousins jump in and kick your ass."

[Little Owl]

She said, "with the Internet and all the new technology, it's almost impossible to stop the flow of information."

That's the whole point, you stupid bitch!