photoblocker - experiences??
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 647
Likes: 17
photoblocker - experiences??
Anyone out there have any experience with a product called photoblocker? This is a paint-like spray you apply to your rear license plate that supposedly blinds the photoflash red light running guards that stand at some intersections.
On their website (photoblocker.com) they showed a report from a news station in Austin that tried the product and according to this news report the product actually worked. I'm interested if anyone has actually tried it and if it works in the real world.
Thanks
Mike
On their website (photoblocker.com) they showed a report from a news station in Austin that tried the product and according to this news report the product actually worked. I'm interested if anyone has actually tried it and if it works in the real world.
Thanks
Mike
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 581
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Mythbusters tested the product, along with several other myths for beating speed cameras (including trying to speed past one before it could take a picture with a Murcielago). The results: Everything failed, including the photoblocker.
I will look for a link and repost if I can find it!
EDIT: Here is the link: http://mythbustersresults.com/episode72
"A speed camera cannot see through commercial spray PhotoBlocker Spray.
busted
The commercial spray was ineffective."
I will look for a link and repost if I can find it!
EDIT: Here is the link: http://mythbustersresults.com/episode72
"A speed camera cannot see through commercial spray PhotoBlocker Spray.
busted
The commercial spray was ineffective."
Last edited by JAB210; Aug 13, 2007 at 10:34 PM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 253
Likes: 0
From: Walnut CA
While I no way endorse or support "breaking the law" 
There is a plastic license plate cover that prevents the plate from being read at angles .... it is of course illegal in most States as it prevents red light cameras from taking clear photos of your plate .... just make sure it is the one that distorts the plate image when viewed at an angle and not the one that claims to react when the flash goes off.
There is a plastic license plate cover that prevents the plate from being read at angles .... it is of course illegal in most States as it prevents red light cameras from taking clear photos of your plate .... just make sure it is the one that distorts the plate image when viewed at an angle and not the one that claims to react when the flash goes off.
Last edited by lawyer2b; Aug 13, 2007 at 10:42 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,089
Likes: 13
Q figured this out for James Bond decades ago. Just have a rotating plate holder. Show a bogus Canadian plate when you suspect a speed camera might be around. Flip it to your legit plate when cops are around.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,251
Likes: 16
From: Phoenix Arizona
Mythbusters tested the product, along with several other myths for beating speed cameras (including trying to speed past one before it could take a picture with a Murcielago). The results: Everything failed, including the photoblocker.
I will look for a link and repost if I can find it!
EDIT: Here is the link: http://mythbustersresults.com/episode72
"A speed camera cannot see through commercial spray PhotoBlocker Spray.
busted
The commercial spray was ineffective."
I will look for a link and repost if I can find it!
EDIT: Here is the link: http://mythbustersresults.com/episode72
"A speed camera cannot see through commercial spray PhotoBlocker Spray.
busted
The commercial spray was ineffective."
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,251
Likes: 16
From: Phoenix Arizona
Anyone out there have any experience with a product called photoblocker? This is a paint-like spray you apply to your rear license plate that supposedly blinds the photoflash red light running guards that stand at some intersections.
On their website (photoblocker.com) they showed a report from a news station in Austin that tried the product and according to this news report the product actually worked. I'm interested if anyone has actually tried it and if it works in the real world.
Thanks
Mike
On their website (photoblocker.com) they showed a report from a news station in Austin that tried the product and according to this news report the product actually worked. I'm interested if anyone has actually tried it and if it works in the real world.
Thanks
Mike
but i have been saved twice from those stupid cameras from rolling through a yellow left run signal...geesh ! had people behind me pushing me! i bet they got a ticket
no law against muddy plates hehehe
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 5,411
Likes: 2
From: N Carolina 08 Z51 Coupe
My friend bought some of this... On the bottom of the can, there was an area that was scratched out.. but it was still legible.. it is clear glitter. You can buy at any arts and craft store for $3. We took some pictures of his license plate from different angles with a flash.. all pics were clear and legible. Snake oil in a can.
Anyone out there have any experience with a product called photoblocker? This is a paint-like spray you apply to your rear license plate that supposedly blinds the photoflash red light running guards that stand at some intersections.
On their website (photoblocker.com) they showed a report from a news station in Austin that tried the product and according to this news report the product actually worked. I'm interested if anyone has actually tried it and if it works in the real world.
Thanks
Mike
On their website (photoblocker.com) they showed a report from a news station in Austin that tried the product and according to this news report the product actually worked. I'm interested if anyone has actually tried it and if it works in the real world.
Thanks
Mike
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 43
From: severn md
Yeah, but what do you do when your state shortens the time on a yellow light, like my state (peoples republic of maryland) did? They reduced the yellows from 4 seconds down to 2.8 sec so they could write more tickets. In this case money over safety.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 706
Likes: 2
From: Ontario cali
Mythbusters tested the product, along with several other myths for beating speed cameras (including trying to speed past one before it could take a picture with a Murcielago). The results: Everything failed, including the photoblocker.
I will look for a link and repost if I can find it!
EDIT: Here is the link: http://mythbustersresults.com/episode72
"A speed camera cannot see through commercial spray PhotoBlocker Spray.
busted
The commercial spray was ineffective."
I will look for a link and repost if I can find it!
EDIT: Here is the link: http://mythbustersresults.com/episode72
"A speed camera cannot see through commercial spray PhotoBlocker Spray.
busted
The commercial spray was ineffective."
As much as i like mythbusters, they got this one worng. when they did the photo test all the picstures were taken level with the license plate. now all the ones around me at atleast 8 feet in the air.
and you can beat the spead camera, they were just not driving fast enough
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NZff2yuet60
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 376
Likes: 0
From: Suburbs of New Orleans La
There is lots to read on this subject. The vast majority of revenue from red light cameras goes to the company selling the system to the local government.
When anticipated revenue does not pan out pressure is put on the locals to cut yellow time thus increasing the number of citations.
One of the best passive red light safety solutions is a short lag between one light turning red and the other becoming green. That gives an extra second or so for idiot #1 (the one running the light) to clear the intersection before idiot #2 (who loves to stab the gas the nanosecond their light becomes green) gets to go.
That stops more accidents than cameras, but nobody makes any money off of it, so instead we cut yellows, causing MORE accidents, but everyone is happy because the bucks are rolling in.
When anticipated revenue does not pan out pressure is put on the locals to cut yellow time thus increasing the number of citations.
One of the best passive red light safety solutions is a short lag between one light turning red and the other becoming green. That gives an extra second or so for idiot #1 (the one running the light) to clear the intersection before idiot #2 (who loves to stab the gas the nanosecond their light becomes green) gets to go.
That stops more accidents than cameras, but nobody makes any money off of it, so instead we cut yellows, causing MORE accidents, but everyone is happy because the bucks are rolling in.
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,333
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
There is lots to read on this subject. The vast majority of revenue from red light cameras goes to the company selling the system to the local government.
When anticipated revenue does not pan out pressure is put on the locals to cut yellow time thus increasing the number of citations.
One of the best passive red light safety solutions is a short lag between one light turning red and the other becoming green. That gives an extra second or so for idiot #1 (the one running the light) to clear the intersection before idiot #2 (who loves to stab the gas the nanosecond their light becomes green) gets to go.
That stops more accidents than cameras, but nobody makes any money off of it, so instead we cut yellows, causing MORE accidents, but everyone is happy because the bucks are rolling in.
When anticipated revenue does not pan out pressure is put on the locals to cut yellow time thus increasing the number of citations.
One of the best passive red light safety solutions is a short lag between one light turning red and the other becoming green. That gives an extra second or so for idiot #1 (the one running the light) to clear the intersection before idiot #2 (who loves to stab the gas the nanosecond their light becomes green) gets to go.
That stops more accidents than cameras, but nobody makes any money off of it, so instead we cut yellows, causing MORE accidents, but everyone is happy because the bucks are rolling in.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 292
Likes: 1
From: Chandler Arizona
I've had personal and practical test experience with Photoblocker products. The plate cover works partially, but the spray is USELESS. I have photos of my plate from two different photo camera systems, including RedFlex. Both systems are Flash-enabled. The spray doesn't work. Plate covers must cover ALL digits on the plate, which typically with the Photoblocker covers, only the first or last digits are defused. With the DMV database, it's very easy to plug in any available digits and make of car and come up with your suspect.
Now, if you want to get creative (and it's legal in your state), you can modify your plate by adding some bubble-wrap along with the difuser in the plate cover. That helps and still is readable by a cruiser sitting behind you.
For red light runners, you need to get tickets... but if it's a speed camera, well, that's different.
Now, if you want to get creative (and it's legal in your state), you can modify your plate by adding some bubble-wrap along with the difuser in the plate cover. That helps and still is readable by a cruiser sitting behind you.
For red light runners, you need to get tickets... but if it's a speed camera, well, that's different.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,324
Likes: 0
From: MN
I've done quite a bit of looking into this on behalf of clients.
The spray stuff doesn't work at all - it may (read, may) work on a dark night, no street lights, with a flash camera - the chemicals simply make the flash so reflective that it overloads the lens, thereby blurring the photo into uselessness. Otherwise, pure snake oil AND illegal in many states (a crime to cover, modifty, alter, or render illegible a license plate). This also holds true for plate covers - many states say you can't cover plates, and most say you cannot make them illegible. I've seen tinted plate covers, etc., and they are almost uniformly illegal.
The spray stuff doesn't work at all - it may (read, may) work on a dark night, no street lights, with a flash camera - the chemicals simply make the flash so reflective that it overloads the lens, thereby blurring the photo into uselessness. Otherwise, pure snake oil AND illegal in many states (a crime to cover, modifty, alter, or render illegible a license plate). This also holds true for plate covers - many states say you can't cover plates, and most say you cannot make them illegible. I've seen tinted plate covers, etc., and they are almost uniformly illegal.
Advanced
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From: Tampa Florida
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: North Texas Area Tx
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Local news Station in Dallas tested them in Garland with the Garland Police and none of the ones they used worked.
No reason to have them unless you plan on running a red light and putting people in danger. If your City changes the yellow light time then hire an attorney and fight the ticket.
No reason to have them unless you plan on running a red light and putting people in danger. If your City changes the yellow light time then hire an attorney and fight the ticket.
