Speed Cameras

If you thought speed camera and roadside police radar proliferation in your country was bad, spare a thought for the Aussies. More than 45,000 drivers in the Australian state of Victoria are on the verge of losing their licenses, with blame being centered on the number of speed cameras that dot the highways.

Last night's episode of Mythbusters was wonderfully auto related. The show's hosts, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, take on the myth that a speed camera can be foiled. They attack the myth from various angles, including testing various types of license plate

The hatred which speed cameras in Europe have engendered in the drivers they're watching has bubbled up and over to the point where vandalism is a common occurrence. In Scotland, for example, there have been seven camera attacks in three years. The attacks range from cameras simply being damaged so they're inoperable to setting the devices on fire. The same local governments who were smart enough to begin using speed cameras in the first place have a solution: more cameras! The Scottish authorit

Apparently, when some motorists see their speed displayed on a radar-assisted light sign, they don't pay much attention (hell, we've seen people speed up to see how high it goes).

In a modern twist on the old 'motorcycle cop silhouette behind billboard/tree/bush' gag, residents of Haughton, Staffordshire, U.K., have put up fake signs indicating speed cameras. 20 such signs have been placed on the A518, which runs through the center of Haugton.

The city of Scottsdale, AZ  officially flicked on its system of speed cameras last Wednesday morning at 12:01 AM, which was immediately followed by a southbound vehicle on the Loop 101 Freeway triggering the first snap. By noon the cameras had flashed their bulbs 167 times.