According to the Washington Times, the traffic cameras in Prince George’s County, Maryland, use a sensor to sniff out speeders, then snaps a two photos for every infraction. Foreman took those photos and did some analysis of his own:
For each ticket, Mr. Foreman digitally superimposed the two photos – taken 0.363 seconds apart from a stationary point, according to an Optotraffic time stamp – creating a single photo with two images of the vehicle.
Using the vehicle’s length as a frame of reference, Mr. Foreman then measured its distance traveled in the elapsed time, allowing him to calculate the vehicle’s speed. In every case, he said, the vehicle was not travelling fast enough to get a ticket.
Optotraffic, who make the traffic camera system, vehemently defend their product, saying that the photos (which are snapped 15m after the sensor detects the speeder) are for ID purposes only and theoretically allow enough time to slow down. Foreman argues that if he were slowing down after being picked up by the sensor, the photos would show his brake lights (which they don’t). So far, the judges are on Foreman’s side.
Foreman currently has more than 40 pending tickets. [Washington Times]
Photo credit: Rod Lamkey Jr/Washington Times
John
Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 12:12 PMIt’s a bit amusing, highly annoying but not surprising that the makers of traffic camera devices and the organisations that run them will always vehemently defend their devices, claiming they never malfunction and always work perfectly. Because as we all know, all manufactured electronic devices work flawlessly all of the time and have never been known to break down. Clowns.
I say good luck to Mr Foreman.
David
Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 12:42 PMMaybe they are letting him off as they think he is an ex president?
Simon
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 6:17 PMIs it just me that notices the fact this guy has 40 outstanding tickets!?
He didn’t happen to a couple of times be accidentally be caught, he is running through these cameras all the time. Wouldn’t it be easier for him to loose a couple of Km/h past the cameras instead of court battles?