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(WPRI Rhode Island)   Thieves in Rhode Island stole an $80,000 camera used to catch speeding drivers. Which is too bad because it would have paid for itself on the first day   (wpri.com) divider line
    More: Fail, police report, Pickup truck, Traffic law, Camera, speed camera equipment, Traffic enforcement camera, Road traffic management, traffic camera program  
•       •       •

2943 clicks; posted to Main » on 19 Jan 2018 at 1:05 PM (6 years ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Copy Link



63 Comments     (+0 »)
View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest


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2018-01-19 12:47:55 PM  
Fark user imageView Full Size
 
2018-01-19 12:52:31 PM  
I owe them a few beers.
 
2018-01-19 12:54:31 PM  
As a loyal & local Providencian let me just proclaim this...*ahem*

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...!
 
2018-01-19 1:06:55 PM  
Good. Hopefully they dumped it in the drink.
 
2018-01-19 1:08:45 PM  
I can't imagine there being some possible way of identifying said criminals.
 
2018-01-19 1:09:47 PM  
My $400 phone has a pretty good camera, and it's only a tiny fraction of the cost of the phone.  What to do they do to justify charging or paying $80,000?
 
2018-01-19 1:10:57 PM  
There are so many reasons I love RI; this is just one. Best laugh of my day so far; thanks, subby!

/native NYer
//calls RI home
///posting from Warren
 
jtown  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (4)  
2018-01-19 1:11:15 PM  
How many Rhode Islands is that?
 
dbialac  
Smartest (8)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:13:34 PM  
Subby seems to have clicked "Fail" instead of "Hero"
 
Mr.Hawk  
Smartest (1)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:15:49 PM  

dbialac: Subby seems to have clicked "Fail" instead of "Hero"


I to am confused by Subby's intent. Is the Fail tag for the police, or the perps?
 
aseras  
Smartest (3)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:16:28 PM  
I'm ok with this..... really don't see the problem.
 
jfivealive  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (2)  
2018-01-19 1:18:55 PM  
I bet that thing can record the fastest, most high intense, close-up porn known to man.
 
dbialac  
Smartest (3)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:18:58 PM  
Forgot to mention: I did see speed cameras in use while driving in Europe. Honestly, the way they're implemented, I'm all for it if it replaces cops by the side of the road. Basically, they have to put up a giant sign 1km before the camera. The upshot is you go as fast as you want, see the sign, keep a lookout for the box on the side of the road and briefly go by at 120kph before resuming cruising speed.
 
2018-01-19 1:19:46 PM  
That camera was just 6 days away from retiring after many. many years of service in the line of duty.
 
Mr.Hawk  
Smartest (3)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:20:04 PM  
"State legislation was passed in 2016 allowing automated speed enforcement within ¼ mile of a schools to ensure safe conditions for drivers and pedestrians in the areas, completely screw up your day and generate millions of dollars of court costs from everyone fighting their tickets that will inevitably bog down the entire system" Morente said in an email.
 
MBZ321  
Smartest (13)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:20:24 PM  

Raoul Eaton: My $400 phone has a pretty good camera, and it's only a tiny fraction of the cost of the phone.  What to do they do to justify charging or paying $80,000?


Someone in a political position in RI has a cousin that works for a traffic camera company.
 
Truck Fump  
Smartest (2)   Funniest (4)  
2018-01-19 1:20:51 PM  
So...are these the kind of speed cameras that are installed at no cost to the town, and the company splits the take with the town?

Because, if so, that's f*ing awesome!  Town's out no money and the company needs to redesign their cameras to make them more theft proof.

Camera looks pretty low to the ground.  I predict daily visits necessary to clean black spray paint off the lens.
 
2018-01-19 1:21:45 PM  
I'm surprised the thing is a mere 4 feet off the ground. Most red light or speed cameras are mounted high to where you have to use a paintball gun to splatter the camera aperture so where it can't see. This one could be done by a pedestrian with a can of Krylon.
 
AllUpInYa  
Smartest (3)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:23:07 PM  
Trying to come up with the requisite outrage at the theft of taxpayer money
.
.
.
.
.
just can't do it
 
2018-01-19 1:23:26 PM  
HAHahahah, that's more American then the Brits set em on fire system... not that that isn't good too.

Law enforcement should never be done for profit by private companies or by automated machine.

/I would donate to a legal fund for the people if caught.
 
Sophont  
Smartest (1)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:26:27 PM  

Raoul Eaton: My $400 phone has a pretty good camera, and it's only a tiny fraction of the cost of the phone.  What to do they do to justify charging or paying $80,000?


The kickbacks to the town council and cop math.
 
2018-01-19 1:31:28 PM  
It was only designed to catch speeders worth $80,000, according to the headline over TFA.
 
Land Ark  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:38:36 PM  
The next one will be worth $95,000 because they'll install a GPS tracking system in it (which is surprising if it didn't already have that as location data should be considered necessary evidence of the violation).
 
wildlifer  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:39:19 PM  
The game camera to finally catch Bigfoot has arrived..or subby's mom..
 
Znuh [TotalFark] [OhFark]  
Smartest (2)   Funniest (1)  
2018-01-19 1:42:29 PM  
The alternate manner of dealing with this is to sling a tire over it, and fill the tire with diesel. 

i.ytimg.comView Full Size
 
2018-01-19 1:45:07 PM  

Raoul Eaton: My $400 phone has a pretty good camera, and it's only a tiny fraction of the cost of the phone.  What to do they do to justify charging or paying $80,000?


Unlike your phone, it's designed to be theft resistant.  You can't just walk up and carry it off without any warning.
 
MaKaM  
Smartest (1)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 1:45:16 PM  
Good. That thing takes up more than half the sidewalk based on the pictures. terrible design, hope the thieves don't get caught.
 
groppet  
Smartest (1)   Funniest (2)  
2018-01-19 1:49:25 PM  
Around here they usually spray paint swastikas or penises on them. The best was someone smeared vaseline on the lens and they did that over and over.
 
2018-01-19 1:53:45 PM  
American heroes.
 
hawks9nkh  
Smartest (1)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 2:00:26 PM  

Truck Fump: So...are these the kind of speed cameras that are installed at no cost to the town, and the company splits the take with the town?

Because, if so, that's f*ing awesome!  Town's out no money and the company needs to redesign their cameras to make them more theft proof.

Camera looks pretty low to the ground.  I predict daily visits necessary to clean black spray paint off the lens.


You mean, more money to the town from the townspeople? Isn't that what taxes are for? This is just theft concealed in a veil of "safety" and "think of the childs".
 
LesserEvil [TotalFark] [OhFark]  
Smartest (1)   Funniest (3)  
2018-01-19 2:03:33 PM  
Simple solution for those cameras:

images-na.ssl-images-amazon.comView Full Size


Another fun thing to do... stick one of these in front of the sensor:
ae01.alicdn.comView Full Size
 
IRQ12  
Smartest (1)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 2:05:40 PM  

AllUpInYa: Trying to come up with the requisite outrage at the theft of taxpayer money
.
.
.
.
.
just can't do it


It isn't even taxpayer money that pays for this nonsense.  The companies install them for free and payoff the local government a percentage of their sweet bilking dollars, usually prefaced by lining local politicians pockets with political donations.

And it gets worse from there:  https://nypost.com/2012/10/08/citys-gotcha-traffic-cameras-use-short-yellow-lights-to-increase-ticket-revenue-study/

Most cities that use them don't even use the "safety" BS line, they just want the revenue, so 'F U pay me'.
 
aperson  
Smartest (6)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 2:06:07 PM  
There's a 130 lb lithium battery in them?  Now I want to go steal one for building my electric go cart.
 
Koldbern  
Smartest (3)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 2:14:34 PM  

thecactusman17: Raoul Eaton: My $400 phone has a pretty good camera, and it's only a tiny fraction of the cost of the phone.  What to do they do to justify charging or paying $80,000?

Unlike your phone, it's designed to be theft resistant.  You can't just walk up and carry it off without any warning.


Meh.  A few dollars worth of good quality custom metal work, with locks.  Until someone produces a bill of materials (B.O.M.), I'm not accepting that "value" either.
 
stuffy  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 2:23:46 PM  
When I get a ticket. I want it from a human. Not a Fraking Cylon.
 
2018-01-19 2:24:39 PM  

mrmopar5287: I'm surprised the thing is a mere 4 feet off the ground. Most red light or speed cameras are mounted high to where you have to use a paintball gun to splatter the camera aperture so where it can't see. This one could be done by a pedestrian with a can of Krylon.


A green laser pen also works wonders on those kinds of cameras.
 
DarkVader  
Smartest (2)   Funniest (1)  
2018-01-19 2:33:18 PM  

Land Ark: The next one will be worth $95,000 because they'll install a GPS tracking system in it (which is surprising if it didn't already have that as location data should be considered necessary evidence of the violation).


And the GPS can track it to the ocean, where it'll quickly stop working from all the salt water.

It's not even destruction of public property, since these things are usually owned by the scamera company.
 
2018-01-19 2:41:56 PM  
I got a camera ticket here in Orlando a couple months ago.  It was for $158 for running a red light.  I waited until the deadline and filed a form to request a trial.  I was planning on filing all kinds of discovery, primarily focused on their software code.

Hadn't heard anything for awhile, so I called a couple days ago and they dismissed it.  The guy that issued it said he didn't want to go to trial.
 
2018-01-19 2:45:38 PM  
Number 3 and 6, please stay put. The rest of you can exit the room, and go home
 
MythDragon  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 2:54:38 PM  
"I'm not saying he should have done it...but I understand."
 
2018-01-19 2:59:47 PM  
Turns out the camera wasn't stolen it was kidnapped by two other speed trap cameras who were motivated by jealousy.

Anyone ticketed will find a photoshopped picture of the victim and a few of Milo's young friends at what appears to be a NAMBLA event.
 
2018-01-19 3:00:14 PM  

IRQ12: AllUpInYa: Trying to come up with the requisite outrage at the theft of taxpayer money
.
.
.
.
.
just can't do it

It isn't even taxpayer money that pays for this nonsense.  The companies install them for free and payoff the local government a percentage of their sweet bilking dollars, usually prefaced by lining local politicians pockets with political donations.

And it gets worse from there:  https://nypost.com/2012/10/08/citys-gotcha-traffic-cameras-use-short-yellow-lights-to-increase-ticket-revenue-study/

Most cities that use them don't even use the "safety" BS line, they just want the revenue, so 'F U pay me'.


I feel that things like this are God's way of saying "You've had a good run; a rich full life.  You've seen the best days of America.  Soon it will be off to that welcome land from whose bourn no traveler returns."
 
2018-01-19 3:03:29 PM  
How long would drivers have to make a concerted, unified effort to drive the speed limit before purchases of this type could do serious financial damage to a cash-poor town?
 
2018-01-19 3:04:07 PM  

BeardedDragonLizardMan: Number 3 and 6, please stay put. The rest of you can exit the room, and go home


Nevermind. The context doesn't work if the pic won't upload. How do you delete a comment on here anyway?
 
2018-01-19 3:08:24 PM  

viscountalpha: mrmopar5287: I'm surprised the thing is a mere 4 feet off the ground. Most red light or speed cameras are mounted high to where you have to use a paintball gun to splatter the camera aperture so where it can't see. This one could be done by a pedestrian with a can of Krylon.

A green laser pen also works wonders on those kinds of cameras.


Temporary blinds them.

The idea behind a paintball gun is the camera aperture is usually shielded from rain to keep the view clear. Plastering it with a paintball gun means for about $1 invested you are blocking the camera from making money AND forcing the company and/or municipality to spend big money to get a guy on a cherry picker lift truck to physically clean off the camera aperture. After which you plaster it again...
 
2018-01-19 3:10:45 PM  

dbialac: Forgot to mention: I did see speed cameras in use while driving in Europe. Honestly, the way they're implemented, I'm all for it if it replaces cops by the side of the road. Basically, they have to put up a giant sign 1km before the camera. The upshot is you go as fast as you want, see the sign, keep a lookout for the box on the side of the road and briefly go by at 120kph before resuming cruising speed.


You only have to put up the signs. I've been stopped at an intersection with a red light camera notice, took my time to look around and see they didn't have a camera, not even an empty post.
 
2018-01-19 3:21:14 PM  
R2D2's  retarded ancestor is taking up the whole sidewalk.    I wonder how much of that $3.64 revenue they hope to generate they hope to generate will go to the law suit when some granny on a hover-round has to go into the street to get around it and gets creamed by a bus.
 
2018-01-19 3:22:26 PM  
My problem with those cameras is that they take the human element out of it. You can't face your accuser in court. There's no context as far as the camera is concerned.
 
SimKey  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 3:31:18 PM  
This amuses the hell out of me.
 
Dinjiin [BareFark]  
Smartest (0)   Funniest (0)  
2018-01-19 3:33:21 PM  

Mr.Hawk: "State legislation was passed in 2016 allowing automated speed enforcement within ¼ mile of a schools to ensure safe conditions for drivers and pedestrians in the areas, completely screw up your day and generate millions of dollars of court costs from everyone fighting their tickets that will inevitably bog down the entire system" Morente said in an email.


In related news, homes around R.I. within ¼ mile of a school see a dramatic drop in price as most sensible people don't want to live near a ticket factory.

"We promise to only send tickets to drivers going 5MPH over the speed limit.  Until we suddenly decide to change it to 1MPH over the limit, with no public notice or debate."
 
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