Oregon Company Creates Speedtrap Database For GPS Devices

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
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Aug 23, 2003
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This could be the next killer-app for GPS enabled devices. I know many people would easily pay for software that would alert them to speedtrap and camera locations, preventing hundreds of dollars in fines and potentially thousands in additional insurance premiums. Add some of this and you'll significantly lower your chances of paying the Donut Patrol tax.

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PORTLAND, Ore. - Drivers who dial into new technology from the Oregon company Njection.com, may have an edge when it comes to avoiding expensive speeding tickets in police speed traps.

The company expects to reach a landmark of over 50-thousand speed traps worldwide and map them online using the Speed Trap Mashup speedtrapnjection.com/speedtrap.

Utilizing Microsoft Live Maps, the Speed Trap Mashup allows drivers to rapidly access speed trap information by country, state, city, zip code, or address. The creators of the new maps say that if locations are not listed, speed traps can be added anonymously by anyone.

The information will reveal the type of speed detection used, the posted speed limit, rating, and level of enforcement.

To make the site more useful, you can even access the map for real-time local traffic information. The next step is exporting this data to mobile devices with GPS capabilities.

"Over 50-thousand speed traps have been contributed to the site since its Thanksgiving public launch," says Shannon Atkinson, President of Njection.com. "This response reflects the feelings of motorists around the world."

It's no secret, Atkinson agrees. "The idea behind speed traps sounds good ... eliminating bad drivers. Unfortunately, study after study has shown no significant benefit to the installation of red light cameras or speed traps. It has, however, created a wealth of problems."

Aerial image of a police speed trap in the deep south shows how agenciesuse multiple units in speedtraps to maximize local government revenues.

Atkinson says globally, these devices are becoming increasingly popular to generate revenue, despite evidence that shows an increase in the number and severity of crashes where red light cameras have been installed.

Highlighting the problem here in the U.S., a study by the Missouri Department of Transportation shows that although exceeding the speed limit is a contributing factor in accidents, it is far less a factor than inattention due to congestion ahead, failure to yield the right of way, following too closely, or improper lane changes.

In addition, a report from the Virginia Transportation Research Council, released in June 2007, shows that over a seven-year period, while the number of accidents caused by people running red lights decreased, the number of rear-end crashes increased significantly.

In Toledo, Ohio, as reported by WTVG, the City Council is the center of a controversy concerning red light cameras. Originally, the city received twenty-five percent of the fines. Under the new contract, the city gets back fifty-five percent. That means the city stands to collect $2.5 million each year from violators.

In Caney, Oklahoma, as reported by KJRH, an investigation uncovered in a 2004/2005 state audit shows the town's operating budget as $310,000, almost $200,000 of that coming from speeding tickets, 64% of the town's revenue.

"Stricter DMV licensing standards should be implemented to educate drivers and reduce accidents," Shannon adds.

"Implementations such as these add to drivers' frustrations and do nothing to resolve major issues on the road to increase safety."

In 2007, Shannon Atkinson founded Njection.com to be a hub for the exchange of automotive information. In addition to awareness of speed traps worldwide, a discussion forum and news for serious car enthusiasts everywhere is available.

Atkinson says the mapping technology is not designed specifically to help people break the law, but to give them an edge so they can slow down when and where they need to and thus avoid expensive speeding tickets.

In fact, he told Salem-News that they are taking steps to ensure that the site has more of an appeal to mature drivers.

"You have those inexperienced drivers who will attempt to use the technology to directly violate the laws. We are doing what we can to isolate those people away from the site."

But he admits that the whole idea is going to draw fire from some opponents, and he also admits that it takes a certain type of courage and determination to provide a service that may directly impact how many drivers police are able to pull over and cite for speeding.
 
Oct 19, 2000
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Originally posted by: jpeyton
Add some of this and you'll significantly lower your chances of paying the Donut Patrol tax.

:roll:

Let's see how clever you are with the words when a druggie breaks into your house and you need one of these "donut patrols" to come save your sorry ass.
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,234
701
126
And next they'll sell software to the police to monitor your speed and red light running via GPS! :p
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
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Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Add some of this and you'll significantly lower your chances of paying the Donut Patrol tax.

:roll:

Let's see how clever you are with the words when a druggie breaks into your house and you need one of these "donut patrols" to come save your sorry ass.

I'll be happy, because they are doing their job and arresting dangerous criminals.

Similarly, if I see them pull over reckless drivers, DUIs, people talking on their cellphones, and tired drivers, I'm happy because they're making the roads safer. People going a little over the limit are actually less dangerous than people going under the limit. Thankfully, most cops are reasonable and don't pull you over if you're only going a few MPH over. Speed traps, on the other hand...

Red-light cameras I'm not quite as sure about. In principle I don't see the problem, since unlike speeding running red lights IS universally dangerous, but with reports of some towns actually advancing the signal to increase their revenue, and people making Right-On-Red getting ticketed...I'm a little suspicious of their motives.
 

TruePaige

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2006
9,878
2
0
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Add some of this and you'll significantly lower your chances of paying the Donut Patrol tax.

:roll:

Let's see how clever you are with the words when a druggie breaks into your house and you need one of these "donut patrols" to come save your sorry ass.

Stop making up irrelevant situations.

Cops busting you for speeding is very different from being robbed / murdered.
 

redgtxdi

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2004
5,463
8
81
To put the red-light situation in perspective........(even overlooking advancing trigger timing).......


Some cars go for the yellow and some fear the cameras enough to slam on their brakes & create incidents at the crosswalk causing rear-end collisions.

Wife works for insurance co and as the cameras go up......so do the claims!!!
 

xeemzor

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2005
2,599
1
71
I'm surprised this hasn't been integrated into GPS software already. It seems like a pretty handy feature! I'm sure law makers will be quick to try and ban it like radar detectors though.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,862
84
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good.
i hate the whole speeding technicality thing.
if you are speeding and tail gating or weaving then sure its dangerous. but out on an open road...pisses me off.
 

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,781
1,386
126
Originally posted by: redgtxdi
To put the red-light situation in perspective........(even overlooking advancing trigger timing).......


Some cars go for the yellow and some fear the cameras enough to slam on their brakes & create incidents at the crosswalk causing rear-end collisions.

Wife works for insurance co and as the cameras go up......so do the claims!!!

red light runners are totally fucking asshats...don't go making excuses for them.

give us a break with the 'causing rear end accidents' bullshit...they should not be following that close to begin with.

 

redgtxdi

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2004
5,463
8
81
Originally posted by: spacejamz
red light runners are totally fucking asshats...don't go making excuses for them.

give us a break with the 'causing rear end accidents' bullshit...they should not be following that close to begin with.


Just the facts, jamz. Just the facts! ;)
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
18
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Originally posted by: TruePaige
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Add some of this and you'll significantly lower your chances of paying the Donut Patrol tax.

:roll:

Let's see how clever you are with the words when a druggie breaks into your house and you need one of these "donut patrols" to come save your sorry ass.

Stop making up irrelevant situations.

Cops busting you for speeding is very different from being robbed / murdered.

Not to mention that cops are post-incident note takers....the chance of them actually saving you from a situation of danger is rather limited at best.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,861
4
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Originally posted by: TruePaige
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Add some of this and you'll significantly lower your chances of paying the Donut Patrol tax.

:roll:

Let's see how clever you are with the words when a druggie breaks into your house and you need one of these "donut patrols" to come save your sorry ass.

Stop making up irrelevant situations.

Cops busting you for speeding is very different from being robbed / murdered.

I never compared situations. I merely commented on his immaturity by calling it the "donut patrol" tax. I was pointing out the 98% fact that if an officer was actually helping him rather than giving him a ticket, then he'd find better terminology rather than using an ignorant and old stereotype to refer to them as the "donut patrol".

Most officers in this country do their job and earn a paycheck like the rest of us. I don't know why it ever became cool to treat them as less than all other regular citizens.
 

sswingle

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2000
7,183
45
91
Originally posted by: FearoftheNight
Do any of you guys know if the photoblocker actually works?

Mythbusters says it does not. Even ran a second show after getting complaints on the internet. Fixed their "mistakes" and still proved it doesnt work.
 

Mahaguru

Senior member
Jul 20, 2007
326
0
71
This will just end up helping the crooks and criminals who want to break the laws of our communities.