On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 10:23:50 GMT, "Martin Underwood" wrote:


"Robin May" wrote in message
...
http://www.chargenomore.com/index.shtml

Should this be reported to someone?

Probably - if they're not aware of it already.

The web site says that the device is not illegal. That's probably one of
these grey areas like radar speed-trap detectors, which are not (as far as I
know) illegal to fit but are illegal if you actually use them to detect
speed traps. I notice also a statement to the effect that because the device
is manufactured in the US, the UK importer doesn't need to charge VAT. I
have a nasty feeling that this is not true: the device should probably have
some form of import tax or VAT paid on it as it comes into the country which
the importer can then choose whether or not to pass onto the customer. But
if the importer isn't paying import tax, that's his worry, not the
customer's.

I'm curious to know how it works - but the web site explains why it has to
be vague about the specifics! I remember seeing number plates on sale at the
Birmingham Motor Show a few years ago which had a highly-relective
background that reproduced as plain yellow if illuminated by a flash gun.
They were aimed at celebrities who didn't want their number plates to
reproduce in paparazzi photos. I wondered at the time about the legality of
them given the introduction of speed cameras at about the same time.

I wouldn't condone the use of anything that allows you to evade the law
(whether speed cameras or congestion charege cameras) but I've got to admit
to a grudging respect for anything that allows you to avoid the congestion
charge.

By the way, what's the rule about the congestion charge? Are you only
charged as you enter the zone, or are you charged also for every day that
you're inside? Suppose you drive in (maybe even with your number plate
masked!) and then never leave again because you only use the car within the
zone - are you still charged?


I would imagine a few suitably placed infra-red LEDs would make a plate much harder to read, and 200
quid would buy an awful lot of ( or a few awfully powerful) IR LEDs!!!
I think the CC systems uses high res, limited field-of-view mono cameras for recognition and a
colour camera to capture the overall scene. I would think only the colour one would have an IR cut
filter, and it may be possible for them to manually get reg details from this.
I would imagine the mono cameras have good IR response to help extract details in low light (maybe
the cameras even have IR lights ?)

Now if you want to do it properly.....
Make up a plate where the black areas are actually cutouts with an IR pass filter behind, with a
pattern of IR LEDs behind them. This type of filter looks jet black to the eye but like clear glass
at IR.

Anything that stuffs up Mad Kenny's Con tax has to be a good thing, but I think these people are
rip-off merchants. Everything is far too vague to be trusted. .
And I've also heard reports of Kenny's people going round on foot writing numbers down, although
this may have only been before they got their mobile snoop-wagons running.