The concept of Trapster is very simple. It is a social networking technology utilizing mobile phones in which drivers who spot speed traps report them to the central location and other drivers are alerted so that they can make their plans accordingly. If you are extremely effective at reporting, you even get recognized.
When I was much younger I did have a “lead foot.” However, as I have gotten older, I feel much different about speeding and other reckless driving. I currently carry a “Class B” which allows me to drive everything except tractor-trailers.
I’m older so when I was eluding speed traps there was little technology available save for the 70’s when everybody had a “CB” radio…”Come back good buddy. Over-the road-truckers made them a science and fad among auto drivers. It was further popularized by a song called “Convoy” and a movie entitled “Smokey and the Bandit.” That was a fad I will never forget. Everybody had a handle or “radio name” that they used for identification.
In using a CB radio, cars and trucks along the highway would talk on a channel reporting to one another what they saw typically coming the other way. During my life, that was about all I have ever had exposure to. Other methodologies for avoiding speed traps were much more mundane.
One method employed was slowing at any small city well in advance and going well below the speed limit. While on the highway one is typically allowed to fudge a bit as long as you “go with traffic flow”, however, sometimes small-town police will set up speed traps at the edge of town knowing that often a vehicle will not have slowed down yet. It is legal and some towns really need the money. By the way, I have a lot of family in small towns and I love them to death so don’t consider this an indictment of small towns. This was just a practice I employed.
Of course, when traffic was moving along the highway, cars coming from the other direction would flash their lights if there was a speed trap on your side of the road.
Another trick I employed was to go between the posted speed limit and someone who was really going extremely fast. If anyone was going to “trip the trap” it would be the speeding car. Further, if someone was getting a ticket on your side of the road, it was usually fairly safe to go a little faster for awhile.
So, what about the Trapster? It seems almost surreal that a company uses technology and planning for the purpose of breaking the law.
As I said, over the years my feelings about speeding have changed a lot. I have seen too many friends die and I have seen too many children of friend’s die to be able to rejoice about yet another way for a teenager to break the law and you know, of course, that is who will pay the price; that is who wants to speed the most.
At one time the speed limit was unchecked and that was back in the ’50s. There was a reason that speed limits were put in place; people can’t handle too much speed.
When I was young I would have loved to have Trapster but I think today I wouldn’t have any use for it.
Reference:
trapster.com
