Fake "Speed Enforced By Drones" Signs On California Freeways 218
NF6X writes "CBS station KPIX reports that somebody has been installing counterfeit traffic signs on California bay area freeways, warning motorists of drone-based speed enforcement. They are professionally-made reflective metal signs of comparable style and quality to official traffic signs, and in some cases are even mounted with tamper-resistant hardware. The signs show the familiar silhouette of an MQ-1 Predator drone launching a weapon. According to KPIX, California Highway Patrol denies that they operate any drones, and states that the signs are fake."
Re:"FAKE" (Score:5, Interesting)
The real question is who is behind this?
Well it's California, so it could be anything from people who support the idea, to people who don't support the idea. To environmentalists who want to scare people into slowing down, to the other end of the spectrum of people who just want traffic to move slower.
My bet rests with someone inside the DOT who knows someone at a plant that turns out the signs. And got them to do up a bunch.
Re:IT'S NOT FAKE! (Score:4, Interesting)
Instead of handing out tickets, they could park conspicuously and therefore force everyone to slow down so everyone's doing the limit on that stretch of road.
I grew up in a nice bit of farmland, and for a while a nearby town had a single officer, on duty 9am-5pm. From earlier and busier times, the town had a whopping three patrol cars - the nice big Crown Vics with the full-size light bar that any driver with enough vision to drive could see from several miles down the town's one main road. During a particularly bad summer tourist season, that one cop started moving the cars to good locations just inside the town limits. They'd be parked on dirveways (with permission) or lots where they wouldn't be in the way, with just enough cover to look like they were trying to hide, but not enough cover to do so effectively.
It worked. Traffic usually slowed down, and the one officer could spend his limited time watching from the one stoplight in the town center.
Re:If you're going to troll, troll in style. (Score:2, Interesting)
CHiP is still "looking into it".
Meanwhile, Slashdot found the perp within 53 minutes. I wish I had mod points to give to you, good sir!