I just saw a machine that checkes emmissions of your car while you driving on the road. I saw this thing in Sugarland gettin on 59 ramp and im thinkin it will send you automatic ticket if you get caught cause it reads the license plate too. Have any of you seen this or heard of it ? Just wanted to let yall know about this

 

I've heard of it before. Lucky for me, doesn't matter (I think). Even though I'm in H-Town for school, I live in Bastrop!

 

Yep. They're checking your emissions. DON'T drive thru them.

 

yeah when i see that thing i slide the car into neutral and turn it off as i coast by, then turn it back on and put it back in gear after i pass

 

that's what they call remote sensing, they have been doing it for years.
they also have some vans that do the same thing but are never in the same place.

this is what i have been told, they don't ticket you for what it picks up from your car, they send you a letter telling you your car shows to be a gross polluter. i have asked about how it works, but i have never gotten a straight answer. i have been told if it picks your car out anywhere from 1 to 3 times in a month you get the letter, 1 state guy told me you get the letter the first & second time, the third time you get a letter telling you to go have your car tested at an inspection station or your tags will be pulled. when i asked about what we (the shop i work at) should do if someone comes in that received a letter telling them to have their car tested, i got no answer. another state guy told me the car owner has to take the car to the training center for that test, of which they check closely for everything including all safety items, if you pass everything, your fine, if not, you tow the car home.
what really happens i don't know, maybe someone with a gross polluter would be willing to blast by it a few times a day for a week or 2 & see what happens,.. any victims,.. i mean volunteers?

on a side note,.. some jerk cut you off on the freeway? get their tag number, remember the time, date & location, then give the state a call & tell them you saw that car going down the road dumping smoke out the tail pipe. they will get a letter telling them their car was seen smoking. maybe best to use a pay phone.

 

I very sceptical about these things. How can they possibly tell if your car is polluting? Can they differentiate your exhaust from a dust cloud?

I have heard that they use optical sensors to detect particulate matter. If that is true they could only detect the WORST oil burning, mosquito smogging, POS around. They are generally put on entrance ramps when people will be at or near full throttle. Of course, if your car smokes bad enough, they won't be able to read your licence plate number.

My advice is that if you see one, coast past it. If the sight of it confuses you and you accidently loose control of your car and run over the equipment, it is their fault (IMO) for placing their equipment in a dangerous location.