You’re driving blissfully along an LA road when suddenly flashing lights blaze in your review mirror. Seconds later, a sinking feeling that you’re about to get an expensive ticket hits you.
But some new technology hopes to give you the upper hand. Meet Trapster, a driver’s secret weapon against police traps.
The free app takes a splash of CB radio, a dash of social networking, and mixes it generously with a GPS. Using a mobile phone, members report on a wide range of police traps including red light cameras, speed traps, suprise traffic stops, and more.
By keeping Trapster launched while you’re driving, you’re able to visualize upcoming traps in real time on a Google map. Reporting a new trap is an easy touch of a button. Once sent, the information is quickly relayed to others.
Trapster is designed to work with popular phones including iPhone, Blackberry Palm and more. To keep it accurate, the system employs an eBay like voting system. The more “thumbs-up” a trap report receives, the more trustworthy it is. The service can also send you text messages keeping you up to date on current police activity in your area.
One word of caution, it’s not fool proof. You're missing the radar and laser protection that you would get with a real radar detector so you still run the risk of passing an un-reported trap. But it’s nice to have a little insurance against another surprise ticket. Or as truckers on the CB like to say, 'don't feed the bears.'
