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offbeat news

Louisana Traffic Official Fights The Law And The Law's Him

From the department of "do what I say, not what I do" comes this awesome story out of Lafayette, Louisiana playing perfectly into our dislike and mistrust of government nanny bureaucracy. Tony Tramel, the Director of Transportation for Lafayette Consolidated Government, is the chap tasked with monitoring and approving tickets issued by speed cameras. Mr. Tramel was recently caught with a radar detector mounted in the windshield of his personal car. Huh? We're confused. We thought the only reason to install a radar detector is to speed and flaunt the law, which doesn't really make any sense. Couldn't he just trash the camera images of him speeding and be off the hook? Fox guarding the hen house indeed. (Hat tip to Richard!) [TheNewspaper (these guys might want to consider a better marketing department)]

ces

Uniden MapTrax GPS Includes Radar Detection

It's a shame that it's taken this many years to finally achieve this bit of convergence, but it is finally done. To be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January is Uniden's MapTrax GPS receivers — that include radar detection. More »

gadgets

Alex Roy's Transcontinental Record: Gear Rundown

What manner of electronic gear rests in the cockpit of Alex Roy's bicoastal Bimmer? Roll call: Lots of GPS stuff, scanners, detectors jammers, CBs, thermal camera and monitor and other knick knacks. We're not sure where he put the espresso machine or kitchen gear — but those beluga caviar canapes aren't going to make themselves. [32 Hours 7 Minutes]

novelties

Cobra Releases New Radar Detector With Speed Camera Database

Cobra Electronics has a new serpent on the road for all you snakes (like us) who need a little extra help to "see" the "man" when they've got a plan to catch your ass for speeding. It's their XRS line of radar detectors and Cobra's calling it the first "user-installable remote radar detector with GPS locator featuring Red Light and Speed Camera Location Database." In English we think it means you'll be able to mount the main detector unit in an out-of-the-way place, like behind the rearview mirror at the top of the windshield. To control the unit, they've provided a remote controller for you to clip onto your sun visor or you know, pocket protector or something. But the coolest part's the last included feature — the red light and speed cam location database. It's based on a fixed list of red light and speed camera traps across the country as well as an allowance for the driver to input up to 1,000 location-based alerts. Unfortunately, it doesn't yet include a feature for automatic updates from the internet or satellite. Still, we'd be sold on one if it merely played "Eastbound & Down" whenever the fuzz-buster went off. Of course, if it doesn't work (Meow), you can always try this. Full press release and a close-up pic of the kit after the jump. – Ray Wert More »