Waze is the most popular weapon to dodge radars. In the UK the police are turning it around

The DGT has been working in Spain for years to put an end to “tips” of possible radars. Fines for alerting other drivers and new penalties for carrying radar detectors, among other measures. In Surrey, United Kingdom, they have opted for another strategy: if you can’t beat your enemy, join him. Or at least break it.

The police of the Anglo-Saxon town have launched a New method to stop drivers. A simple and probably very effective one: spam Waze. And it is not just a rumor, it has been the official account of the security body that has confirmed it on Twitter.

“We definitely don’t drop police markers in Waze at random points on our patrol, nope ever ? Easy way to make policemen drivers slow down on our roads: thank you, @waze”, they have ironically pointed out in one of their tweets.

In the responses, a user blames them for posting false information on the famous social network for drivers. However, the Surrey officers have another opinion: “Technically it is not false, we are being very specific with our location.”

We definitely don’t drop Police markers on Waze at random points on our patrol, nope – never ?

An easy way to get drivers to slow down on our roads – thanks @waze. pic.twitter.com/rrv9I9LJJ6

— Roads Policing – Surrey Police – UK (@SurreyRoadCops) August 29, 2022

Breaking Waze for their own benefit

Waze is an application for drivers in which the traffic is displayed and in which the drivers can give warnings of the incidents on the road. Obviously, it did not take long to become one of the most popular tools to avoid fixed and mobile radars, of which anyone can report.

Aware that drivers brake when they see such a warning, Surrey officers have decided to give Numerous notices alerting you to your position. During his outings with patrol cars, one of the agents would “give away” the location of the car from time to time, which caused drivers to be continually alerted to its presence.

The use of applications to alert other drivers of mobile speed cameras has always been a headache for traffic agencies. In Spain, it is illegal use lights to warn another driver from a drug or speed check and, with the latest traffic reform, it is illegal to have a Radar detectoreven without using it.

The DGT has been against these tools but there is no legal basis that prevents their use, which, over time, has forced rectify your position on the subject, as Pere Navarro himself has done.

Preventive measures”

The Surrey Police’s way of acting is new but the background to the matter is not: a radar warning (of any kind) causes drivers to automatically take their foot off the accelerator. And the different organizations have been working for a long time to scare drivers as a preventive measure.

It is known that Spain is full of empty radar boxes. according to own Peter Navarrothe mere appearance of these boxes makes drivers take their foot off the accelerator, becoming a very effective way to control drivers to maintain the maximum speed allowed.

But it is not the only trick. In May a group of workers installed a cardboard car that simulated a Civil Guard vehicle on the road. The results were immediate and the drivers they moved much slower. The workers were fed up with the cars not respecting the maximum speed limits imposed.

This same trick has also been used in other countries by traffic agents, as stated in motorpassion. Similar accidents have also been carried out in Turkey, China, Japan or New Zealand so that drivers take their foot off the accelerator.

Photo | Brett Jordan