Technology is quickly surpassing the long and very cold arm of the law. This is no more evident than in southern China where drivers are actually escaping fines for speeding thanks to a device that would have made even the likes of special 007 agent, James Bond, blink.

According to news sources, these machines switch the numbers on the license plates of offending drivers within seconds, thus helping them elude capture by the police.

“More than 50% of cars caught on camera for speeding and other offenses either cover up their plates or use a fake license plate. Our chances of capturing them is next to nil,” says a traffic policeman in the Yangjiang, Guangdong province.

This remote-control device ranges in cost from 800 yuan (about $115 US dollars) to an advanced version that can alter the plate numbers in less than three seconds that sells for about $300.

It would certainly appear that the age of covering up license plates by hand has long passed into oblivion and that speeding motorists are blatantly escaping capture.

“These devices are really convenient and economical too,” boasts one salesman from Guangzhou, Guangdong’s capital, who preferred to remain anonymous.

According to Xinhua, the state news agency, the Chinese government has cracked down on citizens pretending to be member of the People’s Liberation Army and has confiscated thousands of fake military vehicles and number plates. In an agency statement it was revealed that the police hesitate to pull over drivers of military vehicles even if the drivers are boldly breaking the law.

Things need to change and fast.

If justice is truly blind, maybe modern technology can come up with a device for the police that will change the plate numbers of offending vehicles back to what they were originally.

If it can be done one way, why not the other?

In the name of ultimate justice, maybe China should consider issuing license plates such as these below:

(Link)

By MDeeDubroff on 18-10-2009