Euro speed traps (borderline WOB)

["Andrew D.Mendez" <AMENDEZ@xxxxxxx>]

They definitely have plenty of speed traps in
Germany (can't speak for the rest of Europe). Hey,
those BMW/Benz/Audi/Porsche cop cars are
expensive. They have "birdhouses" along country
roads -- wooden boxes housing automated radar guns
w/ cameras. Many of these things are empty, but
you never know which are real & they move the
camera/radar around from time to time. Radar
detectors are also totally illegal in most of
Europe -- hmm, why bothing outlawing them if
speeders are never cited? (I briefly contemplated
a career smuggling these things into Germany --
very expensive on black market). If they put these
things in Texas, some redneck would thankfully
blast them to hell with a shotgun (I mean the
camera boxes, not the cops), but Europeans are
pathetically underarmed. Also was common to see an
unmarked radar/camera van parked on an overpass
photographing dozens of cars passing underneath. I
once saw one parked about 100 yards from the end
of the autobahn where the speed limit abruptly
went from infinity to 100kph. You had to brake
heavily immediately upon seeing the first speed
limit sign or you'd get nailed. Penalties for
speeding in German cities are draconian and
mercilessly enforced, with license
suspensions/revocations possible with a first
flagrant offense. Still, the trade offs are worth
it & driving in Germany is a delight (no limit
autobahns, no moronic drivers, tons of winding
country roads with no traffic & beautiful
scenery). I just wish I could have had my present
car when I lived there.