Photo: CHP - Stockton on Facebook / gentex_aircrew on Instsgram / Edited
There are barely any cool traffic signs out there. Rare and unusual? Definitely! But cool? Not so many. We had popular mile markers that had to be changed because too many people were stealing them, but that's about it. The "speed limit enforced by aircraft" is another story altogether. Here's what you need to know about it.
If you have a driver's license, chances are you have driven on some popular highways and discovered America's interstates. Dwight D. Eisenhower's legacy is now an embedded part of living in the US and is the gift that keeps on giving. We love driving, and nobody's going to stop us from spending lots of money on tolls, tires, and gas.
But one little thing that fascinates almost everyone who has spent enough time on American high-speed roads is a particular traffic sign that inspired many to think of Fast & Furious-like scenarios before taking it seriously. You might have caught a glimpse of a white rectangle with black lettering that read "Speed Enforced by Aircraft" or "Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft."
When you're seeing it, it's impossible not to think of a scenario coming straight out of an action-packed movie. Nobody actually believes that a plane or a chopper will come out of nowhere and start a chase because you're going five miles per hour over the posted speed limit. But the thought of an aircraft appearing out of nowhere is definitely something that crossed our minds at least once after seeing the sign.
It would certainly be incredibly cool to admire a plane or a helicopter (imagine seeing an Apache!) in your rearview mirror. Still, Police can't spend the tons of cash needed to operate a fleet of aircraft solely to write tickets.
What's true is that the traffic sign isn't lying to anyone. California Highway Patrol, for example, occasionally uses fixed-wing airplanes to single out drivers who may have not been noticed by officers with radars.
The aircraft uses special markings found on the right-hand shoulders of freeways. These express highways often cross urban environments. The speed limit is usually higher because there are no toll booths, rail crossings, restrictions, or pedestrian crossings on this type of road. Freeways have one role, and that is to help drivers keep moving.
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/TJ Hunt
The airplane's computer factors in an equation after identifying the correct markings and the target vehicle to establish its speed. If the driver has a heavy foot, the flight crew singles them out, records proof of their mishap, and sends the details (make, model, color, lane position, and, of course, speed) to the officers waiting patiently in a safe place. Shortly after, they'll pull over the right car to hand the driver a ticket or arrest them if the situation calls for such a drastic measure.
If the aircraft is in the air, you can bet that the Highway Patrol has more ground units ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. Don't even think about making a run for it.
Aircraft aren't always used to supervise freeways, though. They're mostly flown when heavy traffic or the situation calls for it. Still, that doesn't mean you should be speeding.
Now you know what that traffic sign is all about. Share this bit of knowledge with others. You never know who might expect the Air National Guard or the US Air Force to just pop up in their rearview mirror! You could help someone avoid anxiety-inducing thoughts.
Let them know it's nothing like you can see in the video below!
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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