By Richard Diamond/Staff Reports

Opponents of automated ticketing around the world manifested their opinion through peaceful and less-than-peaceful means last week. In Lancashire, England, a Mercedes driver displayed his middle finger at a speed camera, incurring the wrath of local authorities who claim his car war traveling 103 MPH on the M65. In South Croydon, a 55-year-old man beat the city council that had been trying to stop him from warning motorists about a traffic camera trap on Haling Road with a sign reading, "£65 fine if you enter." The camera is used to restrict entry from 8am to 9:30am and 2pm to 4pm each weekday. After six weeks with the man standing on the side of the road and saving hundreds of drivers from being fined, the council finally agreed to install warning signs of its own.

An opponent of speed cameras in New South Wales, Australia, is undermining the ability of photo radar devices to generate automated citations. Carl Dimarzo has been hunting the devices so that he can warn motorists of upcoming speed traps by displaying a large "Speed Camera Ahead" sign out of the back of his parked truck.

In Santa Catarina, Brazil, vigilantes on Wednesday shot the speed camera on the BR-282 in Cordilheira Alta, hitting the device at least eight times. Vigilantes in Grottaferrata, Italy, returned on Saturday to disable two more speed cameras on the Via 24 Maggio with black spraypaint. In Lipomo, vigilantes on Saturday, January 29, took out the brand new speed camera on the Via Grassi by covering its lenses with stickers before the device had a chance to generate its first automated fine.

In Morey-Saint-Denis, France, vigilantes on Saturday applied red spraypaint to the speed camera on the RD974. The device had only been in place since January 18. In Soyaux, the speed camera on the RD1000 was cut down and completely burned on the side of the road. The speed camera on the RN141 in La Vigerie was covered in white spraypaint the day before that.