A new mobile service called Trapster aims to help motorists avoid speed traps using a networked approach that calls on users to warn each other using their cellphones. Using simple keystrokes like "pound-1," motorists can report speed traps and red light cameras into the system. The information is fed into a map which will be used to alert drivers with GPS enabled cellphones of potential threats before they encounter them.
At this point the service has not been met with opposition by law enforcement because it ultimately encourages drivers to slow down—and the best part is that motorists will be able to utilize it free of charge. Let’s just hope that Trapster isn’t reminiscent of user-backed programs from travel reservation sites like Orbitz. I would hate to blaze through a trap only to hear the audio alert as the officers are slamming my face down on the hood of my car. [CNN via jkOnTheRun]
