User:Chiphowes/Trapster (Speed Trap Sharing System)

Trapster is a social networking mobile application and website, provided for free, that maps out and alerts users in real time to the presence of live police speed traps, red light cameras, speed cameras, and areas where police often hide. In addition, it allows users to record trip data and share it via the web, including interfaces with Facebook and Twitter. Trapster was recognized by Time Magazine as one the 10 Best iPhone Apps for Dads in June of 2009 , and as on of the 20 Sexiest Apps for Men by iSmashPhone.com in July of 2009. In addition, Wired Magazine listed Trapster as the number 1 application in their 10 Mobile Applications that Make the Most of Location .

Trapster's moblie GPS app currently has support for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android (the TMobile G1 and others), Nokia N95, N96, N97, 5800, E71 and other Symbian s60 phones, and unlocked J2ME phones with GPS (for example the TMobile Sony Ericsson W370). In addition to these mobile phones, Trapster has support for both Garmin and TomTom navigation units.

Pete Tenereillo launched Trapster, the modern equivalent of flashing your headlights to warn other motorists of police speed traps, in November 2007, and by early 2009 had 1/2 a million users signed up. On July 20, 2009, Trapster had signed up its 1 millionth user.

Trapster can use Wi-Fi or GPS to pinpoint the user's current location and send them audio alerts or text messages when they are approaching a ticket threat. Users report the existence of a trap by pressing the touch screen or using a key combination on the mobile device. To negate the effect of pranksters or the police entering bogus locations,  users can verify the locations of existing traps in the same manner. Trapster gives greater weight to traps that are rated more reliably. Users can also customize the alerts, via the Trapster website or their mobile app, any way they want, so that they only receive notifications of conditions they are interested in, such as red light cameras, live police, or the like. Information about static traps, such as red light cameras and speed cameras, stays in Trapster's database indefinitely. Live speed trap locations are kept in the system for one hour, as it is likely that the officers will move on to a new location.

Law enforcement officials have differing reactions to Trapster, although it is thought to be legal in all 50 states, and in most countries worldwide. Washington D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier denounced the technology as a 'cowardly tactic' and said that "It's designed to circumvent law enforcement -- law enforcement that is designed specifically to save lives." Bill Johnson, executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, however, stated that he is all for it if the result is that people slow down. "If someone slows down because of it", he said, "it's accomplishing the same goal of trying to get people to obey the speed limit."