Guardrail Guy stops posting about license plate reader cameras after vandalism

In short: A road safety advocate says he is pausing his work on license plate reader cameras after two cameras he featured online were found badly damaged.

What happened

Steve Eimers, known online as “The Guardrail Guy,” built a following by pointing out guardrail installation problems across the US. He started posting in 2022, after his 17-year-old daughter was killed in a crash involving a guardrail.

In April, Eimers began focusing on automatic license plate readers, often called ALPRs. These are roadside cameras that capture license plate numbers, a bit like a doorbell camera for cars. Police departments can use the data to help find vehicles connected to crimes.

Eimers said his concern was physical safety, not privacy. He argued that some cameras may be installed too close to guardrails or mounted on sign posts that are supposed to break away safely in a crash.

His posts drew intense reactions, including comments encouraging people to destroy the cameras. On July 22, Eimers said Flock Safety, a major ALPR company, committed to a nationwide audit of its camera installations. A few days later, he says he drove past two Flock cameras he had previously documented and saw they were severely damaged, and he reported it to police.

Local authorities in Tennessee later announced an arrest. They charged Adam Heimerman, who appears to be running for Congress, with felony vandalism for allegedly shooting four ALPR cameras in the area.

Why it matters

This story shows how a debate about public safety and surveillance can spill into real world damage. It also raises a practical question for cities, which is whether these cameras are installed in a way that is safe during crashes.

Source: Wired