Snap this: 'SCAM' painted on road in front of speed camera

POTOMAC, Md. -- If you've ever had your picture snapped by a speed camera, you probably have a thing or two to say about the devices. But someone in Montgomery County may already be saying it for you.

Someone recently painted the word "SCAM" in large letters in front of a River Road speed camera, just north of Falls Road -- an obvious protest against the cameras.

"This isn't the first time that locations have been vandalized like that," says Montgomery County Police Lt. Paul Starks. "It has happened throughout the county at different locations."

There have been at least two other instances where the words "GREEDY SCAM" and "GOV. SCAM" have been written in large letters on Montgomery County roads, directly in front of fixed speed cameras.

Speed cameras have been in use in the county since May 2007. If a driver goes more than 10 miles per hour over the posted the speed limit, a picture of the license plate is taken and a $40 fine is sent in the mail.

The Montgomery County police department maintains it is not trying to catch drivers off guard, just slow them down.

"This is not a gotcha program," says Starks.

Montgomery County does in fact post the locations where mobile and fixed speed cameras are set up. But the locations do change from time to time.

"This is a fluid program and there are plans to expand it," says Starks.

A WTOP report in January found that during a seven-month period between May 2007 and the end of the year, more than 111,000 speed cameras tickets were issued in Montgomery County, generating about $2.6 million.

"Speed cameras have been a hot topic for our residents, but the bottom line is, they do slow people down and that saves lives," Starks says.

As for the word "SCAM" being written on some county roads, Starks calls it disappointing, but an issue the department takes very seriously.

"This is vandalism to a state road."

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