We've already seen speed cameras pop up in a few unusual places, but Spain now looks to be trying to extend their reach even further, with the country set to launch a fleet of helicopters aimed at cracking down on speeding in its major cities. According to theNewspaper.com, the helicopters will be equipped with Wescam MX15 forward-looking infrared cameras that'll take pictures of the target vehicle's license plate, while a separate radar system calculates the speed of the vehicle. Officials say that makes the system accurate from an altitude of 1,000 feet and distance of one kilometer (or 0.6 miles). While there doesn't appear to be a fixed timeline for getting things off the ground, Spain's Direccion General de Trafico hopes to eventually have helicopters deployed in seven cities, including Madrid, Valencia, and Seville, where we're guessing conventional speed camera detectors will soon be of little use.

[Thanks, Richard]

Just as soon as we finished cheering for the Texas Legislature's stance on those pesky speed cameras, the state's Department of Transportation is apparently trying to override their good will. According to a June 10th filing, the Texas DOT is looking to install "turnkey automated speed notification services" on Highway 10 in Hudspeth County and Highway 6 near College Station (watch those lead feet, Aggies). Reportedly, this project is simply to "assess and evaluate all elements" of such a system, but it doesn't take a genius to guess that money's on the brain. Notably, the "quality assurance" section of the plan points out that these suckers will be accurate to within two miles-per-hour in either direction, so your wiggle room is sliced dramatically. Of course, we can all hope that Texas' iteration of the SPECS-style camera is as easy to circumvent as those in Britain.

[Via FARK]

Ah, Texas. Home to internet hunting, overhead bananas, and WiFi'ed rest stops, the Lonestar State will set yet another precedent by passing a bill onto the governor that would ban speeding cameras and require warning signs to be posted around red-light cameras. Yes, the same state that wanted transponders in every single car registered in the state is now just one signature away from giving heavy-footed drivers something to cheer about. Both measures "were adopted in the state House by unanimous votes," and along with the speed camera ban comes legislation that will put an end to the ticketing programs run by the cities of Rhome and Marble Falls while prohibiting any other cities from enacting such practices in the future. Of course, it should be noted that the bills wouldn't go into effect until September 1st of this year, so you should probably still utilize your cruise control whilst traveling over this long weekend.

[Via Autoblog]

Giving you yet another venue to throw down your hard-earned dollars instead of just taking it easy and obeying traffic laws while motoring, Cheetah has introduced a GPSMirror that can detect just about anything you'd need to know about whilst cruising down the highway. Sporting a SiRF Star III GPS receiver, anti-glare coating, and the ability to divulge alerts via voice, visuals, or frighteningly loud sounds, this rear view mirror replacement purportedly keeps you informed of upcoming speed cameras of all varieties, radar / laser detectors, and accident zones. Additionally, the device can even display your speed from behind the mirrored glass in case the speedometer in your '72 Beetle has been pleasantly perched on zero for the past decade. The unit supposedly plays nice with your current radar / laser detector, and can relay data via its aural abilities to slow you down. Speedsters can pick up the GPSMirror now for £199.99 ($395), and thanks to the PC-based interface and internet database downloads, there are no monthly fees for its handy services.

[Via NaviGadget]

While it hardly comes as a surprise, Mio introduced its new C320 GPS unit at CeBIT this week, adding one more option to its current line-up of handheld navigation offerings. Like the previously announced C520, the C320 packs a 4.3-inch widescreen display, although it apparently drops the Bluetooth functionality of its pricier sibling. Otherwise, the unit will give you the same MP3 player capabilities and, of course, navigation options, with maps of 22 Western European countries courtesy of TeleAtlas pre-loaded on the 1GB of internal memory, and optional real-time traffic information available to those that need it. What's more, the unit will also provide warnings about speed cameras, with free updates available for a year -- just be sure to keep it out of Switzerland. Look for this one to roll out in Europe next month for 350€, or about $465.

Nowadays, we're lucky to be able to so much as breathe air while driving without getting penalized. As of late, motorists in South Yorkshire have quite the incentive to keep their phone conversations under wraps while in transit. Mobile speed cameras, traditionally used to catch speeders, will be used by police to catch unsuspecting chit-chatters in the act, who would later receive an unexpected notice showing 3 points on their license and a demand for £60, which was recently, and perhaps not-so-coincidentally, increased from £30. "If officers using mobile cameras see someone using a hand-held phone, whether with their own eyes or through the lens of their camera, then they are fair game." There's been no word on plans for similar implementation within the automated camera system, but "that is not to say that we can't change the policy," states Meredydd Hughes, the head of roads policing for the Association of Chief Constables. Drivers may soon feel compelled to throw down some cash for a headset, although there's even been speculation on the perils of hands-free yapping -- looks like a good tint-job's the last resort... and how about some spinners while you're at it?

[Via Textually]