White Vans Parked On Freeway Ramps

[VA Dutch]

Every now and then (probably once or twice a month), I happen to notice an unattended white panel van parked on I-95 entrance & exit ramps with orange cones around it. There is some type of sensor that is set up on the ground - along with a vehicle counter or camera-type device.

Is this for some kind of emissions testing? It appears to be positioned so that it can read license plates of passing cars and trucks.

I have seen it as far south as Fredericksburg and as far north as Springfield - near the infamous 'mixing bowl' where I-95 joins 495 and 395.

Anyone know what it is and what their purpose might be? Do they mail tickets if you have too much smoke coming out of the tailpipe?


** Oops! Sorry, Admin; I should have posted this in the 'Virginia' section. My bad. **

[Monkeybomb]

Sounds like one of the drive by emissions vans they used to use here. Maybe just checking general emissions if they don't use them there.

[District B 13]

Spy vans. White is the new black.

[Kieth M.]

Sounds like one of the drive by emissions vans they used to use here. Maybe just checking general emissions if they don't use them there.

X2.

I do not believe they write cites and mail them out, however, at least not here in CO.

But, last month both my vehs needed their yearly tags renewed. My (soon-to-be-designated) piece o' crap Accord did not require emissions re-testing, but our nicer Odyssey did. All I could think was that the Odyssey does not make as many trips past those freeway entrance emission testers as the Accord does on a routine basis.

[ComicGuy]

They want your DNA.

[ISPY4U2]

See my sig re: white vans on the on-ramps.

I agree with CO's finest above -- probably emissions testing.

[Gotts56]

They have them in Maryland as well. I've had one sit on my on ramp to US 50 for about a week. I'm like the second to last on ramp before bay bridge. There was alot of construction around so i thought it may be for car counting.

[ChiCity]

In Illinois we have white vans that have radar and take automated photos of speeders. From your description, that's what it sounds like to me, but it makes no sense for them to be on the on-ramps. Here they usually put them in construction zones.

[Mstangfk]

because black helicopters are so 1997...

[Taylor13]

They're for keeping cows away.

[RoadKingTrooper]

They are routinely employed in an ongoing attempt to locate Jimmy Hoffa

[ISPY4U2]

They are routinely employed in an ongoing futile attempt to locate Jimmy Hoffa

Fixed.

[913]

Whenever I see one of those portable emission stations, I punch my Duramax right when I go by and leave a cloud of black smoke for it to choke on. They haven't gotten my license plate yet, LOL.