You know, those little 8 x 11" (or so) black patch-looking things with a bulge in the middle? They are popping up all over town here, and after a couple of days, the center section (the "bulged" portion) is cut out.

Some kind of electronic vehicle counter? Google's not turning much up.

Just curious!

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

I noticed a ton of those in the Chicago area over the last 2-3 weeks, mainly on state-owned roads. Driving from Illinois to Mississippi last week and did not see any outside of Illinois.

Since they first surfaced in Chicago, one may infer that they are some sort of leftist-democrat mind-control device.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Nothing like that out here.

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Something like this?:

http://www.lpcb.org/lpcb-downloads/papers/1998_eval_numetrics.pdf

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

They're here in Ithaca.

I think they're using them to count how many cars use that portion of road. I always slow down though because I always think I'm being followed by the police

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

CIA mind control devices: if they can't put a chip in your head, the RF waves will get you....

I have absolutely no idea what you are referring to...so I must have not seen them around here.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

I'll see if I can't find one that's still in-place and snap a picture. They've got to be some sort of device to measure traffic flow.

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

here they just put in a speed bump, if enough people complain they know they got it in the right spot

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

in my area they put two thick rubber cables across the road.

I've seen plenty of those that measure traffic flow...but I don't recall ever seeing a small black patch thing.

__________________
2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

We've got the rubber hoses with a counter box off to the side (usually chained to a utility pole) too. I can't figure these things out, though; they are in the middle of the lane, so it's not like they would reliably count traffic flow by physical contact. I assumed maybe the sensor was electronic and was cut out of the center after a few days to be read and reused or some such thing.

Maybe I'll just call the highway department and ask them.

__________________
1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Here's a pic. The raised center portion is already cut out of this one, but the rest of the "patch" remains. I don't see any with the "lump in the middle" still intact now...

Attached Thumbnails

 

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

It looks like duct tape in a square.

__________________
2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD