Narrator: on this episode
of "mythbusters"...
Can you believe
they let me in here?
Adam and jamie go full throttle
with speed-camera myths.
Awesome! Man!
They're taking it to the limit
To see if there's any way
to con the camera
And avoid getting a ticket.
You got a ticket, buddy.
Grant: clear.
And tory, kari, and grant
check if there's any truth
That defibrillators can explode
medical patches.
High expl*sives
and electricity -- whoo!
Narrator:
it's a real shocker...
With vicious voltage
and deadly detonation.
Grant: ...2, 1.
[ Laughter ]
Narrator:
who are the mythbusters?
Adam savage...
Danger is my middle name.
...and jamie hyneman.
[ Laughing ]
Between them, over 30 years
special-effects experience.
Yeah!
Narrator: joining them --
tory belleci...
I'll miss you, buddy.
...kari byron...
Don't try what you're
about to see at home.
...and grant imahara.
I'm pumping
as fast as I can!
They don't just
tell the myths.
[ expl*si*n ]
They put them to the test.
[ Imitating engine revving ]
[ Laughs ]
We got a whole new batch
of speed-freak myths
To test this time.
Yeah? Like what?
Well, you remember
back in series two,
We ran through
a whole gamut of tests
To beat
the police speed radar?
I remember it
like it was only yesterday.
Narrator:
to beat the speed radar,
The team tried every trick,
and then some.
This is gonna freak 'em out.
Narrator:
a reverse-microwave magnatron,
An aluminum-foil-firing
chaff g*n,
The stealth-b*mber
matte-black makeover,
Even a fully foil-wrapped caddy.
Kari:
foil's been foiled.
Narrator: none of them
were invisible to the radar.
All of them were totally...
Busted.
I think if you're gonna
get out of a ticket,
Short skirts and crying
is still the way to go.
Narrator: but batting your
crybaby blues may only work
If the law-enforcement officer
is human.
It won't get you anywhere
with a clicking cop.
But do the pole-perching legal
eagles catch all the fast moves?
Can a speed camera
ever be outstripped?
Feeling the need for speed,
Viewers have sent in
three mythical ways
To beat the camera cop.
The first one is that
you can beat the speed camera
By driving so fast
through it,
It doesn't have time
to take your picture.
Well, it seems
pretty straightforward.
We get a speed camera,
we get a car,
And we just
drive like heck.
Yeah, we do! Whoo!
So, viewer myth number one.
You can beat the speed camera
by driving so fast,
It can't see you?
Got to be time to cue
the souped-up supercar.
But before we go high speed,
Adam wants to test the theory...
In this car.
Adam: this is a perfect car
for the test because,
While it may not be
the fastest car on the block,
It is definitely representative
Of a totally average
american car.
If this myth is at all true,
It ought to be true
for your average car.
Narrator: now, if you're worried
about adam and jamie
Maxing out a very average car...
Adam: this is a pair
of five-point racing harnesses.
Narrator: ...you're not alone.
Adam: because we've got to drive
it at such high speeds,
The insurance company requires
we put safety measures into it,
And that's what I'm about to do.
Narrator:
and so is jamie.
But how gas-axing
a hole in the rear
Makes the car safer
is anyone's guess.
Jamie: once the bumper goes back
on it, it will be fine.
Nobody will know.
Till they have a crash.
And I won't tell.
Narrator: if this car can go
half as fast as it's going
In adam's imagination...
Flip on the afterburner.
Narrator: ...it should be able
to beat the sound barrier,
Let alone a speed camera.
And I'm out.
You ready?
I'm totally ready.
Let's go.
Let's go beat
the speed camera.
Narrator:
speed cameras work like sonar.
They send out radar pulses.
The time it takes for the pulse
to come back to the sensor
Registers
the speed of the vehicle.
If it's over the limit,
A signal's sent to the camera
to take a photo.
The myth is, if you can drive
faster than the pulses,
It won't detect your vehicle.
Adam: we got to beat
the speed camera,
And the only place
where we could sh**t this
Is our favorite tarmac
at alameda naval base.
It's about a mile and 3/4
of perfectly flat road.
It's absolutely ideal
for our purposes.
Narrator: two men,
almost 2 miles of runway,
One myth, one car,
and no speed limit.
It's just another day
in mythbusters paradise.
At least until it's time to meet
the speedsters' archenemy,
The speed camera,
and the mastermind behind it.
Hi, adam.
Good to meet you both.
Adam tuton's cameras have been
The bane of every
leadfoot's life since 1987.
So, basically
what I'm looking at here
Is a radar unit
attached to a camera,
A storage device,
and a processor.
Correct.
That's
amazingly simple.
We try to make it
as simple as possible.
Over the years, how many tickets
have your systems issued?
I'd have to say millions.
Wow!
Narrator: with millions
of tickets under its belt,
Will jamie at full throttle
Be fast enough
to get in under the radar?
And just how fast
can an average auto go?
This may look like a ray g*n,
but, in fact, it's a radar g*n.
Narrator: just in case the speed
camera doesn't clock the car,
Adam's handheld will
still get a reading.
Adam:
I feel like a bullfighter.
Come on!
[ Laughing ]
Narrator: from a standing start,
The average auto speed
is, well, average.
A longer run-up should show
what it's got.
But does the driver
have the right stuff?
Jamie:
as usual, our biggest problem is
not doing this particular stunt,
But it's dealing with the
insurance issues surrounding it.
So we're gonna have a safety
person in the car with me.
We're gonna have a fire suit on
and a helmet,
And the whole nine yards,
Just in case
we blow a tire and spin out
And crash and burn
and stuff like that.
Narrator:
ah, jamie, ever the optimist.
Based solely on my intuition
And not any practical
experience whatsoever,
I estimate
that we can get this car,
Or that jamie can get this car,
to just over 100 miles an hour.
Is it enough to beat
the speed camera?
I suspect that it isn't,
but I'm curious to find out.
Let's go fast.
Narrator: jamie's going to
put the pedal to the metal
While adam tries to keep up
in the safety car.
The mustachioed maestro
soon leaves adam in his dust.
But did he dust off
the speed camera, too?
Did you get him?
We got him.
What kind of speed
did you get?
[ Laughing ]
There he is.
Not bad.
Oh, and you got
his license plate, too.
Narrator: let's see jamie
bat his crybaby blues now.
Well, how did I do?
Ticket or no ticket?
Oh, you got a ticket,
you speeding scofflaw.
We got you red-handed
right here.
Narrator:
one picture says it all.
Jamie's been booked
fair and square.
Just for me, so we have
a data set of more than one,
Which is always a goal
on this show, let's do it again.
Do I have to?
You do. Go.
[ Camera shutter clicks ]
How did I do that time?
No faster.
It's like there's not
a whole lot of options here.
It's, like, flat.
I don't know, man.
Maybe you just don't have
what it takes.
Narrator:
them's fightin' words, partner.
Adam's hat seems to have given
the dude some john wayne, too.
Well, the ticket tally
is two runs,
Both at 100 miles an hour,
Two beautiful photos
of jamie's license plate,
And two tickets.
Let's see if I can push
the phoenix here to its limit.
Or has jamie
already met the edge?
In 3, 2, and here we go.
Narrator: adam's competitive
streak's been triggered.
The gauntlet's down,
and so is his foot.
Will he beat jamie
and the speed camera?
[ Camera beeps ]
Adam: how did I do?
You did exactly the same
as I did,
For some strange reason.
And we got your picture.
We can't call it
on the basis of this test alone.
We need more power.
We need a different car.
We need a real car.
Okay, guys, I got a myth
that's really gonna shock you,
'Cause it's about
defibrillators.
Okay, that's like in the e.m.t.
Shows with the -- "clear!"
Yeah.
But that's only half of it.
It's also about
nitroglycerin patches.
Nitroglycerin?
That's expl*sive.
It's for heart patients,
right?
Yeah.
The myth is that if you're
wearing a nitroglycerin patch
And somebody defibrillates you,
the patch will explode.
[ Chuckles ]
Narrator: electricity and
expl*sives are not a good mix,
But because nitroglycerin
is a powerful medicine,
As well as a powerful expl*sive,
they can get shockingly close.
Nitroglycerin patches dilate
arteries, increase blood flow,
And when placed on the chest,
relieve heart pain.
But can these patches
be detonated
By the electricity
from a defibrillator?
It's true that these machines
come with a warning
To remove such patches
before shocking a patient.
But what happens if you don't?
Well, first step in this
expl*sive myth from the e.r.
Is to get a defibrillator.
But already
there's a problem.
Wait a minute.
Who's gonna let us use
their defibrillator?
We break everything
we touch.
Okay, let's borrow one.
We'll characterize it,
and then we'll make our own.
When you say "we,"
do you mean you?
Yes.
Now, making
a do-it-yourself defibrillator
Isn't all that hard.
All you need is a degree
in electrical engineering
And a knowledge
of just how vicious voltage is.
Grant:
it's going to be potentially
The most lethal thing
I've ever built.
Narrator: grant's defibrillator
will take a.c. Power
And boost it
to more than 4,000 volts.
The high voltage will then
be stored in a capacitor
So that when it's triggered,
It can instantly dump
a heart-jumping charge
Into the patient's chest.
This thing, if it works,
will definitely k*ll you.
I feel like we're making
frankenstein's laboratory.
Narrator: while grant
deals with the diodes,
Tory and kari
make the electrical e.r. Safer.
We should be safe.
With the e.r. Rubbered up
and ready,
Grant's cooked up a unique pair
of defibrillator paddles.
Check this out.
Be like, "clear!"
What's with the serrated edges?
It's a little scary.
Well, normally the heart paddles
don't have serrated edges,
But this is
a homemade defibrillator,
So you have to go
with what you can get.
Once grant's defibrillator
is up and running,
The plan is to unleash it
on some nitro patches
Placed on a torso made
of that mythbusters favorite,
Ballistics gel.
That came out easier
than I expected.
But before all that,
The team first needs to see
if grant's gizmo works.
In theory, it's capable
of delivering a bigger shock
Than you'd get from the third
rail of the subway track.
Everybody ready?
More than enough to k*ll you
If you're not careful.
Aah!
Wow. That was great.
Okay.
That was a good one.
I think it's ready.
That goes
into your chest?
Narrator:
so grant's d.i.y. Defibrillator
is certainly sparking.
Okay, bring on the body.
But for the expl*sive tests
to be valid,
It's crucial that his machine
Has exactly
the same capabilities as this,
The defibrillator used in e.r.s
up and down the country.
Ta-ging!
Ready to put
the heart paddles in?
To find out, the team inserts
two copper heart paddles
In the torso's chest,
Which are hardwired
to an oscilloscope.
Are you ready
for your test?
It will register precisely
how much juice is jumping --
First from
the commercial defibrillator.
Everyone clear?
Clear.
Got it.
Did you get it?
Yep.
We can start testing.
Nice!
Grant: the oscilloscope
is telling me
That it had a peak
of 4 millivolts.
Now, what it's also saying is
That the event lasted
for two microseconds.
Do you think I'll get
first place in the science fair?
Narrator: now they know
what they're aiming for.
Grant's patty-flipping paddles
are attached to the torso
To see if his
d.i.y. Defibrillator
Can deliver the same result.
Tory: this just doesn't
look dangerous enough.
Should we get some
buckets of water to stand in,
Or maybe set off
the sprinkler system?
Just put your safety glasses on,
mr. Safety.
Just hope this isn't
the "before" moment.
We should probably set up
the high-speed on kari.
Narrator: now remember...
Narrator: ...they built
their own defibrillator
So as not to wreck the real one.
Grant: 2,500.
Narrator:
but is it safe to use?
Now might be a good time
For kari's family and friends
to turn away.
We are at 4,000.
Pull the switch.
Turn off the power supply.
Kari, are you ready?
Everybody, clear.
Can I have your toolbox?
She's alive.
She made it.
Okay. You're good.
I was worried for you
for a second.
Yeah, I'm sure when
my mom watches this later,
She's gonna be like,
"ugh, not again!"
We just did the first test with
grant's homemade defibrillator.
And I have to say,
I was a little bit scared
going in to it.
It looks very frankenstein-y.
And all the laws of physics
said not gonna get shocked.
I'm holding on to wood.
I'm standing on rubber.
But can't help
the heartbeat going,
"What if? What if? What if?"
The good news is,
this proves that it does deliver
The shock
into the ballistics-gel body.
Tory:
yeah, that's great.
How's your heart?
Is it still pumping?
Yeah, it's going like,
"ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga."
Narrator: so grant's
defibrillator has passed.
It's as good
as the industry standard.
Homemade defibrillator
coming in.
Narrator:
but before trying to explode
Some nitroglycerin patches,
They've got
a defibrillator mini-myth
They want to put to the test.
Grant: clear!
You see it on every e.r. Drama.
The myth is you'll be k*lled
If you touch a patient
who's being shocked.
But do you really
need to stand clear?
Okay, so here's the setup.
We've got the patient
on the table.
The patient's gonna receive the
shock from the defibrillator.
He is connected to the observer
right at the wrist.
That goes up
to a pair of heart paddles
That are placed in
the most likely conduction path.
The heart paddles
are then connected
To the digital
storage oscilloscope,
And that's going to tell us
What sort of current's flowing
through that heart area.
There's a possibility
of somebody being
electrocuted here.
Hopefully not one of us.
Ready?
Narrator: remember,
what they're testing here
Is whether you drop dead
If you were to touch the patient
during defibrillation.
Narrator: to make sure
the team avoids friendly fire,
There's still an inch of rubber
between them and the floor.
Oh, and the paramedics
are on standby.
In 3...2...1.
Clear!
That was kind of
anticlimactic.
Whoa.
Look at what registered.
Yeah. How anticlimactic
do you think it is now?
That looks just like
when it got directly shocked.
Yeah.
That could
stop your heart.
Tory: it takes 6 million amps
to k*ll somebody.
That's 13 million amps peak
right there.
[ Gasps ]
That could have
k*lled him.
Okay.
Yeah, and that was heart paddles
all the way in the other guy.
That's pretty impressive.
I would say
that's clear test confirmed.
There's a reason why
they say clear.
Seems pretty clear to me.
Narrator: that's clear test
confirmed.
So, now, it's time
to bring on the expl*sives.
It's open season on speedsters.
First there was the squad car,
then the radar,
And now they've raised the bar
with speed cameras.
Adam and jamie have tried
to beat it through speed...
...but until they get a faster
car, that myth's on hold.
That leaves plenty of time
for viewer myth number two.
Well, next up is
a whole set of products
Which we call
plate blockers.
These are things that you would
put over your license plate
That would obscure it
only to the camera
When it tried
to take your picture.
Therefore, they don't know
who to send the ticket to.
So, what, we just go out
and drive by them
With this stuff
over the plate?
Actually, not so fast.
I think I'd like to try some
scale tests out on these guys --
Put them down in the shop
With my digital camera
and my flash
And see if I can't get
the results that they claim
Here in the shop.
Narrator: adam has
five plate-blocking devices
In his sights.
All claim to somehow prevent
the police paparazzi
From tracking you down.
First up is this thing, which
supposedly has microcrystals
To reflect the camera's flash.
See what it does?
Here I am.
Now I'm gone.
Oh, my god.
Where did I go?
Oh, here I am.
Narrator:
adam's clearly unimpressed,
And reading the small print
doesn't help.
"The manufacturer and retailer
assume no responsibility
"For any use or application
of this product
"In violation
with any applicable law.
Before installing this product,
Please check your state and
local laws and regulations."
I'll save you some time.
It's probably ill*gal.
Narrator:
ill*gal? Maybe.
Effective? Let's see.
This is glitter license plate
with the flash on.
[ Camera shutter clicks ]
I don't have any problem
reading that.
[ Laughs ]
oh, man.
You know, it's funny,
but it also makes me really mad.
It's ridiculous.
Let's do due diligence
on this piece of crap
And try it from far away.
Narrator: the thing is,
The microcrystals don't seem
to be reflecting much at all.
It's pretty much
totally readable.
I can see it's trying
to reflect the light.
But it's not succeeding,
'Cause I can still read,
"california, june, no doudt."
I can still read
the license plate.
Narrator: in this case, all that
glitters definitely ain't gold.
So what about plastic
plate blocker number two?
Adam:
they've spared every expense
in manufacturing this.
This is like one
of those reading magnifiers
That you can get
at the museum store.
And it is --
I'm not kidding --
Scotch-taped to this
license-plate cover.
Oh, I see what it's doing.
I'll eat my hat if this is legal
in even one state.
[ Camera shutter clicks ]
Oh!
I'm ever so slightly side-on
to this thing.
And it's definitely obscuring
A couple of the letters
of the license plate.
There's "no doudt" about it.
And the fact is,
they can search the database
By as many letters as they
can see on your license plate.
They've got you.
In fact, this would [bleep] me
off enough to come and find you.
Narrator: don't hold back, adam.
Tell us how you really feel.
The other plate blockers
also fail to impress.
There was regular
kitchen plastic wrap...
It is not obscured at all.
Narrator: ...a tailor-made
commercial spray.
Adam:
yeah, it's totally readable.
Narrator: ...and run-of-the-mill
hair spray.
Adam:
it's clear as day.
Narrator: all got
the adam savage seal of...
Disapproval.
Granted, this is probably not
What they're using
professionally,
So I can't call it busted
on the basis of this,
But it really doesn't look good.
Narrator:
so for a definitive test,
They'll run the plate blockers
past the same setup
That's used on the streets.
The microcrystal glitter plate's
first up.
Mr. Hyneman,
you are go for launch.
Jamie. Okay. I'll fire it up.
I'll be right there.
He's got to fire up
the pre-burners.
And he's got to wind up
the phoenix engines,
Open up the feeder tube,
Kick the throttle,
Open up the thrusters,
And then, of course, he's got to
kick in the after-burner.
[ Laughs ]
[ Camera shutter clicks ]
Oh! [ Laughs ]
Traffic police -- one,
Glitter-obfuscation technique --
zero.
Next up
Is the lenticular-obfuscation
technique.
This lenticular thing did
obfuscate the license plate
More than anything else.
But I still don't have
high hopes
That it'll beat
our speed camera.
You got a ticket, buddy.
Time to move on to the next one.
Narrator: that'd be
mr. Savage's makeup call.
Obviously
mythbusters brand hair spray
Is very important to how I look
on set and on television.
Narrator: but although
it looked good on adam,
It didn't cut it
with the speed camera.
And neither did
the commercial spray.
Tuton: starting to see
a pattern here.
Yeah, plate blockers -- zip.
Speed camera -- four.
Uh, make that five
with the plastic wrap.
Clear as a bell.
Clear as a bell.
Cling wrap is busted.
Not a single one of
the plate blockers has worked,
So it's plate blockers -- zero.
Speed cameras -- five.
Narrator: now, although
they might not con the camera,
One of them at least does
have a hidden talent.
Ow.
I went like this,
And it magnified through
and burned my shirt,
And then it burned my skin.
I felt this sharp pain.
So, it will burn your skin, but
it won't save you from a ticket.
Narrator: with the plate
blockers well and truly busted,
The boys are counting down
the viewer speed-camera myths.
It's enough
to make your hair stand on end.
Electricity on its own
is lethal.
Put it near high expl*sive,
And you're just asking
for trouble.
But that's exactly what
our brave band of mythbusters
Are doing.
...2, 1.
Aah!
Narrator: nitroglycerin
is found in dynamite,
But it's also used
to treat heart patients.
But according to this e.r. Myth,
if you hit a nitro patch
With an electric shock
from a defibrillator,
It'll explode.
With expl*sives,
electricity, and mythbusters,
It's time to move
the whole shebang
To the bombproof
backyard bunker.
It's finally time to start
our nitroglycerin-patch test.
Now, we're gonna start with the
modern nitroglycerin patches.
They're the most common to get,
And we're going to use
one patch,
And we're going to defibrillate
our patient here at 200 joules.
Narrator: with a cataclysmic
catastrophe on the cards,
They're taking no chances.
For this one,
The ballistics-gel torso
and grant's d.i.y. Defibrillator
Are going to be home alone.
We've taken a few
safety precautions so
that we can do it remotely.
We have our paddles.
They are clamped to the body.
And then grant has the remote
trigger outside of the bunker,
So we'll set it all up,
charge it.
We'll get out of the bunker,
set it off remotely,
So if there is an expl*si*n,
none of us get k*lled.
Narrator: sounds good.
The only trouble is,
it's pouring with rain,
And the bunker
ain't exactly waterproof.
Hey, you guys,
we got a little problem here.
Little problem.
Kari:
what's going on?
It's raining on my neon
transformer, so we need to...
Tory: is that a problem?
Yeah, kind of.
You want an umbrella?
Oh, geez.
Something.
That seems really,
really, really dangerous.
Yeah, it's not entirely safe.
In fact, let me unplug this.
Okay.
Narrator:
diagnosing the problem was easy.
Fixing it --
well, that's a different story.
If it explodes, it's safer
than being in the shop.
Pools of water, massive
amounts of electricity?
I don't see a danger
in that at all.
Narrator: with the deluge
finally diverted,
Grant's confident
it's safe enough to proceed.
Just remember,
go to the light.
Okay.
See ya.
See you
on the other side.
Grant: in general, yes, water
and electricity don't mix,
Particularly
high-voltage electricity,
But as long as we take
the proper cautions --
Standing on rubber,
make sure nothing's wet --
We should be fine.
Narrator:
now, if this were a movie,
You'd pretty much know something
terrible was about to happen.
But, this is "mythbusters,"
Factual television, real life.
Nitroglycerin-patch test,
In 3, 2, 1.
[ Electricity snaps ]
I didn't see
any explosions.
I didn't see any arcing,
Anything at all.
No.
Narrator: like I said,
this is real life, real results.
In this case,
an awful lot of nothing.
We didn't get any expl*si*n
at 200 joules.
Let's ramp it up to 360 --
give it the maximum power.
But cranking the power
to the max...
No expl*si*n, guys.
Narrator: ...even putting the
paddles right on the patch...
It arced, it sparked,
it didn't ignite.
Well, I think
one of the problems here
Is it's just not going to arc
to the plastic.
It's just not going to do
anything there.
And there is an old
nitroglycerin patch
That has sort of an aluminum
in the plastic.
Maybe that would arc
from the spark.
More conductivity
would definitely give it
A higher likelihood
of arcing.
Should be easy to get
a couple of those, no?
Narrator:
actually, tory, that's a no.
Aluminum-backed
nitroglycerin patches
Were phased out in the 1980s.
So kari's making
some of her own.
And this is conductive?
You see?
That's what I was gonna let you
find out for me.
Ooh, look at that.
Oh, that's cool.
Now, I'm sure
that stun g*n tory's using
Comes with a warning.
That is cool.
Look at that.
Something along the lines of,
"not a toy."
Look at it burning.
"Use with caution."
Look, I wrote my name.
"Keep out of reach
of children."
Aah!
[Bleep]
Oh, tory, are we gonna ever
have an episode
Where you
don't hurt yourself?
I didn't think
it was gonna hurt me.
Thought I had that one
under control.
Also not under control
is the weather.
Oh, great.
The water level has risen.
Outside and inside the bunker,
the big wet continues.
It doesn't do a lot of good
to have rubber mats
When they're submerged
in water.
A bit of electricity
and a lot of moisture --
What could possible go wrong?
Okay, try not to
stand in the water.
What is it, the first day of
rain we get for the entire year
Is gonna be on the day
That we're using high expl*sives
and electricity -- whoo!
Narrator: now, does anyone else
find this somewhat alarming --
Raincoats, volumes of voltage,
and a welter of water?
It's arcing
from the screw to the wood.
Okay. Stop.
Tory's on hairdressing duty
To keep it dry enough
to prevent shorting.
Well, that's the theory.
I got water
pouring down my back.
Folks, it goes
without saying.
Never, ever, ever
try this at home.
Does somebody
want to get a 2'x4',
Just in case
they need to knock us apart?
Perhaps the least-lethal thing
to happen now
Would be if kari's homemade,
foil-backed patches exploded.
You see a spark
or anything?
Nope.
Nothing.
See an expl*si*n?
Nope.
Narrator: just like
the modern plastic patches,
Maximum voltage, foil-side up...
Or foil-side down.
No reaction.
Even putting the paddles
ridiculously close
Causes no kaboom.
It arced
right over that patch,
And I didn't see
an expl*si*n.
No expl*si*n.
Kari: I don't think
that the concentration
of the nitroglycerin
Is high enough to actually
get any sort of expl*si*n.
I mean, that's it.
This myth is going down.
Narrator: the myth may be going
down, but it's not over yet.
'Cause when it comes to
the mythbusters and explosions,
No one goes home disappointed.
Tory: we're gonna blow
that nitro patch up.
Grant:
you bet we are, buddy.
Adam and jamie
are getting wrapped up
In their quest
to beat speed-camera myths.
Can someone unwrap me?
Turn off the camera and help me
get out of this thing.
Narrator: so far,
it seems there's no way
To get one over
On the super-sensitive
speed slayer.
But just how responsive
are they?
It's time to test
viewer myth number three.
I heard once that those
speed cameras are so sensitive
That they'll pick up a bird
flying past them
And take a picture of it.
I hate to play devil's advocate
on this,
But I can't see it working.
I think a bird is just too tiny
to be picked up by the radar.
We should get some trained birds
and fly them through the path.
Okay, and maybe
a really fast trained bird.
One -- make that two
really fast birds coming up.
There you go.
She's got hat hair this morning,
but she'll shake it out.
Meet female falcons
stregger and falstaff
And their master,
falconer james tigen.
Tigen:
people are always asking us how
fast they are over the ground.
In a dive,
the peregrine's been clocked
At 240 miles an hour
in a dive.
They've put g-meters on them,
And they break g-meters
at like 18 g's.
[ Adam whistles ]
Narrator: with a sales pitch
like that,
The birds seem more than
qualified for the job.
But what are they like
to drive?
Your job is
to hold on to that knot.
And then I'm gonna put
this in here like this...
Wow.
...at this end of your body.
There you go. You don't
want to look like a geek.
[ Laughs ] i am a geek.
Oh, my god.
I got to say, of all the animals
we've worked with on the show,
From skunks to goldfish
to octopi,
This is the coolest.
Yeah.
They're beautiful,
gorgeous animals.
I think even jamie
is expressing some awe.
Narrator: the birds certainly
have made adam and jamie
Sit up and take notice.
But will the speed cameras
see them?
I don't think the speed camera's
gonna pick up the bird.
My guess is based
on the practicality
Of operating a speed camera.
When you get the disk
out of the camera
And you're looking
at all the license plates,
You don't want a lot
of pretty pictures of birds.
Something tells me they designed
that out of the system
And that they don't pick up
birds flying.
Narrator: well, there's
only one sure way to find out.
I think what we'll do is
we'll send my associate, kate,
Downwind.
She'll release the bird.
I'll call the bird.
We'll do a straight
downwind run.
She'll come right on marks,
hopefully.
Narrator: with the speed camera
in position
And poised to take a picture,
Falcon airways flight 001
is cleared for takeoff.
[ Whistle blowing ]
Adam: I'm actually picking her
up at about 40 miles an hour.
Narrator: adam's radar
is clocking her at 40,
And the camera's preset to go
off at just 10 miles an hour.
She was going
If this could pick her up,
That was a good speed
to pick her up at.
And it was right
down the throat.
It should have got it.
How did we do?
Tuton: it took a picture
at 29 miles an hour.
[ Laughter ]
Narrator:
but there's a big difference
between adam's radar speed of 40
And the camera's 29.
So what exactly
did they take a photo of?
One thing I'm not sure of --
was he swinging the bait?
Adam: he was. So you might have
picked up the bait?
I don't know.
Well, there's an easy way
to test for that.
We could just have him stand
farther down.
The camera can't see him.
Or we could just have him
swing the bait
With no bird
in the picture.
Or we could try something
really simple like that.
Jamie: let's do that.
Yeah, that'll do.
I'm gonna go sit
in the trailer now.
Narrator: while adam eats
a slice of humble pie,
The others find out
If it was the chick
that made the camera click.
Faster.
Faster.
But even with the bait
in full swing,
There's still
no camera ka-ching.
So, it's picking up speeds,
but it's not photo-ing.
There's not enough
of a signature
To give a quality threshold high
enough to trigger the camera.
But it seems like the bird
absolutely did.
Stunning.
I love being wrong.
[ Laughs ]
Narrator:
but just to make really sure,
Adam wants one more run to
clear up the camera conundrum.
[ Whistle blowing ]
[ Camera shutter clicks ]
Jamie:
I heard the camera go.
I think we got it. Yeah.
We got it? Awesome!
Man! Two for two,
with animals, no less.
Oh, man. Amazing.
That's pretty conclusive
to me.
The speed camera was, in fact,
able to pick up a bird.
That's good stuff.
That would be
myth confirmed.
Let's give the bird
a ticket.
Narrator:
at 41 miles an hour,
This speedster's just had
her first brush with the law.
What we think is we're gonna put
a license plate on her,
Right about here.
Just a little bitty one,
you know?
"If you can see me, you're too
close" -- something like that.
[ Laughs ]
You did very good, sweetie.
Narrator: it never pays
To monkey around
with electricity,
Especially near expl*sives.
[ Monkey screeching ]
But for kari, tory, and grant,
Detonating nitroglycerin
medical patches
With an electric defibrillator
Has so far only blown away
a lot of time.
Nothing happened.
No expl*si*n.
Shocker.
Narrator:
they want an expl*si*n,
And they want it now.
Forget this
medicinal nitroglycerin.
Let's get the pure stuff, the
stuff we all know is expl*sive.
We'll smear that on the body and
then try to defibrillate again.
Well, I'm pretty sure
No one is going to sell us
pure nitroglycerin.
I think we're already
on all the watch lists.
So maybe it's time to call
former fbi agent frank doyle.
Narrator:
you may remember frank
From such great
"mythbusters" moments
As "the case
of the exploding trousers"...
Kari: whoo!
..."22,000-Foot fall"...
...and the mother
of all explosions,
When frank totally trashed
a truck.
Adam: oh!
[ Laughter ]
Narrator:
today, frank's back
To help change
the mythbusters' script
From mission impossible
to mission accomplished.
It's cooking juice.
Yeah.
Access to nitroglycerin
is strictly controlled,
And it's highly dangerous
to transport.
The good stuff.
Good stuff.
So frank's brought
his buddy james crippin along
To refine a premium blend
from another expl*sive
That contains a high proportion
of nitroglycerin.
I think our chances
are pretty good
We can probably get it
to go bang.
Narrator: impact's the best way
to detonate nitroglycerin,
So to see if frank's batch
is up to scratch,
The job falls
to grant's automatic hammer.
So, what we got here is
our nitroglycerin impact tests,
Our first test of the day,
Just to see
if the nitroglycerin is working.
We have grant's robot, and
this is hooked up to an airline
Which he can trigger
from a remote spot.
Here's the anvil,
our hard surface,
Nitroglycerin, high-speed camera
so we can catch the action,
And we can follow the line
All the way back to grant
with the trigger.
Ready for this?
[ Laughs ]
That wasn't
an expl*si*n.
Hey, we got a puff.
It did sound like a cap.
Narrator: so did it,
or didn't it, explode?
Okay.
It hit the target.
Yeah, it smells smoky.
Narrator:
frank's keeping the jury out
until he's seen the high-speed.
Hammer's coming down,
and...
Tory: yep -- that's smoke.
That's awesome.
Nice work, frank.
So, that's what
we were looking for?
That poof?
Good juice.
Definitely good juice.
Narrator: so frank's
nitroglycerin sure is expl*sive,
But can it be detonated
By an electric spark
from a defibrillator?
The ballistics-gel torso
is wheeled into place,
And once again, the paddles are
placed close enough to spark.
You want to put a
little drop right where
the two paddles touch.
The team has put
just a patch-sized drop
Of the nitroglycerin oil
on the torso's chest,
But will this be enough
for a boom?
If we got a good arc
and a good contact there,
It should work,
theoretically.
Grant: so, we're hot.
You guys ready?
Yep.
Okay. So,
this is 360 joules,
Maximum power.
I saw a spark.
Yeah, I saw the spark.
[ Kari laughs ]
I didn't see any smoke.
No expl*si*n.
No.
Now, if
concentrated nitroglycerin
Cannot ignite
with the defibrillator,
The patches are never going
to explode off your chest.
It's not gonna happen.
Narrator: it's just
another flash in the pan.
If the defibrillator
can't detonate
This concentrated nitroglycerin,
Then it'll never
detonate a patch.
It's myth
well and truly busted.
All right,
what do you think?
I don't know. I mean,
there's still a pool
of nitroglycerin
Right where the paddles
are touching.
Grant:
and it's still wet underneath.
And there are absolutely
no burn marks.
I'm not seeing the carnage from
any sort of expl*si*n here.
And I think we've replicated
all of the circumstances.
So, what's left?
Frank?
We need an expl*si*n.
Narrator: this would be the
moment frank's been waiting for.
With the myth busted, it's time
to replicate the results.
How can a defibrillator
cause a kaboom?
Well, luckily,
frank came prepared.
Doyle: we're gonna shift over
to some real expl*sive
That we know that works.
We're not gonna use a lot.
It won't take a lot.
But our jello friend there
is gonna probably go away.
With grant's defibrillator
now past it's use-by date...
Tory: should we take these back
to the shop for the barbecue?
...all that's left is for frank
and his blow-it-up buddies
To prepare our patient
for a trip of a lifetime.
Doyle:
you play doctor before?
Yeah,
but not with ballistics.
We're gonna do
a little chest surgery here.
We're gonna put
the nitroglycerin in there
Because we want to get rid of
the rest of what we have.
And then we're going to put
some assistance in there,
Some additional assistance.
I get
what you're talking about.
To help you out
with your wish.
I see where you're going.
Narrator:
for days, they've been dumping
high voltage into their dummy.
Now with his liquid lunch of
nitroglycerin, plus assistance,
They might finally turn
the torso torpedo.
Okay, we will need everybody
to move back
For safety reasons now.
[ Laughter ]
Look at that table.
Kari:
that was awesome.
Now, that's what I expected
from those patches.
That's great.
that is an expl*si*n.
Narrator:
the torso has been terminated,
And with flying colors.
That is
a beautiful thing.
He's looking at his belly.
Grant: oh.
That is just...
That's an expl*si*n.
That kind of charring
is what you expect to see
When something explodes.
Frank, you did not
disappoint us. Thank you.
I think we owe you a table,
though.
Well, we finally got
an expl*si*n.
Yeah, but it had nothing to do
with nitroglycerin.
Yeah. It had everything to do
with the b*mb squad.
But at least we can say
if the defibrillator
Did not ignite
and create an expl*si*n
With highly concentrated
nitroglycerin,
way more than you'd ever find
in any medicinal patch,
This myth is totally,
totally busted.
It's busted.
Narrator:
before the speed camera,
Those who lived life
in the fast lane
Had the highway patrol
to contend with.
Nowadays, speedsters find it
hard to defy the all-seeing eye.
Adam and jamie have tested
all the viewer myths,
But there's still one
that's not quite done.
I got some great news.
The researchers have found us
a really fast car.
So we're gonna have
a second go at speed.
Oh, you mean whether
or not the speeding car
Can beat the speed camera?
Exactly.
Awesome!
You'll never guess
what adam's going to ask next.
Can I drive the car?
Of course.
Yes!
In true "mythbusters" tradition,
Adam and jamie are going to push
the edge of the fast envelope
In a go-for-broke, speed-camera,
speed-car face-off.
Adam: we've come
to infineon raceway,
Where I think they have
something with a lot more grunt
That we can put
in front of the speed camera
And see if we can beat it.
Narrator:
one grunt machine coming up.
Yep, believe it or not, somehow,
mrs. Savage's little boy adam
Has been let loose to pilot
A prime piece
of auto real estate.
What? Beat the speed camera?
Wha-- wha-- what?
Oh, right,
that's why we're here.
Sure.
How we doing?
Good to see you guys again.
How you doing?
Narrator: but to keep us
and the car safe,
Chief driving instructor
mark will be riding shotgun.
You think he can handle
driving it?
He might be able to.
We'll give it a shot.
Adam hasn't had so much fun
since the last full moon.
[ Laughs ]
I'm so ready to go.
Let's go.
I don't know, adam.
[ Laughs ]
Can you believe
they let me in here?
No.
What's the value
of this car?
$280,000.
$280,000. Well...
$280,000.
I could work that off.
Narrator:
well, there's the next 65 years
of adam's life taken care of.
I don't think it's gonna work,
even with a really fast car.
Narrator:
jamie remains skeptical,
But if anything stands a chance
of beating the speed camera,
Then it's this.
Wow!
He's a little over
That's not much better
than your average auto.
Is that all you've got, adam?
So, what do you say --
ticket or no ticket?
Ticket.
There's the evidence.
So it is.
There he goes again.
But even with mark
urging him on...
More, more, more, more.
...it's not enough.
By the time he gets here.
Adam's running out of road
and buttoning off
Before he gets
to the speed camera.
Moving it closer
to the start line
Means they can clock him
in full flight.
It's adam's last chance.
It's do-or-die.
Narrator:
that's adam's best yet.
Unbelievable.
But is it enough?
Tuton: got him.
You're gonna have to
go faster than that to
beat the speed camera.
Narrator: with the score running
There's only one option left.
Adam has to swallow his pride
And hand over the reins
to a professional driver.
If he can't beat it,
it's not gonna get beat.
Narrator:
mark's first run
Is not much faster
than adam's.
So, what do you do?
Jamie: 115.
He's going faster.
We got a ticket.
Narrator:
even with a professional
Propelling it
to maximum momentum...
Narrator: ...it's still not
enough to beat the speed camera.
Jamie:
I don't know -- the speed camera
Works on the speed of light,
so...the car doesn't.
The car goes, like, maybe
I don't think
we're gonna beat it.
Narrator:
all that's left to do now
Is to gently break adam's heart.
Adam:
what was our top speed?
The top speed I got
was about 140 miles an hour.
That was when mark was driving?
Yeah.
What was my top speed?
About 120.
Maybe 123 -- I forget.
[ Laughs ]
Well, that settles it, man.
If we couldn't beat it
with this thing,
There's no way
you can beat the speed camera,
No matter how fast
you're going.
I mean, under mach 1.
[ Laughs ]
Yep, I guess it's busted.
Our work here is done.
Let's go.
Not so fast.
I got a little something,
a little something-something.
Really?
Yeah.
Narrator:
something-something?
There's a lot of secret squirrel
going on here.
If I know one thing about jamie,
It's he's going outside the box
and probably "cheating."
What you got here is a little
bit more of straightforward,
No nonsense, no chemicals,
no plastic wrap,
Just basic physics
to beat the speed camera.
Get in your car and show me
what you got, cheater.
Okay, we all set?
Narrator:
the plate blockers failed,
The very average auto failed,
red, raw speed failed.
In a sea of failure, what can
jamie possibly do to succeed?
[ Camera shutter clicks ]
[ Laughs ]
Nicely done.
Very, very clever.
Like I said,
I knew he was gonna cheat.
Narrator:
so, how did he do it?
Well, remember way back when
the car was being made safer
And jamie was busy
cutting a huge hole?
Turns out it was to fit
The old spy-car,
revolving-license-plate trick.
This is just an air-powered,
rotary actuator.
You apply air.
It flips it.
[ Laughs ]
That is good.
Nicely done.
Jamie:
it's got a little trigger.
You still get a ticket
for that,
And actually, I think the ticket
for having that on your car
Is a lot worse
than speeding.
This one comes
with jail time.
What are you gonna do?
Nice work, speedy gonzalez.
Let's go home.
Make sure you have it on
the right plate on the way home.
All right.
Dude, I so totally loved
driving that fast car.
That was awesome!
Yeah, I know you did.
I got the researchers combing
every source they can find
For more fast-car myths
for us.
Yeah, well, you know,
We're doing a whole episode
on viewer-suggested myths,
And I bet there are gonna be
some car ones in there.
That's right.
If you've got some
fast-car myths that we can test,
Log on to
discovery.com/mythbusters
And write down your ideas --
we'll be checking in often.
Yeah.
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05x04 - Speed Cameras
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A weekly documentary in which two Hollywood special effects experts attempt to debunk urban legends by directly testing them.
A weekly documentary in which two Hollywood special effects experts attempt to debunk urban legends by directly testing them.