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Source: https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/20417
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

<p>The roadside in our semi-rural area is relatively litter free.  With very few exceptions, it can be easily picked up with one hand, and is not gross.  </p>

<p>But one litterer is getting to me.  He (or she) tosses out V8 juice cans (tangy) with depressing regularity over a 300 or so foot stretch across the road from my neighbor's property.  This probably happens in the morning.</p>

<p>There is a good, and comfortable, lookout point on my neighbor's property which commands the entire stretch, and more, of V8-Juice-Guy's littering.  I have seriously considered sitting there with a camera and catching V8JG in the act.  With her permission, of course.</p>

<p>Drawbacks to this plan: (1) I'd have to get up too early; (2) crushing boredom and (3) ticks.</p>

<p><strong>Now I wonder if a trail camera or a similar camera could do the work.  The camera would have to capture the scene in daylight and give enough detail to get the license plate of a car going at 30 to 50 miles per hour.</strong>  (50 mph would be reckless on our road, but some people are reckless.)  <strong>And clearly identify the act of tossing out the V8 juice can with the specific car.</strong>  There is not much traffic on our road.</p>

<p><strong>As to what I would do with the information if I got it:  I am not sure.  There are obvious downsides to doing anything</strong>.  However, people have jumped to the conclusion, without any evidence in this question -- in fact, with evidence to the contrary in this question -- that I will use the information to get embroiled in a time-consuming and thoroughly unpleasant criminal prosecution or civil suit.  I repeat:  I haven't decided what I would do with the info, if anything.  The intelligent first step is to write the litterer a polite letter asking him to stop. But, as I said in the original version of this question, I don't want to discuss my options until/if I get the information.  <strong>Please confine answers to how I can get the information with an automated set-up.</strong></p>

<p><strong>Addendum on Legal Issue:</strong>  Littering is illegal in Virginia.  Source: <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/virginia/2006/toc3301000/33.1-346.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Code of Virginia 33.1-346</a>.  As for whether photographing a litterer in the act is itself illegal, I will get advice from the Fairfax County (VA) Police if I decide to go forward.</p>