‘Be Careful’: NYC Man Sees White Ford Escape On The Street, And What’s On Top Is About To Cost Drivers Thousands

A New York City taxi driver has warned other drivers after seeing something strange on top of a white Ford Escape. What he found has made drivers worried they might get hit with big fines for speeding.

The driver, who goes by Frustrated Cabbie online, filmed the moment in a TikTok video that has gotten over 328,500 views. The video shows a white Ford Escape with what looks like a mobile speed camera sitting on its roof. These cameras are part of New York City’s plan to catch speeding drivers and cut down on car accidents.

In the video, Frustrated Cabbie points to the thing on top of the car and says, “So you see this vehicle here and that thing on top. That is the mobile speeding camera.” He explains that these cameras usually sit on top of white vans, but now they’re showing up on Ford Escapes too. The white bump you can see above the car is the camera’s flash, which takes photos of drivers going too fast.

These Mobile Cameras Are Popping Up All Over The City Now

The taxi driver says the city puts these cars in smart spots. “They will strategically place these vehicles on specific intersections especially near schools,” he says in the video. He tells drivers to watch out when they see white vans or Ford Escapes because they might have speed cameras on them.

Mobile speed cameras are part of NYC Vision Zero, a program started to bring down the number of traffic deaths in the city. New York City said it would use mobile speeding cameras to keep construction workers safe in highway work zones and protect kids in school zones. 

While drivers are worried about these cameras, some car owners have even stranger problems with their vehicles, like one man who rented out his Toyota RAV4 and got back a totally different car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says these mobile units usually sit on vehicles or trailers and get moved around to different spots.

People on social media weren’t happy about this. Many people who commented on the TikTok video were upset, with some saying the cameras are just a way for the city to make money. One person wrote, “It’s not about crime. It’s about what makes money.” Other people complained about taxes and how expensive it is to live in the city.

But city officials say the program is working. The NYC Department of Transportation said traffic deaths hit an all-time low in the first six months of 2025, going down 32 percent from the year before. Mayor Eric Adams was happy about this, saying, “The 32 percent drop in traffic fatalities that we have seen this year is historic.” They thinks mobile speeding cameras might cut down deadly crashes and injuries by 20 percent.