Topic: British road surveillance

[ofreen]

This is probably old news to our British friends, but check it out -

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=674001

[TwoTired]

I thought big brother was overly active in the US.  But, big brother's father seems pretty active in the UK.
Notice they play up the "safety" aspects and gloss over the tax and MOT fee "income" aspects, which, I have no doubt, were a primary instigation.

Makes me appreciate 1776 even moreso.

Micro-chiping cars, pets.  Which country will be the first to microchip it's populace (for their own safety, of course.)

Bleeach

[mcpuffett]

that's right they have us by the short and curlies now  they no if you have mot, tax, and insurance, just by your registration number    mick.

[jtb]

I thought Alabama was bad.

[cbjunkie]

anybody seen the brilliant movie "Brazil"?

this surveilance stuff really astounds me, but reality is lead by imagination -  a scary enough thought taken to extremes when we get ideas like this one gaining traction as "protection"...

i've always wondered why our governments haven't made license plates with UPC codes? wouldn't that even be simpler than character recognition cameras? the article is ambiguous concerning the ability of the cameras/computers to actually understand the plates...does a person, a human being, still have to review the tape, or is that part automated as well?

hey, what do we have to worry about as long as we're innocent, right???   

[ofreen]

I thought big brother was overly active in the US.  But, big brother's father seems pretty active in the UK.

George Orwell may have been a few years off in his timing, but he was spot on about everything else.

[mrblasty]

Why the hell do You Britts put up with this #$%*!? I know there has to be an old chopping block or guillotine in someones garage, drag that thing out and take off the head of a few "officials" and put the message out that enough is enough.
It's getting to the point where we may need to outlaw electricity so we can once again enjoy privacy.

[ttr400]

Yeez!     If that was tried here ( South Africa) the cameras would be stolen prety sharpish!!

Kevin.

[seabird]

Very soon we'll find a couple of Coppers (Policemen) have turned up on your doorstep if you go out wearing the wrong sort of shoes - some plaeces have banned the wearing of "Hoodies" (jackets with attached head coverings) as they "contribute to crime and the difficulty in making of identification of criminal activities".

Aint it great to be a member of a free Nation?

Seabird

[fishtoft]

Motorcycles are exempt from congestion charges, and normally carry no front registration plate, all the cameras would have to be sited to see the rear of the vehicle to track it, could this be a good reason to ride M/cs in the UK, shame about our weather.

[Jim Shea]

Fishtoft,
I hope they don't get wise to the front number plate is missing on bikes!! Most new cameras are non flashing and are therefore front facing to identify the driver; so we are safe at the moment!!

[ofreen]

Yeez!     If that was tried here ( South Africa) the cameras would be stolen prety sharpish!!

Kevin.

There are no shortage of cameras in public places here in the US.  They are so small that you don't even know they are there.

[ofreen]

Fishtoft,
I hope they don't get wise to the front number plate is missing on bikes!! Most new cameras are non flashing and are therefore front facing to identify the driver; so we are safe at the moment!!

Unfortunately, saying "we are safe at the moment" is like the old joke with the guy who just fell off the cliff and is half way down saying "So far, so good."

[Raul CB750K1]

They are tracking us all the time. Since the moment we use our credit cards to the moment we have "customer cards", there are records with all the things we buy. That's the purpose of "ticket vouchers"; the supermarket will give you a voucher depending on the kind of customer you are. In Spain, telephone companies will check your bills in order to know which time of the day you make your phone calls, and will call you then to offer their services. I've received calls at 21:30.

In spanish roads there are stationary radars with cameras that will recognize the plate and issue the fine directly. I don't give a damn if they record where I go as long as it still not forbidden to go shopping or visiting my mum. It has to be boring to discover that Joe Blogg makes the same path everyday at 8:30. Could it be he is just commuting?


I just wish, in case my car gets stolen, it is that simple to locate it.

[cbjunkie]

Fishtoft,
I hope they don't get wise to the front number plate is missing on bikes!! Most new cameras are non flashing and are therefore front facing to identify the driver; so we are safe at the moment!!

jim - they will have to ban helmets so the software can recognize your face! ahhh...the freedom!!!   

[eldar]

All I can say is none of this crap has anything to do with safety. And the longer people put up this, the less freedom we will have. We will no longer even have the ILLUSION of freedom. I just dont understand why governments do not see the pattern. They more you step on the people, they shorter amount of time you are in power. It is called revolution.

[cbjunkie]

finally!!! glad to see someone else isn't afraid to drop the "R" word. seriously.

[dusterdude]

yea,i think its time to secede again

[cbjunkie]

OR the "S" word! 

[mrblasty]

Rarely ever say the "R'' word but it is always in my thoughts

[oldbiker]

Raul, this bunch of clowns that is known as our government is not interested in finding stolen cars or cutting crime rates, it is only interested in finding new ways of stealing the money out of our pockets. I'm expecting a visit from the secret police any moment now.
Did you notice that they have put an old lady in court for withholding a part of her community charge but the deputy prime minister, John Prescott, did not pay his community charge for 9 years and then was allowed to pass it off as 'an administrative error'.

[Japbikemike]

Here in the US we're blessed with stop light cameras and photo radar.  If they can't get your plate # AND your face you won't get a ticket.
The courts have already forgotten that troublesome "face your accuser" in court thing and automatically find you guilty to fund the man.
This p*sses me off since I used to be the man.
Long live the full face helmet!

[dusterdude]

Here in the US we're blessed with stop light cameras and photo radar.  If they can't get your plate # AND your face you won't get a ticket.
The courts have already forgotten that troublesome "face your accuser" in court thing and automatically find you guilty to fund the man.
This p*sses me off since I used to be the man.
Long live the full face helmet!

mike,thats like the presumed guilty #$%* if you blow over a .08

[Japbikemike]

Here in the US we're blessed with stop light cameras and photo radar.  If they can't get your plate # AND your face you won't get a ticket.
The courts have already forgotten that troublesome "face your accuser" in court thing and automatically find you guilty to fund the man.
This p*sses me off since I used to be the man.
Long live the full face helmet!

mike,thats like the presumed guilty #$%* if you blow over a .08

Well put!  The presumption of guilt on the .08 is worse since you could end up in jail.  Traffic "violations" don't merit constitution protections.