They know your deepest, secret, fear.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Well, maybe they don't know that, but they sure know how to get most peoples attention....... take your car.

For most of us, having the "authorities" take your car is a monumental hassle. When that happens, the best case scenario is, it's going to cost you plenty. Worst case could go much further than most people even want to contemplate.

A company called G2tactics has come up with a gadget that looks like a radar gun, but it reads license plate numbers and checks it against any database, automatically.
So mounted on a police car, it will be checking every car within range, while the cop goes about his business. If a plate shows up as stolen or registered to someone that has outstanding tickets/warrant, the thing will alert the cop.

That don't sound so bad, to an upstanding citizen.... more police efficiency for our tax bucks...right on.

Wrong on.
G2tactics says, "Our customers are law enforcement, parking enforcement, tax enforcement, asset protection, special investigations, and fleet management."
Wait a minute... fleet management? Asset protection and special investigations by whom?

Wired News says;

Bucholz, who designed some of the first mobile license plate reading, or LPR, equipment, gave a presentation at the 2006 National Institute of Justice conference here last week laying out a vision of the future in which LPR does everything from helping insurance companies find missing cars to letting retail chains chart customer migrations. It could also let a nosy citizen with enough cash find out if the mayor is having an affair, he says.

Giant data-tracking firms such as ChoicePoint, Accurint and Acxiom already collect detailed personal and financial information on millions of Americans. Once they discover how lucrative it is to know where a person goes between the supermarket, for example, and the strip club, the LPR industry could explode, says Bucholz.

Private detectives would want the information. So would repo men or bail bondsmen. And the government, which often contracts out personal data collection -- in part, so it doesn't have to deal with Freedom of Information Act requests -- might encourage it.

"I know it sounds really Big Brother," Bucholz says. "But it's going to happen. It's going to get cheaper and cheaper until they slap them up on every taxicab and delivery truck and track where people live." And work. And sleep. And move.

So, Big Brother is watching, so what? I'm not a terrorist or a criminal.
Maybe.

Kathy Martone of New Haven owed just $85 in taxes when the city -- without warning -- confiscated her Dodge Neon right out of her driveway while she was doing the dishes last week.

Maybe not.

Arlington, VA Uses Bootfinder Camera to Tow for Overdue Library Books

But it doesn't really matter.

The Florida Supreme Court allows cities to enact ordinances allowing seizure of vehicles belonging to those accused, not convicted, of misdemeanors.

Maybe this should go in the WTF thread.

[MaggieL]

So...you bolted a plate with an identifying number on your car, but you're just kinda hoping nobody reads it?

[skysidhe]

tee hee maggie


ok but what about global positioning units? http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/11/1136.asp

Those handy dandy grocery discount cards? http://couponing.about.com/od/grocer.../disccards.htm

or even that law that allows the Federal Government access to your SS number when you apply for a credit card?

Big brother dosn't bother me. I know my life is boring so if someone wants to watch they'll be snoring in their coffee soon enough. As for me I perhaps feel like I have some mark on this world. If even contributing to the american deficit with my money problems. I won't be a total unknown as I push up my daisys one day.

The only thing that does bother me is having things on ones credit report that either don't belong to you and you can't see what they are. You only get hints from creditors. Like they SAY there is this or that so they can either collect more money or raise your interest rate. something like that.

[Elspode]

When they finally, once and for all, come to take your guns, you can pretty much declare the totalitarian overthrow of our nation complete. All Hail Big Oil! All Hail Wall Street! All Hail the Mighty Corporate Masters!

Its all about the money.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

tee hee maggie
ok but what about global positioning units?

I doubt very much that speed enforcement is what the cabbies are worried about. They just don't want their company to know in real time when they're not where they're supposed to be.

[Elspode]

I've always liked the comedic take on this sort of thing...namely, the fact that, when you bounce a check, they charge you for more of what they know you don't have in the first place.

Business is paradoxical that way. Got millions? Then you can get a 2% loan on large ticket item purchases. Stone broke? Then your rate is 20%.

It may make business sense, but it doesn't make a lot of sense.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Although I doubt it would add up to being $1000 like I exaggerated above.

It could quite easily cost you a grand around here. If they grab it on Friday and you can't get it until Monday.

If you don't know it was towed, and not stolen, it could take days or weeks to just find out where it went. If you report it stolen the cops should be able to cross check and discover it was towed, easily. But that doesn't happen in reality, because interdepartmental information exchange is poor at best.

Towing your car without notice for an overdue book or tax is stupid, but Florida grabbing your car, just because you have been accused, not convicted, of a misdemeanor, just boggles my mind.
How can that possibly be Constitutional?

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

How can that possibly be Constitutional?

Haven't you heard? There is no Constitution anymore. It's like the road blocks they put up around here sometimes. They say it is Constitutional because they pick, say, every 5 cars...so that somehow makes it "random" and therefore is not entrapment. Pffft.

I think they should just wait outside bars and gun you down for walking out of one. That will show those social animals a thing or two. I'm sure it will make them think twice about that second Smirnoff Grape.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Elspode

I've always liked the comedic take on this sort of thing...namely, the fact that, when you bounce a check, they charge you for more of what they know you don't have in the first place.

So...you should only be charged for things if you have money? I'm going about this all wrong, then.

Actually they don't know how much money you have. They only know how much you're letting them keep for you.

[Flint]

hmmm "ChoicePoint" - we all know how accurate their work is.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Flint

hmmm "ChoicePoint" - we all know how accurate their work is.

Not to mention secure.

[KinkyVixen]

That truely is WTF...so pretty soon if you bounce a check you should be prepared to walk out of your house one morning to go to work only to find that your car has been towed and you owe $1,000 in fees and fines for a $30 bounced check...nice.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by KinkyVixen

That truely is WTF...so pretty soon if you bounce a check you should be prepared to walk out of your house one morning to go to work only to find that your car has been towed and you owe $1,000 in fees and fines for a $30 bounced check...nice.

According to some who worship on the alter of Ayn Rand, that is exactly correct. You did, after all, bounce that check which shows irresponsibility, lack of character, an inability to read and understand your responsibility and duty to your bank, checkbook, financial institution and mankind in general and probably a burgeoning criminal mind set on your part. Because of these deal-breaker personality faults, along with some unsavory library book selections you made while in college: all knowledge gleaned from your license plate, by the way (and, after all, YOU did put that license plate on your car, didn't you?) you have your choice of the following: Death by firing squad (don't worry, I hear some cellarites are very good shots) OR trial by water---a somewhat quaint practice that we are now resurrecting and we think you will enjoy!

Who says the system doesn't work! It's glorious!

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Brianna

Who says the system doesn't work! It's glorious!

So, you got all those little problems cleared up then.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by MaggieL

So, you got all those little problems cleared up then.

Oh, even better. You'd be surprised.