Cameras Used To Tow Cars For Overdue Library Books
from the watch-out dept
Bob Dole writes "If you thought allowing cameras to enforce traffic laws wasn't a problem, you better check and see whether you have any overdue library books. Next month, Arlington, Virginia will use a camera system called BootFinder to scan parked cars to find any that belong to people listed in a database as owing the city any money -- no matter how minor. The city has the option of towing your car and auctioning it if it's not ransomed within 10 days. New Haven, Connecticut has already made $500,000 and towed hundreds of cars with this scheme. Mark my words, jaywalking cameras are next." The system works by having a camera attached to a minivan that drives around the neighborhood and identifies license plates. Update: Reading through the details shows that one person who had his car towed via this system is already suing, claiming illegal search and seizure.
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Mixed feelings...
Part of me says "Wow, this is a pretty neat way for the city/county/state to get what's coming to them, and the other part of me is saying "Wow, how incredibly 1984 (the book - not the year) of them".
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Eminent Domain
Governments can and do suddenly order homes destroyed to make way for roads. A few years ago, one town in Virginia was ordered to have all stores along main street destroyed to make way for a highway.
So now, if you have some obscure local tax you didn't pay, government can show up with a bulldozer in your front yard.
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Re: Mixed feelings...
double plus ungood
Big Broher is scanning you
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Re: Eminent Domain
Or in the case of New London riverfront property owners, you can get booted out 'cause the town counsel wants a riverfront hotel and conference center.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4508927
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Re: Eminent Domain
This isn't far from those Larry Niven SF stories about people getting harvested for their organs for the most minor infraction of the law... to support life extension for others...
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