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(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick

Wed, Feb 23rd 2005 9:15am





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.

5 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    Mixed feelings...

    identicon
    Oliver Wendell Jones, Feb 23rd, 2005 @ 10:09am

    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".

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Eminent Domain

    identicon
    dorpus, Feb 23rd, 2005 @ 10:41am

    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.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re: Mixed feelings...

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 23rd, 2005 @ 1:51pm

    double plus ungood

    Big Broher is scanning you

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Eminent Domain

    identicon
    Michael Vilain, Feb 23rd, 2005 @ 3:06pm

    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

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: Eminent Domain

    identicon
    Ranger, Feb 24th, 2005 @ 10:23am

    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...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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