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Spy Copter Tickets You From The Sky
from the efficiency-in-ticketing dept
Bob Dole writes "The problem with red light and speed cameras, from the police side, is that not everyone speeds or runs red lights. Plus, people figure out where the cameras are located and avoid getting tickets. To solve this dilemma, UK police have just tested a helicopter capable of issuing camera tickets from the sky. The helicopter uses Automated Plate Number Recognition (ANPR) to scan 5 plates per second. Of course, the reason police say they're deploying the technology is to catch terrorists and car thieves. UK figures, however, show that in 2004, 51,000 ANPR tickets were issued for minor violations like using a cell phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt. Having expired auto insurance earns a $378 ticket. The UK government wants every police force in the country to have at least one ground-based ANPR system, and it hopes to store all the data scanned in a centralized database." This is the same device we've spoken about before -- though, you have to wonder if they're really going to be using helicopters to track down people who have overdue library books. It can't be particularly easy for helicopters to get themselves in a position to scan license plates.
Reader Comments
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How Terrible
Yes, how terrible when technology is used to catch people breaking the law. It would be awful if such techniques forced people to stop. Soon we'll live in a bad world where people obey the laws. Oh the pain, the pain.
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Re: How Terrible
It's not about catching people who are breaking the law. It's about raising money, often in a way that violates your due process rights.
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Re: How Terrible
Uh no! When they take a picture of a car on a road and the driver doesn't have current insurance, that's pretty much proving that person is breaking the law. I don't care if the motive to catch the person is money based, I just care if they catch the scofflaws and law breakers. Don't want them to raise money - don't break the laws. People are most indignant when they're caught red handed.
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Re: How Terrible
Do you not think the point of speeding is the safety aspect in the given location?
If so, then you should be out to improve safety, and in the process give people a fair chance to slow down (if such is required) - which, increasingly, anti-speed measures do not do. SPECS is invisible - so where's the point in that? Next stop, helicopters that you're unlikely to see floating way above you - or worse, strain your neck looking up to check whether it's an anti-speed one or not thereby causing more prang-ups!
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Re: How Terrible
Uh, I have insurance which covers me in any car that I drive. If you do not have insurance for your car and you lend your car to me and they snap a picture from a helicopter, try proving that you weren't driving. No law was broken, but you're going to have to pay a ticket for driving without insurance. I think you'll be pretty indignant.
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