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UK To Passively Monitor Every Vehicle
DrSkwid writes "The UK Police are building a network to monitor the movement of every vehicle in the U.K. through an extensive Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system. The data will be retained for 2 years. The Register further reports that the system will likely be used for issuing speeding fines." From the article: "The primary aims claimed for the system are tackling untaxed and uninsured vehicles, stolen cars and the considerably broader one of 'denying criminals the use of the roads.' But unless the Times has got the spacing wrong, having one every quarter of a mile on motorways quite clearly means they'll be used to enforce speed limits as well, which would effectively make the current generation of Gatsos obsolete. Otherwise, checking a vehicle's tax and insurance status every 15 seconds or thereabouts would seem overkill."
The government doesn't force you to speed - you made that choice yourself. Admittedly the punishment should not be a fine -- it should be a temporary ban on driving and a requirement that you repass your test. Repeat offences should result in a permanent ban.
A car is a deadly piece of machinary - if you can't abide by the safety regulations you are not competant to use it.
James P. Barrett
The use of the word is DROVE not drived..please learn enlgish before spreading your ignorance.
~~"Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong." ~~Dennis Miller
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face -- for ever." - George Orwell ...or... ...You could vandalize and destroy the instruments of your own surveillance and control. Maybe those Frenchies are on to something these days...
No - they use the money the same way you yanks do - subjugating sovereign states and bolstering "defence" spending rather than doing anything good.
Todd: I hope it proves as delicious as the farmers that grew them
Who's up for a boycott of the EU since one member country, the UK is clearly doing evil things?
I mean, that's what we do here, isn't it?
"Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
Posted by a dork with a broken .sig
Si vis pacem, para bellum
The only thing more annoying than a Libertarian is an (un|mis)informed Libertarian