Whose Cameras Are Watching New York Roads?

NormalVisual writes "License-plate reading cameras are popping up on utility poles all over St. Lawrence County in upstate New York, but no one is willing to say who they belong to. One camera was found by a utility crew, removed from the pole, and given to the local police. 'Massena Police Chief Timmy Currier said he returned it to the owner, but wouldn't say how he knew who the owner was, nor would he say who he gave it to....(Andrew) McMahon, the superintendent at Massena Electric Department, said one of his crews found a box on one of their poles and took it down because "it was in the electric space," the top tier of wires on the pole above the telephone and cable TV wires, and whoever put it there had taken a chance with electrocution. He said they had never received a request or been informed about its placement.'"

Comments

they're all over main roads in England

[Anonymous Coward]

Basically everyone driving a car in England non-locally is tracked as they move around the country.

It's yet another reason I refuse to drive.

But if there is genuinely no knowledge of who they belong to in the US, someone should destroy one (on the basis of reasonable belief that it is a dangerous unauthorised addition to utility poles). The resulting court case would either reveal the owner or confirm that it is something thoroughly extra-legal.

Re:Party loyalty means you can be ignored ...

[BlueStrat]

Generally speaking, that's a reasonable position. The twist is that the US system is designed for consultation and compromise. So the Republicans want one thing, the Dems the other and they're suppose to split the difference.

What the Republicans have discovered is that compromises tend to make the President look good. So they've stopped compromising.

Compromise is all well and good, except when someone demands you compromise your basic principles.

Say, party 'A' wants to imprison the entire black population. Party 'B' says "NO!". Party 'A'' then proposes a compromise...just imprison half the black population. Party 'B' says "NO!" again, based on the same principle. Party 'A' then proclaims party 'B' is unreasonable and refuses to compromise.

This is basically what's been happening in Washington DC:

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Obama & Progs - "Let me put this in your mouth"

TEA - "HELL NO!!"

Obama & Progs - "C'mon, let me!"

TEA - "HELL NO!!"

Obama & Progs - "Ok then, compromise with me...just the tip."

TEA - "HELL NO!!"

Obama & Progs - "SEE!?!? Those TEA Party Terrorists and Republicans are all inflexible Right-Wing nutcase fanatical ideologues that won't compromise even a tiny bit, and they're racist homophobe gay-bashers too!!!"
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Strat