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UK Launches National Dashcam Database For Snitching On Bad Drivers (cnet.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNET: Drivers in England and Wales now have a direct line to police for ratting on their fellow motorists, thanks to a new national dash cam database. The National Dash Cam Safety Portal, run by UK dashcam manufacturer Nextbase, lets drivers upload footage from their dashcam to a single database and send it directly to police, the BBC reports. Drivers can choose their region of England or Wales and send footage of accidents or illegal behavior on the road directly to local police, as well as sending a witness statement that can then be used in court.

235 comments

  1. UK National service doesn't include Scotland or NI by welshie · · Score: 2, Informative

    The fact that it doesn't include Scotland, or Northern Ireland doesn't really make it a 'UK National' service.

    Admittedly, Scotland does have its own legal system, which may have subtly different procedures to follow.

    Also terms and conditions of the service mean that NextBase is entitled to use your clips in their adverts, or possibly sending them on to those car crash tv shows.

    11. Rights you license

    11.1 When you upload or post content to our site (including, but without limitation dashcam videos), you grant to us a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive, sub-licensable, royalty-free and transferable licence to use, exploit, copy, store, disclose, reproduce, publish, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, perform and otherwise use that content for any purpose across any media including, but not limited to, promoting the site and its content, promoting our business, and promoting our products and services.

    However, earlier on in the terms, it states that "Whilst you retain legal ownership of your rights in your content, you are required to grant us the license described in paragraph 11 (Rights you license)."

  2. GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    What about GDPR? You can't go filming people (aka gathering personal data) all day long in the (unlikely) event that you'll film something illegal...

    1. Re: GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not required.

      CCTV is defined as being installed in a fixed location, so dash cams don't count, and the specific CCTV provisions don't apply.

      As dash cams point out into public spaces, expectations of privacy are low hence other sensitive data provisions don't apply, and you can easily argue "legitimate reasons" for having the footage for legal or insurance purposes.

      Inward pointing cameras are different matter, and registration would be required and stricter control of the footage needed (for example, audit trails of footage viewing, encryption, etc.)

    2. Re:GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      brexit :)

    3. Re:GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      GDPR only applies to companies not individuals. So the person recording the data is not in breach of GDPR. The data processor of this data (company) could be, but GDPR also does not apply to governmental organisations (in the same way).

      So, right or wrong, it's not going to be a GDPR problem.... we have other uk specific laws which cover this too. DPA 2018 etc.

    4. Re:GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      GDPR and DPA are in UK law (irrelevant of EU law). Brexit won't effect this. But also UK law will be more likely stricter that this going forwards.

      Weirdly.... British citizens won't be protected under GDPR, but we will have to protect EU citizens data (until we amend GDRP/DPA going forwards).

      Perhaps the best thing to do would be to remove the nationality / region status from the law and just treat everyone's data with respect.

    5. Re: GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I am pretty sure that's highly depended on what the UK GDPR watchdog, thinks but: There's expectation of privacy in public too with dashcams. You don't film public open spaces, you mostly film other people's registration plates which are considered personal data. You also film their routes and time. (or where they were at a specific time). That's also personal data.
      Article 16 of GDPR states under which specific conditions such processing is lawful. The only condition that even comes close to consider such widespread processing of other individuals' data lawful is under (f):

      >(f) processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child.

      And here comes on how strict an interpretation the UK watchdog does. Does your widespread data processing of multiple other people's data (as defined above) protect a legitimate interest of yours that is superior to the interest or fundamental rights and freedoms of the multitude of (innocent) people involved?
      I would say not. (I don't know what the UK watchdog says though).

    6. Re:GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      wrong GDPR is not just companies.

      if you are an individual processing data you are still under GDPR.

      an example is CCTV on a private house, if it covers ANY public areas not on your property you have to register

    7. Re:GDPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      GDPR only applies to companies not individuals.

      Wrong. Article 4 subsections 7 and 8 of GDPR:

      (7) ‘controller’ means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by Union or Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by Union or Member State law;

      (8) ‘processor’ means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller;

  3. Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Rather than call and complain, and maybe the close will see the guy in the next 10 minutes, this will allow sociopathic road behavior to be truly curtailed. Yes, i see the whining. Sure, if you go to court, they don't see what that other idiot did to piss you of, but your vehicular assault was your action.

  4. call me later by supernova87a · · Score: 1

    This is really stupid.

    I'm not willing to trade off our rights until this is a real-time in-vehicle tagging system with 4k video upload over cellular and police cars flying by to catch the asshole I've tagged.

  5. Re:Police state by vrassoc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm not in the UK, but I'm all for ratting out drivers who have no concern for my or my family's safety. If I had access to such a facility, I don't believe I would be bothered to submit footage of everyday misdemeanours that all drivers make, but blatant reckless and life endangering driving should be reported and I'd be happy to assist in that.

  6. From the videos (TV) that I have seen so far... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ...this seems to be really neccessary.

    But the Russian videos are still the BEST!

  7. Bullshit slashvert clickbait misleading title... by Bearhouse · · Score: 3, Informative

    It's not "the UK" and it's not a "national database" seemingly run by the Gov. or the police.
    It is a private site, run by a private dashcam company, that just redirects you to the individual police force pace, (England and Wales only, so if it's Scotland or NI you're looking for then you're SOL).

    They are nice-enough to state in their T&Cs that "You may be use [sic] the NDSP to upload footage from any dash cam, action camera, mobile phone or any other type of camera from any manufacturer."

    I bloody well should think so, since they're just linking through to the cops own sites!

  8. Re:Police state by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm not in the UK, but I'm all for ratting out drivers who have no concern for my or my family's safety.

    If I had access to such a facility, I don't believe I would be bothered to submit footage of everyday misdemeanours that all drivers make, but blatant reckless and life endangering driving should be reported and I'd be happy to assist in that.

    I have mixed opinions on this.

    Yeah, sure, there have been times I wish a cop had been around to witness someone doing something egregiously bad. However, everyone has done something stupid whilst driving at some point. Everyone has done something illegal, either on purpose or by accident.

    Never misread a sign? Gone the wrong way down a one way street - or driven at 70mph in a 60mph zone?

    I guarantee what is going to happen here is every Spurs fan is going to start trying to catch Arsenal football players making a mistake whilst driving. United fans are going to try to catch and force Liverpool players into making mistakes. People are going to target their rivals, enemies, and people they don't like... and people will get caught making silly mistakes.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  9. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Snitch? Yeah, you're obviously the asshole driver. Reporting vehicular assault is not snitching. Don't snitch is ghetto bullshit.

  10. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The UK continuing in its steady descent toward a police state.

    You know, with the stupid shit I see on a daily basis while driving, I've begun thinking about buying a dashcam ... because if any of those idiots causes an accident I want some proof of their stupidity.

    If citizens can send in "holy shit, look what this guy just did", then maybe the police can find the idiots responsible and ticket them (or charge them depending on what they've done).

    I see an unbelievable amount of scary and dangerous stuff on the roads .. the ability to report that to the police seems natural.

    I don't see this as a police state, but as a way for the information to be crowd-sourced because the police can't be everywhere.

    Because when you see someone swoop across 4 lanes, cut 3 other drivers off, and then swoop back across two lanes because you have no idea where you're going ... someone is going to get killed if people drive like that.

    Hell, open up the ability for me to take a picture of people talking on their cell phones and submit that. I can't tell you how many times I see people texting and driving -- I've even seen people with both thumbs on their fucking phone. I fail to see how a police officer can't stand at an intersection and just pick of dozens of people texting because they're so blatant about it.

    Sorry, if you drive badly enough that someone wants to submit their dashcam footage to law enforcement, you deserve it.

  11. Re:Police state by geekmux · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The UK continuing in its steady descent toward a police state.

    Uh, unlike a true police state, this system is voluntary.

    This "police state", is whatever the citizens make it.

  12. Larry Himmel covered this by Snotnose · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Back in the 80s he proposed that drivers get a dart a month. You can shoot that dart at an asshole driver. If a driver collects 3 or more darts they lose driving privileges for a month.

    Simply brilliant

    / RIP funny man

    1. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Needs a moderation system associated with the dart "issuer". Some people are more reliable reporters than others. Receiving a dart from someone with no tickets or accidents on their record for the last 30 years should count more than a dart from the road rager who was angry that someone was in the slow lane when he wanted to use it to drag race.

    2. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Like China's "citizen points" database?

    3. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's why it needs multiple dart hits (in a month). One rager wouldn't get you even if they still had darts. Even a pair that wanted to race wouldn't get you. A larger group could screw with someone of course.

      Lets see, the refresh date on a used dart would have to be random to avoid a "use it or lose it" mentality for minor grievances. Banking darts would be bad as it creates opportunity to screw with people by delivering 3 darts at once.

      The refresh time could even depend on how often a dart is used. Someone that has driven for 300 hours without using one might refresh in 6 hours while the person that uses it every time it pops up has to wait 2 months for a refresh.

      Darts would clear after a fixed time, not all at once on a fixed date. Other drivers shouldn't be able to see your dart count to prevent griefing on the last dart.

      I could see a drive to make the outward appearance of your vehicle as anonymous as possible so regular commuters don't say "Oh, it's that gold and black Juke that always weaves through traffic. Do I have a dart?"

      All in all a fun idea. Infeasible but fun.

    4. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd seen the American comedian Anthony Gallagher Jr. aka "Gallagher", do the same schtick. This is the guy who would set up a watermelon, hit it with a ginormous wooden mallet, and spray his audience. People would fight to get front-row seats so they could receive this spray. Who knew?

      In his patter, though, his darts would have a little flag that says "STUPID", and if a cop sees too many, he pulls the miscreant over and gives him a ticket for being an asshole.

      I'd wholeheartedly endorse this.

    5. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My solution is drive faster so the dart misses.

    6. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can shoot that dart at an asshole driver.

      A dart? I can think of other things to shoot. The bed of my F-150 can store more than enough energy to disable enemy vehicles with a directed EMP blast. Now excuse me while I daydream a bit more.

    7. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Snotnose · · Score: 1

      All in all a fun idea. Infeasible but fun.

      Larry Himmel was a comedian.

    8. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And we have fun examining consequences of his ideas, even if presented in jest.

    9. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 1

      I heard it from a comedian decades ago -- give everyone a purple paingun. When you seen an idiot driver, shoot his car. When the police see a completely purple car, they give them a "stupid driver" ticket.

      --
      If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
    10. Re:Larry Himmel covered this by q4Fry · · Score: 1

      A Dave Barry column from 2004 gives credit to Gallagher.

  13. Re:Police state by DRJlaw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The UK continuing in its steady descent toward a police state.

    Well, we can't have that. You must allow a minority of citizens to engage in any sort of dangerous driving so long as they are wise enough to avoid doing it in front of marked police. You also must ban other citizens from collecting evidence that might be used to punish an offender. Because police state...

    Police State: a political unit characterized by repressive governmental control of political, economic, and social life usually by an arbitrary exercise of power by police and especially secret police in place of regular operation of administrative and judicial organs of the government according to publicly known legal procedures.

    Yep. Other citizens = secret police, traffic enforcement = arbitrary exercise of power, traffic court = star chamber acting in place of judicial organs exercising publicly known legal procedures.

    It totally matches, by which I mean that you're simply butthurt that other users of the road can collect and now submit objective evidence of your asshattery so that you just might have to drive in a civilized manner.

  14. They weren't occupied by the nazis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't get me wrong it's probably a good thing the UK wasn't occupied by the nazis but had they been they would be not so keen on such practice. Denunciating your neighbors or even complete strangers is considered wrong, I hope. At least survivors of WW2 thought so.

    1. Re:They weren't occupied by the nazis by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      AC your not getting the UK and its collection past.
      CID Criminal investigation department
      DSO Defence security officer
      HOW Home Office Warrants
      IPI Indian Political Intelligence
      LIC Local Intelligence Committee
      SLO Security Liaison Officers
      Decades of collection, reports and reporting.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  15. Re:Police state by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How will you feel when someone uploads a carefully edited clip that makes it look like you are a bad driver, when in fact you were avoiding an accident with someone else?

    As ever, the problem with vigilante justice is the lack of due process and fairness.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  16. Not enough time in the day ... by gordguide · · Score: 1

    Really, what kind of Do-Gooder has the time and energy to upload twenty videos every day? Sure, they're persistent, but there's a limit even with that crowd.

    1. Re:Not enough time in the day ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you looked on youtube? plenty of cyclists seem to have the time to upload video of motorists committing what they perceive to be major motoring offences.

    2. Re:Not enough time in the day ... by PReDiToR · · Score: 1

      I do.

      Over here in little old Blighty we have a scourge on our streets called "UBER".
      They take a guy who sits in an office all day and incentivise him to go to a city he's never even visited before and move people, and their children around on unfamiliar streets, whilst watching a SatNav, for money. They give him 75% of the money he charges, but they make up for it by charging 400-700% of what a proper cab would charge.

      These guys drive up one-way streets the wrong way, then claim racial harrassment when you tell them, politely or otherwise, that they're going the wrong way, they sit on ranks made for black cabs which if they were proper drivers, they would know the law of the land forbids them from even stopping on, they go the LONG way round because they haven't got a clue other than GOOG maps and THAT takes you round the houses in clear contravention of the cab law in the UK ...

      Sending in videos of these guys being idiots shows them we won't sit back and take their dangerous stupidity lying down.
      They will be punished for their ignorance.

      If these presumably lovely guys (and gals) knew the area, the roads, the shortest routes, and stuck to the law, they wouldn't be getting fines.

      So yes, this is a great way to improve the safety of our roads. I'm all for that, as you can imagine.

      --

      Do not meddle in the affairs of geeks for they are subtle and quick to anger
  17. Re:Police state by markdavis · · Score: 2

    >"Never misread a sign? Gone the wrong way down a one way street - or driven at 70mph in a 60mph zone?"

    Yeah, I have mixed feelings too.

    It is one thing to report someone with a hit-and-run, weaving in and out of traffic, driving drunk, riding on the wrong side of the road, going 40MPH over the speed limit, or backing up an exit ramp and such.... and quite another when it is an expired tag, not coming to an ABSOLUTE stop at a stop sign, or running a yellow light.

  18. Re:Bullshit slashvert clickbait misleading title.. by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's got police force logos on it, which implies that they endorse it. If they don't then hopefully they will pay Nextbase a visit to sort that out.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  19. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The solution is not lax and selective enforcement of bad laws. It is rigorous and consistent enforcement of all laws. That gets rid of bad laws. Make the penalties reasonable, say a drivers Education class (free /low cost) the first offense, and add fines - proportionate to income/wealth as needed.

    There just needs to be a safeguard against photoshop/video editing type shenanigans.

  20. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ah yes, that particularly insidious brand of vigilante justice where the vigilantes give evidence and testimony to the police, then let the justice system take over. We cannot allow this kind of barbarism to take root in the civilized world.

  21. Re:Police state by DRJlaw · · Score: 1, Insightful

    How will you feel when someone uploads a carefully edited clip that makes it look like you are a bad driver, when in fact you were avoiding an accident with someone else?

    As ever, the problem with vigilante justice is the lack of due process and fairness.

    *Gasp* Complaints might be false and evidence might be incomplete or false? Why, no court system anywhere at anytime has had to deal with such insurmountable problems!

    *Double gasp* Traffic court is run by vigilantes, and lack due process and fairness? Damn... and here I thought that they were run by appointed judges that were supposed to at least pay lip service to such concepts.

    Time to set up my own traffic court. With a guillotine. Because I can.

    Did you even think about what you wrote before you clicked "submit"?

  22. Broken cnet link by tomknight · · Score: 3, Informative

    Not sure if anyone actually wants to follow the cnet link in TFA, but it's broken. Here's a working one: https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/u...

    --
    Oh arse
  23. Re:Police state by Gavagai80 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The solution to the fact that everyone makes mistakes driving is not to let everyone get away with it. It's to reduce the fines to the point where people who rarely make mistakes can afford it but people who make them constantly can't afford it (this also really requires adjusting fines to the driver's income, but that's a different matter).

    --
    This space intentionally left blank
  24. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Found the shitty driver ^^^

    Note: Some agencies in the United States already do this. I've been able to get people cited using dash cam footage provided to local police.

  25. Re:Police state by v1 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They don't actually have to bother with that. China's doing this now, they've got an automated system where users can upload cell phone video of you breaking a law. So then they'll do things like go out on the highways and drive just above the lower speed limit, block traffic, weave around, and generally incite people to speed around them to "get out of the way of that maniac", who is of course filming you breaking the law.

    The reason it's a problem there though is they get PAID for the snitching. There's really no reason for that, people that are truly upset by lawbreakers will be more than happy to upload a video that may get them a hand-slap and reduce future occurrences, they don't need a monetary reward. Paying people to report this sort of thing on the other hand, is just insanely stupid because it just encourages people to incite lawbreaking. So lets hope the UK doesn't Do The Stupid and think about paying people for these reports.

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  26. Not "national" but private company site by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From the F BBC article:

    "Road users are now able to submit footage of dangerous driving to police in England and Wales, using a platform set up by a dashcam manufacturer."

  27. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I think OP means like people who drive 80+ mph on the shoulder in bumper-to-bumper traffic, road ragers, and the like. Even if the police received footage of someone running a red light a half second after it turned red, I doubt they'd do anything. But the guy who blows through the intersection at 60 mph 10 seconds after it's been red, fuck yes. If the footage captured his face it should be a short stint in county jail for those kind of dangerous stunts.

  28. Re:Police state by vrassoc · · Score: 1

    Granted, a system like this could be abused. In my opinion it is up to the authorities to apply it sensibly, for example to send only warnings to people who are caught making silly mistakes, or with expired registrations, and so forth. As for targeting someone specific, as some have suggested might happen - wouldn't you look silly if you, as the complainant, are caught harassing another road user to the point of breaking the law, if it wasn't clear from the footage already? Also bear in mind that the presence of law enforcement, as opposed to its application, is a deterrent in itself. Warning signs that speed camera traps are present on a road are enough to slow motorists down. Would knowing that anyone could be videoing you not be enough to make deliberately reckless drivers think twice? My vote is still in favour of the system, with the potential benefits outweighing the bad.

  29. Bad! by Megol · · Score: 2

    Just as people snitching on child abusers, robbers, rapists, violent thugs is bad! If people want to risk the life of others and behaving dangerously they should be able to without being being told on by stinking rats!

    If this continues drunks can't safely drive home on the wrong side of the road anymore. Incredible.

    1. Re:Bad! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret.

      Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings.

  30. Re:Police state by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Video editing and compositing is fantastic these days. All one needs is a database of make/model/year/color vehicles with videos of egregious driving and some Deep Fakes processing. Let's see how well the Sox do in the Series when their pitcher is pinched on a DUI.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  31. Ripe for abuse. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Find a dashcam video of a legitimate bad driver with a similar car to someone you want to harrass. Change the license plate number in the video to be the license plate number of your target. Now you have "video evidence" of them breaking the law.

    Or, heck, you can extort every person with a similar car - the tech to overwrite the license plate number isn't super complex these days. Build a bunch of "personalized" videos for each of your targets, email them threatening to upload the video (resulting in, say, a $100 fine plus an insurance rate hit and points off their license) to the database unless they pay you $50....

  32. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Solution: have your own dashcams.

    I keep all my recording a couple of months. I extract (keeping context by using large margins around the event) anything strange I notice for much longer. And yes I upload idiots doing idiotic things on purpose (according to my opinion of the situation).

  33. China has this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    China has this. They even pay for the evidence. So, of course, people with the dashcams entrap/bait drivers, doing VERY dangerous maneuvers, like stopping dead on a highway and then filming people driving around them on the shoulder.

    I expect the same will happen in the UK, the payment will be revenge on someone you're pissed off at. Perhaps they cut you off earlier, but you don't think the evidence is good enough. Maybe you don't appreciate their natural lawn in the neighbourhood. Whatever.

  34. Re: Police state by nctritech · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No, it doesn't get rid of bad laws at all because the law enforcers will investigate themselves and find that they did nothing wrong, plus it is very difficult to have a law repealed once it's been passed. In a strict sense, you're correct: if the enforcers got ticketed for breaking laws and couldn't get out of it, you'd see some action, but that ain't happening anywhere. For the photo/video thing, I would hope some forensic analysis went into it (editing of real images is not generally hard to detect unless someone's a freaking wizard at it and can reproduce the exact noise and artifacts and file specs and metadata with great accuracy) but laziness is also a hallmark of nearly every law enforcement organization due to constantly being understaffed and under-funded.

  35. Re:Police state by shortscruffydave · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I see an unbelievable amount of scary and dangerous stuff on the roads .. the ability to report that to the police seems natural.

    Agreed. If I saw somebody committing an assault or breaking into a building I'd snap something on my camera and call the police. It would feel ludicrous to let the incident go unreported because I'd be snitching on somebody and promoting a police state.

  36. Re:Police state by Mashiki · · Score: 1

    I've got a problem with snitching services in general. Generally, in most countries you simply call 911 or the equivalent service and talk directly to the police in cases of "blatant reckless and life endangering driving" done it many times going down the 401 here in Ontario. You know the guy who nearly pushes another car into the ditch because they're on their cellphone. The guy going down the hammer lane so fast that when you're already 20 over the limit they make you seem like you're standing still. One of two things happen in Ontario when you do this, either the police are sent out or the MTO is sent out. The MTO is the equivalent of DOT and can fine and seize vehicles at the road side, they *hate* doing this because it means people are pulled from truck inspections. Being pulled over by the MTO is about the worst thing that can happen.

    Seriously, just use your phone. Unless your vehicle was made prior to 2005 nearly every car has one built into it, or support for BT enabled support. You get much faster responses then uploading a video and waiting a couple of weeks for someone to look at it.

    --
    Om, nomnomnom...
  37. Re: Police state by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 2

    I come to a complete stop at stop signs and people often react badly. It throws the 'roll through' drivers off their rhythm.

  38. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Reporting vehicular assault is not snitching. Don't snitch is ghetto bullshit.

    So is it snitching or is it not?

  39. Never A Shortage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    There's never a shortage of those self-centered enough to impinge on others.

    The police state relies almost entirely on the likes of you.

    'I like it because it benefits me. Screw whether or not you like it because it infringes on you.' = My imagined benefit, no interest in you.

    'I feel safe knowing that security theater is protecting me. Do you want to support terrorists?' = My imagined benefit, no interest in you.

  40. Re:Police state by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 2

    What's your opinion on self-driving cars? Personally I can't wait, and a good part of the reason is the same concerns you have about reckless driving.

  41. Russian dash cams by spinitch · · Score: 1

    No Not fake Vid that is Political opponent breaking UK driving laws. How they got in UK driving same side even though American not important bust them. After they sort out fake vids, Habitual offenders will be first targets. Example Japan found a guy, To late, but he exhibited dangerous rage on multiple occasions and finally a couple killed as he forced the to stop and truck came up from behind and killed them accidentally. Also an interesting way to fund the policemen department expenses. Over budget this month find some vids and top up ticket revenue. AI software companies will want in to do analysis since takes time to go thru footage.

  42. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Get caught doing that and I think jail time beckons.

  43. Re:Police state by Alain+Williams · · Score: 2, Informative

    There is a better solution to 'occasional mistakes' operating in the UK. If you are caught, for instance, a few miles/hour over the limit you are given the option of doing a 1/2 day 'driver awareness' course that costs £70-£110. The benefit is that it is not a conviction so you avoid having points put on your license (get 12 & lose it). There is confusion as to if you need to tell your insurer - but you must if they ask. You are not given the choice if you have taken a course in the last 3 years or your 'mistake' was bad enough.

  44. Re:Police state by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Do you have any idea how prosecution of driving offences works in the UK?

    The police are regulated because they have been found do abuse traffic laws. The equipment they can use is regulated, the places they can operate are regulated, the way they can detect offences is regulated. And still there is abuse.

    There is heavy pressure for you to settle the matter out of court. Pay your fine, go on an "awareness" course, don't fight it in court. If you do fight it, you need to pay for your own defence, and if you lose also the court fees.

    Defending yourself can be very tricky. The courts are corrupt and tend to side with the police unless you have extremely powerful evidence of your innocence.

    Examples of abuse include the misuse of speed guns and CCTV cameras positioned to give a misleading impression, e.g. due to perspective effects making vehicles appear closer than they really are.

    And now they want to get the public in on an already very unfair and unbalanced system. No doubt they will produce some very clear cut, extreme examples to gain support. But I have do doubt that there will be a huge number of innocent people accused and railroaded by the system.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  45. dui needs an test to make it stick not an photo by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1, Redundant

    dui needs an test to make it stick not an photo

  46. Re:Police state by freeze128 · · Score: 1

    Was he actually drinking and driving? If so, fine. But you assume that these videos will actually be reviewed by police and acted upon. It might just be a place for people who feel they have no power to blow off steam. I doubt that the police will go out of their way to arrest a bad driver based on some videos uploaded by a random user. It might be used as evidence to PILE ON other charges if the offender gets arrested for something else.

  47. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And there is no way a bad actor will upload video under an assumed name, or using IP masking tricks, or otherwise make it impossible to find your accuser, right?

  48. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They will have no choice to investigate such allegations. How do you think the public will react if the database is just for show? They either use it or lose the public trust in their shiny new totalitarian tool.

  49. missing disclaimer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "this submission sponsored by nextbase dash cams"

  50. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You mock, but due process is dead. This is an extremely effective means of destroying somebody. Ask me how I know.

  51. A safer world? I think not. by bill.pev · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Any of you who lived in communist Poland or Ukraine will agree: A population that informs on itself to the police stops being a civilization and becomes simply a population, living in a culture of suspicion and fear, or passive aggressive seething anger.

    Its starts with reporting bad behavior on the road.. it ends with people who express out loud in a pub their empathy for the peaceful majority of Muslims being dragged from their families in the middle of the night, and never seen again.

    Who'se actually "safe" in that world? And please don't say the honest law abiding people with nothing to hide. That is naive and not supported by fact.

    1. Re:A safer world? I think not. by sinij · · Score: 1

      Absolutely. This times 100.

      You could have the best intentions with such system, but result will be setting neighbors against each other. There is zero chance this won't be weaponized in some form to settle scores.

    2. Re:A safer world? I think not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      >A population that informs on itself to the police stops being a civilization

      What, so you should never call the police to report something? If you see a murder in progress you should just shrug and carry on? If you see someone walking into a busy area brandishing a knife aggressively then you should just carry on as if nothing happened? If you see someone get dragged into a van kicking and screaming which then drives off at high speed then you should do nothing?

      If you wanted to argue against people reporting each other for comparatively minor things I might understand, but you're saying that people should never assist the police. Your argument is extreme to the point of idiocy. The idea that you can either tell the police nothing or end up in a dystopian police state is a false dichotomy.

    3. Re:A safer world? I think not. by klui · · Score: 1

      Just viewing some dashcam channels will show how there are some really bad and dangerous drivers. Love it when they get instant karma.

    4. Re:A safer world? I think not. by ledow · · Score: 1

      In the UK this is countered, believe it or not, by the police force.

      They have discretion, common sense, just want to get the job done, aren't interested in pursuing every little spat at gunpoint, but also aren't disinterested if they can see you're worried or have a genuine grievance.

      Most of these will be ignored. Some will result in a little letter saying "We've had a report that... " with zero enforcability. The serious ones will result in a case just as they should.

      But if you haven't lived in the UK, you may not get that. Police will often come out. Nod. Agree. And then says that there's not much that can be done / that they'd be willing to do. Not because they couldn't if they had to. Not because they want such things to propogate. But because they take a reasoned approach where bearing down on someone because they cut lanes a bit isn't worth their time and hassle to deal with.

    5. Re:A safer world? I think not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The police are a weapon of last resort, just like a firearm is, and for much the same reason; if you bring the police around too often there's a good chance that innocent people will get hurt. Obviously, there are situations where the police -should- be involved, and that's their job, and it's OK as a last resort to risk the harm they will do rather than permit some greater harm that is about to happen; but your argument is equally extreme and you are taking things out of context.

      These dash cams will be used to sic the police on that asshole who cut you off on your commute, who technically did nothing illegal but pissed you off. And that's going to cause a huge amount of damage to the communities exposed to this. That's what OP was talking about. Get off your high horse.

    6. Re:A safer world? I think not. by DaveV1.0 · · Score: 1

      A population that informs on itself to the police stops being a civilization

      I see. So, if you or someone you loved were attacked in public you would want people to pretend it wasn't happening and for everyone to tell the police they didn't see a thing, yes? Otherwise you are a hypocrite. Hell, I kind of wish I knew where to find you so I could mug your stupid ass then if you reported it to the police I could post it here showing your are a hypocrite.

      In fact, a civilization requires people to follow the laws of the civilization and it requires people to enforce those laws and it requires citizens to help enforce the laws.

      Want to know who is safe in a world where no one informs to the police? Criminals and only criminals.

      Finally, your slippery slope fallacy is fucking moronic.

      --
      There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
    7. Re:A safer world? I think not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The comment is technically correct - the result, however, is anarchy = stops being a civilization.

    8. Re:A safer world? I think not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Today some asshole decided that he wanted to take the turn he'd already missed, and so crossed the solid line "do not cross" area and forced me to make an emergency stop on a 60mph road. To my left was traffic whizzing past; to my right a concrete barrier. Idiot in front, other traffic approaching from behind... I was just lucky that they were also paying attention otherwise I'd be sausage meat.

      People like that should just plain not be on the road. I'm pretty sure it's a criminal offence, but the police who received the video get to decide if it warrants actioning.

      I don't understand your "the police are a last resort" thing; here they are who is supposed to deal with traffic crime? Do you prefer vigilante justice? What's your preferred option?

      If getting the police involved in sorting out crime is resulting in too many deaths then I'm pretty sure you should be complaining about the police not the people who are calling them.

      In the UK, the police have killed 53 people since 2000. That's about a 1 per hundred million population per year.

      In the US, there are no centralised statistics for police killings, but federal analysis estimates 3509 killings since 2008 (independent analysis usually significantly higher, but let's not get into that). That's about 1 per million population per year, or a rate about a hundred times higher than the UK.

      You guys definitely have a "police killing people" problem; how related that is to the relative prevalence of guns, the training and attitude of police, and the tragic lack of mental healthcare are to that I leave as an exercise for the reader.

  52. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    It gets bad once the vigilantes are deliberately causing people to get pissed off and undertake (which is stupidly easy to do if you sit in the wrong lane deliberately) then upload that snippet to this new database.

    Also, could be an easy way to get the database killed off for being stupid and dangerous in the first place. It's basically inciting entrapment a grand scale.

  53. Re:the Nazis pushed people to Snitch on others by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did the naziis road rage daily? Did they have to juggle calling 911 to report a bad driver and trying to drive good at the same time?

  54. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Great example but your logic is flawed. Any system like this can be exploited for âoeprofitâ. The gains might not be financial, but there will be people that incite lawbreaking and report them because some people just want to see the world burn. Sports rivalries, neighborly disputes, and other petty arguments now have a new outlet for using the courts to exact revenge.

  55. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If everyone was trying hard not to make mistakes on the road, they might demand safer cars from auto manufacturers. They don't have to make a car that can drive over the speed limit.

  56. Re:Police state by dwillden · · Score: 1

    What's he doing driving in the UK?

    --
    I'm too lazy to compose a creative sig.
  57. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah I would worry about it being used for silly reasons, for example all those "shit parker" Facebook groups on seem to spurt on people driving around all day just looking for someone's car to take a picture of because they parked 1cm onto the white line.

  58. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by mrbester · · Score: 2

    "Report that driver who cut you off. Fabulous prizes to be won!"

    --
    "Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"
  59. Hayling Islanders by niks42 · · Score: 1

    There's a whole bunch of silver surfers who live on Hayling Island, who currently name and shame motorists who drive in less than thoughtful, considerate ways. They currently just take photos on their smart phones (let's not wonder how they manage to take a picture of someone else's driving legally) and post them to the Hayling group on Facebook ..

    This is going to give them a whole new, potentially litigious way of abusing visitors to the island. Wow.

    The police have obviously latched on to rate-driver.co.uk as a Good Idea.

    There will be unexpected, unhelpful consequences.

  60. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Video editing and compositing is fantastic these days. All one needs is a database of make/model/year/color vehicles with videos of egregious driving and some Deep Fakes processing. Let's see how well the Sox do in the Series when their pitcher is pinched on a DUI.

    So you just indicated a way to resistance. Lets set up brigades of snitchers of public figures, rich people, government officials. This law will change in no time.

  61. Used correctly...... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Used correctly this kind of thing could be good, getting dangerous drivers off the streets, increasing accountability of emergency services abusing their privileges, etc. However it would take a lot to convince me that would be the case. Here in the US there have been more than a few cases (Michael DeHerrera Beating, Hollywood FL "pull a little Disney" video, LAPD dashcam tampering, etc.) where equipment meant to keep them accountable has "malfunctions" and videos that do exist are next to impossible to acquire. And while this database seems will be maintained by a company, the police would obviously have a say in what videos they see fit to act on, and at least to a degree what videos the company would release on their own.

  62. Monitor your favorite politician by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Monitor your favorite politician family car 24/24 for one week.

    1. Re:Monitor your favorite politician by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't be naive. One law for commoners, one for the landed gentry, another one for the rulers.

  63. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The UK continuing in its steady descent toward a police state.

    Uh, unlike a true police state, this system is voluntary.

    This "police state", is whatever the citizens make it.

    The son of a bitch who snitches me will have found a bigger problem than a bad motorist. I will make them pay dearly. Believe me.

  64. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Keep your thoughts to your fucking self. We don't bitch about Trump faggots like you in the US so stay the fuck out of the UK. Enjoy sucking that Trump dick.

  65. Re: Police state by markdavis · · Score: 1

    >"I come to a complete stop at stop signs and people often react badly. It throws the 'roll through' drivers off their rhythm."

    Around here, I would guess that about 80% of Stop signs don't require a "full" stop to assess if it is safe to proceed. Probably HALF of them could be safely replaced with Yield signs. Alas, it seems people don't comprehend what "Yield" means, so seeing a Yield sign is rare, indeed. Instead, we have more and more and more 4-way stops.

  66. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Kielistic · · Score: 1

    As long as it also incentivizes not holding up traffic, blocking the fast/passing lanes I am all for this. I say that as someone who makes the odd asshole maneuver- usually to get around someone blocking traffic.

  67. Already Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The county sheriff was given my dash cam footage last summer after someone did this (33 seconds in). Does that make me a snitch?

    Hell no. That driver put everyone else in grave danger and deserved to have their license revoked. Talk to anyone that has had a loved one killed behind the wheel by a drunk and they will agree.

  68. shoot em and then shoot em by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would just shoot all drivers making the smallest mistake, because driving a killer vehicle requires responsibility

  69. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Topmounter · · Score: 1

    Spare us your 'vehicular assault' drama Anonymous Coward and quit loafing along at 10 under in the fast lane.

  70. Hey, pedestrians have cameras too! by OpenSourced · · Score: 1

    Why stop with dashcams? I would love to have an app where you could just take a photo of a double parked car, or a dog owner not picking up after, and send it with GPS and time info to the police. Even if most were ignored, as they would surely be, the feeling of having done something would help me.

    A police state is not created because the police have too many information, but because they are not controlled enough.

    --
    Rome taught me patience and assiduous application to detail. Virtues which temper the boldness of great, general views.
    1. Re:Hey, pedestrians have cameras too! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why stop with dashcams? I would love to have an app where you could just take a photo of a double parked car, or a dog owner not picking up after

      You’ve clearly never seen twitter.

  71. Re:Police state by markdavis · · Score: 1

    >"Video editing and compositing is fantastic these days. "

    I don't think the point of uploading videos is to actually CAUSE a violation or fine or anything, I am not sure that would even be legal (at least in the USA). But it could cast probable cause that could be used later if they are actually caught by the police doing something wrong that is similar. Or, it could act as evidence if the act was called in first, real-time, and the police were able to catch them doing whatever it was they were doing. For example, call and report a drunk driver, live. You have video. The police respond and catch up to that driver and pull him over. The video could be used as additional evidence when later uploaded. Same thing with a hit-and-run, there should be physical evidence already on the perp's car. Or a stolen car in which someone caught it on video. Or a robbed bank. Etc.

    Of course, your point is very valid and any third-party evidence would have to be examined carefully to look for tampering.

  72. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thatâ(TM)s fine. Be aware that I might have a dash cam as well, and here in the US there are private investigator databases that list complete information based on license plate numbers (I had access to one while doing some PI work). You rat me out and if I figure it out Iâ(TM)ll fuck you up. Hard to drive on four slashed tires, Mr. Stasi. Then again that shit wonâ(TM)t fly here in the US due to lack of positively identifying the driver so it doesnâ(TM)t go on their record.

  73. As Someone Who Likes To Drive... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As someone who likes to drive I initially hated the idea of self-driving cars. But, after suffering the countless unnecessary slow downs due to inattentive/texting drivers, or rubber-neckers(Grrr!!!), people that hit the brake randomly and for no reason whatsoever, I'm eager for self driving cars. They'll allow me to enjoy driving again.

    1. Re:As Someone Who Likes To Drive... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As someone who likes to drive I initially hated the idea of self-driving cars. But, after suffering the countless unnecessary slow downs due to inattentive/texting drivers, or rubber-neckers(Grrr!!!), people that hit the brake randomly and for no reason whatsoever, I'm eager for self driving cars. They'll allow me to enjoy driving again.

      That's been happening around here for a few years and it drives me crazy. We get idiots who insist upon jamming on the brakes approaching every green traffic light and speed up on the other side.

      It's bad enough that there are so many that can't drive the speed limit or go through lights without slowing regardless of being green but the funny thing is that once you pass, many honk or flash their lights as though you somehow humiliated them by not staying in your place like they think you should.

    2. Re:As Someone Who Likes To Drive... by Immerman · · Score: 1

      Indeed - make it easy for the people who don't actually want to be driving to be chauffeured by competent, predictable robots, and traffic would be far easier to navigate. Unless of course the ease of being chauffeured significantly increased the amount of time people spent traveling, and thus the number of cars on the road.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    3. Re:As Someone Who Likes To Drive... by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 1

      Once self-driving cars become a proven technology it won't be very long before you're not allowed to drive your own car. Without human drivers there's little need for traffic signals, stop signs, etc, as it will all be negotiated between the cars.

    4. Re:As Someone Who Likes To Drive... by Immerman · · Score: 1

      Maybe not so much in the city, but rural settings offer much different driving consideration. Heck, even in the city a self-driving car if probably going to balk at driving off the end of the driveway and into the back yard to drop off a load of landscaping supplies.

      It's also going to be a slow process. Give it at least 20 years between competent self-driving cars being available, and for the feature to be included in the lowest-priced economy cars. Then another 15-25 years for the bulk of the pre-self-driving cars to be retired from the road. Might be 50 years after the first competent self-driving car before such a bill would even have a chance of being passed. And it's not looking great for anyone developing one in the next 5-10 years.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    5. Re:As Someone Who Likes To Drive... by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 1

      Give it at least 20 years between competent self-driving cars being available, and for the feature to be included in the lowest-priced economy cars. Then another 15-25 years for the bulk

      Maybe so. It's very difficult to really see how long it will take. Insurance will be a driving (heh) force. I think it will happen slowly for years, then seemingly all at once.

  74. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey Iâ(TM)m just an American driving on the right side of the rode. Who taught these UK idiots how to drive? Theyâ(TM)re all coming at me head on!

  75. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Liar. Your s dash cam is not admissible in court.

  76. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Y'all need some roundabouts in your lives.

  77. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    Ahh yes, the cock suckers on the free way, 3 lanes wide driving next to each other, all doing 10 mph under the speed limit because they're too busy playing on their phone to drive.. How smart phones have ruined the roads... Imagine how few accidents there would be without cell phones. Vehicles have gotten magnitudes safer, yet there are still tons of senseless accidents..

  78. Two things.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    First: This exposes that there is simply no confidence in the current enforcement, standards or that not, since a private entity (with support) feel this is necessary.

    Second: Videos can lack context, either purposely or incidentally. Take for instance in my area. I was being accused of speeding and thoughtless driving to our condo association so I obtained a dash cam with speed, location and video in order to protect myself. Not too long afterwards I got harassed in the street by someone accusing me of speeding. I was able to defend myself by saying (with ability to produce) evidence I did not speed. She proceeded to say you go even slower.

    I was able to defend myself, but if someone had video, either edited for effect, point of view distortion or other context issues, that might not be the case.

    What's keeping this from being used to set up someone from being harassed? Someone especially in the case of no actual law being broken?

    That a number of people believe this is necessary points to the true problem, which is a broken system.

  79. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    this is more than just someone not using their turn signals. I had to take a trip today, about 200 km. I was cut off twice in the first part of the trip and have it on camera. I had my 3 year old with me, as well as the wife. they put my family in danger, all within 15 minutes of each other. these two people should not have a driver license for the next three months, according to the local laws, but we don't have the self-submit system the UK has. if everyone submitted these incidents, there would be A LOT less assholes on the road.

  80. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This isn't a what-if. IT's HAPPENING NOW - TODAY. There are scams in china where a malicious driver does dangerous things around another driver to get them to break the law to get away. They film the whole thing and only send in the snippet where the victim was breaking the law, neglecting their own act of reckless endangerment that elicited the response from the victim.

  81. Re:Police state by houghi · · Score: 1

    I value the privacy of my family above their safety on the road. I even value YOUR privacy above my own saftety and that of my family on and off the road.

    To me privacy is the first and foremost right of the people. Without it, all other rights become meaningless.

    Or to say it in other words "First they came after the blatant reckless drivers ..."

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  82. Re:Police state by DRJlaw · · Score: 1

    Do you have any idea how prosecution of driving offences works in the UK?

    I have an idea that none of what you've described falls within the term "vigilante justice."

    [Lots of whining about English-rule costs]

    [Does not impress a driver in an American-rule jurisdiction in the least]

    No doubt they will produce some very clear cut, extreme examples to gain support. But I have do doubt that there will be a huge number of innocent people accused and railroaded by the system.

    And a slippery slope fallacy...

    None of which support your claim that allowing the general public to provide videos of driving asshattery constitutes "vigilante justice." Nor your apparent claim that the entire populace surrounding you is or will be irrationally targeting your (stellar, I assume) driving.

  83. Re:Police state by houghi · · Score: 1

    Being drunk driving over puppies apparently. Just watch the footage.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  84. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    >but laziness is also a hallmark of nearly every law enforcement organization due to constantly being understaffed and under-funded.

    I think you meant to say:
    due to constantly being corrupt and over-paid.

  85. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So that was you?!

    Asshole!

  86. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    true

  87. Re:Police state by DRJlaw · · Score: 1

    Please tell me who the victim is other than "your feelings" when someone doesn't signal their turn but doesn't in any way even inconvenience you.

    Please tell me who is the victim in every other case... and why they are only a victim if the police witness it.

  88. Depends What You Do With It by Artagel · · Score: 1

    The reasonableness of doing so depends in part on what you do with it. If you warn the person against doing it again, you can set up a situation that when the police catch the person driving recklessly the court can set the punishment based on the total history, not just the incident the police caught.

    Using it to issue warnings would also give the driver an incentive to correct himself.

    So there are socially reasonable ways to use it, if you can get past the whole Big Brother thing.

  89. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's right, there were never any accidents before cell phones were invented.

  90. Video of Police and Govt vehicles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will police and government vehicles be cited when video is uploaded of them? That might be the first focused effort of the public. The enforcers need to be held to the same standard.

  91. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I agree but these people existed before smart phones maybe not in the same numbers.
    Some people delight in being assholes.

  92. Re:Police state by nospam007 · · Score: 1

    "However, everyone has done something stupid whilst driving at some point. Everyone has done something illegal, either on purpose or by accident."

    So what? Pay the fine and try to do it better next time.
    If you don't learn, then perhaps you don't deserve the privilege to drive.

  93. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, because the limit is the same on all roads.

  94. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Snitch? Yeah, you're obviously the asshole driver. Reporting vehicular assault is not snitching. Don't snitch is ghetto bullshit.

    Can't have all those agents of Goldstein running about, can we? Double plus good!

  95. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The son of a bitch who snitches me will have found a bigger problem than a bad motorist. I will make them pay dearly. Believe me.

    Remember that if they have a dashcam they probably also have security cameras. Being charged with assault, witness intimidation, etc. will not make your day any better. Try not driving like an a55hole in the first place.

  96. Lane blockers by Air-conditioned+cowh · · Score: 1

    Here is one candidate I would like to nominate for this scheme : https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/...

  97. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Head on down to the ghetto and snitch on somone... tell me how bullshit it is then.

  98. Meanwhile, in Portugal... by daedric · · Score: 1

    Around here, we're forbidden from even having them in our cars here, and the footage has no value in a courtroom...

  99. Re:Police state by lgw · · Score: 1

    blatant reckless and life endangering driving should be reported and I'd be happy to assist in that.

    Sure, it will be used for that. But extensions of government power never stop at the good use case. It will also be used to snitch on people drive 1 MPH over the limit, perhaps to avoid a dangerous situation. It will also be used to claim the ex was driving 15 MPH over the limit through contrived footage (every police reporting system is consistently used for revenge after breakups).

    And the best part for the totalitarian state is that the state will accumulate a DB of such evidence on everyone. It will sit on it until you step out of line for any reason, then it will use it. Facial recognition puts you at a protest? Well, turns out we have the evidence to take away your drivers license and fine you 10k pounds. Doesn't matter whether you were actually at the protest, or whether any of the complaints about you were true, because the goal is destroying dissent, not justice.

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  100. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    county jail for a moving violation? take the bus grandpa.

  101. Re:Police state by GrpA · · Score: 1

    There are systems like this where I live, though they are not widely known. I've probably contributed tens of thousands of dollars to government finances through reporting bad drivers. It's a discretion thing - it takes a lot of effort to report another driver, and I have to make sure the evidence is on video and is in breach of the road laws. I also have to fill in a statement, which means attending a police station. Unless someone does something really bad in front of me, I just let it go.

    This has two effects on me.

    The first is I find myself ignoring minor infractions. If I let it go, I really let it go. It doesn't bother me when other drivers cut me off or pull out in front as long as I can stop in time and there's not much likelihood of an accident. I make space for others in my lane. People going around me doesn't bother me now. Knowing I'm not going to do anything about minor infractions takes away the stress of simply dealing with bad drivers on the road. Also if I don't catch it on camera, I still just let it go no matter what the circumstances.

    The other effect is that the changes I see in my own driving has surprised me the most. Once you start openly judging other drivers, you question your own habits more. I'm far less likely to break rules myself now, and even find myself defending drivers whose driving is just bad, but not illegal. But if I'd see someone else fined for it, I'll avoid it entirely myself. Even if I think I can get away with it.

    It's easy to have mixed feelings about it, because we deal with traffic cops, who often look for any slight breach to fine us, and really don't work in a fair way. The general public are far better judges on what should and shouldn't be ignored. And it frees up police resources. It doesn't take much of a change in attitude to improve road safety.

    But doing something about it is better than getting home and having a whinge about some guy who nearly hit us and ran a red light.

    --
    Enjoy science fiction? "Turing Evolved" - AI, Mecha, Androids and rail-gun battles. What more could you want?
  102. Re: Police state by Immerman · · Score: 1

    Perhaps it's just me, or how the signs are used where I've been, but "yield" generally conveys an image of "prepare to merge with traffic" - pay attention, be ready to stop if necessary, but don't necessarily slow down significantly. Most of the problem stop signs I see are used in places where there's no reason for a full stop, but a significant slow down really is called for.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  103. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    this is more than just someone not using their turn signals. I had to take a trip today, about 200 km. I was cut off twice in the first part of the trip and have it on camera. I had my 3 year old with me, as well as the wife. they put my family in danger, all within 15 minutes of each other. these two people should not have a driver license for the next three months, according to the local laws, but we don't have the self-submit system the UK has. if everyone submitted these incidents, there would be A LOT less assholes on the road.

    Oh Lordy. Someone cut you off! Twice in 15 minutes? Will you be alright? Do you need some warm blankets and hot cocoa? Does your 3 year old need counselling to recover from the trauma and PTSD?

    Here's a clue chump. If you get "cut off" twice in 15 minutes, the problem may not be with the other guy. Maybe you need a little self introspection.

  104. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How will you feel when someone uploads a carefully edited clip that makes it look like you are a bad driver, when in fact you were avoiding an accident with someone else?

    This is called a half-truth. Your an expert at it with political discussion. Even here we can see where your progressive mind is at.

  105. Re:Police state by Immerman · · Score: 1

    They have a point though - you don't need everyone to be out to get you for it to be a problem, just plenty of asshats willing to cause legal-system trouble for people at the touch of a button. (damned kids, foreigners, etc.)

    If such a thing is done, it seems to me there should be real penalties for those abusing the system as well. Ideally something that gives the legal system incentive to see justice done and punish abuse. Perhaps something like - if you falsely report a traffic crime, then *you* pay the penalty that would have been imposed on a guilty offender. Hopefully with a gray area for poor judgement by either party, where nobody gets penalized.

    We need only look at DMCA take-down notices to see how easily a community-initiated legal process without real penalties for false reports can be abused.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  106. Re:Police state by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

    1. Follow Chinese dashcam scammer with dashcam.

    2. Video their illegal antics as they try and get others to break laws.

    3. Snitch.

    4. Profit.

    Obviously wouldn't work for a foreigner, but for a Chink?

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  107. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Protip: Drano in the gas tank.

  108. Re: Police state by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

    2 in 15 minutes is a grey area. 1, 'he's the asshole'. Everyone, 'your the asshole'.

    If it was 2 every 15 minutes, clearly the GP is the asshole. But 2 once...not enough information.

    GP do you drive a Volvo, Pius, leaf or Tesla? That would tip the scale to asshole, for sure.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  109. Re: Police state by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

    Generally, misdemeanors are not pursued unless done right in front of the cops. Footage isn't even considered.

    But footage of a street race? Some other traffic felony? You'll be testifying about how you got the footage.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  110. Re:Police state by Immerman · · Score: 1

    Indeed. It seems to me that if you are going to have such a system, and don't actually want to create a surveillance state or other abusive behavior, care should be taken to ensure the incentives are balanced against abuse. Such as - if you send in a false report, or actively incite lawbreaking, then *you* pay the same penalty that would have been levied against a real offender.

    And those maniacs - sounds like the sort of behavior that should get reported by responsible drivers, doesn't it? Most of the behaviors you described are probably traffic violations in their own right.

    It should be really easy to spot patterns - if a person reports a lot of crimes, and they're usually false claims, then the default assumption should be that they're the guilty party rather than their target. Similarly, if a person gets a lot of reports against them, and they're usually valid, then the new report is probably valid.

    In a big, benevolent system you could even use such patterns to easily focus on the worst offenders - don't prosecute each report unless it's clearly serious, just have an officer review it and file it as probably valid, false, or reasonably contested. Reckless drivers will rapidly build up a lot of valid reports against them, as will reckless reporters - prosecute those, and just ignore the occasional reports as the inevitable imperfection of humanity.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  111. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have a dash cam (Houston area) and I would never submit footage unless it was something egregious towards me or my family. Idiots being idiots are indeed recorded front and back while driving. I also have the ability to record in car conversations, but I have this disabled and would only activate the mic if stopped by the police to record our conversation. I have a Rexing V1LG 1080P camera system and it's fantastic. The footage is top notch, get license plates clearly front and back, road signs, everything. I have a 32GB micros SD card that loops after being filled. The recording is done in 3-minute increments, which are small enough to give to police should I need them. I have the GPS version, which does record my speed, so this helps keep me in check and remind me to use the cruise control. The footage shows the location and speed of my vehicle, which could exonerate me if I'm blamed for something I know I'm innocent of. $170 from Amazon. Took about 30 minutes to install.

  112. Re: Police state by samwichse · · Score: 2

    Watch out! Internet tough guy alert!

  113. Re: Police state by lerxstz · · Score: 1

    For the video evidence to be accepted, it should have to be accompanied by an in person (or personally identifiable) affidavit. Problem solved.

    --
    I chose to end my comments, not with a rim shot, but a long decaying F#7sus4
  114. Re:Police state by andymadigan · · Score: 0

    Situation:
    - You're going 55 (the speed limit, or maybe slightly faster) in the middle lane
    - A container lorry (18 wheeler) alongside you begins merging into your lane without checking their mirrors (you can see the driver in their mirrors) at 50 mph (5 mph over the legal limit for large trucks on this highway). The road has a minimum speed limit of 40.

    The cars ahead of you in the middle lane just merged into other lanes, leaving space ahead of you. Other cars are merging into your lane behind you.

    Given the speed differential, it will take roughly 3 seconds at current speed for you to pass the truck. It will collide with you before that happens.

    Do you:
    A) Slam on the brakes, attempting to come to a complete stop on a highway to avoid the collision, and probably causing a multi-car collision
    or
    B) Punch the accelerator, taking you to 100mph for a few seconds, allowing you to clear the truck before decelerating to legal speed again

    I was damn glad my car wasn't limited to 65mph that day.

    --
    The right to protest the State is more sacred than the State.
  115. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Twice within a 15 minues interval, the first one exited a small road in front of me, did not even look to see if someone else was coming on the road thad had the right of way. I had to make a full stop. the other one cut me of in a roundabout and blocked it, since it was a busy one and actually quite full. In both cases I had the right of way, that's why I mentioned that these people should have their drivers license suspended. Also I drive a 2015 jetta automatic, gasoline powered, no turbo, so nothing powerfull. There are a lot of stupid people driving. I do make some mistakes while driving, but these are so few and far apart that would not impact either my wallet or my family's health.

  116. Re: dui needs an test to make it stick not an phot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Commenters need AN DUI grammar test to make AN post.

  117. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is no such thing as a fast lane in my state. The speed limit is the same on all lanes on the freeway.

  118. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Perhaps something like - if you falsely report a traffic crime, then *you* pay the penalty that would have been imposed on a guilty offender.

    So, a return to the Hammurabi's Code? Your appalling naïvité shows in itself the absurd of these kinds of laws.

  119. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Agreed. If I saw somebody committing an assault or breaking into a building I'd snap something on my camera and call the police. It would feel ludicrous to let the incident go unreported because I'd be snitching on somebody and promoting a police state.

    You should try a penis enlargement procedure, in order to address your issues. They make wonders with Polyurethane these days... Good luck!

    CAP: retrofit :)

  120. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Joce640k · · Score: 1

    You've already lost the argument as soon as you say "fast lane".

    You're not allowed to go any faster in the outside lane then in any other lanes. It's just a lane.

    There's laws forbidding people from overtaking other drivers on the inside. If you're going less than the speed limit you should probably move over to an appropriate lane to let past people who are doing the speed limit. That's common courtesy.

    Paying attention to the road and other drivers will help you achieve this.

    --
    No sig today...
  121. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Remember that if they have a dashcam they probably also have security cameras. Being charged with assault, witness intimidation, etc. will not make your day any better.

    Sure. That's why I will wait. I will be cool. I will be vicious. Some people call it Chinese Vengeance.

    No snitcher in my world.

  122. Great idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have a lot of dashcam video to share. Except that I'm in America, where our police really do not seem to care about bad drivers. I even had a cop in his personal car on his way to work rear-end me a few years back. Then he blamed me. The reporting officer did not give him a ticket. But his insurance paid about $5000 to fix my car and cover my doctor appointments. The cop who hit me seemed to be text-messaging as there were no tire skid marks or screeching of brakes. He didn't seem to know I had put on my turn signal and slowed down to wait for traffic to clear, until he rammed into the back of my car. I did not have dashcams in my car then, but I installed them (front and back) soon thereafter.

    I only spent a week driving around the southern UK. But I found drivers to be much, much better there than they are in America.

    1. Re:Great idea by ledow · · Score: 1

      P.S. Try Germany one day.

      I once made an entire car of Germans scream in terror because I did a slow, careful, U-turn in an empty road where it was perfectly permitted.

      Apparently that's not "how it should be done".

  123. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the first one exited a small road in front of me, did not even look to see if someone else was coming on the road thad had the right of way. I had to make a full stop.

    There's your clue again. "I had to make a full stop." Someone pulled out in front of you or possibly turned across traffic and you had to make a full stop. Not slow down. Not panic brake. You HAD to make a full stop. Yep, you are the problem.

  124. Re:Police state by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    However, everyone has done something stupid whilst driving at some point.

    Yes. And every stupid thing does not result in a fine. Have you never been given a warning?

  125. Re:Police state by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    As ever, the problem with vigilante justice is the lack of due process and fairness.

    This isn't vigilante justice, this is a database of evidence, nothing more. The normal justice system is still very much involved.

  126. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Right on, keyboard warrior. We're all afraid of you.

  127. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by nowwith25percentmore · · Score: 1

    It's legal to pass on the right (inside) in my state. Folks here sometimes draw police attention for going slow in the fast lane.

  128. Re: Police state by nowwith25percentmore · · Score: 1

    "Yield" is too complicated a word for the average American. I propose keeping the yield triangle but changing the text to "Maybe Stop".

  129. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by raind · · Score: 1

    If youâ€(TM)re getting passed on the right youâ€(TM)re in the wrong lane .

    --
    Get up!
  130. Sieg Heil! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Today Great Britain, tomorrow Nazi Germany!

  131. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by thesupraman · · Score: 1

    It is called the 'fast' lane because you are supposed to be there if you are maintaining a constant speed equivalent to the flow of traffic.
    I will leave it up to you to interpret that as the local limit or the local normal speed of traffic, as local customs vary.

    What it is NOT for is, as someone else, cruising along as 10 under the limit, at the same speed as another person who also is
    quite happy in 'cruise mode' holding up other traffic that is in more of a hurry that you. THAT is why it is called the 'fast' lane, not because
    it is has no speed limit.

    Most places that have 'no underpassing' laws also have 'keep right (left, depending)' laws. It is rather interesting that a certain subset of
    drivers seems to love sitting in the 'center' lane (since you dont like fast it seems) blocking traffic due to low speed, then get all hot and
    bothered when they get underpassed....

    Its also interesting to watch the common trick of undercover traffic officers sitting in the center lane doing 10 under, intentionally annoying traffic,
    and then speeding up to the limit as someone tried to underpass them, to push that person faster, and then give them a double ticket for
    both underpassing and speeding. Its quite a common trick around here.

  132. My Prediction.. by thesupraman · · Score: 1

    There will be an upswing of people baiting others into doing some stupid by intentionally intimidating them, then posting the result.

    Doing a 'brake test' in front of someone in the fast lane, then when they underpass you and flick the bird, film it and post.
    Drive at 20 below in the fast lane, and post videos of people underpassing, probably honking at you, and seemingly going 'much faster', even
    though they may not be breaking the limit.

    It is good to see the UK believes in both vigilante justice and unlimited state surveillance.

    I under how quickly videos of police and state cars will get removed....

  133. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1

    In the U.S., fatalities, fatalities per mile, and fatalities per capita hit a low 4 to 8 years ago and has risen significantly since then. Two possible causes occur to me: intelligent phone distractions and legalized marijuana.

    --
    Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
  134. I hope they have leaderboards. by devslash0 · · Score: 1

    You know:
    - Top 10 submitters
    - Top 5 bad drivers
    - Driving catastrophes in your neighbourhood.

    And lastly, a special protocol for dashcams. If it spotted someone with a proven history of bad driving, it would sound an alarm.

  135. Overload by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1

    At least 2 states I know recommend a 3 second gap between cars. Police would not be able to handle the number of complaints about drivers violating this guideline. More than half of all cars on the road at any given time are in violation, about 30% are closer than 1 second, and perhaps 10% closer than 1/2 second. Mile after mile, regardless of speed even 10 mph in excess of the legal limit.

    --
    Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
    1. Re:Overload by ledow · · Score: 1

      There's a difference between "poor" driving and "dangerous" driving.

      Sure, poor can be dangerous, but it's not automatic.

      Dangerous infers a deliberate, considered action where you know the risk to yourself and others in increased for no good reason.

      My dashcam captures THOUSANDS of incidences of poor driving, everything from not indicating to insufficient braking distance to speeding. And although they are "dangerous" as actions, they are not *legally* "dangerous driving". That's another thing entirely. The number of things in my footage valid for that would be, maybe two-three incidents a year.

      There's a big difference between "he's a bit close" and "WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?! MORON!" and the latter is the better test for if something is "dangerous driving".

  136. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I suggest you read the law in your state, and get the fuck out of the left lane. Blocking the flow of traffic in the left lane is illegal in colorado, and almost every state in the union.

  137. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Kielistic · · Score: 0

    Lol, no I did not. But I guess we found the self absorbed asshole that causes accidents because you are too lazy to "slower traffic keep right".

    It is actually an offense to impede the left lane and people do, in fact, get tickets for it in these parts. It is not "just a lane". I just wish they gave out more tickets so ignorant fools would learn the actual laws instead of the ones they make up in their heads.

  138. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why involve the police? Just send it to all the major insurance providers. Then it all works out.

  139. Re:Police state by v1 · · Score: 2

    t should be really easy to spot patterns - if a person reports a lot of crimes, and they're usually false claims, then the default assumption should be that they're the guilty party rather than their target. Similarly, if a person gets a lot of reports against them, and they're usually valid, then the new report is probably valid.

    Well when the inciter is being paid 20RNB and the passer is being fined 750RNB, the state profits 730RNB, why would they want to close the gold mine?

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  140. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i stop every time.

    one of my dads best friends is a paraplegic after rolling through a stop because he didnt see the truck coming.

    from the stories i hear he used to be the life of the party. by the time i met him he could barely move his left arm.

  141. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "It is called the 'fast' lane because you are supposed to be there if you are maintaining a constant speed equivalent to the flow of traffic."

    - That is an undesirable rule, as it would easily lead to all lanes being occupied, even with sparse traffic. Regions with the simple "Keep right (or left) except to overtake" are superior, and I hope dearly that self driving cars will all follow this. That is the best way to open lanes and reduce frustrated aggressive drivers. Unfortunately many drivers think that overtaking can take 10 minutes, or think they are safer in the passing lanes, and police rarely enforce this rule. It's all ruined by drivers who are too lazy to deal with any merging traffic, so they plant themselves like a zombie in a passing lane.

  142. Re:Police state by Immerman · · Score: 1

    Hey I freely admit that my leading "if" was quite dubious. And certainly after the money train is rolling in it's going to be hard to convince anyone to change things. All the more reason for a supposedly free and democratic society to avoid setting the stage for such abuse right from the beginning - whether by having real penalties for abuse that keep the institutional incentives balanced, or by avoiding the whole can of worms altogether.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  143. Re:Police state by Peter+P+Peters · · Score: 1

    I'm not in the UK, but I'm all for ratting out drivers who have no concern for my or my family's safety..

    So how do you determine what is actually a safety risk? Based on what we already know of 100 years of road laws, wouldn't be a more accurate assumption that these will be used for revenue raising measures that only pay lip service to safety instead? OMG speeding!!! Think of the Children???

  144. Re:Police state by Peter+P+Peters · · Score: 1

    Video editing and compositing is fantastic these days. All one needs is a database of make/model/year/color vehicles with videos of egregious driving and some Deep Fakes processing. Let's see how well the Sox do in the Series when their pitcher is pinched on a DUI.

    In the UK?

  145. Re:Police state by Peter+P+Peters · · Score: 1

    How will you feel when someone uploads a carefully edited clip that makes it look like you are a bad driver, when in fact you were avoiding an accident with someone else?

    As ever, the problem with vigilante justice is the lack of due process and fairness.

    I got three tickets in the last three months for exactly these types of things. I ride a bike so a quick squirt of the throttle on busy roads can get you into clean air and relative safety quite easily. But they'll never teach you that in the rule book.

  146. Re:Police state by Peter+P+Peters · · Score: 1

    Agreed. If I saw somebody committing an assault or breaking into a building I'd snap something on my camera and call the police. It would feel ludicrous to let the incident go unreported because I'd be snitching on somebody and promoting a police state.

    The concern is that assaulting someone actually has a victim. Most road rules punish you for merely being in the same loose statistical group as someone else who did something wrong years ago. And the crazy part is that the penalties for this are now actually getting worse than the actual offending.
    eg you can run someone over and kill them and if it's an accident you get off with a suspended sentence while others who merely speed (and don't crash) receive heavy fines and loss of license which can result in loss of job, insurance and other life affecting punishments.
    I'd feel better about reporting it if the results was better drivers, rather than just more heavy fines.

  147. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is confusion as to if you need to tell your insurer - but you must if they ask.

    There is no confusion. You don't have to tell them.

  148. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Outputting Pictogram Hobbit uh Offord oo I outfit gg

  149. Re: Police state by Alain+Williams · · Score: 1
  150. Re:Police state by darth.hunterix · · Score: 1

    I wasn't there so I'm no one to judge, but there was also third option: honk to let the lorry driver know you're there.

    --
    What is best in life? Hot water, good dentishtry and shoft lavatory paper.
  151. Re: Police state by darth.hunterix · · Score: 1

    Better yet:
    1. Make obviously fake video
    2. Upload it under name of a person you want to swat
    3. Have that person't life destroyed

    --
    What is best in life? Hot water, good dentishtry and shoft lavatory paper.
  152. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Alas, it seems people don't comprehend what "Yield" means

    I know. Generator functions are not as easy as GOSUB RETURN, but so much nicer.

  153. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow, you think monads are easier to understand than generator functions?

  154. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Gonoff · · Score: 1

    It is called the 'fast' lane because you are supposed to be there if you are maintaining a constant speed equivalent to the flow of traffic.

    No it is not called that. It is called a lane. In free, fast moving, traffic it is for overtaking. In still or slow moving traffic, that rule seems to be ignored. What does the Highway Code say?

    Its also interesting to watch the common trick of undercover traffic officers sitting in the center lane doing 10 under, intentionally annoying traffic, and then speeding up to the limit as someone tried to underpass them, to push that person faster, and then give them a double ticket for both underpassing and speeding. Its quite a common trick around here.

    That sounds like inciting someone to break the law. That is a criminal offence in most places. From what I hear though, this is a fairly standard mode of operation for the FBI in the USA, so guiding people into breaking the law may be legal there.

    --
    I'll see your Constitution and raise you a Queen.
  155. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In the UK "Yield" is "Give Way".

  156. Re:Police state by Cederic · · Score: 1

    Interesting. You have a car that can accelerate from 55 to 100 quickly enough to leave 'a few seconds' to do something faster than the alternative, which would have taken 3 seconds?

  157. why should you do the police work ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Every comment here misses the point.

    The police are there to do the policing. it's not your job. that's why we have a police force. we already pay for it in taxes.
    bloody hell, we even have traffic units in the police force to deal with road related issue.

    If the police want to nab people, let them do it.
    you are NOT the police.

    I dont have time in my life to grass someone up but then again i was brought up with morals and not this me me me self importance crap

  158. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have mixed opinions on this.

    Yeah, sure, there have been times I wish a cop had been around to witness someone doing something egregiously bad. However, everyone has done something stupid whilst driving at some point. Everyone has done something illegal, either on purpose or by accident.

    Never misread a sign? Gone the wrong way down a one way street - or driven at 70mph in a 60mph zone?

    That's why you get just a ticket for this, not an execution in front of a firing squad.

    I guarantee what is going to happen here is every Spurs fan is going to start trying to catch Arsenal football players making a mistake whilst driving. United fans are going to try to catch and force Liverpool players into making mistakes. People are going to target their rivals, enemies, and people they don't like... and people will get caught making silly mistakes.

    This is called "stalking" and there are already laws in place to deal with that.

  159. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When everyone is snitching on anyone at their own leisure and interpretation, then this is by definition a totalitarian state.

  160. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Rename the sign to "Give Priority" or "Give Way" like in many other languages and countries.

  161. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

    The legalization of weed I doubt made a big difference, maybe a small percent but not as much as cell phones would. most people that cant handle driving stoned wouldn't attempt it. And those that smoke and drive daily were doing it before legalization. The cell phones however, I cant drive more than 1 minute on the freeway of all places here in Las Vegas without noticing somebody on their cell phone. Not all are impeding traffic, but most are. And as far as surface streets.. HAH! i would say at least 50% of drivers are on their phones while driving, and it seems like about 85% at red lights. I wait 5 seconds at a green light before I honk... I end up having to honk at somebody daily, and I drive very little anymore because of it, I used to love driving.. I cant say I'm 100% innocent I do answer my phone and put it on speaker if I wasn't already using it to listen to music, I also keep it on my lap to make it easy to skip through the shit I dont want to hear on pandora. I however do not drone into it at red lights, and impede moving traffic because "this message is important".

  162. Re: Police state by danbert8 · · Score: 1

    I agree. There are far too many stop signs in the world and not nearly enough go signs. 4 way stops are the lazy "traffic calming" or "I don't want to design this intersection".

    --
    Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
  163. Re: Police state by danbert8 · · Score: 1

    Hell the people around Atlanta can't even figure out the "Keep Moving" signs telling them not to stop.

    --
    Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
  164. "Snitching"? by DaveV1.0 · · Score: 1

    Seriously, BeauHD ?

    Nice to know you think reporting dangerous driving and crimes is a bad thing. Why do asshats like you think like that?

    Reminds me of watching people in a high crime neighborhood crying on the news about how cops don't solve their crimes while watching the same people post on line about "don't snitch". In fact. I literally saw someone one year protesting the police chanting "don't snitch" then a few months later begging people to tell the police what they know, AKA snitching, about the death of his cousin. I bet if you were the victim of a crime you would report it, thus making you a snitch. If you saw someone attack one of your friends, you would snitch.

    You people need to grow the fuck up and stop acting like you don't have to follow the law and complaining when people turn you in for violating the law

    --
    There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
  165. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by DaveV1.0 · · Score: 1

    You've already lost the argument as soon as you say "fast lane".

    No, because it is at least a suggestion everywhere that "slower traffic keep to the outside" implying that the inside lane is for faster traffic, thus the fast lane.You seem to be under the impression that everyone drives at exactly the speed limit or over all the time. However, some people drive slower than the limit and are supposed to be in the outside lane as to not hold up people driving faster than themselves.

    --
    There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
  166. "snitching" = "stopping people from being killed" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So we'd better stop that then. How biased is the title?

    People who drive badly, in general, drive badly all the time. Somebody in the road next to mine speeds out of his road and into mine every morning and evening, but I'm always too late to see his car. I hear him speeding up the other roads as he leaves in the morning, his car is so loud. Dashcam footage should be being monitored by a dedicated part of the police force, to apprehend these idiots BEFORE they kill people. Most road 'accidents' are not 'accidents' at all, they are the result of bad drivers, usually speeders, after all, people who dangerously change lanes, or pull out dangerously in front of you, often do it because they are in a hurry and think nobody else matters.

    You would think that insurance companies would want to see this footage, and then warn their bad customers that their cover will be stopped if further footage appears online. (Modern dashcams have such high resolution that you can normally clearly identify a bad driver who is behind you.)

  167. Not a Police state by mjwx · · Score: 1

    I do live in the UK.

    This is a private run thing by dashcam brand "Nextbase" to try to sell more dashcams. The various police forces in the UK have nothing to do with this what so ever and are not likely to prosecute anyone over it as it's easy to call video evidence not taken by a an authorised officer into doubt.

    I'm as concerned about this as I am about being shot.... which in the UK means I'm more concerned about Eastenders... which I never watch.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  168. Re:Police state by mjwx · · Score: 1

    The solution to the fact that everyone makes mistakes driving is not to let everyone get away with it. It's to reduce the fines to the point where people who rarely make mistakes can afford it but people who make them constantly can't afford it (this also really requires adjusting fines to the driver's income, but that's a different matter).

    The UK system is high fines, but low prosecution numbers. I've passed police cars doing 10MPH or more over the limit, as long as you're being polite and safe you're fine. Cops will only pull you over for doing things that are stupid and/or dangerous.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  169. Re:Police state by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    Yes. And every stupid thing does not result in a fine. Have you never been given a warning?

    By a police officer? No. I'm a foreigner and a man. If I get pulled over I get a ticket.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  170. Re:Police state by mjwx · · Score: 1

    Do you have any idea how prosecution of driving offences works in the UK?

    The police are regulated because they have been found do abuse traffic laws. The equipment they can use is regulated, the places they can operate are regulated, the way they can detect offences is regulated. And still there is abuse.

    There is heavy pressure for you to settle the matter out of court. Pay your fine, go on an "awareness" course, don't fight it in court. If you do fight it, you need to pay for your own defence, and if you lose also the court fees.

    Defending yourself can be very tricky. The courts are corrupt and tend to side with the police unless you have extremely powerful evidence of your innocence.

    I was with you up until here.

    The courts in the UK are far from corrupt, it's just that the police do not prosecute until they have significant evidence. Otherwise they'd get in trouble for wasting court time.

    People most often lose traffic ticket defences because they're most often guilty (also, have no idea how to defend themselves). If you can demonstrate your innocence it wont even get to court as you can take the matter up with the police and CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) directly and if you're evidence is even remotely plausible, they'll drop the charge.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  171. Re:UK National service doesn't include Scotland or by mjwx · · Score: 1

    The fact that it doesn't include Scotland, or Northern Ireland doesn't really make it a 'UK National' service.

    Given the fact that this is being run by a private company (dashcam brand Nextbase) who are simply submitting the footage to the police on your bahalf, it's not even an English and Welsh service... Its a private service that will likely be ignored by the Police.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  172. Re:Bullshit slashvert clickbait misleading title.. by mjwx · · Score: 1

    It's got police force logos on it, which implies that they endorse it. If they don't then hopefully they will pay Nextbase a visit to sort that out.

    Do you live in the UK?

    Have you not seen the thousands of Walts on bycyles with yellow POLITE jackets trying to look like they're cops? That matters not.

    For the Johnny Foreigners amongst us, in the UK we've got legions of cyclists wearing vests like this so that you might get them confused with one of these.

    Use of police logos is not a crime, hell... we dont even prosecute people who pretend to be police. Also, the logo's are buried down at the bottom of the page next to big writing saying "We support the police". They could have put Royal Mail logos on there for all it matters.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  173. Re:Police state by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    Da! Comrade!

    ve shud all be at de mercy of de state. Everyone should all be guilty of something because that way we can be locked up when it is politically convenient.

    Making EVERYONE a criminal so that ANYONE can be "legitimately" charaged at anytime is what the communist dictatorships do (did). If rules/regulation make 100% of the population in violation of the law then those laws are not for public safety but to protect the government. That's not a road I want to drive down.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  174. Re:Police state by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    Video editing and compositing is fantastic these days. All one needs is a database of make/model/year/color vehicles with videos of egregious driving and some Deep Fakes processing. Let's see how well the Sox do in the Series when their pitcher is pinched on a DUI.

    In the UK?

    Finally, the term "world series" finally makes sense.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  175. Re:Police state by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

    The court's default position is to give a lot of weight to the word of police officers. Worse still, that weight seems to be given to police staff who are not officers, such as the people who operate the speed cameras.

    More than that, the judiciary as a whole is supportive of this. It not only makes it very difficult for individuals to prove their innocence when confronted with the word of a police employee (which is taken to meet the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt"), but it also makes it extremely difficult to prosecute the police. They can literally get away with murder.

    We see the same resistance to fairness from the judiciary over and over again when evidence is found exonerating convicted criminals.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  176. It is said ... by Martin+S. · · Score: 1

    that most drivers considered themselves above average.

    However I can't help noticing when watching dashcam videos on youtube from Russia and America, that they are by far the best drivers in the developed world when it comes to performing spectacular feats of epic failure in the shit driving caught on cam videos.

    We are pretty boring by comparison.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  177. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Green+Mountain+Bot · · Score: 1

    If you're not going faster than the people in the right (inside) lane, you need to move your ass over ASAP to let past people who want to pass. That's common courtesy, and ought to be the law in places it isn't.

    Fixed it for you.

  178. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Green+Mountain+Bot · · Score: 1

    It is called the 'fast' lane because you are supposed to be there if you are maintaining a constant speed equivalent to the flow of traffic.

    It may be called the 'fast' lane, but it is not. It is the passing lane. You should only be using it if you are passing another vehicle. Obviously, there are exceptions, such as heavy traffic or an upcoming (ie, less than a mile ahead) left exit. But as long as traffic is flowing normally, it should be used for passing and NOT cruising.

  179. Re:Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Right, I'd like to opt out. It's too bad that the guy behind me is not going to opt out, and is looking for someone to crucify.

  180. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Don't snitch" actually goes back to the Old Testament.

    Proverbs 29:9
    Be wise and don’t sue a fool.
            You won’t get satisfaction,
            because all the fool will do
            is sneer and shout.

  181. Re: Police state by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Then he was fucked regardless.

  182. Re:Police state by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    By a police officer? No. I'm a foreigner and a man. If I get pulled over I get a ticket.

    I'm a foreigner and a man too, I guess I just live in a country without a military police. I remember doing 130 in a 90 zone (the zone had changed about a km back). A police officer cruised up beside me, waved at me to slow down and then kept on going.

    Not every stupid thing results in tickets in much of the world.

  183. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's a legal principle called entrapment, where it is illegal for the FBI to make citizens break the law. However, they also make liberal use of parallel construction, where they do a few things that are completely illegal and would be thrown out, and then do other things that are legal, and only tell the court about the legal things.

  184. 1984 is really here by ebvwfbw · · Score: 1

    It's becoming hell in England. Cameras everywhere. Big nanny there to catch you.

    Nothing we could do to stop it though.

  185. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

    "If you're going less than the speed limit you should probably move over to an appropriate lane to let past people who are doing the speed limit. "

    Actually, it's:

    "You MUST keep right unless passing" (for right side driving countries, Keep left unless passing for left side driving countries)

    Depending on the jurisdiction, lane hogging can get you anything from a "lanehogging" ticket, "failure to keep left/right", careless driving, all the way up to dangerous driving, depending on how much of a mobile hazard you are. Speed spread is the most dangerous phenomenon on the road and slow drivers travelling 10-15mph below the limit are _far_ more dangerous than ones travelling 10-15mph above the limit when on single carriageway roads or failing to stay in the rightmost(leftmost) lane.

  186. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

    " Folks here sometimes draw police attention for going slow in the fast lane."

    "sometimes" should be "ALWAYS" - it's one of the most dangerous things that anyone can do on a multilane road because it forces every other driver to go around them.

  187. Re: Finally, the Stasi can have their way! by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

    "the common trick of undercover traffic officers sitting in the center lane doing 10 under, intentionally annoying traffic,
    and then speeding up to the limit as someone tried to underpass them, to push that person faster, and then give them a double ticket for
    both underpassing and speeding. Its quite a common trick around here."

    That kind of stunt is police corruption at its finest and _should_ be something that the ACLU would be happy to drop a ton of shit on from a great height if someone had dashcam evidence of it.

  188. Re:Police state by stoatwblr · · Score: 1

    "You know, with the stupid shit I see on a daily basis while driving, I've begun thinking about buying a dashcam ... because if any of those idiots causes an accident I want some proof of their stupidity."

    I have a dashcam because if any of those twats crash into ME, without one it's their word against mine and the insurance companies aren't going to give mine any more weight than his.

  189. Re: Police state by andymadigan · · Score: 1

    It can accelerate from 55 to 100 faster than a container lorry can merge into a lane. The deceleration happened after I was in front of the lorry (there was plenty of space ahead of it)

    --
    The right to protest the State is more sacred than the State.