This technology has also already been in use in the trucking industry.
The trucking companies can track their trucks (and drivers) very
efficiently this way, making sure the drivers are legal and all. The
big difference is that in this case it is a private company and the
drivers know when they sign on that they will be watched, if their
company uses this technology.

My 2 cents.....

Trisha "Lightning"
Prescott

OK, I can't help it, (4 more cents) I have to say.....I am a former
Kingman resident, so you can all probably figure out where I stand on
the "Big Brother" issues!! We owned a firearms business in Kingman at
the time the OKC bombing thing led to Kingman. We were watched, phone
tapped, interviewed, records gone over (more than once)...the media
calling wanting an introduction to all the "militia" members we
(allegedly) knew....it was ridiculous. We were completely legal and
had nothing to "fear" but it was highly annoying.




"Brian Casteel" wrote:








What surprises me is how the ACLU hasn't pounced 
all over this.  The public will not go for this, not only due to the
'Big 
Brother' feel it has, but for purposes the government doesn't want to
admit they 
would like to use the technology.  Not that I'm playing conspiracy
theorist 
or anything *grin*, but whenever something of this nature comes about,
there are 
always those devious few who would like to see it used for greater
control 
measures.  Hell, look at how far the magnetic guidance concept flopped 
after testing in S. Cal, where vehicles would be controlled by
magnetic force on 
the road to handle speed/driving, in order to improve traffic
congestion.  

 
Technology similar to the proposed already exists 
in the public sector in the way of vehicle anti-theft systems.  A
US-based 
company manufactures an alarm system that allows the vehicle to be
tracked via 
GPS in realtime using either a computer or a cellphone.  It can also
be 
used to control functions of the car, such as starting/stopping the
engine, 
rolling up windows, etc...  This of course being at the absolute
discretion 
on the part of the consumer, and not something forced on them.  To
require 
GPS tracking in vehicles, then charging by the mile is ridiculous.  

 
The only thing I can say in favor of this is based 
on a VERY limited scope where it would be of benefit.  Law enforcement 
could benefit from this technology by tracking a pursuit vehicle
without 
engaging in a pursuit (or after termination), and coupled with
helicopter 
monitoring, track the vehicle via GPS, in order to improve the chances
of 
recovery/arrest.  However, the above mentioned reasons against the 
technology far outweigh this small benefit to an isolated population 
segment.  Just my .02
 
Brian
Team A.I.


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"Although no one can go back and
make a brand new start,
Anyone can start from now and
make a brand new ending."
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