[Az-Geocaching] RE: Oregon bureaucrats propose using GPS to track each driver's
Brian Casteel
listserv@azgeocaching.com
Mon, 6 Jan 2003 23:40:07 -0700
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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. =20
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. =20
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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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>What surprises me is how the ACLU =
hasn't pounced=20
all over this. The public will not go for this, not only due to =
the 'Big=20
Brother' feel it has, but for purposes the government doesn't want to =
admit they=20
would like to use the technology. Not that I'm playing conspiracy =
theorist=20
or anything *grin*, but whenever something of this nature comes about, =
there are=20
always those devious few who would like to see it used for greater =
control=20
measures. Hell, look at how far the magnetic guidance concept =
flopped=20
after testing in S. Cal, where vehicles would be controlled by magnetic =
force on=20
the road to handle speed/driving, in order to improve traffic =
congestion. =20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Technology similar to the proposed =
already exists=20
in the public sector in the way of vehicle anti-theft systems. A =
US-based=20
company manufactures an alarm system that allows the vehicle to be =
tracked via=20
GPS in realtime using either a computer or a cellphone. It can =
also be=20
used to control functions of the car, such as starting/stopping the =
engine,=20
rolling up windows, etc... This of course being at the absolute =
discretion=20
on the part of the consumer, and not something forced on them. To =
require=20
GPS tracking in vehicles, then charging by the mile is ridiculous. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The only thing I can say in favor of =
this is based=20
on a VERY limited scope where it would be of benefit. Law =
enforcement=20
could benefit from this technology by tracking a pursuit vehicle without =
engaging in a pursuit (or after termination), and coupled with =
helicopter=20
monitoring, track the vehicle via GPS, in order to improve the chances =
of=20
recovery/arrest. However, the above mentioned reasons against the=20
technology far outweigh this small benefit to an isolated population=20
segment. Just my .02</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Brian</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Team A.I.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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