Great article at a local newspaper. It's infuriating how terrible our car culture is, automatic ticketing just can't come soon enough.

https://www.silive.com/news/2019/06/...ommentary.html

 

Not worth giving up freedoms and right to privacy for. The vast majority of drivers would not flee a scene of an accident like that, and for those that do, there are many ways to track them down and prosecute them today.

 

And yet, less than 10% of them were caught.

This has nothing to do with freedom or privacy, there should be absolutely no expectation of privacy when driving on the public roads. It's the matter of effectively enforcing the rules and curbing vehicular violence.

 

Theres an expectation of privacy within my own vehicle that is my property. I am not okay with my property collecting data for the purpose of charging me with a crime. Its similar to having a phone that constantly records what you say so that it can be used against you.

If they want to put cameras at every intersection and record everybody going through (which basically already exists) for the purposes of being able to catch people doing this THAT I am totally okay with. My vehicle however is MY property.

 

I understand that your vehicle is your property, and you can do whatever you want with it in your own driveway or a private racetrack. But when you're driving your property in the public right of way, there should be no expectation of privacy whatsoever, and the only reason we don't have automatic ticketing systems yet is because of the strong automaker lobby, and a substantial part of US economy being dependent on the auto industry. But its only a matter of time until this tech starts getting implemented.

 

Agreed, and they can surveil me from OUTSIDE my vehicle, not from within my vehicle and not using my own property to do so. My vehicle has license plates that can be used to identify me within the recorded medium of the exterior of my vehicle.

I would strongly oppose any politician who supports such a breach to my right of privacy, and I would simply stop purchasing new cars if such tech were to become a requirement (which it never will).

 

I'm sure the time will come when it becomes a requirement. Probably first somewhere and Europe and then making its way stateside. You may not support such policy, but many people will, especially those who do not drive.

 

I will bet you any amount of money there will never be a requirement in the US for vehicles to record and issue citations with the force of law to their owners/operators. Any amount. To enact such a requirement would be taking us down a very dangerous path.

 

Now, with that said...I wouldn't be opposed to using this as a probationary measure with people who have been convicted of repeated very serious driving violations, such as breathalyzers and such for people who have had DUIs. To allow such a system to be installed in your car as a requirement for allowing you to operate it on public roads again after you've lost your license for example would be different.

For everybody though? No.

 

We will see, there are strong lobby groups that are gaining influence and will demand this to be required. The easiest way to implement it without even having to involve lawmakers is through insurance companies. For instance in Russia insurance companies require dashcams. They can require retrofitting these devices in their policy, and since insurance is mandatory in just about every state, there would be no way to avoid them, even in older cars.

As far as dangerous path, puuuuhlease - its called saving people from themselves. They can cry and moan on facebook and get on with their lives... on safer roads.

 

Let's not mix up mandatory minimum sentencing with automatic ticketing.

 

Because Russia is somebody we want to emulate.

Sounds like something I need to do research on (a Google search for these "strong lobby groups gaining influence" delivers no hits) but if thats the case sounds like I need to donate and support groups and lobbyists who don't support this viewpoint.

Communism, fascism, all curtailing of liberties is done under the guise of "saving people from themselves".

Luckily, I do not see how this is something that would be supported by a majority of Americans.

 

Automated ticketing might (?) be feasible here in the U.S. if it were done (and programmed) in a manner that it did not violate the 4th-Amendment's prohibition of unreasonable searches/seizures, but concentrated only on nabbing the really dangerous drivers. There's a clear difference, in my book, between a "Gotcha" nuisance-ticket for going maybe 2-5 MPH over the posted limit, and nabbing the people who are into clear reckless driving and endangering themselves and others by going triple-digit or reckless-driving speeds. Similarly, there's a clear difference between someone who slows to maybe 2 or 3 MPH, without stopping, at a red light and then turns right, and someone who approaches the red light and barrels through it, turning right at maybe 20 or 25 MPH, wearing out his tires, while barely slowing down at all. I have no problem with cars being programed to catch and ticket hooligans, but care has to be taken, with the programming, that they don't over-do-it or do it in an unreasonable manner.

 

Transalt, streetblog, local media such as Gothamist - they lobby for safer streets and greater accountability for scofflaw drivers, and they have an increasing influence on policy, at least here in NY. Not enough to break the whole car culture, but they helped pass the law that will bring additional 740 speed cameras to NYC this year, numerous bicycle lanes, elimination of on street parking, road diet, expansion of sidewalks, lower speed limit, expansion of vision zero program, etc. They are strongly lobbying politicians to pass the law which will suspend drivers license after a certain number of automated camera tickets withing a certain time period, and I really hope it passes.

People throw those terms around without even knowing what they mean, to the point that it's beyond silly. For example, when you signed up to this website, you've agreed to its TOS agreement, and to have the privilege of posting here you give up your right to the "freedom of speech". This isn't much different when it comes to private insurance providers requiring devices that ensure drivers obey the rules they agreed to in return for the driving privilege.

 

That is generally the case already - for instance speed cameras here in NYC have a very generous leeway. The speed limit is 25, but they don't nab you until you're going 34mph and up.