LEFT LANE NEWS is a car site with a sad, rather disturbing report. According to Ronan Glon, "UK wants to use cameras to prevent uninsured drivers from buying gas". You see, over the last decade, the UK has become the CCTV (closed-circuit TV) mecca of the world — cameras are everywhere, it seems, including gas stations, and they are linked up to computers for image analysis. You can't run and you can't hide, unless of course, you buy a mask.
It is estimated that one out of every 25 drivers in the United Kingdom does not have insurance. That puts the total number of uninsured drivers at about 1.4 million, one of the worst statistics of its kind in Europe.
Law enforcement agencies have been largely unsuccessful in cracking down on these drivers, but the government has come up with a new plan that might put an end to the problem once and for all.
Most gas station (as well as many parking lots) in the UK are equipped with an advanced automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system. It works in conjunction with the country’s notorious CCTV cameras to record the license plate number of every car that fuels up, which in turn makes it easier to track down buyers who leave the pump without paying.
Lawmakers want to use the ANPR system to double check whether or not cars arriving at gas stations are insured and taxed. If one of those is missing, the system would automatically stop the pump from dispensing fuel, which could leave the driver stranded.
Law enforcement agencies have been largely unsuccessful in cracking down on these drivers, but the government has come up with a new plan that might put an end to the problem once and for all.
Most gas station (as well as many parking lots) in the UK are equipped with an advanced automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system. It works in conjunction with the country’s notorious CCTV cameras to record the license plate number of every car that fuels up, which in turn makes it easier to track down buyers who leave the pump without paying.
Lawmakers want to use the ANPR system to double check whether or not cars arriving at gas stations are insured and taxed. If one of those is missing, the system would automatically stop the pump from dispensing fuel, which could leave the driver stranded.
It's great in theory, but I wonder, does the Super-Surveillance State contain the seed of its own rebellion? The human spirit does not like CCTV.
So the CCTV system is in place? The infringement upon the freedoms of UK citizens is already occurring and will continue to occur whether this scheme is adopted or not.
ReplyDeleteThis scheme actually targets pieces of crap who want to drive, but don't want to pay insurance. Sorting shit out after a collision with these folk is a far from easy process. There is a reason why insurance is required.
Actually using the horrible scheme to dump on a set of anti-social dicks is a binus, I hope it nabss many of them
Suddenly Jerry Can makers can't explain the boom in demand.
ReplyDelete