The fact it is even debated shows just how far we've fallen...

[ChuckW]

http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/05/10/1549252&from=rss

 

[jitts3]

They have had that for years and we all carry one. The GPS enabled cell phone.

 

[ChuckW]

They have had that for years and we all carry one. The GPS enabled cell phone.

But I know it's there and can turn it off.

 

[jitts3]

But I know it's there and can turn it off.

Very true. But I can't find a link to the story but I read about a trucker Jailed because his cell phones gps said he was somwhere else than his logs said after a DOT audit. No accident, just an audit. He needs his phone. It is still scary stuff none the less. I agree with you. Gov't has just been getting bolder and bolder. Where does it end?

 

[ChuckW]

Orwell was ahead of his time.

 

[jitts3]

Orwell was ahead of his time.

Yes he was. If it isn't the gov't taking our money in an extortion style money grab, they track you to make sure they aren't robbed to money they robbed. And they said this guy was a "Bad Guy"

 

[Presentation]

What terrible journalism.
OK, this is a Wisconsin thing.

After reading that article, it would be easy to close the browser window and think that the courts are trying to help the police by giving them the OK to plant a GPS on someone’s car even if the person is not a suspect of a crime.
It’s the opposite.
Judge Paul Lundsten is asking the state legislature to pass a law that specifically bans this practice. He is saying that under present law, there is nothing to prevent this.

This all goes back to someone’s idea not from Wisconsin to add a GPS to a car for taxing miles driven not fuel consumed.

 

[Henry Boyd]

The practice of having mandated gps, or RFID, tags tracking devices on vehicles for tax, or other governmental reasons is not new. The government of Singapore has been doing this for years and applying a sliding miles driven/hours of the day/ hours of operation taxation scale.

There recently have been discussions in a number of states to convert from road taxes based on gasoline sales to miles driven per year. Since the miles driven per year would have to be in state, a GPS component becomes necessary. The argument is that with the proliferation of hybrids and possibly all electric vehicles the amount of gas sold will fall below levels necessary to support infrastaructure.

It was talked about here in Mass as an alternative to a $ 0.19 per gallon increase. We have some special problems with our transportation funding caused by creative accounting associated with the Boston Harbor clean up debt in addition to the lower tax revenues associated with the recession.

Henry

 

[jitts3]

It was talked about here in Mass as an alternative to a $ 0.19 per gallon increase. We have some special problems with our transportation funding caused by creative accounting associated with the Boston Harbor clean up debt in addition to the lower tax revenues associated with the recession.

Henry

Then they should have used some of the "BIG DIG" wasted money for that. I understand the road taxes problably better then everyone here as an Independant trucker, most of us feel that the over intrusive gov't WILL use the vehicle gps to track you. They do it to us now with our cell phones. The Gov't decimated there income with their push for these foolish little cars, then raise our taxes to make up the losses. But it's more than taxes. Its invasion of privacy. Do you want to be tracked?
I feel as well as most other professional drivers. Eliminate the wastefull spending then if your short come to us for more but not till then.
EDIT...The tax revinue is also dropping due to less traffic. Less trucks on the road, less freight to haul (Case in Point, Me, here, Now.) People driving less. So why do they need the money. Less traffic on the road, less damage to road. Need more money...Sorry, not buying the BS. Think I'm wrong, drive anywhere at night. A lot less traffic then last year

 

[comsnark]

most of us feel that the over intrusive gov't WILL use the vehicle gps to track you. They do it to us now with our cell phones.

Can't disagree with that one.

BTW: How many of us sheeple have EZpass, or someother remote toll collection gizmo in our cars? Same exact concept. Track where you are at any given moment.

 

[ChuckW]

Can't disagree with that one.

BTW: How many of us sheeple have EZpass, or someother remote toll collection gizmo in our cars? Same exact concept. Track where you are at any given moment.

I use them, but they are not the same. They only work from a close distance so practically they can't tell where you are at any moment. They only know when you pass a scanner. Besides, I control the unit. I can take it down and put it in a foil bag which blocks it being detected.

This state is allowing the police to track anyone without their consent or even a judges order.

 

[Presentation]

If they are going to put a government issued GPS into a fuel efficient car to pay more road tax then shouldn’t they also put one into sail boats?


Us boaters with gas engines produce a lot of tax revenue. Why its only fair that the sail boaters also pay their taxes too.


Thinking about it a bit more, people who ride their bike are also getting away with not paying their fair share. Bicycles should have a GPS taxation device on them.

Oh, and people who walk are the worst. They don’t generate any economic benefit or tax revenue. They should be tracked and a special webpage developed to post their names and photos. We need to discourage walking.

As long as we are on the subject, what are we going to do to replace the lost tax revenue from less people smoking? There should be a annual tax for not smoking. Not only do smokers generate lots of tax revenue, they die sooner so they don’t collect as much social security. (no – I’m not a smoker)

(just in case someone thinks I am being serious, I am being cynical)