RE: Govt to Track 50,000 Motorists
Tuesday 10th February 2004
Govt to Track 50,000 Motorists
GPS tracking is here
The Department for Transport announced yesterday that it's secured a deal with ITIS, owners of Navtrack to collect data from GPS tracking systems.
The idea is that it will provide input into congestion analysis allowing better traffic management solutions to be installed.
Date from up to 50,000 GPS units will be sold to the Government for analysis.
Discussion
some scally from the government said:
..The idea is that it will provide input into congestion analysis allowing better traffic management solutions to be installed.
Like bolliolocks it will.
Bet ya the government are going to model the infrastructure requirements needed to handle the dreaded pay-as-you-drive proposals and forecast revenue vs cost based upon this sample of 50,000 and their driving habits.
I dont have a tracker, but before I got one I would make damned sure the small print didn't allow the company to share my travel information with anyone.
Invasion of privacy, boycott Navtrack."The idea is that it will provide input into congestion analysis allowing better traffic management solutions to be installed."
Nowt wrong with that at all. Are we forced to sacrifice all the benefits of this type of scheme just in case it is the thin edge of a wedge? Why not wait till the policy proposals we oppose actually surface before slapping things down?
Nowt wrong with that at all. Are we forced to sacrifice all the benefits of this type of scheme just in case it is the thin edge of a wedge? Why not wait till the policy proposals we oppose actually surface before slapping things down?
ATG said:
"The idea is that it will provide input into congestion analysis allowing better traffic management solutions to be installed."
Nowt wrong with that at all. Are we forced to sacrifice all the benefits of this type of scheme just in case it is the thin edge of a wedge? Why not wait till the policy proposals we oppose actually surface before slapping things down?
Cos it'll be too late then.
Besides, who needs to wait? If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, chances are it's a duck.
This thing quacks to high heaven!
Andy
They'll just decide that everyone's speeding, everyone's using too much fuel and driving where they don't want them, cue more fines, taxes, silly restrictions, higher insurance etc etc.
I could go on but so long as there's a political opinion behing this, rather than any semblance of fairness or logic, it's an invasion of privacy. Would the Tories do this? No. Would Stalin have done this? I think so. We live in a Big Brother state, only difference with Orwell is that they don't tell you they're watching you, or that it's 'all for your own good', or something else just as infuriatingly patronising.
I'm worried I won't be able to enjoy a future of sports cars like you guys have. This has really spoiled my day. Doubtlessly a new generation of Tony-worshipping numpties will think it's a good idea and come and shout at us, not letting us respond.
One party state, invasion of civil liberties - someone get this moron out NOW or we'll turn into the city from Minority Report.
I could go on but so long as there's a political opinion behing this, rather than any semblance of fairness or logic, it's an invasion of privacy. Would the Tories do this? No. Would Stalin have done this? I think so. We live in a Big Brother state, only difference with Orwell is that they don't tell you they're watching you, or that it's 'all for your own good', or something else just as infuriatingly patronising.
I'm worried I won't be able to enjoy a future of sports cars like you guys have. This has really spoiled my day. Doubtlessly a new generation of Tony-worshipping numpties will think it's a good idea and come and shout at us, not letting us respond.
One party state, invasion of civil liberties - someone get this moron out NOW or we'll turn into the city from Minority Report.
Am I in the wrong or isn't this already the case for Traffic Master? The little boxes on every flyover between John O'Groats and Lands-end.
This is bollox there seems to be an underlying reason for further GPS data collection and bet your bottom dollar its not for "congestion"! It'll not be long before they'll be tracking speed through the GPS systems and issuing tickets faster than we can invade Middle Eastern countries
This is bollox there seems to be an underlying reason for further GPS data collection and bet your bottom dollar its not for "congestion"! It'll not be long before they'll be tracking speed through the GPS systems and issuing tickets faster than we can invade Middle Eastern countries
smirnoff said:
As far as I am aware Navtrack is not cheap (£1000 per unit and then Annual subs). Therefore they would end up in high performance, high value cars. So how would the Government work out a tranport policy based on the driving habits of Porsche, Ferrari,Lambo, etc owners?
How true! If this is *really* to do with congestion, they would end up controlling it with premium road pricing on sunny weekends, and cheap travel during rush hour! i did hear once that for statistics to be useful you have to have a REPRESENTATIVE sample...
ATG said:
"The idea is that it will provide input into congestion analysis allowing better traffic management solutions to be installed."
Nowt wrong with that at all. Are we forced to sacrifice all the benefits of this type of scheme just in case it is the thin edge of a wedge? Why not wait till the policy proposals we oppose actually surface before slapping things down?
they already know where the queues are.
i believe this is an attempt to get some precedents for gps tracking individual cars, so it will be less of a step to congestion charging or speeding fines based on gps data. Don't forget about in-car robotic speed control...
on balance i would rather not set the precedent, just my opinion anyway.
smirnoff said:
As far as I am aware Navtrack is not cheap (£1000 per unit and then Annual subs). Therefore they would end up in high performance, high value cars. So how would the Government work out a tranport policy based on the driving habits of Porsche, Ferrari,Lambo, etc owners?
So the Navtrack can be assumed by the government to be owned by people with lots of dosh.
For 'Dosh' read 'more potential tax'.
This looks like a bl00dy great wedge and we are currently looking at the thin end of it.
Just you see, little-by-little, there will be more "use" made of the system to increase surveillance and charge by use (as if petrol tax didn't do this already).
Such things are always introduced in a seemingly innocent way.
Just you see, little-by-little, there will be more "use" made of the system to increase surveillance and charge by use (as if petrol tax didn't do this already).
Such things are always introduced in a seemingly innocent way.
As far as I can see Navtrak is currently only used to monitor commercial vehicles, security guards and the like.
This raises 2 points:
Firstly its a fat lot of use for gaining data pertaining to the average motorist.
Secondly do the companies that are using the system know that their info is being sold? this must contravine a privacy law?
Has to be said I'm fairly sure i wouldn't except a job where they tracked me in my car. and I'll be buggered if I ever fit a tracker to any car I own. I'd rather the scum who nicked it kept it than have bloody satalite following me around.
It's not that I'm paranoid it's just their all out to get me!!
This raises 2 points:
Firstly its a fat lot of use for gaining data pertaining to the average motorist.
Secondly do the companies that are using the system know that their info is being sold? this must contravine a privacy law?
Has to be said I'm fairly sure i wouldn't except a job where they tracked me in my car. and I'll be buggered if I ever fit a tracker to any car I own. I'd rather the scum who nicked it kept it than have bloody satalite following me around.
It's not that I'm paranoid it's just their all out to get me!!
jsr said:
Govt pays NavTrak for the data. Will NavTrak pass on this money to its customers (i am one of them)?
I wont be holding my breath
I believe this may be contrary to the Data Protection Act. Hmmmn. Must investigate further. At the very least you should write a letter to NavTrack stating THAT YOU DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR DATA ABOUT YOU TO BE REVEALED TO THIRD PARTIES.
Dusty, well said & a nice image. But don't forget that we are all driving slower, and enjoying ourselves a lot less the last year (in general). Next year may well be worse. No reason to see it stopping is there?
More I look back, the last lot were almost as bad, and we now look to them as our best hope?
Frying pan, fire?
C
More I look back, the last lot were almost as bad, and we now look to them as our best hope?
Frying pan, fire?
C
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