Posted on 04/04/2005 7:32:59 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The state Supreme Court on Monday upheld Connecticut's ban on a car rental company's use of a global positioning satellite system to track customers and fine them $150 for speeding.
The unanimous ruling rejected an appeal by American Car Rental, which operates Acme Rent-A-Car.
Acme said the fines were to make up for wear and tear on cars driven at excessive speeds. However, a consumer protection hearing officer determined such costs at about 37 cents per vehicle for each infraction.
According to the state's Consumer Protection Department, Acme failed to warn customers of the fines they would face if the company's GPS system showed they were speeding. Acme also automatically debited consumers' bank accounts or credit cards without notice.
Acme's attorney, Max Brunswick, said no decision had been made about an appeal.
"They didn't do this to make money on the fees," he said. "They did it to hold speeding down to prevent accidents and, of course, speeding was killing the lives of the cars. These subcompacts are not meant to be driven over 65 mph."
State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal disagreed. "The state can't condone speeding, but it condemns moneymaking schemes designed as safety measures," he said.
Brunswick said Acme has already returned some of the $20,000 in fines it collected.
The company continues to use the global positioning devices but has not charged fines for speeding since 2001, Brunswick said.
I can't help but wonder, armed with this knowledge, who
would rent a car from these people?
Holy Global Positioning System, Batman!
"Excessive speed my a@@," Mr. Coyote responded. "I never got close the freakin' bird."
"They didn't do this to make money on the fees," he said. "They did it to hold speeding down to prevent accidents and, of course, speeding was killing the lives of the cars. These subcompacts are not meant to be driven over 65 mph."
So, in other words; they stole money enforcing an arbitrary rule they did not put in the contract; as punishment for an act they went out of thier way to hide. Sorry, this sounds more like fraud than anything else. Why $150, why not $1,500, $15,000 or $150,000?
If the notice was made to the customer prior to the rental, and if the customer were informed and fined afterwards; I'd have no problem with this. This is not, nor will likely ever by the customer's car. The company has a right to protect their property, but not by means of deceit.
"They didn't do this to make money on the fees," he said. "They did it to hold speeding down to prevent accidents and, of course, speeding was killing the lives of the cars. These subcompacts are not meant to be driven over 65 mph."
So, in other words; they stole money enforcing an arbitrary rule they did not put in the contract; as punishment for an act they went out of thier way to hide. Sorry, this sounds more like fraud than anything else. Why $150, why not $1,500, $15,000 or $150,000?
If the notice was made to the customer prior to the rental, and if the customer were informed and fined afterwards; I'd have no problem with this. This is not, nor will likely ever by the customer's car. The company has a right to protect their property, but not by means of deceit.
Wile E. Coyote (Suuuu-per Genius), Proprietor.
They were just doing it for our their customers' own good. Yea, right. If they wanted to keep the speed down all they have to do is automatically limit the speed of the car to the speed zone they are in.
I agree. And if this is really cost saving then it will be reflected in the rental rates. If they can't use this and be cheaper then I smell a rat.
In 1968 I had reserved a Mustang from Hertz at San Francisco airport. When I arrived, the clerk told me they were out of Mustangs - - would I be willing to take a Shelby GT500 at the same rate? The only time I ever lucked out on a car rental. At checkin time, another clerk tried to argue about the rental rate but I had it in writing. Of course I don't recall having broken any speed limits.
What Hertz probably didn't realize at the time was that weekend racers were actually renting the cars, swapping the engine into stock Mustangs and running a couple of races, then dropping the engine back into the rental (at least, that's what I have heard). Anyway, Hertz only kept the Shelby program for about a year. I imagine they could have gotten some interesting GPS data if it had existed back then.
Does this apply to red light cams too?
lol
Smile for the birdy high in the sky. ;-)
There must be some way of faking the GPS out. Maybe you can drive it to the airport fly it cross country and back the same day to return it the next. If I ever won the lottery there would a lot of folks scratching their heads over some of the stunts I'd pull.
"State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal disagreed. "The state can't condone speeding, but it condemns moneymaking schemes designed as safety measures," he said. "
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
They just don't like the competition.
There must be some way of faking the GPS out.
There has to be an antenna for the GPS somewhere. Just make a tinfoil hat for the antenna (stick it on with duct tape) ;^)
Of course not. You were going too fast to read the speed limit signs!
I'd want to put some unbelieveable mileage on the car so that it looked like the car did something like 6,000 miles in a 24hr period which would be 250 mph. Can you imagine the reaction when their immaculate computer spits out a 250mph average speed?
I am shocked that any ruling went against Big Brother.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.