Cars' `Black Boxes' Hold Crash Data, New Privacy Issues [manslaughter conviction on black box data]

Newhouse News Service ^ | June 10, 2003

[Frapster]

I agree - this is an invaluable tool. It creeps me out but so far I've only seen it help nail creeps like this. As another poster said - when they start 'fishing' ala 'plugging into it' during a traffic stop to either check their radar gun or to see if their radar gun missed something.

[sheik yerbouty]

Many thanks for the info.

[sheik yerbouty]

Interesting tidbit.

[lmailbvmbipfwedu]

That sinks it.....Its time for the '53 chevy truck to come out of storage.......

[Henrietta]

"If you had ever been lied ABOUT, either by the cops (there ARE bad cops, and they DO have "quotas") or by some punk rich kid and the lawyer that daddy bought him, you might think that a provably impartial witness is not such a bad thing."

I'm not saying an impartial witness is a bad thing! (And I know cops lie; you can tell they are lying if their lips are moving.) (Ha Ha) I'm just arguing for some sort of consumer 'right to know' that there is a monitoring device in your car. Maybe people would drive better if they knew!

[Henrietta]

"You are the one flinging about the notion that the 4th Amendment is dead and the police can come into my home any time they damn well please."

Well, they can, Dan, so get used to it. All they have to do is allege that you are involved in some sort of "terrorist" activity, and they can basically do whatever they want to you and your property, including hold you without charges for an indetermined amount of time.

You can believe that this act will never be used against the average Joe, and I hope you are right. Just remember: The government promised us that a social security number would not to be used for identification. Did they keep this promise? If not, why do you believe the same tripe they are trotting out surrounding the Patriot Act?

[dansangel]

Well, they can, Dan, so get used to it. All they have to do is allege that you are involved in some sort of "terrorist" activity, and they can basically do whatever they want to you and your property, including hold you without charges for an indetermined amount of time.

Really? I find that strange, "Henry," since I pore over the news during nearly every waking hour and cannot recall one instance of this happening to an innocent victim. If I'm wrong about this, please educate me. Contrary to the way you post to me, I *do* have an open mind and have been persuaded to change my point of view when *facts* and not *emotions* have been presented.

The government promised us that a social security number would not to be used for identification. Did they keep this promise? If not, why do you believe the same tripe they are trotting out surrounding the Patriot Act?

I agree with you (see?) wholeheartedly on that one. What keeps me clinging to the notion that perhaps the same will not happen with the Patriot Act is that we are currently under a Republican administration. We became slaves to government during each and every one of the dim-witted democratic administrations - More Government, Big Government. And, we have just come off of 8 years of lies and deceit.

I am trying to have faith that the current administration is more forthright. Laugh at that if you will, but that's where I'm at right now.

[Henrietta]

"What keeps me clinging to the notion that perhaps the same will not happen with the Patriot Act is that we are currently under a Republican administration. "

Wow, you really are an optimist. I think that we have lost more freedoms under this current adminstration than under any previous administration (with the possible exception of FDR's). And the sad thing is, we're permitting it, thinking that Republicans can do no wrong.

What do you think that Hillary would do with the Patriot Act powers, were she to be elected?

And Dan, read the news; there are people being held right now under the Patriot Act; I'll try to find some sources for your perusal. There are probably some here on FR.

[Henrietta]

You might be interested in these articles: http://www.2600.com/news/view/article/1441

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15770

Part of the scary thing about this Act is that it creates a broad new crime of "domestic terrorism" which is defined in Section 802 as "activities that (A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the US or of any state; (B) appear to be intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.

Under the broad definition under part A, reckless driving could implicate the Patriot Act, and you could be held without charges for up to seven days and have your house searched without your knowledge.

This is not the kind of society in which I wish to live.

[dansangel]

Wow, you really are an optimist.

Oh gee, I guess I lost more credibility points with you.

What do you think that Hillary would do with the Patriot Act powers, were she to be elected?

She's not and she won't be. Unless we "conservatives" continue to be divided. You can let go of the notion we'll ever have a Libertarian president, Henry. It's time we united as conservatives to keep the hounds at bay!

And Dan, read the news; there are people being held right now under the Patriot Act; I'll try to find some sources for your perusal. There are probably some here on FR.

Yes, there are people being held now. I know that. They exhibited terorist leanings, came from terrorist backgrounds and conspired to perform terrorist acts. I asked if there was an innocent US citizen who has no contact with Islamist terrorists who is being held.

Please don't talk down to me. I *do* read the news. I wouldn't be on FR if I wasn't reasonably well-informed. I'd prefer to have a discussion with someone who is calm and reasonable than someone who yells "fire" in a crowded theater and then does not back up that observation with fact.

[dansangel]

The Hacker Quarterly? You expect me to hold a story as credible from that? Sorry, you might as well have sent me to the Enquirer. This discussion is over.

[Henrietta]

"This discussion is over."

Thank goodness! I've had quite enough of listening to your blather about how we should all trust our all-knowing government.

Buh-bye, little sheep.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"The Autobahn system would never work here without spending billions to upgrade our roads"

Having driven on both (avoiding the worst of east coast freeze-thaw freeways), I would say that the engineering standards and drivability at speed is virtually identical. Most people are surprised on their first autobahn drive to see that these are just regular-looking limited access highways.

The dirty little secret is that our freeways were designed for essentially the same speeds.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"And forget about bandying about the Patriot Act. That was designed to protect us from terrorist crimes, not hassle the average joe blow citizen."

There is an immportant difference between what a law is "designed" to do, and what it actually authorizes.

The road to hell...

[discostu]

I've heard the same thing from highway cops, most of our highway system is designed for speeds of around 100 MPH, even higher out west where it's dead straight for miles on end.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"She's not and she won't be. Unless we "conservatives" continue to be divided."

When the principled conservatives fail to support the RINOs and Bushbots, the terrorists (or Hillary) will win!?

[Atlas Sneezed]

"The Hacker Quarterly? You expect me to hold a story as credible from that? Sorry, you might as well have sent me to the Enquirer. This discussion is over."

You are whining and ducking because of the source quoting an enacted federal law?! If you dispute it, prove it by telling us where the article misquoted the federal law.

[dansangel]

You are whining and ducking because of the source quoting an enacted federal law?! If you dispute it, prove it by telling us where the article misquoted the federal law.

I am doing what? I am merely stating that the news source holds no credibility. Remember the NYT? Made up stories? The "victim" can't even prove he was in the police station. Ever been the victim of a hacker? I have. "Hacker's Quarterly" by virtue of its name holds zero credibility with me.

Save your personal attacks for someone who deserves them. I prefer to have rational discussions with intelligent and informed FReepers - not trolls who look for people to attack. Buh-bye to you, too.

[Atlas Sneezed]

So what ARE you disputing?