[John Jorsett]

If they ever get this off the ground, I predict a sudden interest in GPS spoofing equipment.

[Fierce Allegiance]

If they did not have other motives, a simple mileage tracker would suffice.

Many new cars also have data recorders similar to aricraft "black boxes". What do you wanna bet that will be potentially used against members of the citizenry?

[Ham Hock]

I sure hope this won't apply to motorcycles.

[flada]

They already have "mileage-based road-user fees" only they're called gas taxes.

[MediaAnalyst]

What the MSM fails to mention here, and what should concern us FReepers is the unholy alliance that's now taking place between rich people who want the "little people" off of the road, and the environmentalists that want "everybody" off of the road, but are willing to settle for the "little people" as a starting point.

The end product of this system is gigantic, searchable, database that will have every vehicle's movements tracked for years, and will have the ability to toll people based on where they drive and when the drive. Since the government owns most streets (at least now), they will then have the power to "encourage" us to drive where they want, when they want...and, I'm sorry to say, lots of Republicans will jump on board (as CATO and Heritage already have), under the misguided assumption that government control over when and where we drive somehow amounts to using "market forces" to keep streets clear of congestion.

Luckily I'm old enough and rich enough not to be affected, but I still care.

[BenLurkin]

They want to take your privacy away from you for the common good.

[Issaquahking]

America's Wars Total


Sam Adams best summed it up when he said," If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands that which feed you. May your chain be set lightly upon you and posterity forget ye were our countrymen."

Time for a revolution against this dumba$$ idea! What kind of communists are sitting in positions of power? They need to be fired, if not prosecuted!

[Husker24]

One study prepared for the Transportation Department predicts a PR success. "Less than 7 percent of the respondents expressed concerns about recording their vehicle's movements," it says.

Horse sh!t, id like to see how that question was worded.

[sure_fine]

would this be like when the telegraph was invented?
it worked both ways, send information for the good guys, but hacked into bad the bad guys

[martin_fierro]

RFID Ping

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

How do they handle rental cars? I remember that the 408 or 406 near Toronto was the first toll road that used license ID. They'd copy you license number when you entered and when you left and send you a bill afterwards. Problem was, the bill came weeks later, and the car rental companies would add it to your fee. If you were on a business trip, you generally file an expense report within a few days of the trip. Filing an amended report for a newly reported toll is a hassle, especially since the rental company just billed your credit card, and you might not know until the next billing cycle. Cripes, the contract you charged against might have been closed by the time the paperwork cleared. Imagine Jim Rockford trying to recoup his "two hundred dollars a day plus expenses" weeks after the expense.

This would also make interstate highways a terrorist and malicious pranksters playground. One could devise a cheap, disposable GPS jammer that could be deployed by being thrown from a vehicle at night near a major highway intersection and programmed to turn on hours or days later, or perhaps in response to a cell phone call. Two major highways would be clogged for hours with disabled vehicles while the evil doers had a picnic.

[SALChamps03]

But the general idea is that a small GPS device, which knows its location by receiving satellite signals, is placed inside the vehicle.

Not my vehicle.

[Final Authority]

This is the plan to keep GM out of bankruptcy. They have been working really hard in convincing people of the value of OnStar, to very little interest by the car buying public however, so they need Government to mandate the technology.

I predicted this a year ago at least, that the government will look at OnStar and see a revenue stream emanating from it. They will see a way to not only monitor behavior but influence it as well as they are reaching again into our wallets.

This must be stopped dead in its tracks.

I can see very clearly how the anti-tampering mechanism will work, for those who think they can just disconnect it or use shielding. When one wishes to start the vehicle the transmitter sends out a "ping" to the transponder and then receives back an OK signal to operate. If it doesn't "shake hands" no dice, the car will just sit their until corrections are made. Can one imagine being with family on a trip in a snow storm and attempting to start the car when either there is a malfunction (which will occur) or that the ice and snow attenuates the signal just enough to prevent operation, whereupon all suffer hypothermia.

Don't we all just love the government?

[sionnsar]

So far, Washington state and Oregon have received fat federal checks to figure out how to levy these "mileage-based road user fees."

Evergreen State ping

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

... A spokeswoman on Friday said the office is "shooting for the end of the year" for the announcement,...

We'll be shooting back.

[Just Lori]

Sorry folks, this stinks to high heaven! I often wonder what men like Washington, Jefferson, Franklin & others who were there in the beginning would say about things like this. Also..... so it's ok to track and tax the citizens this way, but it's not ok to spy on certain individuals (who may or may not be American citizens) with possible terrorist connections? People who may desire another 9/11? I wish we could send 90% of our "elected leaders" packing and replace them with average citizens. THAT would be a worthwhile revolution.

[quietolong]

NHRA News: Legislation threatens vehicle hobby industry
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/592530/posts

And then people will realize too late. The whole camel in the tent.