black boxes for cars

Just learned that 96% of new cars have event data recorders ... not exactly like the black box in airplanes, at least they don't seem to record much, just the few seconds prior to a crash are recorded.

There are some issues.

Quote: link

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is on the verge of making black boxes mandatory in all new cars, light trucks and SUVs ... consumers and privacy advocates are becoming more concerned about the information vehicles create

Be prepared for some things you may not like, folks. But I won't say I am sure it will go this way. For a short period of time, you heard about somebody getting a speeding ticket because they were clocked by the 'electronic toll collection' device they were using as they went through toll gates. But we don't seem to hear that anymore.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/car-black-box-recorders-capture-crash-data.html

I got dinged from EZ-Pass. A few times, actually. I was trying to see how fast you could go while still able to trip the sensor. Apparently 47mph is still slow enough to be read, but heavily frowned upon by the establishment. I got four warnings before I learned some east coast states have em right on the open highway and 80mph is possible. I gave up the chase. Never got an actual ticket.

On the black box, pretty sure you carry one in your pocket at all times anyway.

Quote: Face

I got dinged from EZ-Pass. A few times, actually. I was trying to see how fast you could go while still able to trip the sensor. Apparently 47mph is still slow enough to be read, but heavily frowned upon by the establishment. I got four warnings before I learned some east coast states have em right on the open highway and 80mph is possible. I gave up the chase. Never got an actual ticket.

On the black box, pretty sure you carry one in your pocket at all times anyway.

PA has that system, after a week you will think you paid that way all your life. More than 80 is probably possible if you were to just stack the readers. NY would have to modify the roadway a bit so I don't see it happening.

Quote: Face

On the black box, pretty sure you carry one in your pocket at all times anyway.

the black box records things like how fast you were going when you, say, crashed into the guard rail ... in future it might do all kinds of things, and record a whole day, not a few seconds. It might even take GPS readings.

I hadn't heard of an 'event data recorder' before I was watching a real-crime show. The box established that this woman who was later murdered had stomped on the accelerator just before she got stuck in a median. It helped determine what was going on [some pretty crazy stuff]

Quote: odiousgambit

the black box records things like how fast you were going when you, say, crashed into the guard rail ... in future it might do all kinds of things, and record a whole day, not a few seconds. It might even take GPS readings.

That's what I'm saying, though.

I'm not saying that data collection isn't an invasion of privacy, and that we should do nothing about it. However, if you wreck, they're gonna check your phone. Between text, Facebook, GPS, they're going to be able to tell where you were, where you're headed, who you were talking to, what you did last night, who you did last night, know where the bong is, know why Instagram sucks, know your favorite sports team... you get the idea.

Why is the boogey man so scary when you willingly carry a real monster with you everywhere?

Quote: Face

Why is the boogey man so scary when you willingly carry a real monster with you everywhere?

You're on to something, most people don't realize how they are being tracked by the things. If you watch the crime shows, a very common mistake people trying to commit the 'perfect crime' make is assuming that if they use their cell phone, they can claim to have been somewhere else besides the incriminating place they in fact were. Unfortunately for them, the specific nearby towers that picked up their signals are recorded.

What troubles me more is people who sign contracts knowingly joining a HOA, are given a copy of the rules, and then decide that they are a victim because the rules don't allow them to display a flag. They then break the rule, try to get sympathy and attention from people who should no better, and end up on TV as crusaders of some sort.

A similar device "Snapshop", is advertised by Flo with Progressive insurance. I'm sure you've seen the commercials. You can voluntarily place this within your car for 30 days in hopes to get "up to" 15% off your rates. I did some research when it came out and discovered it does record your speed, but mostly it's heavy braking it records, and whether you're driving in the wee morning hours. It doesn't record whether the wipers were on, or if there was a passenger.

Quote: Segaboy

What troubles me more is people who sign contracts knowingly joining a HOA, are given a copy of the rules, and then decide that they are a victim because the rules don't allow them to display a flag. They then break the rule, try to get sympathy and attention from people who should no better, and end up on TV as crusaders of some sort.

True, but sometimes they get creative on the rules. Some have called a flagpole a "structure." Now, no matter if you read the rules or not, that makes no sense. However, IIRC the feds and most states ended the nonsense of banning displaying the US Flag, so that one is a moot point.