Pomgolia To Get a Traffic-Tracking System

[aardvark]

Really? Cameras plugged into OCR which read rego plates and, in realtime, query multiple remote databases for info about both the car they just "saw" and the person most likely to be behind the wheel?

Yes. Except the databases aren't exactly remote. The cameras are attached to patrol cars, and before they go out each day the databases are downloaded to a computer in the car.

[I-K]

You know, you can be a real pedantic cahn sometimes, Dave...

and so can you.. You know who he meant...

You could hardly accuse the John with the "h" in his name of pork-barrelling the "ethnic/minority vote".

[I-K]

Really? Cameras plugged into OCR which read rego plates and, in realtime, query multiple remote databases for info about both the car they just "saw" and the person most likely to be behind the wheel?

Yes. Except the databases aren't exactly remote. The cameras are attached to patrol cars, and before they go out each day the databases are downloaded to a computer in the car.

Really? Not sure I like that answer... means every time someone steals a cop car, personal information about most of the adult population of SA is up for grabs, give or take some decryption work.

[aardvark]

Really? Not sure I like that answer... means every time someone steals a cop car, personal information about most of the adult population of SA is up for grabs, give or take some decryption work.

As far as I know, they only upload a list of cars that have expired rego, are suspect cars, are stolen etc etc.

And as far as the "some decryption work". I doubt the average joe stealing a cop car is going to have the means or need to hack 256 encryption.

Also, not all cars are fitted out with the OCR cameras. There are a limited number here. All the other cars have to access the information via a terminal in the car, and these terminals can be locked out of the system at the flick of a virtual switch.

[Gosling1]

True, and the circumstances you point out are all arguments for my favourite motto!

"You can't protect humanity from stupidity."

That is so unfortunately true. I always tell new recruits "....You know boys, if common sense was common, everyone would have it.........They don't, and that is why we require legislation..........." blah blah blah.

Did you know that common sense is simply the collection of prejudices you have acquired by age 18 ?? (thankyou Mr Einstein - its one of his)

And seeing I am in the Albert mode......he also considered that only 2 things in the Universe were infinite - The Universe, and human stupidity, and he wasn't so sure about the former.........

Now - on to I-K .........mate, how many times is a cop car stolen in SA ??????? or anywhere for that matter ?? its just not a *big-ticket* item, when all is said and done.......and there is probably more information about you out there in the *public domain* than you have any idea (or more importantly) control over........than what is available on the coppers in-car DVD .

Wether we like it or not, technology marches on, and we have to march on with it. If this technology enables the bronze to track down your stolen BMW 8-series, then I am sure you would be all in favour of it. If it also means your unregistered HG Holden is pulled over..........well, que sera sera.

[I-K]

...mate, how many times is a cop car stolen in SA ??????? or anywhere for that matter ??

Incidentally, they dumped one at the opposite corner of my cul-de-sac just the other week.

The difference between what's floating about people out in cyberspace and what might be on a police in-car computer is that the latter is a *lode* of personal information; thousands of names, addresses, driver's license numbers etc all in one place. Get your hands on all that at once and you could do some damage. By comparison, what's floating around cyberspace is all over the shop, one person's details here, another's there...

[Gosling1]

...mate, how many times is a cop car stolen in SA ??????? or anywhere for that matter ??

Incidentally, they dumped one at the opposite corner of my cul-de-sac just the other week.

The difference between what's floating about people out in cyberspace and what might be on a police in-car computer is that the latter is a *lode* of personal information; thousands of names, addresses, driver's license numbers etc all in one place. Get your hands on all that at once and you could do some damage. By comparison, what's floating around cyberspace is all over the shop, one person's details here, another's there...

A stolen police car was dumped in your street last week ???? Bloody hell, the place is going to the dogs...... I bet it was a Commodore, they are the most stolen car in Oz

[I-K]

Not quite last week, but it wasn't that far back... uhmmm, maybe about the week after the GP, or the week after that...