Cameras Used To Tow Cars For Overdue Library Books

from the watch-out dept

Bob Dole writes "If you thought allowing cameras to enforce traffic laws wasn't a problem, you better check and see whether you have any overdue library books. Next month, Arlington, Virginia will use a camera system called BootFinder to scan parked cars to find any that belong to people listed in a database as owing the city any money -- no matter how minor. The city has the option of towing your car and auctioning it if it's not ransomed within 10 days. New Haven, Connecticut has already made $500,000 and towed hundreds of cars with this scheme. Mark my words, jaywalking cameras are next." The system works by having a camera attached to a minivan that drives around the neighborhood and identifies license plates. Update: Reading through the details shows that one person who had his car towed via this system is already suing, claiming illegal search and seizure.
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  • identicon
    Oliver Wendell Jones, 23 Feb 2005 @ 10:09am

    Mixed feelings...

    Part of me says "Wow, this is a pretty neat way for the city/county/state to get what's coming to them, and the other part of me is saying "Wow, how incredibly 1984 (the book - not the year) of them".

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dorpus, 23 Feb 2005 @ 10:41am

    Eminent Domain

    Governments can and do suddenly order homes destroyed to make way for roads. A few years ago, one town in Virginia was ordered to have all stores along main street destroyed to make way for a highway.

    So now, if you have some obscure local tax you didn't pay, government can show up with a bulldozer in your front yard.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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