Guest jeremy Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 TJCrebs sent this to me today. GPS: Gotta Pay for Speeding Has anyone heard of this sort of "Big Brother" usage of GPS devices in the services sector? I do know of hardware that can be put into servers/cars/equipment that will report that they were powered off and/or moved by using a paging technology, and also GPS wristbands that will let you know the location of an alzheimer patient, child, teen, etc. But any similar uses in commerce to this Acme Rent a Car business? Creepy stuff. Guess you should read the fine print closer nowadays. And definitely ask about GPS in your rent-a-car. Disclaimer: For folks who have limited knowledge of GPS technology, GPS units do not broadcast your position! So no need to wear aluminum foil on your head. These companies are using GPS and either wireless technology or a storage device to track drivers, people, etc. Jeremy Quote Link to comment
Guest bunkerdave Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 hey should be. Very interesting article. PC magazine had an editorial recently about the same type of thing, but with transmitters in cell phones. Quote Link to comment
Guest coralgeo Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 Wow, I'm stunned! I rent cars quite frequently in my business travels, and you can be sure that I'll be reading the fine print from now on! ------------------ http://www.geocities.com/scubasue1/geocaching Into a melody of deep blue; shells drifting downward to sink and settle on the seafloor. An earth song of creation kneads them into stone, draws aside the waves and lifts them into mountains. -Nancy Penrose Quote Link to comment
Guest BigFig Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 USGS uses high-dollar GPS receivers for surveys, mapping, etc. They supposedly can get accuracy up to a couple of centimeters using DGSP units. Quote Link to comment
Guest Pokey Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 The same type of system is used by the companies that either pay you to plaster your car in an auto wrap ad or loan you a car to drive which is also wrapped as a rolling ad. The gps tracking is recorded by an on board computer and downloaded once a month to ensure that you are driving enough miles and going to the right type of places that your contract with them requires. At least with this set up you are either getting paid or are getting the free use of a car for having your every auto related move tracked. The other uses seem to me to be crossing the line into invading ones privacy. Quote Link to comment
Guest walkerk Posted June 21, 2001 Share Posted June 21, 2001 Not so worried about someone tracking my rental car as I am about them tracking me. The "Digital Angel" system is supposedly capable of doing this. Recently the idea of a "subdermal implant" for the supposed safety of "the children" was dropped in favor of bracelet or pager style hardware. For more information see: http://www.digitalangel.net/da/index.htm It seems Big Brother is about 17 years behind schedule. Quote Link to comment
Guest Cold Chuck Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 17 years and getting faster!!! I will not in any way or form support our US Government to do some electronic tracking or monitoring of our citizens. We dont need "1984" situations here not now not ever! I love my country but fear my government!! dadgum shame though I may have to take up my arms if it ever comes to that far! Quote Link to comment
Guest brucebridges Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 I heard about this happening in Florida (I thought) this morning. As a regular renter of cars for business, I would never rent from somebody with such a policy. I would think market pressures will cause them to drop this idiotic practice. Unless all the rental companies did this... Quote Link to comment
Guest Dirtnapper Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 As for tracking.. I have two brothers who criss-cross the country as truckers...their companies use similar systems...they know where they are at all times! Quote Link to comment
Guest Huaso Posted July 3, 2001 Share Posted July 3, 2001 Just saw this headline: Car rental GPS speeding fines illegal The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection rules a car-rental company that used GPS-equipped cars to hand out speeding penalties was in violation of state law. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,5093616,00.html?chkpt=zdnn070301 Quote Link to comment
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