Forums | MacLife

radarman · 2009-07-01 1:05 pm

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1299981.html

The year is 2020 and the gasoline tax is history. In its place you get a monthly tax bill based on each mile you drove — tracked by a Global Positioning System device in your car and uploaded to a billing center.

What once was science fiction is being field-tested by the University of Iowa to iron out the wrinkles should a by-the-mile road tax ever be enacted.

Besides the technological advances making such a tax possible, the idea is getting a hard push from a growing number of transportation experts and officials. That is because the traditional by-the-gallon fuel tax, struggling to keep up with road building and maintenance demands, could fall even farther behind as vehicles’ gas mileage rises and more alternative-fuel vehicles come on line.

It's getting closer to time to break out the pitchforks and torches. Greedy governments are finally talking about requiring GPS tracking systems in all of our cars (nevermind that big trucks account for most of the damage).

I don't care if it primarily functions as a second odometer, it's a hideous invasion of privacy, and needs to be ended. Politicians even whispering support should be run out of town, and idiots dumb enough to vote for it should have their future ballots quietly thrown out due to excessive stupidity.

Seriously folks, the outrage against this crap needs to start soon, and fast.

Chickenhawk · 2009-07-01 1:11 pm

why do idiots (educated fools in this case it appears) keep thinking that GPS is necessary to do a by-the-mile road tax? Do they forget that there's a fancy gadget in all cars that tells you how many miles have been driven?

jerwin · 2009-07-01 1:16 pm

First they came for the sex offenders, and I kept my silence because I was not a sex offender.

ShnickyShnack · 2009-07-01 1:59 pm

May as well go and become a sex offender now.

bratboy · 2009-07-01 2:12 pm

It's difficult for me to get excited about this.

JakeTheTall · 2009-07-01 2:21 pm

What I like about radarman is that he's not jumping the gun on this one.

sturner · 2009-07-01 2:25 pm

I can see that law enforcement might want a piece of this, as would emergency services.

You can't outrun a radio, and a GPS associated with your licence plate number would make it difficult to avoid being tracked down for red light running, speeding, other crimes where the plate number is known.

jerwin · 2009-07-01 2:27 pm

bratboy wrote:
It's difficult for me to get excited about this.

A little viagra should get the blood flowing.

ShnickyShnack · 2009-07-01 2:31 pm

Some of us get engorged more easily than others.

sturner · 2009-07-01 2:35 pm

Just whisper in Shnicky's ear. I understand that you get an immediate reaction.

JakeTheTall · 2009-07-01 3:11 pm

sturner wrote:
I can see that law enforcement might want a piece of this, as would emergency services.

You can't outrun a radio, and a GPS associated with your licence plate number would make it difficult to avoid being tracked down for red light running, speeding, other crimes where the plate number is known.

If you outlaw non-gps vehicles, then only outlaws will something something.

test · 2009-07-01 3:24 pm

JakeTheTall wrote:
If you outlaw non-gps vehicles, then only outlaws will be able to get erections.

Fixed it for ya. Not sure why it seems less pornographic now. . .

Pariah · 2009-07-01 4:19 pm

Besides the technological advances making such a tax possible, the idea is getting a hard push from a growing number of transportation experts and officials. That is because the traditional by-the-gallon fuel tax, struggling to keep up with road building and maintenance demands, could fall even farther behind as vehicles’ gas mileage rises and more alternative-fuel vehicles come on line

That is why fuel taxes should be a percentage rather than the flat rate it is now.

Last edited by Pariah (2009-07-01 4:20 pm)

radarman · 2009-07-01 7:53 pm

It's not just the blatant privacy violations, and the inevitable feature creep that will soon have traffic tickets mailed to us at the end of the month - it's also the fact that it effective neutralizes any advantage a fuel efficient car might offer.

Who cares if you have an SUV or a Prius - you are going to pay the same "fuel tax" anyway. Given the high percentage of fuel is already tax, it suddenly makes the cost advantage less attractive.

That doesn't even cover the fact that we will have to pay for the damn things - either separately, or as part of a new car purchase. Nothing like adding another fixed cost to an industry already having problems.

It's 100% stupid, short-sighted crap; and it needs to be nipped in the bud before some dumb-ass politician thinks is a anything other.

[MA] Flying_Meat · 2009-07-03 5:26 pm

You'd have to base it on the type of vehicle, as well as the percentage of time the engine was on, but the car wasn't moving.

The gas tax is decidedly more effective, as it promotes more fuel efficient vehicle purchases, and less sitting in your car with the engine running. GPS would just make people find ways to remove the device or mess with it.

resedit · 2009-07-04 12:32 am

No.

No no no no no no no no no no.

When it happens, will y'all finally concede that the oppressive one world government that won't let you buy and sell without the mark of the beast is taking place?

That's where we are headed, and they keep putting out these ideas to numb us to the control they want us to placidly subject ourselves to.

Do not trust government. Do not trust what future administrations will do with this type of thing.
Do not trust current administration motivations are as pure as they sound about this type of thing.

No no no no no.

That's a line that can not be crossed.
Unfortunately, the "Global Warming" scam gives them just the excuse they need to start heading down the path of constant surveillance where they have access to anything and everything about you at any given time.

gd · 2009-07-04 12:40 am

Screw the earth and the government. We can always develop missions to establish ourselves in Mars

ShnickyShnack · 2009-07-04 12:41 am

Why don't they just add a GPS upgrade to the computer chips they implant in people's brains to control their thoughts?

Bat · 2009-07-04 1:06 am

resedit wrote:
No.

No no no no no no no no no no.

When it happens, will y'all finally concede that the oppressive one world government that won't let you buy and sell without the mark of the beast is taking place?

Um.. no. (Long answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo)

(Ref for above coming) smile

That's where we are headed, and they keep putting out these ideas to numb us to the control they want us to placidly subject ourselves to.

Do not trust government. Do not trust what future administrations will do with this type of thing.
Do not trust current administration motivations are as pure as they sound about this type of thing.

No no no no no.

That's a line that can not be crossed.
Unfortunately, the "Global Warming" scam gives them just the excuse they need to start heading down the path of constant surveillance where they have access to anything and everything about you at any given time.

I'm sure the whole Global Warming thing is just a vast conspiracy to set it all up, too.

Careful, tho- the Worldgov doubtless has rubber rooms and straitjackets ready for those see thru their lies.

They may be using Deep Packet Inspection to track you already.

bratboy · 2009-07-04 10:15 am

One of the great "scams" of science, right up there with dinosaurs and the age of the earth.

robco · 2009-07-04 10:24 am

Indeed.

Tallgeese · 2009-07-04 10:32 am

robco wrote:
Indeed.

DAMN YOU CATHOLIC CHURCH AND YOUR SCIENCE-PAGAN-NAZI WORLD GOVERNMENT PLAN!!!!

bratboy · 2009-07-04 10:41 am

Wait, the Pope is going to be tracking my vehicle?

Tallgeese · 2009-07-04 10:48 am

Yes, to make sure you arrive at your Goddess Worship on time.

Mustapha Mond · 2009-07-04 11:04 am

Tallgeese wrote:
robco wrote:
Indeed.
http://homepage.mac.com/oatmeal/MAF/maxes/shakefist.gif

DAMN YOU CATHOLIC CHURCH AND YOUR SCIENCE-PAGAN-NAZI WORLD GOVERNMENT PLAN!!!!

Margaret Atwood did a more convincing version of that comic.

Anyway, the torture part was my favorite. As if fraternity hijinks are so bad all of a sudden. Ha!

Forums | MacLife

#1 2009-07-01 1:05 pm

Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#2 2009-07-01 1:11 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#3 2009-07-01 1:16 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#4 2009-07-01 1:59 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#5 2009-07-01 2:12 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#6 2009-07-01 2:21 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#7 2009-07-01 2:25 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#8 2009-07-01 2:27 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

bratboy wrote:

#9 2009-07-01 2:31 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#10 2009-07-01 2:35 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#11 2009-07-01 3:11 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

sturner wrote:

#12 2009-07-01 3:24 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

JakeTheTall wrote:

#13 2009-07-01 4:19 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#14 2009-07-01 7:53 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#15 2009-07-03 5:26 pm

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#16 2009-07-04 12:32 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#17 2009-07-04 12:40 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#18 2009-07-04 12:41 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#19 2009-07-04 1:06 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

resedit wrote:

#20 2009-07-04 10:15 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#21 2009-07-04 10:24 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#22 2009-07-04 10:32 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

robco wrote:

#23 2009-07-04 10:41 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#24 2009-07-04 10:48 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

#25 2009-07-04 11:04 am

Re: Forget sex offenders, now it's GPS tracking for all

Tallgeese wrote:

robco wrote:

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