Thoughts on highway construction and the new traffic cams going up with the work
There is a lot of construction going on here on the highways. The work is much needed (extra lanes, HOV lanes, light rail as well) but the trend seems to be that when significant new highway construction is undertaken the planners include highway cams almost every mile. I do like to be able to see whether snow has jammed up the highway, and I also see the value to the DOT to be able to see what is going on along the highway to address accidents or emergencies, but it feels as though they are watching. I have no interest in being seen driving nude at all, by other drivers or by people looking at these cams. Granted, accessing the cams online you can't see anything in the cars at all, but that's just the web stream image.
Anyone know how high of a resolution they have, whether they can zoom enough to see into a car and tell whether you're dressed? Any night vision capabilities?
It is feeling more and more like big brother is watching. I have a reasonable expectation that I will not be seen, as no vehicles taller than me pass me without me being covered, but highway cams, aircraft and future drone activity seems to have the potential (probability) of turning what is "private" space (when no one can see) into public space where we can no longer have an expectation that I am not having someone look into my vehicle from above.
Anyone have actual knowledge of the capabilities of these cameras and whether there are safeguards in place to prevent invasion of privacy?
I wouldn't worry too much about seeing if your driving naked as much as tracking you, issuing tickets for speeding, etc. Seems we are heading towards George Orwells 1984 where the government is watching you.
Yes I agree with you. It is so easy for them to slip a radar unit in with the cam and the next thing you will be getting a speeding ticket, and yet you was never pulled over for speeding. Yes these cams all types are getting way out of control, they are not here for public safety. It is called an "easy buck".
....at the moment. I'm more interested in their capabilities. If they have a high enough resolution to tell if your seatbelt is off, and if your clothes are off, I'm sure some sheriff will end up abusing the capabilities at some point. If the resolution is not good enough, then no problem.
I've got a friend here in France, working in the security department of a motorway.He tells me the definition of the cameras is so high he can see anything in the cars passing by. For instance he's told me from a camera at a 100meter distance of a car, he can zoom in and see if the driver is using his phone or if he's smoking a cigarette...So I guess he definitely can see if someone is naked or even the size of his penis...
I really would not worry about it, the cams are there to monitor the traffic flow and to see the license plates on the toll roads. I don't think the angles are correct for them to be able to see "down there", at most they can see you are driving topless. In any case there is too much data from all of the cams for anyone to be singled out based on their state of dress, it would take a computer to sort through all of them. Not saying it could not be done, but I think the government has better things to do, like fine you for not paying a toll :-)
As somebody who reaaly finds driving nude comfortable I have decided that I won't change based on cams. But I am careful to follow speed limits and traffic rules. I think infractions are more likely to prompt a review of cam recordings.
I agree with Alfresco, with all the traffic cams and construction going on, I'm not really worried about them. A lot of the cams now, either speed or stop light cams are focused on the license plate area, rather then inside the vehicle. With construction, only time you would have to worry is if you're in a stop and go area. Even driving through at 10 mph, the workers aren't even paying attention, even if they are, you're still going by to quick to focus. We have lots of flaggers around here directing traffic, they are normally standing in front of your car and can't see in anyway. I drive an Equinox, so I sit a little higher up anyway.
I don't know about these camera's (cam's) if they are good enough to pickup that you are driving nude or not, which by the way I like to do but I am very cautious and only do it very few times. I am in the United States and we have these video cams along some of the roads also. But the reason I am writing is to tell you of an incident that happened right near my home about a year ago, A man was driving nude in his own personal caron the highway andhe either passed a truck or the truck passed him, anyway the truck driver was able to see in to the car that the man was driving nude, and used his cell phone to call the police and report the man, who waspulled over a short time later and chargedfor being nude in the car. The man who was nude was an FBI agent (A federal police officer) which made no difference except that the news agencies made a bigger deal of it because the man was an FBI agent. He now has a police record, was suspended from his job for 60 days with no pay,had to pay a fine, and is on probation at work where if he gets in trouble again he will be fired.Another thing that happens from time to time in the United States the police will setup a drunk driving check point where the police are standing in the road and stop each car checking for drunk driving, unregistered vehicles, uninspected vehicles, etc.They usually are around a bend or over a hill or somewhere like that so you can not see them till you are right there. If you try to turn around or go a different way they usually have a couple chase cars that will go after you and pull you over right away.So I think it is far more dangerous you will get reported by one of these truck drivers or someone high up enough to see in you vehicle, or you may come upon one of these check points. This is why I love to be nude all the time, including when I drive but rarely do drive nude. I always say the invention of cell phone are good and bad. They are good for necessary communications and real emergencies, but bad because people think they have to use them to report everything, even when it has nothing to do with them, when it is not hurting anyone, and when there is no emergency.Another thing that can happen, is if you have a tail light, brake light, turn signal, or headlight out the cops will pull you over sometimes to warn you, and sometimes to give you a ticket.Another thing you have to watch for, is flagman, or other's who may be in the road, or on construction machinery in a constructionzone that maybe able to see you.I have heard a lot of people say keep a towel or something near by in the car to cover yourself if you get pulled over, but I am sure a cop would know something is wrong when he is looking in the car and you have a towel on your lap.Just my thoughts and some things that I have heard happen. So in general driving nude is very dangerous.
The systems going in here in the U.S. are mostly smartcams that feed visual data to computer programs that make dynamic adjustments to traffic control devices like traffic lights and variable speed limits. The images of cars moving though the lens view are counted and rates of speed are tracked as inputs to the control program. There are people monitoring the cameras, but only to make sure traffic is flowing. I assure you there aren't any nudist cops monitoring the images. However...if there is a collision or traffic tie up that will be focused in on by the people in the room then that image may be put on a big screen and panned or zoomed. So if you are in the picture sitting next to a collision with the camera focused just perfectly on you, they might know you are nude. But if you aren't the problem, they will quickly bore of you and get back to their problem. An earlier commenter is correct that if you are issued a citation for an act the police suspect may have been captured on camera and...if you contest the violation and take it to court...then they MAY go to the trouble of pulling the images, if the policies established by their government allows it for investigative purposes. I suspect not in most cases as they all have other things to do and don't typically go to this extent to make sure their citations stick. Of course if you are accused of doing something serious, like driving impaired and having an injury or fatal collision, for sure they are going to pull every frame of you. Your nudity likely would not be the issue in this case! I'd love to hear from anyone who has worked in police or courts, especially if you have had a different experience.
Being nude in car should be legal everywhere.Have you ever been photographed by another driver?Has another driver reported you?More government intrusion, fully tinted windows should be legal.
No, I've not been seen by another driver and that is by design. The traffic cams have the ability to change that.
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