The State Seeks Control Of Your Navigation & Map Apps … “In The Name Of Safety”

Stuck in Traffic? Thanks, Obama!: Feds To Regulate Waze, Google Maps, And Other Navigation Apps

 

 

 

 

 

” The Obama administration wants to cripple the navigation and traffic reporting apps on your smartphone. In the name of safety, of course.

  Provisions in the proposed transportation bill—which Congress will look at in the next few months—would give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the power to regulate apps like Google Maps and Waze, the crowdsourced traffic reporting tool. 

  They’re going to start with automobiles’ built-in navigation devices, since regulatory authority is clearer there. Possible “features” include limiting inputs when the car is in motion, or making people click a button saying that they are a passenger.

  But of course, if they make the onboard navigation systems in cars suck, people will just turn to their smartphones, right? So they had better regulate those too. 

  The impulse to regulate against distracted driving has a long, not terribly glorious pedigree, dating all the way back to efforts to go after people who were changing the radio station while driving. In more recent years, talking and texting bans have failed to show clear positive results and may even cause harm.”

 

 

Reason

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Texas Cops Collecting Driver DNA At Behest Of Feds

North Texas Drivers Stopped At Roadblock Asked For Saliva, Blood

 

 

 

 

” Some drivers along a busy Fort Worth street on Friday were stopped at a police roadblock and directed into a parking lot, where they were asked by federal contractors for samples of their breath, saliva and even blood.

It was part of a government research study aimed at determining the number of drunken or drug-impaired drivers.

“It just doesn’t seem right that you can be forced off the road when you’re not doing anything wrong,” said Kim Cope, who said she was on her lunch break when she was forced to pull over at the roadblock on Beach Street in North Fort Worth.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is spending $7.9 million on the survey over three years, said participation was “100 percent voluntary” and anonymous.”

 

Voluntary indeed . This woman didn’t feel like she had any choice in the matter .

 

 

” But Cope said it didn’t feel voluntary to her — despite signs saying it was.

“I gestured to the guy in front that I just wanted to go straight, but he wouldn’t let me and forced me into a parking spot,” she said.

Once parked, she couldn’t believe what she was asked next.”

 

 

   Does anyone really believe that the results would be anonymous and confidential ? Does the government ever relinquish personal data once they get their hands on it ? Of course not … not going to happen … and what of the constitutionality of randomly pulling people over that are suspected of committing no crimes ? Welcome to the world of The State uber alles . Shades of thirties Germany anyone ? Or fifties USSR ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Get Ready For Regulatory Hell

ELECTION OVER, ADMINISTRATION UNLEASHES NEW RULES

 

 

 

 

 

” WASHINGTON (AP) — While the “fiscal cliff” of looming tax increases and spending cuts dominates political conversation in Washington, some Republicans and business groups see signs of a “regulatory cliff” that they say could be just as damaging to the economy.

For months, federal agencies and the White House have sidetracked dozens of major regulations that cover everything from power plant pollution to workplace safety to a crackdown on Wall Street.

The rules had been largely put on hold during the presidential campaign as the White House sought to quiet Republican charges that President Barack Obama was an overzealous regulator who is killing U.S. jobs.

But since the election, the Obama administration has quietly reopened the regulations pipeline.”

 

 

Illustration By Steve Rustad

Related articles

• Obama agenda: The ‘regulatory cliff’? (firstread.nbcnews.com)
• Obama Unleashes Onslaught of New Regulations (conservativebyte.com)
• Election over, administration unleashes new rules (newsvine.com)

What Happened To ” Secure In Our Papers And Property” ?

NHTSA To Push Mandatory Data Recorders In Cars

 

This little gadget will allow the government to keep tabs on your every movement in your “private” automobile , and at the low , low cost of only $4-5000.00 per vehicle .

 

 

 

 

” If you bought a car within the past few years, chances are it’s spying on you. Devices known as event data recorders (EDR) tap into your car’s network of sensors, and dump a stream of data in the event of a crash—including the vehicle’s speed, throttle/brake pedal position, and seat belt use.

Historically, the issue of who owns EDR data and who can access it has been left up to the states, with only a dozen enacting laws regarding EDR data use. But today, the AP reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will propose regulations mandating automakers to install event data recorders on all new vehicles—turning EDR data ownership into a national issue.

Like any information-gathering technology, EDR is a double-edged sword. While it can help detect accidents and call for help, as well as provide auto engineers with a bevy of data to improve crash safety, its information has also been used against drivers. In one example in 2007, EDR data revealed that the driver carrying then-Gov. Jon Corzine of New Jersey in a Chevy Suburban was traveling 91 mph before it struck a white pickup and critically injured Corzine. ”

Related articles

• Obama Gives OK For Black Box Data Recorders to Be Installed in All Cars (occupycorporatism.com)
• I’m sure this information will never be used against you.. (wherearemykeys.typepad.com)
• White House Review of NHTSA Request Brings Black Box Mandate One Step Closer (wot.motortrend.com)
• NHTSA expected to propose mandatory black boxes in vehicles (slashgear.com)
• Federal Agency wants black boxes in every new car by September 2014 (arstechnica.com)