Warrantless GPS Tracking Is Legal, Says WI Court 594
PL/SQL Guy writes "A Wisconsin appeals court ruled Thursday that police can attach GPS trackers to cars to secretly track anybody's movements without obtaining search warrants. As the law currently stands, the court said police can mount GPS on cars to track people without violating their constitutional rights — even if the drivers aren't suspects. Officers do not need to get warrants beforehand because GPS tracking does not involve a search or a seizure, wrote Madison Judge Paul Lundsten."
Perfect! (Score:5, Funny)
That means I can attach GPS devices to police cars! Never again will I get a ticket while driving through the People's Republic of Wisconsin!
Re:True, but ... (Score:3, Funny)
Yet another reason to drive junkers.
Re:But... (Score:5, Funny)
I've got a better idea: demand to see a warrant to search the car when they come back to get it.
Re:Remove it and ship it off (Score:3, Funny)
I almost would have said "attach it to a police car", but then... it might look suspicious if you happen to be on every friggin' crime scene in the city.
Re:What if I find the device? ebay (Score:1, Funny)
Put it up on ebay. If anybody asks you say you found it in your driveway.
FYI... (Score:1, Funny)
If you would like to speak to Judge Paul Lundsten, he is presently on Drake Street approaching South Randall Avenue
Re:True, but ... (Score:3, Funny)
My car is insured for more than it's worth. Too much concern over setting it on fire, but a very public detonation by the bomb squad? What insurance company wouldn't believe that?
Re:But... (Score:5, Funny)
Better yet, stick it on a truck, preferably one traveling over the road; or leave it on a city bus or subway.
I can thin of even more creative scenarios:
-- Cruise by the local donut shop just before dawn and stick it on a cop's car
-- Attach it to someone's boat when they appear to be about to hit the lake for some fishing
-- Package it up and mail it to some random destination, preferably in an obscure country
-- I dunno...if it's small and light enough, tie it onto a migrating Canadian goose?
Re:True, but ... (Score:5, Funny)
they'll surround your car with sandbags and water barriers and blow it up.
Did the bomb squad get replaced by the Mythbusters?
Re:But... (Score:5, Funny)
But simply attaching something temporarily to your car in a way that doesn't diminish your car's value in any way? I'm not aware of any law generally preventing that.
I'd say a GPS tracker considerably diminishes the car's value as a getaway vehicle.
Re:But... (Score:5, Funny)
Random comment:
That last idea isn't the greatest, because if I recall my (was it 6th grade?) text book from several years ago, geese are strong enough to break your arm if they decide to hit you with their wing. They also bite.
Wha? Canadian geese range from 5-14lb (3.2-5.5kg) in weight. The largest goose is supposedly around 20lb. How's that supposed to work? Do you understand the concepts of mass, velocity, and energy?
I can see how one might break your arm if ... shot out of a cannon.
Re:But... (Score:4, Funny)
How's that supposed to work?
That depends if it's an African Canadian goose, or a European Canadian goose.
Re:But... (Score:2, Funny)
Or better yet, putting GPS on police cars.
One way to find the best donut shop.
Re:But... (Score:3, Funny)
there were two huge Blackwater semis
I am going to call B.S., unless they were using former Blackwater semis they picked up for training. Blackwater doesn't exist anymore. It is now Xe.
Re:Perfect! (Score:4, Funny)
What if I find a suspicious box on my car (Score:1, Funny)
Doesn't the police need your permission first? http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/oct/27/chattanooga-man-arrested-placing-gps-tracker-wifes/ [timesfreepress.com]
Also, if I find a strange box on my car can I sell it on EBay? I seem to recall an article where this actually happened (I think in Australia but I can't find the link right now).
Track the cops (Score:1, Funny)
Is it ok if I put GPS trackers on cop cars to track the cops then? That would be good info