While this may well be the beginning of a horrible slippery slope, it's hard to feel for the driver in this case. Three times the speed limit? Fuckin' hang him.
In addition to that, the data from the black box was available because the driver caused an accident.
If it's a slippery slope, random trawling for speeders is a long way down the slope from collecting all available data at the scene of an accident.
Why not draw the line at probable cause, just like we do with other sorts of data collection? If you cause an accident, I don't see any reason why the police should limit the kinds of evidence they collect about the cause of that accident. I don't see that as a slippery slope to anything, other than locking up more homocidal maniacs.
I'm one of the tinfoil-hat-wearing, privacy-concerned people here, and this blackbox doesn't bother me in the least. I'm concerned about devices that monitor/collect information all of the time. GPS speeding tickets anyone? The way I see this is, you've got just as much chance of this saving your butt if your not at fault. These devices work both ways. If an accident is questionable, this could prove you were not at fault. Call me when they start adding speed governers to cars or mailing speeding tickets from GPS readouts.
These devices work both ways. If an accident is questionable, this could prove you were not at fault.
That would be even worse. What's to stop me from tampering with my box so as to report I never speed, then driving with impunity at insane speeds killing people.
Unless you believe in "trusted systems" (which most Slashdotters don't seem to) you should never trust the validity of any device in control of a user which is used to exonerate the user.
If it can be proven in court that these "blackboxes" can be tampered with, I think the point is moot anyway. Either they're trusted or not. I still don't see this as a threat to privacy. Now, if they start recording more time and broadcasting the information....that wouldn't be as neat.
Professional wrestling: ballet for the common man.
Slippery Slope? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Slippery Slope? (Score:5, Insightful)
If it's a slippery slope, random trawling for speeders is a long way down the slope from collecting all available data at the scene of an accident.
Why not draw the line at probable cause, just like we do with other sorts of data collection? If you cause an accident, I don't see any reason why the police should limit the kinds of evidence they collect about the cause of that accident. I don't see that as a slippery slope to anything, other than locking up more homocidal maniacs.
Re:Slippery Slope? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Slippery Slope? (Score:2)
That would be even worse. What's to stop me from tampering with my box so as to report I never speed, then driving with impunity at insane speeds killing people.
Unless you believe in "trusted systems" (which most Slashdotters don't seem to) you should never trust the validity of any device in control of a user which is used to exonerate the user.
Re:Slippery Slope? (Score:2)