A Court rules the government can

[Racket_Man]

attach a GPS tracking device to your car without a warrant

http://www.switched.com/2010/08/28/c..._lnk1%7C167518

[Jack]

Wow. I wouldn't say it's comparable to physically tailing someone. When you have a tail you have some chance of noticing. Most people wouldn't know what a GPS transmitter looks like or where it would be placed. This seems more like wiretapping than, say, digging in the trash for discarded correspondence or detailed phone bills. One is advertised; the other must be sought out and intruded upon. I hope this doesn't make it past SCOTUS.

[Greenday]

That is ridiculously scary. Gives cops an insane amount of stalking power with no oversight.

[draggar]

They can already do it with your cell phone (if it is "e911" compliant).

Hell, with our billing system I could tell the general area someone is in.

[Plaidman]

What's so scary?

Your car gets stolen, oh look they found it.

Your lost in a mountain and stuck? Oh look, they found you.

Went on a killing rampage by running people over? Oh look, they found you. (Not that the trail of bodies wasn't a hint, but you get what I mean)

I fail to see how it's a bad thing.

[Greenday]

You pissed off a cop or a cop has a personal beef with you? "Hm, I think Plaidman is a drug dealer . Let's put a GPS on his car so we know where he is at all times!" Get pulled over, get a ticket. Get pulled over again, get another ticket. Pull you over on the way to work so you are late and your boss gets mad at you.

So easily abusable it's not even funny.

[blas87]

I'm not surprised.

One of the last times I was getting my hair done, I was reading one of those idiot teen mags, and I was reading up on the latest psycho parenting trends. Apparently, parents these days are putting GPS trackers on their kids' cars (I assume these are more well-off types, my poor ass parents used to just follow me when they didn't trust me), be able to even tell how fast the car is going and how much gas it has, etc etc etc. My bf's mother bought a phone-tapping system at Radio Shack years ago and tapped their entire phone line and would listen to all their phone conversations. My parents just always tried to listen in.

I figured it wouldn't be long before the cops started it.

[Plaidman]

And why would I be pulled over Greenday? Wasnt speeding, had my plates, signal when I turned, was in right lane.

They need to give me a ticket for a reason, which you can contest.

As for me being a drug dealer is so laughable it isn't even funny. I would not have any shortage of character witnesses to contest that idiotic insult to me.

[Greenday]

And why would I be pulled over Greenday? Wasnt speeding, had my plates, signal when I turned, was in right lane.

They need to give me a ticket for a reason, which you can contest.

As for me being a drug dealer is so laughable it isn't even funny. I would not have any shortage of character witnesses to contest that idiotic insult to me.

To quote every cop I've met and talk to about the subject, "Cops can find a reason to pull over every single car on the road." If they want to pull you over, they can find a reason.

You think they are going to go to all your friends and ask before placing a GPS on your car? Do you think they are going to give you a heads up before giving your car a GPS? This ruling says hell no! The cops don't even need a reason. They can just slap a GPS on your car without your permission, your knowledge, or a warrant.

[Plaidman]

So since cops already can find a reason to pull over every single car on the road, and if they want to pull you over they'll find a reason, why does having a gps make it any different?

And I'm not talking about them asking my friends, I'm talking when I contest whatever ticket they give me. As in, go to court. Cops will have to show proof that I was doing whatever he claims I did.

[Greenday]

So since cops already can find a reason to pull over every single car on the road, and if they want to pull you over they'll find a reason, why does having a gps make it any different?

And I'm not talking about them asking my friends, I'm talking when I contest whatever ticket they give me. As in, go to court. Cops will have to show proof that I was doing whatever he claims I did.

If a cop has a personal vendetta with you, a GPS on your car means he can find you. His cop friends can find you.

Let's say he picks swerving. Disrupting traffic. It's going to come down to his word vs. yours. Even if the judge let's you off, how much time did you waste fighting it? Can't get a night hearing if you have a day job so you'd have to miss work.

[blas87]

I'm not sure how long a cop is allowed to follow you if you don't do anything wrong until it's considered harrassment or if they have to turn or leave you alone, but I have been followed all the way home before by a cop.

The whole time, I'm sticking to the speed limit to the exact mph, not a single thing wrong with my car. But it was late at night. Yeah, you probably just missed a few chances of catching someone driving drunk because you spotted me and assumed I had to be drunk to be on the road at this hour. Follow me all the way home, but stop as soon as I pull into my parking lot. Idiot cops.

There had been a cop sitting at a closed fast food joint's parking lot, and as I Drove past (NOT speeding), he just decided to leave and follow me.

[Plaidman]

Pretty much what Blas stated. If they keep /ticketing/ me, but refuse to show their dashboard tape of me doing that, then it's harrasment. And I can sue. And win big.

I'm know there are asshole cops out there. But to go out of their way to abuse that gps, just to ticket me without any proof, and then they lose their job, and get sued on top of it? Hardly worth it for a few tickets I won't even have to pay.

[Greenday]

Pulling you over a few times will not be enough evidence to call it harassment. Plus, as I said, if his other cop friends help in, he might even have to be the one doing it and you'd never be able to prove it.

Cops have murdered completely innocent people and weren't fired. What makes you think a harassment suit would get them fired?

[Plaidman]

Because if a bunch of cops have nothing better to do then chase someone and give them tickets for no reason at all? Yeah.... I don't see that happening.

I mean really? Are you THAT paronoid about cops? There are bad cops yeah, but there are far more good cops. Cops that just want to do their job of protecting people. I feel sorry for ya, if your so uttery convinced and paranoid that having a gps means that all cops are now are just going to harrass ya because they can.