I feel safer already and they haven’t even installed it yet. And, don’t live in SF.
With a $6 million federal Homeland Security grant, hundreds of San Francisco’s Muni buses will soon have high-tech video surveillance cameras the transit agency can survey in real-time. […] The grant will pay for the installation of video surveillance systems on 358 Muni buses, according to city documents. The project also includes installation of wireless networks, computers and servers at three bus yards “that will enable SFMTA personnel to view, download and store the captured video images wirelessly and view them in real-time or through the Internet.”
[…]
According to city documents, “the new system will provide real-time viewing of images, inside and outside the bus, by law enforcement officers, emergency responders and other authorized personnel on a real-time basis from a distance of about 500 yards in case the bus is hijacked and used for terrorism activities.”These new high-tech cameras will be the latest addition to live-recording technology around The City. Taxi cabs have installed new recording devices capturing activity inside and outside the vehicle. In 2005, The City began installing police surveillance cameras, and 71 cameras now monitor 24 locations.
[…]
“The rights of privacy mean the government doesn’t get a blank check,” she said. “What is being done with the information, how long is it being retained and how is it being disseminated?”Those details have yet to be hashed out by the agency.
Here’s more info.
Found by Brother Uncle Don
I’m glad these cameras have already saved or created 1333.4 lives.
When you’re on public transportation there is no expectation of privacy. They can record all they want inside and directly outside of the bus on public streets, I really don’t give a rats ass.
But… once you point that camera at my house I reserve every right to blind it with an LED or laser pointer, or shoot it out of commission.
“…in case the bus is hijacked and used for terrorism activities.” Who are they trying to kid. HAR!
London has more than 500,00 CCTV cameras, one for every 14 residents.
Working well to deter crime aren’t they?
Now if they will only augment this coverage by syncing with a few Predator drones.
Maybe all these cameras can capture footage of the authorities beating up and killing civilians for a new Mass Media reality show. They could call it “Authority vs. Slaves”?
♬ bad slaves, bad slaves… whatcha going to do? whatcha going to do when the Reaper drones come for you.. ♬
#1 – #5 all good points. =]
I wonder how many have actually read George Orwell’s “1984”. Judging from the politicians we struggle with all over the world….. hardly any.
It does not bode well….
“This is a hijack, I’m taking this bus to Kooba!!”
lol.. and some people still think 9/11 was only about a bunch of pissed off muslims..
-s
I imagine the response time of LEOs is longer than the duration of any attack.
Attack takes 5-10 minutes, LEOs find the correct bus 15-20 minutes after the attack started (talking about SWAT team using helicopter(s), 45-60 minutes if SWAT is using cars/vans).
There, this shows this is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money.
I think there are a bunch of people who did read 1984. It is now being used as a blueprint against us. We look, we listen, say the appropriate doomsday prophesies and then go on with our daily lives. I think its already too late. The only consolation I have is knowing that the folks running the charade are too stupid to really make all this surveillance truly effective. It will be a blunt club dragged out by authorities to beat other stupid people with.
I don’t begrudge the City for wanting to upgrade it’s mass transit surveillance system. I do wonder why I have to help pay for it. And the 6 megabucks seems to cover the hardware. What about the continuing costs of monitoring the numerous cameras? They gotta have someone looking at the screens or there’s no sense at all in having realtime surveillance.
I read another news story today that the Feds are dumping, IIRC, 130 megabucks to make up the shortfall in the LA-SF Sort-Of-Fast toy train. Again, they couldn’t control the expenditures (how many billions in cost overruns?) so I have to help them fund it. A boondoggle that is expected to never break even and will need countless millions more Federal taxes to keep it running.
We don’t need new tax revenues, we just need to spend the money we collect in taxes with some semblance of sanity!
Time to update the old saying: A billion here, a billion there and pretty soon you’re talking real money.
They don’t think a terrorist and hijackers will I don’t know just shot the damn thing or beat it in to no function pile of junk.
On can of spray paint and it’s done.
And with iPads and Kindles, History books and newspapers can be rewritten too… I wonder why nobody realized that yet…
Nobody underlined important aspect of this: it first appears and is most prevalent wherever Progressives are in charge. SF, LA, DC, NY, … This is consequence of Progressivism which thinks of Government exactly in terms of all-seeing-all-powerful in control of every(stupid)one and every(their)thing.
#15, And with iPads and Kindles, History books and newspapers can be rewritten too… I wonder why nobody realized that yet…
Now I know why I haven’t gone digital . . .
#2, When you’re on public transportation there is no expectation of privacy. They can record all they want inside and directly outside of the bus on public streets, I really don’t give a rats ass.
My problem with this is whoever is in charge of the system (politically) will have the ability to track people. You may find yourself under scrutiny if you frequent a particular restaurant that turns out to be a den of “real” terrorists or just by coincidence, owned by the the political enemy of the “guy in charge.”
Twitter and YouTube vids have been the first to report on major public disturbances, so wouldn’t it make more sense for the govt to monitor the social feeds than invest in defeatable static infrastructure? I know, I know… this isn’t about sense.
#20 – or they decide to shoot you because you came out of an apartment block that was under surveillance and you looked a bit tanned.
Of course Brazilians and Arabs all look the same to LEO.
With all these buses connected wirelessly, you’ll be able to tell how late the bus you’re waiting for is running, right? Is there an app for that?
Now _that_ would be a real public service…
#23, Agreed!
A city bus used in a terrorism act. Well, whatever it takes for SF to get more Federal money. As we all know, the Feds have plenty of money to hand out for just about anything with the work “terrorism” attached.
In real life they just spy on the bus drivers and get them for breaking chickenshit rules — at least in my city.
That camera looks strangely like a chewing gum depository.
Actually, there was an entire Hollywood movie about a city bus being used for terrorism. It’s called “Speed”, starring Kneau Reeves..
But all this again brings up my vision of an “Eleanor Rigby” future in which nobody leaves their house unless they are wearing a disguise. That is “wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door.”
Coming to a picturesque California city near you!
It looks like a paint ball gun would be adequate defense here.
#28, may be should all wear burqas. At least for Halloween.
#29, Sister, I am upset you don’t have a picture for us today.
All of the video needs to become public record. Then, if need be, the video is made part of normal police intelligence
http://web.archive.org/web/20000520095544/http://www.malcolm4mayor.com/
Great idea then & know, I think.
Click under “Manifesto” from the Malcolm McClaren for Mayor of London campaign of 2000.
With all these buses connected wirelessly, you’ll be able to tell how late the bus you’re waiting for is running, right? Is there an app for that?
already exists in Washington DC
>he new system will provide real-time viewing of images, inside and outside the bus, by law enforcement officers, emergency responders and other authorized personnel on a real-time basis from a distance of about 500 yards in case the bus is hijacked and used for terrorism activities
These belong in every public employee’s workplace MOST IMPORTANTLY IN THE POLICE VEHICLES AND POLICE BUILDINGS, for their safety.
The finest have very dangerous jobs, and this is the least we can do to guard the guards.