I'm Big Brother and I can report you

[Raoul]

This is just great.

Big Brotheresque App Kills Your Automotive Anonymity | Autopia | Wired.com

[Garufa]

Sadly enough there are enough ninnies in this country for this to work.

Yet another reason why I was fortunate enough to be assigned "1984" in school.

[Guest Letereat!]

I am at a loss for words. We are being turned into a nation of tattle tales. What happened to the old adage, "nobody likes a tattle tale"?

[Raoul]

I am at a loss for words. We are being turned into a nation of tattle tales. What happened to the old adage, "nobody likes a tattle tale"?

They've got an app for that.

[-boatman-]

At least we won't have to worry about it in Tennessee since it's illegal to text and drive

[hipower]

Sorry to nitpick; but I believe the article said it would be a verbal report via a smartphone.

[Garufa]

Well then, when cell phones are outlawed in cars, as they should be, we have nothing to worry about.

[eapking]

He said, she said. I can see the lawsuits on this.

[-boatman-]

Sorry to nitpick; but I believe the article said it would be a verbal report via a smartphone.

So if it is a verbal report why does it have to be a smart phone? Wouldn't any cell phone work? Maybe I don't know what a smart phone is.

[Guest mn32768]

Right... I'm not sure if betting your success on publishing defamatory information about private citizens without proof will be a sustainable business model... Some lawyer is going to have a field day with this company.

[mav]

Well it defintely will fill a niche for those who have to stick their noses in everyone else's business and also those who have to bitch and complain about anything and everything.

“People think they can do bad things on the road because they think they can get away with it,” he said. “I believe that driving is one of the most public acts that you could ever do. One small mistake can impact the lives of those around you.”

I guess Shazam co-founder Philip Inghelbrecht is a mistake-free driver.

[Guest mcgyver210]

Right... I'm not sure if betting your success on publishing defamatory information about private citizens without proof will be a sustainable business model... Some lawyer is going to have a field day with this company.

Yes especially if they start publishing false info on companies which already have enough to deal with.

This data is completely un-reliable since people are naturally vindictive. You will be reported if you don't let someone over, you stop & they almost hit you the list goes on & on. I know as a company I personally have been called in on by someone that cutt me off in my larger truck after I blew the horn at them.

My vehicles are now equipped with 24-7 360 degree recorded cameras for our safety & a true witness. You would be amazed at how many people call in with false claims of bad driving on a commercial vehicle.

Edited December 17, 2010 by mcgyver210

[Guest Jamie]

Y'all just wait... sooner or later "big sistah" will get all pissed off 'cause she thought somebody was reporting/flagging her, and will run them off the road and whup their ass. THEN the lawsuits will start flying and the nonsense will be put to an end.

[StPatrick]

Sadly enough there are enough ninnies in this country for this to work.

Yet another reason why I was fortunate enough to be assigned "1984" in school.

It saddens me that "1984" and "Animal Farm" seem more relevant every day. I'm no Rand fan, but it REALLY scares me that some of the hyperbolic content from "Atlas Shrugged" is approaching reality. I have no desire to live in the future that cold-hearted B envisioned...the collapse of everything would be bad enough, but then to have to spend 20 minutes looking at someone while you infer every minor detail about their awesome or debased character would get old fast. Plus, my internal monologue is neither interesting or insightful, so I guess I'm one of the regular folks who starve.

[Guest Broomhead]

First, I was under the impression that vigilantism was illegal. Is that not true?

Second, what stops me from reporting you because you honked at me for not removing my foot from the brake and applying it to the accelerator as quickly as you thought I should have at that last green light? What about you reporting me for passing you on the right on the interstate because you won't get change lanes out of the passing lane even though you are driving 10mph under the speed limit and I have politely flashed my lights at you to no avail? I'm sorry I cut you off, but it was either that or be squashed by the trucker who decided I wasn't special enough to stay alive right that second. Are you going to report me now? Ooh, what about when I was trying to give my daughter her pacifier from off the floor and I hit the rumble strip on the side of the interstate? Is that considered "Drunk Driving (Suspected)"?

The scenarios are endless. All of which are completely uncorroborated and ultimately baseless. Also, there are people in this world who, if they saw someone they suspected of flagging them, would slam on their brakes so the suspect would rear end them and then conjure up a nice "I didn't want to run over that cute little squirrel! Didn't you see him?" story. This app and it's developer are totally useless and ridiculous to put it in a family friendly way.

[vontar]

DriveMeCrazy, developed by Shazam co-founder Philip Inghelbrecht, is a voice-activated app that encourages drivers to report bad behavior by reciting the offender’s license plate into a smartphone. The poor sap gets “flagged” and receives a virtual “ticket,” which may not sound like much until you realize all the information — along with date, time and location of the “offense” — is sent to the DMV and insurance companies.

I don't like it. More crap.

Next will be if someone does not like a company they will just drive though the parking lot of said company reporting cars in the parking lot randomly.

I prefer the expression, Cop didn't see it, it didn't happen.

[Guest TargetShooter84]

ridiculous thing ever

[Dolomite_supafly]

If you look at the screen shot it has rankings. One is a "Motorcycle Cop" making it a game and some will use it maliciously to increase their rankings.

Life as we know it is coming to an end.

Dolomite

[Guest Jamie]

I'm starting to think life ended a couple'a decades ago and nobody told me... :-\

[Raoul]

I'm starting to think life ended a couple'a decades ago and nobody told me... :-\

Life as we know it. Americans are now slaves to technology, and it's beginning to control us.

[Guest Jamie]

Ah well... bring on Skynet then and let's get it over with. At least then it'll be clear who/what to fight.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Hell, when you live in a snitch based society, not that we do, but sometimes it seems that way,

stuff like this creeps out and smacks you. There are a lot of people that feel inferior enough that

these kind of toys will make them feel better about themselves. It takes very little for a small mind

to use crap like this. They never realize until it's too late that they also snitched on themselves

when they see their liberties being eroded. The government loves to use people like this, mostly

the jealous types, to rat out without any valid reason, others. It makes them feel bigger, but serves

no one in the end, except maybe the government. Class envy: a powerful tool. Democrats love it!

[Guest Jamie]

Class envy: a powerful tool. Democrats love it!

Don't kid yourself; ALL politicians love it.

if it wasn't for "us vs them" or "this group vs. that group", they'd have no platform, and nothing to work with. Which would pretty much mean they were out of a job.

[mikegideon]

Don't kid yourself; ALL politicians love it.

if it wasn't for "us vs them" or "this group vs. that group", they'd have no platform, and nothing to work with. Which would pretty much mean they were out of a job.

Yep. If all the Democrats died tomorrow, we would still be royally screwed.

[Guest Jamie]

Yep. If all the Democrats died tomorrow, we would still be royally screwed.

Yep... and by Elephants instead of Jackasses.

Now ain't THAT an improvement?