Boston - License Plate Scanners

**Synbios** · 07-02-2007, 08:03 PM

So a few years ago I saw this white van driving around boston with what looked to be lasers or cameras all attached to it in all different directions. It gave off consistent laser warnings to my X50. I've always wondered what it was until now.

Apparently boston has vans and suv's that drive around with license plate scanners. The vans use cameras with infrared (which explains laser warnings) that scan hundreds of license plates in all directions. The van looks for cars with many unpaid parking tickets, and boots any cars with a certain amount.

Anyone else seen these things in boston or in their town?

a little reading:
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archive...tic_licen.html

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archive...eplate_sc.html

**jerry540i** · 07-02-2007, 08:05 PM

Seen them in Toronto, attached to the tops of special parking enforcement cruisers.

J/

**jwardell** · 07-03-2007, 06:38 AM

I've seen them written about in the Globe, etc. They're looking at parked cars, though, and for parking violators.

I did see a video of a similar system elsewhere that worked at full high speeds and read all plates of parked and passing traffic, then used that data for statistical purposes as well as keeping a tally of who's where. Scary stuff.

**groovyipo** · 07-05-2007, 04:31 PM

Here in Chicago we have an army of those license plate reading revenuer vans. Since a boot will cost you at least $600, they get their return on investment right away. Also LEO SUVs have those two, just a bit smaller in size.

**Roadghost** · 07-05-2007, 07:19 PM

They were supposed to be to find stolen cars. That was the sales BS the police gave us so they could get them. Now we find out they're being used to up city revenue. We should have known. :roll:

**groovyipo** · 07-05-2007, 08:15 PM

Honestly, those parking tickets happen not because you properly parked the car, now do they? Thing is that only people who should be "scared" of those cameras are people who are habitual law breakers. You got the ticket, contest it or pay the price. All of us got speeding and parking tickets. But we paid them. You got 5 tickets and you have not paid them... well, I hope there are hundreds of them crawling the streets ready to boot your a$$.

**twentyseventy** · 07-05-2007, 09:23 PM

It's called ALPR: Automated License Plate Recognition

They scan every plate of every passing car and run it through Local and Fed Dbases for stolen cars, warrants, etc. The speed is amazing, though - the officer is cruising down a row of parked cars at about 35mph and it's getting every plate off of every car. He's going 70mph and it's getting plates of cars going in the opposite direction.

I can't believe they're using them for parking violations now.

There was in article in WIRED magazine about a year ago, it's really an amazing piece of technology. LA has the most stolen cars of anywhere in the nation and they recover a ridiculous amount of them using this system.

It's SO big brother, but I really want to drive around with it and watch it in action...

For some great video demonstrations:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA5Gy32aqdo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j_On_1zRig[/i]

**groovyipo** · 07-06-2007, 08:06 AM

Let me explain why it is great that it is also scanning for parking ticket deadbeats.
I have gotten maybe 3 parking tickets in the last 3 years. All three of them were cause I was an idiot. Once I parked by the fire hydrant, during snow storm, I simply did not pay enough attention to see the red top sticking out of the snow. I did not even contest that one. What if there was fire?

The other two were stupidity on my part too.

Now lets talk about those who do ticket after ticket after ticket without paying and learning a thing or two. Southside of Chicago is the Wild West of parking. I bet Boston is no better. People will park in the disabled spots, in front of garage exits, and etc. When those vans started rolling, out of the sudden I don't have to call a tow truck to get out of my driveway as often and my disabled neighbor does not have to wait as often for someone to get the hell out of her spot.
Honestly, I hope they attach those to tow trucks.

**sumyungui** · 07-06-2007, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by groovyipo

Let me explain why it is great that it is also scanning for parking ticket deadbeats.
I have gotten maybe 3 parking tickets in the last 3 years. All three of them were cause I was an idiot. Once I parked by the fire hydrant, during snow storm, I simply did not pay enough attention to see the red top sticking out of the snow. I did not even contest that one. What if there was fire?

The other two were stupidity on my part too.

Now lets talk about those who do ticket after ticket after ticket without paying and learning a thing or two. Southside of Chicago is the Wild West of parking. I bet Boston is no better. People will park in the disabled spots, in front of garage exits, and etc. When those vans started rolling, out of the sudden I don't have to call a tow truck to get out of my driveway as often and my disabled neighbor does not have to wait as often for someone to get the hell out of her spot.
Honestly, I hope they attach those to tow trucks.

ALPR Tow-Trucks ... now that would solve a lot of parking problems!