One of the clearest indications you live in a police state – or one well on its way to becoming one – is “rules for us” (you and me) and “rules for them” (government officials and enforcers). This manifests in numerous ugly ways, the latest being the controversy over an app called Waze.
Among other useful functions such as alerting drivers to traffic jams down the road, it alerts drivers to cops down the road. Cops, of course, do not like this at all. It is bad for business. And that is exactly the right word.
We’re told that radar traps and so on exist not to extract dollars from our wallets but for “safety.” If so, why do the cops squeal so loudly about Waze? After all, people slow down for the trap up ahead. Isn’t that the desired object?
Obviously, not.
The squealing erupts not because people are slowing down but because they slow down in time to avoid being hit with a fine for not slowing down. As they used to teach in journalism school: Follow the money. It is always about the money.
Power, though, is another big inducement.
Waze undermines the power wielded by the state’s Praetorians. It somewhat levels the playing field. It helps ordinary citizens avoid interactions with the costumed and badged power-trippers running amok these days. “The law” is of no real use because it works for them – not for us. If you doubt this, try asserting your Fourth or Fifth or even First Amendments in court… or for that matter, on the street.
The rights of the Praetorians, meanwhile, are effectively without limit.
Which is why Waze and other organic countermeasures have been sprouting up. Like the underground press behind the old Iron Curtain, such means are the only means available when the entire system is geared to crush the ordinary person under its bloated and indifferent weight.
One of the most delightful features of Waze is that – using real time updates collated via social media such as Twitter – it can hip you to a “safety” or “drunk driving” checkpoint up ahead in ample time to avoid it. Previously, one had no real choice but to submit to the rights-rape of a random/probable cause-free police investigation (interrogation and search). Roll up on one of these rights-rape zones and you had to go through it. Because making a U turn would result in even worse. You’ve just given the rights-rapers their “probable cause” to come screeching after you. Your disinclination to have your rights raped becoming the pretext for having your rights raped.
Waze can alert you to the rights-rape zone miles before you actually reach it – such that a casual turn-off cannot be construed (yet) as evidence of “something to hide.” This, of course, drives the rights-rapers to carpet-chewing fury.
For example, Bedford County, Va. Sheriff Mike Brown: “The police community (what is it with this community stuff?) needs to coordinate a effort to have the owner (Google) act like the responsible corporate citizen they have always been (ha!) and remove this feature from the application before (here the lips curl back and the boar reveals his tusks) any litigation or statutory action.” Brown is Chairman of the National Sheriff’s Association – the rights-rape official analog of the Gambino Family in New York.
What are we constantly told by the rights-rapers? If we don’t have anything to hide, what are we afraid of?
Well, just so.
What are they afraid of?
Among other things, they are afraid of a level playing field. Or even one that’s slightly less than 100 percent tilted in their favor. Is it not bad enough that “the law” offers us effectively no legal protection against their outrages? Indeed, that the law countenances such outrages? Do you know that you are legally subject to being strip searched if arrested? And that you are subject to arrest at almost any time – because “the law” has given rights-rapers virtual carte blanche to conjure charges on the spot? “Disorderly conduct” fits almost any situation. Or, “interfering with a police investigation.” Any time you’re within snout-reach of a cop, you are vulnerable. Which is why apps like Waze are so valuable.
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu counsels avoiding confrontation with a superior opponent. Dodge him, wear him out. Let him exhaust his resources so that he becomes weak – or at least weakened. Such that the fight – if it comes – is on more equal terms.
Again, that is what the rights-rapers cannot abide. It is why they have sought (and sometimes succeeded) in making it illegal (or very difficult) for anyone except them to carry “high powered” weapons (and body armor). And it is why they are furious about us video recording them.
Now comes Waze – and the rights-rapers really have their panties in a bunch. Not because of the threat this app poses to their “safety” – but because it undermines their power over us.
If there’s anything good about the age in which we live, it is that this technology – which they hoped could be deployed unilaterally (against us) works the other way, too.
And Pandora cannot be stuffed back in the box. Too late, boys.
It’s about damned time…
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>>”Individuals who post the locations of DWI checkpoints may be engaging in criminal conduct since such actions could be intentional attempts to prevent and/or impair the administration of the DWI laws and other relevant criminal and traffic laws,” reads a February 2, 2019 cease-and-desist letter to Google from Ann Prunty, the NYPD’s acting deputy commissioner in charge of legal matters. “The posting of such information for public consumption is irresponsible since it only serves to aid impaired and intoxicated drivers to evade checkpoints and encourage reckless driving. Revealing the location of checkpoints puts those drivers, their passengers, and the general public at risk,” Prunty adds in the letter, which was first reported by StreetsBlog NYC<<
My purpose is always encapsulated thus. “you might want to be extra care when approaching soandso street, there are many cars braking very hard for no discernible reason and it’s dangerous around there.”
I was under the impression that deterence,was part of the Heros job,I swear some of them seem glad to able to take your money and of course you have to produce”ze papers” good Nazis,a lot of them.
Long live Waze!
“I was under the impression that deterence,was part of the Heros job” – yes I suppose that’s what was going on it this instance, posted yesterday by Eric –
Virginia Hero Chains, Beats & Electro-shocks 12-Year-Old
What would have happened,if the current population would have been around during colonial times?
“What would have happened,if the current population would have been around during colonial times?”
Nothing, we’d still be singing Hail to the Queen, and waiting for her to pop off so we could make fun of Charles instead.
There would have been no 1st War of Secession.
Duly noted
Absolutely nothing.
As in, there would BE no America…
Was setting up a route on my google maps app on my phone today and noticed there were warning icons in a few locations on freeways. When I tapped the icons it indicated a traffic incident reported by users of the Waze app. Didnt even have GPS on. Thought that was pretty cool, I wonder if it shows the police traps as well. I doubt it, but I’ll keep looking for it.
Interesting post re: road blocks –
http://blog.motorists.org/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-roadblocks/
Good for Michigan – though they have many other (maybe worse) problems.
The sole reason Idaho isn’t number one is because of the state owned liquor stores. That will never change. Mormons don’t drink and care very little about those who do paying high mark ups on liquor. Ditto the Mormon thing with marijuana laws.
It does get cold at times during the winter, but isn’t humid cold like N and S Dakota. Those places are Hell holes. Many people from Idaho work in the oil fields. They are coming back here in droves. The money out there is better, but the lifestyle and temps suck.
Idaho is statist……because it’s a state. Just less statist than others.
No doubt there is a need for an app similar to waze but without the anti-privacy features. I expect the major cop objection is the revenue impact.
When I imagine Concord/Keene NH, I picture it infested by the same Red Sox/Patriots tribesman you find anywhere else near metropolitan Boston. The majority of whom are the absolute worst of humanity.
I do like you can open carry into the NH State Senate tho
That tends to be the case mostly in southern NH near the border, lots of people who seek to escape the Peoples’ Republic of Taxachussets only to bring the problems along with them. Further north you go the fewer they get. (At least that was the case decades ago when I worked at a tech firm’s engineering facility in Concord.)
North & South Dakota are the freest states
Tennessee or Oklahoma would by my choice, I hates winter. (I’ve already tried New Hampshire!)
I got the app a few days ago and I love it. It’s great when you see the cops on the shoulder and you’re the first to notify waze users about it. It’s a great feeling when drivers thank you for it.
Indeed! It’s the high-tech version of flashing your lights at oncoming cars to warn them of pork up ahead…
I’ve had Waze on my phone for several years. I’m not particularly concerned about having my location monitored etc. These days, unless you are a professional sleuth, this information can be determined regardless…It’s nice to use on long trips – you can cruise at 80-90 mph without a care in the world. I’ve had radar detectors in the past, there are none that can give you this assurance.
I believe most of the privacy concerns come with linking waze to social media. I don’t do any of that. Just by having a cell phone, you can be tracked. If “they'” want to track you, they can and will. Cell phones just make it easier.
In the mid 80’s the IRS withdrew the last $90 my parents had in their bank account. No warning, nothing. It was just gone.
I understand privacy concerns, but everyone on this site uses the internet. It’s a big privacy concern. But it is also a great enabler for personal secession, if you will, in some areas of your life. It sucks that technology is a double edged sword, but at least its a double edged sword for “us” and “them”.
I just installed Waze and will try it out for awhile despite the privacy concerns. But after reading this I’m not sure how long I’ll be using it: “Your Waze data – including the routes you take and your speed – will be shared with the police if they demand it.” And demand it they will – if they don’t already have a backdoor to identify and track every wazer.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/terms-conditions-waze-privacy-accident/#ixzz3QnAVVloM
I saw the app Waze reported on Drudge. When I found out the oinks were stirring in their mud, I immediately downloaded the app and began using it during every trip.
I have updated the public each time I witnessed an oink roaming around looking for some corn to take. We have been watched by the oinks now we can take the farm back! The more ‘wazers’ out reporting on the scene the more freedom the others will have.
Smartphones being a necessary evil, I always try to disable location services features unless I am actually using them (navigation, etc). Wake seems like a great app, and a large middle finger to the state. The trade off, as Warp pointed out, is that you facilitate big brother’s tracking of us serfs. Paranoid? Maybe, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t doing it
“Smartphones being a necessary evil…”
I have not found them to be necessary at all. Never had one. Never will.
Second that comment ! Been alive for 73 years, driving since 1957. Never needed a portable phone. BTW, my former wife said that “We would still be married if I had a cell phone”. WTF ? How clear can it be: When I am gone, I am gone.
X 3!!
Now, Waze claims that they “cooperate with law enforcement”, to the extent that LEO can find out where accidents are for quicker first response. What’s to prevent them from watching in real-time when Wazers decide to alter path to avoid checkpoints and then adjust their tactics? The other users’ avatars show up on your display, that means if the piggy is using Waze too, he can follow them too. It’s possible to go “invisible” but who’s to say the “super-deluxe” version for LEO doesn’t already exist that ignores such trivialities?
This is a tool that has many users and uses.
A good point, Warp… here’s to hoping the technology stays a step ahead of porky….
Now if we had a cloaking device that would allow only my strobes to be seen I’d be in bidness. Or make it look like something else, say, a brand new tractor and empty trailer and no more being jacked up because the trailer axles were overweight but the gross weight was over a ton under…..and the spot on a tire where a track or cattleguard had peeled a bit of tread away.
I would like to see waze add a DOT alert, where you can mark the roving scale assholes. One guy might get nailed, but everyone else could change their route. That would be a clutch feature.
Yes, the problem with Waze is that it is, in effect, a recording device for your geographical location that you are gifting to a private company. Right now, they just use it to send you ads. One has to expect that piggies can get their buddies to subpoena it from that private company.
That is one benefit of the radar detector. It is truly an additional sense, rather than a shared geoloc scratchpad that has the side effect of tracking and recording your entire journey.
Hmmmmm, Waze is not available for the iphone at the US apple app store right now.
Then I guess I got it just in time…
o be competitiveI remember being pissed when a girlfriend sent me a txt message…..in 2004. What the Hell is this? Then I was happy that my phone contract didn’t include txt service.
I wish I could have a flip phone, or no phone at all, but running certain types of business require it to be competitive with the competition who has the latest tech. I hate it, but until I’m independently wealthy, I have to compete.
Ease, epautos, lewrockwell, and a few other things I can access by phone, make it more tolerable. Luckily, tech isn’t only helping them. Technology will help the coming secession.
That’s a good thing.
“to be competetive” wasn’t supposed to be there in the 1st sentence.. That’s what you get riding in a truck and typing on a Damn phone.
ancap, you could ride in my truck the last week and not text, no matter how hard you tried. It’s a chore just to stay seated in that roughass KW on freshly holed out lease roads and don’t mind trying to stay clean since it’s covered in mud. Occasionally I see something out a side window or in the mirrors but not often and not for long. I’d like to stay away today, damned knees are killing me.
And like an observer once asked Why are you always doing that brpp, brrpp, waahhh, brp thing? Wouldn’t it just be easier to keep a steady power?? It sure would, if I could keep a foot on the go pedal other than WOT. It’s not the up or down in that seat that’s the hard part, it’s the down and bottom out that smashes the boys and makes me holler.
Waze might not be such a great idea after all……
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/terms-conditions-waze-privacy-accident/
Yes it is nice to be alerted to where the fuzz are currently ingesting miller light and doughnuts. Yes it may help to avoid theft from the piggly wigglies……buuuuuut a radar detector or some other device might be a better way to go about it because of the privacy concerns associated with waze.
Two better ways to avoid piracy on the open road. 1) throw a doughnut out the window if you see the colored lights flashing. 2) use a bacon air freshener to make them think you are one of them and therefore will throw them off the scent.
http://www.inc.com/eric-markowitz/why-google-buying-waze-is-really-a-data-play.html
Dammit, they know my real first name is ancap51.
“Two better ways to avoid piracy on the open road. 1) throw a doughnut out the window if you see the colored lights flashing. 2) use a bacon air freshener to make them think you are one of them and therefore will throw them off the scent.” He, he, he!! Great ideas!
Eric, this is a great article. I’ve been extremely resistant to getting a smart phone (I absolutely refuse to text and will not receive them either). But with this app available, I may just change my mind. Anything to take away some of the gun-vermin’s power and help stop them from looting us is just fine with me.
Thanks, Boothe!
I love writing about end-running the “heroes” who are out there “ensuring our safety”!
Waze sounds great! However it’s still tough for me to wrap my head around the idea of carrying a gadget that at the end of the day we know is essentially a 24/7 surveillance and tracking device – used to keep tabs on US the way cattle are monitored.
I also “love” these new “smart” TV sets that watch and listen to you. People are buying them, too! (Those here who have lived through the cold war may remember the old joke that “In Soviet Union, TV watches YOU.)
You can also use this app when Waze fails to alert you in time:
https://www.aclu-nj.org/news/2012/07/03/aclu-nj-releases-police-accountability-app
Waze is much better than yesterday’s CB radio, though both performed the same function. I have Waze and had the defunct Trapster on my phone. Both helped me get out of a potential ticket. The beauty of this is that Waze actually tells you when the cop was reported. Invaluable information.
And the angst it causes “heroes”?
Priceless!
> Because making a U turn would result in even worse.
A friend & I once made a turn before one of the checkpoints. It was our turn (we were on our way to a mini-warehouse storage unit), and honestly, we thought it was an accident scene up ahead. We were disabused of that notion when we got pulled over, and the officer peered in all the car windows, looking for beer cans. This was 20 years ago – I hate to think what it’d be like today.
Hi Chip,
Yup.
What happens today is the full monte. Instead of just the cursory interrogation/visual search, they will remove you from the car, physically search it and if they can find any reason to fuck with you, they will.
I rolled up behind a “seatbelt enforcement” hero this morning… thanks to my V1, I saw him before he saw me!
Eric well some good news from South Dakota:
House kills seat belt fine boost, OKs passing speed boost
Fine will remain at $25
South Dakota House kills seat belt fine boost, OKs passing speed boost
http://www.aberdeennews.com/news/local/south-dakota-house-kills-seat-belt-fine-boost-oks-passing/article_ce73ce29-eed4-5030-96b4-ebfac9106880.html
The “speed to pass” measure now heads to the Senate for consideration.
It would allow motorists to drive up to 75 miles per hour when passing another vehi-cle traveling slower than the speed limit in a 65-mph zone.
“This is a safety concern and a common sense bill,” Rep. Burt Tulson, R-Lake Nor-den, said. He is prime sponsor of House Bill 1124.
The vote was 66-1.
Rep. Tim Rounds, R-Pierre, asked, “How fast was this bill going when it passed Ju-diciary (Committee)?”
“It was cruising,” Tulson replied.
Meanwhile, House members showed minimal interest in increasing the penalty for seat belt violations.
Rep. Dick Werner, R-Huron, said his goal of increasing the amount to $50 from $25 was to “heighten awareness” because South Dakota has one of the lowest rates of usage.
No one spoke up on his side, but the opponents came out.
“My whole area, I don’t think very many of them wear seat belts,” Rep. Dean Schrempp, D-Lantry, said. “I just think we need to get rid of this bill.”
Rep. Shawn Bordeaux, D-Mission, said he supports seat belts and safety, but un-employment is high in his area and $50 would bring “undue hardship.”
“I have more children than I can fit in one vehicle with appropriate seat belts,” Bor-deaux said.
Werner said there were 130 deaths on South Dakota’s roads last year and 72 were the result of not wearing seat belts and being ejected or partially ejected.
Another 500 people were seriously injured, he said.
Rep. Elizabeth May, R-Kyle, said those had to be “a very small percentage of peo-ple” who were on South Dakota’s roads.
“There can’t be a problem with this or we’d be seeing more deaths,” she said.
Rep. Dan Kaiser, R-Aberdeen, said different fines become a hindrance on law en-forcement. He’s a police officer.
Seat belt violations are a petty offense, and the standard penalty is $25.
“For consistency purposes, I would suggest we keep it the same,” Kaiser said.
Werner said the state Department of Public Safety, which includes the Highway Pa-trol, supported the higher fine. Fine money goes to school districts in South Dakota.
“We need to be a safer South Dakota,” Werner said.
Most of the House thought otherwise. The vote was 45-22 to kill HB 1138.