NYPD demands Google stop revealing cop checkpoints on Maps and Waze

[editor]

Stupid police.

The New York Police Department sent a cease and desist letter to Google today, demanding that the company stop displaying DUI/DWI checkpoints in its Waze and Maps applications.

"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," the NYPD said in a statement. "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."

For those not aware, DUI/DWI checkpoints are locations where police screen cars at random for illegal behavior — drunk driving, not wearing seatbelts, not using headlights, and so on. While the NYPD's letter primarily focused on Waze supposedly assisting drunk drivers, in a statement to The Verge, Google pointed out the feature is mostly for reporting speed traps. "Safety is a top priority when developing navigation features at Google. We believe that informing drivers about upcoming speed traps allows them to be more careful and make safer decisions when they’re on the road," a spokesperson said.

The letter is a result of Google Maps starting to integrate incident reporting and other Waze features.

NYPD demands Google stop revealing DUI checkpoints on Maps and Waze

 

[souljacker]

It's illegal in France to have a Sat Nav that reports speed camera locations. I'm surprised more countries haven't followed suit.

If it's not illegal in New York, then Google would be right to tell them to go fuck themselves.

 

[skyscraper101]

I don't understand the logic. They don't want people to know where the speed cameras are, yet they paint them bright yellow? Um, ok?

 

[pesh]

so that people see them and slow down gradually rather than doing an emergency stop at the last minute?

 

[Pickman's model]

I don't understand the logic. They don't want people to know where the speed cameras are, yet they paint them bright yellow? Um, ok?

it's hobson's choice, speed cameras can be bought in any colour as long as they're yellow

 

[skyscraper101]

so that people see them and slow down gradually rather than doing an emergency stop at the last minute?

So they want people to know in advance where they are, but not too far in advance. Yeah ok that makes total sense.

 

[pesh]

they want people to slow down safely. its not rocket surgery.

 

[stuff_it]

I don't understand the logic. They don't want people to know where the speed cameras are, yet they paint them bright yellow? Um, ok?

Not every country paints it's speed cameras bright yellow. The ones in the UK used to be the same grey as lamp posts, until someone (quite rightly) brought up the fact that they don't serve as a deterrent if you can't see them, not to mention the fact that if they're semi-visible drivers may be squinting to spot speed cameras instead of watching the road. I'm not sure if it's still in force, but the UK also had a law saying that static speed cameras can only be placed where there was a serious or fatal accident.These days, local UK police forces get to keep their speeding fine money, so they tend to be a lot more on the case regarding enforcement. One static Gatso near my old place collected £500k in 6 months only a couple of years ago, and they're now more commonly known as "revenue cameras".

I get the impression that the NYPD are talking about mobile/pop-up checkpoints, rather than a permanently installed speed trap. The sort of thing you see here in the UK fairly frequently - a few cop cars, someone with a RADAR gun, and a convenient spot to park cars that are getting the once-over. The whole point of these checkpoints is that by randomly placing them on busy routes, the powers that be can catch drivers who aren't necessarily speeding, but who are breaking the law WRT driving in some other way. If that's the case, then it's a whole different kettle of fish.

 

[petee]

in related news,
NYCLU Surveillance Camera Project

(i actually don't have much of a problem with DUI checkpoints being kept hidden)

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

The car we hired in Italy last summer had a sat nav that listed the speed cameras and bonged as you approached one. It did make me slow down whenever I heard a bong. Once we got home Hertz passed on a speeding ticket, that Frau Bahn must have picked up as it was dated after I had returned home.

Thought you'd like that, hash tag