[UK] CCTV at petrol stations will automatically stop uninsured cars being filled with fuel

Mirror UK ^ | 3/16/2012 | Mirror UK

[Mitch86]

Traditionally British people have supported such measures because we hold no fear of our government. Our history of Parliamentary democracy and traditions of ‘the rights of Englishmen’ etc. mean that totalitarianism could never get a foothold here. There have been moments where it has perhaps veered close than one would like but the ‘national character’ has always awoken and restored the natural order. We are suspicious of authority and sneer at it. It’s a cultural, philosophical and perhaps even religious mindset peculiar to our peculiar little island.
One example; in Europe there has always been a suspicion of the police by the populace at large. Not so in Britain.

This may sound like complacency, but I can assure you it isn’t.

[battousai]

When you pass a police car sporting these on the trunk lid, you are already being scanned automatically - digital reading of your license plate which is then compared to a database. These are all over the USA.

Yup, we have them up here in Canada too (well Ontario anyway) but so far they are only used I believe to alert on stolen vehicles and expired plates, don't think it checks auto insurance status and its no where near close to what they are proposing the UK which is quite a bit more expansive.

Quoting from an article on the topic:
Once the image of the plate is captured, it is checked against databases for stolen vehicles and licence plates that are suspended, stolen or expired.

Interesting placement of the cameras though, here they are mounted on the roof looking forward, seems the ones in your photo look backwards.

[Publius6961]

I see a substantial increase in license plate thefts in GB in the near future...

[Publius6961]

What the hell is wrong with people?

They're affected by the dreaded "Clear Conscience Syndrome..."

[Publius6961]

hopefully you’re not on fumes 100 miles from home when the server goes down

????

If you're uninsured, you want the server to be down, don't you?
What are they gonna do, stop pumping gas statewide?

[jiggyboy]

Yep. You can’t possibly think that a scheme like this would have a “default” decision that’s the opposite of its reason for existence?