By Jo Nova
The war on the poor has become a war on surveillance cameras
The ULEZ “Ultra Low Emission Scheme” in London will force drivers in outer London to pay a draconian £12.50 daily ULEZ fee when the scheme expands to their area from August 29th. But many of these people are poor and can’t afford to buy a new car or pay the fee. People who own diesel cars older than 2015 or petrol cars older than 2006 will have to pay the fees, so this will hurt the poorest people the most. Not surprisingly, this is very unpopular, as it has a large impact on some people’s lives. Tradies are wondering if they should give up their business, and older people are already being forced to sell their cars. Healthcare workers on late night shifts may end up trying to get home to outer suburbs in the dead of night on sparse bus routes. Everyone inside the ULEZ zone will also end up paying more to get tradies from outside the zone to come into it.
This affects a lot of people, and perhaps as many as 850,000 vehicles registered in London are not compliant. The RAC says that “it will have a massive financial impact on motorists and businesses”.
Neil Garratt AM points out that while Sadiq Khan thinks the poorest Londoners don’t own a car the TfL (Transport for London) data shows that most do own a car, and they are more likely to own a car than the very highest income houses in inner London. (See the graph below).
Not surprisingly, people are angry
Officially some 339 reports have been received of damaged or missing ULEZ cameras — but an unofficial map tally suggests the number is more like 460 or 28% of all the cameras installed so far.
If only there were a better way to solve this, like say with a referendum? Let’s give people a vote instead. Perhaps they won’t want to give up their cars to make the world 0.000 degrees cooler in one hundred years time?
These rules are so invasive, people are getting desperate.
Ulez: More than 300 cameras damaged or stolen in four months
By Yasmin Rufo, BBC
Over four months, the Met received 339 reports of camera cables being damaged, or cameras being stolen or obscured. The actual number of cameras affected is likely to be even higher as one report can represent multiple cameras. Unofficial data mapping the location of disabled cameras suggests that almost 500 cameras could have been affected.
The force has not revealed the locations of any of the disabled cameras but a group of people calling themselves Julie’s Ulez map, who are opposed to the Ulez expansion, worked to track the locations and damage caused to cameras.
The map shows there are 1,619 cameras outside the North and South circular roads with 461 of those reported as vandalised or stolen – equating to 28% of the Transport for London’s (TfL) network cameras.
In the graph below “no car” is the blue line, and in Central London around 75% of the rich and poor don’t own a car. But in the outer zones only 20-40% don’t own a car, and presumably poorer people would own more cars if only they could afford it, since that’s what everyone else in their area with more money does.
Click to enlarge:
More than 50% of the most deprived people in outer London own at least one car.
This graph above shows the phenomenal success of the invention of cars and the industrialization and free-market that made it possible. In a little over a century, more than half of the poorest citizens were able to buy something far better than what the richest of the rich once had.
Alfieri Maserati in 1908
1908 Grand Prix des Voiturettes at Dieppe was Alfieri Maserati in his Isotta-Fraschini, |Bibliothèque nationale de France. Agence Rol.
Resistance is growing
Groups, apps and interactive maps are springing up to protest and to map the locations of the cameras. Some councils have refused to allow cameras on the roads they manage, but most main roads will be covered with 2,750 cameras when the full set are installed.
Stop Ulez.com reports
Currently two people have been charged with criminal damage but one case has now been dropped the night before a crown court appearance (congratulations Kingsley – common sense prevailed) and the other is on-going, with a not guilty plea, crown court date and a lack of evidence.
The ULEZ Camera Conundrum
The ULEZ Extension will be monitored by cameras, which are going up at an alarming rate on a traffic light near you (in you live in the large expansion zone). Although some councils have refused to allow TFL and Sadiq Khan to install cameras on council property and council owned roads, TFL are allowed to install whatever they fancy on routes that they manage. They are also installing ULEZ signage, the legality of which is being disputed, as discussed here by Bexley Council. These routes cover virtually all the main roads that run through each borough.
This prolificacy means that the chances of avoiding the cameras and finding a sneaky back route to the a school or allotment is severely limited.
Other links:
- Julie’s ULEZ Map
- The Great Climate Con site has a program called “Reclaim Our Roads“which includes about 30 local groups on Twitter, Telegram and Facebook.
- Ulez Camera Locations is another live map (so people are “better equipped to plan journeys around them so you don’t have to enter the ULEZ zone if you don’t want to.”)
- ULEZ Camera Map (Private Facebook Group)
Photo Ford Model T: ModelTMitch
Planet saving Greens are to this century what Nazis and Bolsheviks were to last. Funny how tyrants are always so righteous!
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“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
C.S.Lewis
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Elysium but on earth
20
Don’t worry I’m sure the government will come up with a brilliant plan: like cash for clunkers…
I bet the watermelon areas of melb are drafting up camera systems like this now.
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I bet the watermelon areas of melb are drafting up camera systems like this now… for everyone else’s suburb!
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Mundi,
Every intersection in Melbourne now has a “traffic monitoring” camera . Couldn’t possibly be used for that….or could it , Dan? Don’t forget to smile .
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“If only there were a better way to solve this, like say with a referendum? Let’s give people a vote instead.”
London did vote. Calcutta on The Thames voted for the Marxist Muslim Mayor in 2016. Then they re-elected him in 2021. What the hell did these stupid people expect would happen?
It’s no different in Chicago, NYC or San Francisco.
People will eventually vote with their feet. First out of London and then out of the UK, then even out of Western Europe. Staying and dying is not an option for some people.
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Next “White Flight”
Then “No Go Zone”
Bye Bye London.
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A friends grand daughter has been working in London for 4 years. She says she would never walk any street in London after dark, never. Lots of muggings and knife crime.
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This crazy idea will not work and will not last long. Full stop.
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It’s entirely about extracting money from people, a tax if you like, or don’t like ! So, unfortunately it will last and it will spread.
The government underfund councils, so councils look for methods to raise cash. Motorists are an easy target.
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The government and councils waste huge amounts of taxpayers money so it is not true to say that they are ‘underfunded’ but incompetent, inefficient and wasteful.
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A bit of both, I’d say Gerry !
The money Councils receive from Government has been reduced year on year, plus the councils are expected to make ‘savings’ to receive these reduced sums. However, as you say, the money they do receive is largely squandered.
As tax payers we are expected to pay more to recieve less.
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The whole concept of ULEZ is open to question
http://Www.telegraph.co.uk/environment/2021/11/16/londons-ultra-low-emission-zone-has-made-marginal-difference/
00
But Sunak is winding it all back anyway!
https://joannenova.com.au/2023/08/rishi-sunak-eases-up-on-climate-action-and-suddenly-is-a-lot-more-popular/
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Really? And what has he done so far?
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Why does he have to do anything, he has given his word, that should be good enough.
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Once upon a time I might have agreed with you.
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You don’t have to agree, the majority will.
12
Let’s ( hope ) Mayor Khan doesn’t go missing or have a serious accident in the ULEZ zone.
One never knows what surprises climate change has in store for us.
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Since the beginning of time, when have governments ever represented working people? Governments have always represented the elite interests whether they be big business, monarchy or other wealthy interests.
It’s only when working people realise that government is the enemy of the people, things change!
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Welcome to the Jones plantation. Samuel thought the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb8Rj5xkDPk
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The always entertaining Geoff Buys Cars speculates whether or not the ultimate intention is to lock down the unwashed. He also details (but does not endorse) a workaround to ULEZ that someone is trying on — namely, signing his car over to Sadiq Khan.
https://youtu.be/kBHVSzCwpZA
(8m 9s video)
I think it’s time for us to re-visit the My Fair Lady song Wouldn’t it be ‘Loverly’ for a glimpse into our near future:
https://youtu.be/KRbBegjoLU8
(4m 6s video)
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It’s only when working people realise that government is the enemy of the people, things change!
Yes, they jail anyone who says it.
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‘Blade Runner’ Brazenly Sabotages Mayor Khan’s Emission Cams Using Tree Lopper
https://climatechangedispatch.com/blade-runner-brazenly-sabotages-mayor-khans-emission-cams-using-tree-lopper/
‘We are going to take down every single one no matter what’
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more big brother watching per Eric Blair.
if Londoners had guns big brother would likely go blind
defend the 2A and freedom USA
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Meanwhile
August 18, 2023
THE MORNING RANT: Electric Vehicles Are Exploding In Popularity!!
I frequently mock electric vehicles for their propensity to spontaneously combust, but these things are seriously scary.
We just keep hearing more disturbing stories about EVs that burst into flames, many while they are parked, turned off, and not charging.
Here are some more of these stories since the last time I discussed the topic.
And
Battery fire destroys Lancia Delta Evo-e RX team cars, shuts down World RX event in UK
Special ONE Racing’s cars were lost, including Sebastien Loeb’s
A battery fire has destroyed both of Speed ONE Racing’s electric Lancia Delta World Rallycross cars, Carscoops reports.
The two Lancia Delta Evo-e race cars were reportedly in the paddock at Lydden Hill Race Circuit in the UK on Friday morning when a fire originating in one of the cars’ battery packs spread and consumed the team’s road tent, taking both cars with it.
The fire shut down the World Rallycross Championship event while race authorities attempted to ascertain the cause of the fire.
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It is good to see that South East London is fighting back strongly against these insane installations which impact people’s lives and finances for no possible purpose.
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AGAIN all of the OECD countries including the UK have wasted TRILLIONs of $ and 33 years of their lives for NOTHING.
From 1988 (11.54 billion tons per annum ) to 2021 11.70 billion tons per annum or an increase of just 0.16 billion tons per annum over the last 33 years. But the NON OECD countries have added another 14.40 billion tons per annum or 90 times as much co2 as the OECD countries over the same period of time. The London Mayor is a classic left wing loony who doesn’t understand the co2 emissions DATA since 1988 and therefore London drivers have to suffer the consequences of these extreme changes. And all for a ZERO change to their WEATHER or CLIMATE.
See the OWI Data link from 1988 to 2021 for the last 33 years.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/annual-co2-emissions-per-country?country=OECD+%28GCP%29~Non-OECD+%28GCP%29
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It’s an excuse to control people and raise money to squander on yet more lefty lunacy by Sadiq Khan.
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Brits have been sabotaging roadside speed cameras for a long time. Hasn’t happened in Australia. Australians are nation of sheep named Karen.
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speed camera on the Geelong Road got shot out years ago
I have seen one oozing expanding foam
but yes, not a common event
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I often wonder why people don’t use paint ball guns to disable the cameras. One shot to the lens and no pictures until its cleaned off….
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The question I ask is would Aussies be so rebellious? This type of action is the best way to combat such draconian nonsense.
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after seeing life during Covid, I suspect not
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I’d personally like to sabotage signs in Australia. There are far too many of them.
After the 2019 fires they were given loads of money and spent on new danger meter signs. One was put near us and shines in the window at night. Or did, until they decided to change the categories and so that came down and hire trailer light was installed with the message that categories have changed. After about 4 to 6 months, the trailer was returned, and just a non-electric regular sign has gone up that categories have changed. Actually, I’m not sure what it says, I don’t bother reading it, like everybody else.
The money they spend on all these signs and cameras is absurd. And someone being paid enormous sums is making these decisions. What a waste and failure of bureaucracy! Examples abound.
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The thing that is so bad about so many roadsigns is that they are far too reflective. They are like lights shining straight into your eyes at night and therefore leave unseeable pools of darkness behind them, harbouring goodness-knows-what large animals ready to leap out to cross the road.
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Exactly! Get well out in the country and the old road signs that haven’t been replaced are a glow, not a flare. If the sign is warning you of a 80kph corner you only need to know 50m away from it, not 150m! Then they put reflective chevrons all the way around a corner after the sign telling you there is a corner coming up, so you are navigating the corner in darkness.
My 40km drive home through the country at night is nightmare of signs and so many cars with badly adjusted headlight, clowns who don’t know their lights are on full, and manufacturer’s disasters of new headlights that look cool from the inside but are blinding when driving towards them!
The next Highway Patrol that stops me will get an earful!
…and its all on a potholed, broken road with signs saying “Roading upgrade for safer travel from NSW Govt’ or something stupidly similar!
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It’s just as bad in Victoria. What is more, potholes are hard to see by day when there are lots of regrowth small trees which give shadows and a strobe effect, or at night. Infuriating and very damaging to vehicles.
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About reflective signs.
Forty years ago a rep from 3M told me they made 40 cents a square foot profit from signs coated with their night light reflective hollow spherical glass beads.
Geoff S
p.s. This Geoff also loves cars. The 1998 statesman supercharged 3.8 litre V6 is quite good for long distance relax. Geoff S
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‘What a waste and failure of bureaucracy!’
‘Waste’ and ‘failure’ are syn-onyms for ‘bureaucracy,’
serfs think.
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Serfs surely do think that beth the serf.
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Hi fellow serf. 🙂
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🙂
10
New fire ratings are – Moderate, High, Extreme and Catastrophic.
Used to have a Low rating but the new ratings appear ‘scarier’.
They do have a ‘No Rating’ but it is rarely used. Does ‘NR’ mean a low rating or they can’t decide?
40
Labour parties should be fighting for the poor and their $2000 Toyota Corollas, condemning anything that will part them. The car is the great equalizer, the equity provider. The very definition of it! It is simply astonishing politicians act against the lower income brackets yet claim they only exist for them. And even more astonishing the lowers don’t realise it.
I think I saw mention on here recently of a Bible verse that says something about woe is those who call light dark and dark light. Shows it’s a characteristic that has been around for a long long time.
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It makes more sense once you consider the Jonathan Gruber Factor … these people think they are smarter than anyone else and will say whatever gets the response they are looking for.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the majority of ordinary people do actually love being treated like that … what they don’t like is being called out on it.
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This is very good news.
A “V for Vendetta” scenario is emerging in Once Great Britain…the people are sick of being ruled over by the totalitarian Left (a tautology, I know).
Make Britain Great Again.
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Those CCD and CMOS imaging cells truly do not like laser light. 200 milliseconds at appropriate power levels and frequencies seem to be their threshold.
An interesting scientific paper :
https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/Optical-Engineering/volume-56/issue-03/034108/Laser-induced-damage-threshold-of-camera-sensors-and-micro-optoelectromechanical/10.1117/1.OE.56.3.034108.full?SSO=1
Isn’t science a wonder?
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Climate change
The made up catastrophe used by globalists to instill fear and guilt so that they can tax, regulate and remove our freedoms while pretending to save the planet.
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Pretty soon you will be surveilled all the time, such as when you buy gasoline, at the grocey store, just walking down the street, surfing the web, everywhere your phone goes, watching TV, driving your car, riding your bike, at the hardware store…
.. Oh wait.
I’m pretty sure had such technology existed at the time of the framing of the US Constitution such practices would be prohibited or severly limited. If there’s no pushback it grows like vegetation in a rain forest.
About 20 years ago, local counties and municiplalities started installing traffic cams all over here in America as speed traps. It was really getting onerous. People were getting tickets for going 33 in a 30 and crap like that. Police were harassing people for having dark window tint and not having front bumper plates. But there was strong push back. People began complaining to their elected representatives and voting out those who supported such practices, and challenging it in court. Pretty soon such practices ceased.
One of my favorite stories from that period was a man got a photo cop ticket in the mail, so he photo copied some money and sent it in. He wrote on it; ‘send me a photo ticket and I send you a photo payment of the fine’ or something to that effect. He was arrested and sent to jail, of course, but sometimes stuff like that must be done.
I heard that Orwell has been removed from many public libraries and school libraries.
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Captain Gatso – photo needed – (I’m on the mobile). 😁️
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The 38 OECD countries ( 1.34 billion population) have wasted TRILLIONs of $ since 1988 and only increased their co2 emissions by 0.16 billion tons by 2021.
So why haven’t the other 157 countries or 6.7 billion population not suffered any PENALTIES at all even though they’ve INCREASED their co2 emissions by 14.4 billion tons over the last 33 years?
That’s according to the latest OWI Data link.
Here’s Worldometer link for number of countries in the world.
https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world/
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Katie Hopkins discusses the cameras and what to (not) do about them.
https://youtu.be/H_0e82gEd5o
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Katie is always good. 3 years ago she continually referred to all the anti COVID measures as “ COVID bollocks”. Had a regular gig on the Outsiders but they went pro vaccine and she got dropped. I’ve watched her sometimes on Mark Steyn as well. I must remember to watch her YT channel.
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Here’s an informative current Katie link for fans:
https://www.ukcolumn.org/video/katie-hopkins-laughter-is-infectious
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Tips for privacy.
For educational purposes only! Heh.
https://www.howtogeek.com/773757/your-face-is-being-scanned-in-public-heres-how-to-stop-it/
https://adam.harvey.studio/cvdazzle
https://www.tctechsystems.com/anti-facial-recognition/
https://petapixel.com/2022/12/12/71-coat-makes-wearers-invisible-to-ai-security-cameras/
https://weburbanist.com/2016/11/28/how-to-be-invisible-15-anti-surveillance-designs-installations/
https://www.businessinsider.com/clothes-accessories-that-outsmart-facial-recognition-tech-2019-10?op=1#the-device-shifts-rapidly-between-faces-being-projected-making-detection-even-more-difficult-4
https://bitmask.shop/
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/g28719483/trick-surveillance-systems/
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Tangential, but I remember many years ago when an enterprising person quietly removed the licence plates of a police speedgun van at night, fitted them to his own car, then sped past the van.
😄
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OWI Data seems to find a very low life expectancy by 1913 for all Humans and not much better than 1800.
But by 1950 that global life expectancy has increased to 46.5 years , but Africa is still very low.
And today the global life expectancy is still lower than macrotrend at 73+. But all are supposed to be quoting UN data. Who knows?
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/life-expectancy
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M and F life exp data shows Japan slightly ahead of Australia in 2021, but Aussie men according to recent ABS data are now the second highest and Monaco is number 1.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/life-expectancy?country=OWID_WRL~Americas~OWID_EUR~OWID_AFR~OWID_ASI~OWID_OCE~AUS~JPN~TWN~SWE
30
Seems like the Greens and possibly getUp have been attempting to hire actors to play outraged “locals” who oppose drilling and hydraulic fracture stimulation in the Beetaloo Basin (NT).
A cursory search seems to yield that articles are all paywalled.
I guess it’s the same group of idiots who tried to over-rule the section of the local Aboriginal community wanting job opportunities for their people.
60
Sorry, it’s really off-topic. For some reason I was thinking this was an “unthreaded” post…
40
What good’s video without sound?
Councils to Install Microphones on Thousands of UK Streets to Catch ‘Noise Polluters’
‘Listening cameras’ will join the AI trackers, ANPR cameras, pollution sensors, speed cameras, and 3D facial recognition cameras already installed.
The UK Government have given the go ahead for local authorities in England and Wales to install ‘listening cameras’ on thousands of roads across the country following a successful trial in Kensington and Chelsea last year.
The listening cameras are claimed to be needed to combat the ‘modern scourge’ or noisy car exhausts, and loud music. The microphones, which can detect anything above a whisper, will be set at 80 dbs. Upon hearing anything louder than that the camera will record an image of the vehicle, and its noise level, and automatically issue a fine set by the local Council.
Trials on the device took place last year with the Department for Transport unveiling funding of £300,000 for the initial phase. Two of the boroughs that fitted the devices were the London districts of Kensington and Chelsea, with locals being unaware of the scheme in most cases. Borough officials issued a warning for the driver’s they caught for a ‘first offence’, but warned that a repeat offence could carry a fine of up to £2,500.
According to the Department of Transport road noise can be linked to people suffering from health problems like heart attacks, strokes and dementia. Roads minister Richard Holden said: “Boy racers are an anti-social menace and we have extensively trialled noise camera technology in various parts of the country over the past year.”
To push through the listening cameras advocates have enlisted the help of the RAC who have published a supposed study claiming that the majority of drivers want to see the new “noise cameras” installed around the country to crack down on loud vehicles on the roads.
https://www.visionnews.online/post/councils-to-install-microphones-on-thousands-of-uk-streets-to-catch-noise-polluters
Won’t be any hoons, “$500 rocket” cars or Harleys at all before long. GOOD!
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It’s all too easy to install surveillance and restrict all manner of things “for our own safety”.
What happened to the really advanced CCTV / AI systems installed in Darwin, and to be installed in parts of SA?
Ironically, there seems to her very little news on this.
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This is disgusting and they aren’t even trying to cover it up.
Control, corale and crush.
50
There is no doubt this is deliberately aimed at the working class. Socialism only works when you have lords and serfs and removing the privilege of private travel for the working classes is the first step and what follows gets far worse.
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The legal position regarding Khan’s TfL putting up cameras and signs on roads that are under the control of the boroughs is set out in the Greater London Authority Act 1999. Normally TfL would need to get an agreement from the boroughs to carry out works on their roads under the Highways Act 1980. However, this is not required if the works are to introduce a charging zone that covers the borough roads. When it comes to the county councils around the outside of Greater London, the 1999 Act does not apply so for example Kent County Council has refused an agreement.
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https://dailysceptic.org/2023/08/19/residents-fury-as-ulez-camera-is-erected-in-the-middle-of-their-quiet-cul-de-sac-leaving-them-facing-12-50-charge-simply-for-leaving-their-little-road-nobody-knows-about/
Next?
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Mobility and freedom for the masses is the curse of the feudal elites; if the serfs can vote with their feet
they might not bring in the harvest for the pittance left after the Duke’s levy. Thus California now hopes to assert the
right to tax your income for a decade you leave the state, because, no doubt, you were imbued with a golden aura.
A pox upon his royal highness, his heirs and assigns. May he starve and rot in his castle keep.
As a Floridian used to being reviled from out left coast, I am looking forward to see how the green hosts of superior being handle a hurricanr, as they have always insisted
we can’t. I am especially interested in how electric vehicles do n the storm and aftermath, knowing what these storms usually do to power lines.
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I once did some contract work in a nearby state which has state income tax. The state in which I reside does not. So because I was doing work in that state I had to pay that state’s income tax. After the job ended they still sent me tax paper work to pay tax for two years afterward. I ignored them.
This is what people should do. Just not pay the ULEZ fines. If everybody refuses to pay up what can they do? Give em the finger as you drive past the cams at least-and then don’t pay.
50
The only time justice in the UK is highly efficient and robust is for issues like these.
You won’t go to jail despite having a string of convictions for burglary, drugs and knife crime, but a pensioner who won’t pay his council tax – straight to jail. People have been fined for giving the finger to cameras, even when they were doing nothing else wrong.
20mph limits are becoming increasingly pervasive too, blanket 20 limits in some areas, people are being done for 23 mph at 3am. Confusing bus lanes are another great money earner.
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“but a pensioner who won’t pay his council tax-straight to jail.”
Yeah, they can’t allow that kind of thing to get started. It’s too powerful. They also don’t like symbols of contempt for their polity apparently.
In America the establishment hates the display of Revolutionary War Flags. Especially in place of the current ensign. That’s why I fly them. It’s the American way.
30
On reading my above post it might be understood that I failed to pay taxes owed. Let me clarify. I paid the tax for the income I earned in the state in question. They still wanted to collect additional taxes after I was no longer earning any income in their state, on income I was earning not in their state.
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The whole climate alarmist nut zero con is being forced on global citizens – no debate, no challenges allowed, no referendums allowed – a united push by WEF aligned leaders to get this transfer of green tax cash from the masses to the elites
It’s one big con, a sham, a deceit
With all mainstream political parties signed up to this, you cannot escape its gravitational pull, unless you vote for a smaller party that doesn’t subscribe to the drivel
This kind of authoritarian tyranny by nation leaders and their international, globalist cohorts, will only be countered by organised and spontaneous civil disobedience and resistance, that is patently clear, because in this new world war, surrender or capitulation is not an option
110
The whole climate alarmist nut zero con is being forced on global citizens – no debate, no challenges allowed, no referendums allowed – a united push by WEF aligned leaders to get this transfer of green tax cash from the masses to the elites
It’s one big con, a sham, a deceit
With all mainstream political parties signed up to this, you cannot escape its gravitational pull, unless you vote for a smaller party that doesn’t subscribe to the drivel
This kind of authoritarian tyranny by nation leaders and their international, globalist cohorts, will only be countered by organised and spontaneous civil disobedience and resistance, that is patently clear, because in this new world war, surrender or capitulation is not an option.
60
Forgive my ignorance of “Aussie-speak” – what are “tradies”?
30
Tradesmen.
Chippies, sparkies and bog snorkellers etc
40
Tradesmen, Fitters, boilermakers, sparkies, Trade qualified.
Trade their skills for exorbitant amounts of money, also known as extortionists.
20
And want to be paid in cash
30
“People who own diesel cars older than 2015 or petrol cars older than 2006 will have to pay the fees”
Indeed.
But – if your car or van is ‘old’ [I gather over 30 years; I haven’t checked] it’s exempt.
And it’s supposed to be about clean air [not a massive tax grab, oh no!].
Mr Khan is not very popular.
His leader, Keir Starmer, has splinters in his arse from sitting on the fence on this – as on many other issues.
Auto
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12425109/Sadiq-Khans-office-silence-scientists-Mayor-Londons-ambitious-Ulez-plans-little-impact-pollution.html
And, paywalled:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/08/19/khan-tried-silence-scientists-questioned-ulez-claims/
“Sadiq Khan’s office has been accused of trying to ‘silence’ scientists over publishing research that showed his ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez) policy had ‘insignificant’ effect on pollution, as protestors brought traffic to a standstill on Saturday to fight against expansion of the scheme.
“The claims were made following a series of emails between Shirley Rodrigues, the London Mayor’s deputy for environment and energy and Professor Frank Kelly, director of Imperial’s Environmental Research Group, which has received £800,000 of funding from the London Mayor’s office since 2021.
“In the emails, seen by The Telegraph, Ms Rodrigues said she was disappointed that Imperial College had published a study by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering that showed Ulez cut nitrogen dioxide by less than three per cent and had achieved an insignificant impact on ozone and particulate matter.
“Such research undermined the London Mayor’s policy, argued Ms Rodrigues.
“Prof Kelly is said to have agreed to co-write a statement with her that contradicted the research and positioned Ulez as having helped to ‘dramatically reduce air pollution’.”
Goes on to say that the scientists are ‘discouraged’ about continuing their research.
Also cited elsewhere on the interweb.
This goes to the heart of science today.
A politician gets an idea, cranks up some support for it from someone who may be plausible [never mind that the qualifications are in a different field, perhaps – a Professor is a Professor (even of Mayan dance)]; when proper scientists look at it with an open mind – the claims are not backed [and may be contradicted].
And then theere is political [and grant monies] pressure applied.
Result – “A perfectly good civilization is going to waste” – exactly as Jo says at the head of this page.
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Of course the diminutive Ayatollah of Londonistan has no time for real science in his quest to turn all londoners into donkey riding, goat-herders.
https://dailysceptic.org/2023/08/20/khan-tried-to-silence-scientists-who-questioned-ulez-claims-emails-show/
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Fact: White British residents accounted for about a third of the population of London. (Census) Meanwhile, “A photograph of a young white family was said to not represent “real Londoners” by a member of Sadiq Khan’s staff.”
https://dailysceptic.org/2023/08/21/official-guidelines-reveal-anti-white-racism-of-sadiq-khans-branding-campaign/
Factually Khan is right, London is no longer representative of the demographic makeup of the UK – but it is driving the agenda for the whole of the UK. what has happened ?
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Time to go back to the horse and cart.
Tons of horse crap in the street causing a massive stink and attracting billions of flies.
Will be awesome when it rains and it turns into a river of slop.
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We have that already: Collectively called in urban talk “the SWAMP” – rural folk know otherwise: Corruption in politics
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Bit like the USA, but it’s not horse crap …
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Well you would think so: “Not surprisingly, people are angry”…. as I am, BUT tv street interviews often show OTHERWISE.
However, it is the COPYCAT link that annoys me most: When Councillors up as far as RURAL INVERNESS & Draughty ABERDEEN Also want to implement these regimes, THAT really annoys me. You wanna live in a City, that’s what you get ( Vote) for ! and results ?
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Oh dear, what a shame.
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