California Considers Tracking Your Car

dan_sdot writes "California's budget problem has led the state to consider desperate measures: taxing you based on how much you drive. The only problem is the way they propose to do it. California is now proposing to put GPS devices on all new cars to track how far people drive and tax them accordingly."

Yeah, I already got the letter about this one...

[Skyshadow]

Yeah, I got a letter about this one a few days ago:

--------

State of California
1 Aahnold St.
Sacramento, CA

Dear Skyshadow,

While we in the state of California appreciate your interest in our state and the contributions you've made while living here the last fours years, it has become increasingly apparent that you're not getting the message. So, let us be direct:

Get the hell out.

Frankly, all of you refugees from Jesusland are seriously overpopulating our state, and we can't afford it anymore. We figured you might have gotten the hint after we destroyed our public school system with Prop 13. We thought you would have put it together when we started referring to pet owners as "guardians" like they were our fucking kids or something. And, really, we're stunned that electing the guy from "Commando" as our governor didn't make you reassess living here.

C'mon, how much is nice weather, a neat bridge and decent wine really worth? A crappy 900 sq. ft. house in Walnut Creek with a postage-stamp sized yard is a steal at $400k because of all you idiots flooding in! Go home!

Anyhow, by now we're sure you've read about our plan to implant a GPS tracker on your car and tax you for every mile you drive. We're proud of that one -- we know you're driving an hour each way to and from work because of the sky-high housing prices around the Bay Area (again: your fault), and we figure that nicely conveys our point. And frankly, if this doesn't get our message across, we're going to have to resort to simply grabbing you out of your bed in the middle of the night and feeding your to that Great White we have on display down in Monterey. Don't think we won't. Hell, we'll feed her your goddamn cheesehead cats, too. Try us.

Move back to Wisconsin. We're not kidding.

Love, California

New Revenue Source ... For Me

[Mad Martigan]

So, does that mean that if I run my car in reverse, the state will start sending me checks? Hmm, no ... that doesn't sound right ...

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Wow...

[JoeLinux]

Can they figure out any OTHER way to try to drive out business out of this state?

We have some of the highest sales tax, the highest standards of living, permits are required to do anything short of wiping my ass and whacking off.

I propose a tax on ravers. We have enough of them. San Francisco could wipe out our debt in and of itself. It's simple to do it too: if the number of dead glowsticks in your apartment/mom's basement weigh more than your furniture, you get taxed. They certainly have the money for it. If they can afford those E hits....

Just a thought,

Joe

In Russia

[Anonymous Coward]

...cars track you!

Re:Dont they already do this?

[Rufus88]

No, see, the problem with this suggestion is that it fails to take into account differences in fuel economy. The gas tax unfairly favors those who drive energy-efficient cars, and unfairly burdens the folks who exercise their god-given right to drive Hummers and SUVs. We need a mileage tax that levels the playing field.

Burgerflickle

[evangellydonut]

This is a Travesty, a Sham, and a Mockery, a Traveshamockery!

Re:Cue GPS hackers...

[ForestGrump]

And in 5 years when you trade in your car.
Dealership: Your odometer says you have 100k miles.
You: Yea, so appraise me for 100k mile then.
Dealer: But your in-car GPS reports 20k mi.
You: oh cra...oh, blame the aftermarket wheels. screwed up the circuference.

Defrauding the System

[delta_avi_delta]

This would be seriously easy to crack: GPS receivers must have a clear view of the sky. This gives you a limited amount of obvious places to mount the device. Now cover with a tasteful home-made faraday cage (made from recycled cans or some-such, this being California) and voila, no tax.

So in effect this is a tax on people who flunked physics 101. Just like lottery is a tax on people who failed Math.

Re:Except that this would target green cars, too

[brianosaurus]

They really need to embed these trackers into shoes, so they can also tax those bastards who walk or ride the bus instead of driving themselves.

Re:Yeah, I already got the letter about this one..

[Anonymous Coward]

we know you're driving an hour each way to and from work because of the sky-high housing prices around the Bay Area (again: your fault),

Boy, are they wrong about that one! It's actually San Andrea's fault.

Re:Wait a sec ...

[Sancho]

Oh I'm sorry, does that mean that you no longer have to fill up the tanks of your gas-guzzling cars? Do they run on sunshine and happiness now?

Re:Not really

[nmx]

Let's be honest here, Not everyone can drive a primus around.

In fact, no one can, because it doesn't exist. Maybe you were thinking of the Prius [toyota.com]?

Do it!

[PHAEDRU5]

Let the brain drain begin!

We here in GA welcome our new CA overlords!

Y'all want grits, right?

Re:Cue GPS hackers...

[MemoryAid]

For once, a tinfoil hat will actually come in handy...for the GPS antenna. Just cover the latter with the former to block the signal, and it won't be able to receive the satellites. That should probably just be done for the long trips, leaving it uncovered for believable mileages near where the man thinks you live.

Disclaimer: I may or may not live in California.

Re:Dont they already do this?

[mdfst13]

"This does not provide any incentive for a vehicle user to travel a shorter distance, rather it allows them to travel further."

Nah...if that were happening, we would see people moving farther and farther from the cities. First, into suburbs and then even farther, maybe to something called an "exurb." Obviously that isn't happ...

Oh, wait. It is.

If a gas tax causes unfairness (because the poor buy as much gas as the rich), it can always be fixed by rebates (possibly means tested but not necessarily).

A national gas tax would also help in that prices tend to rise in a smaller amount than the tax increase due to demand changes. I.e. some of the tax is born by oil *producers*, rather than consumers (who would be Americans).

Re:Wait a sec ...

[n0nsensical]

Well, the governor IS Arnold Schwarzenegger.