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How to build a fake Google Street View car
- mschuster91 13y agoThese guys are fucking crazy. In the entire European Union, this WILL get the driver and likely anyone involved with this behind jail for driving a vehicle not licensed for street usage! Basically, you alter the car with not-licensed-for-street-usage components (these self-made things e.g. alter the ride height of your car from the one spec'd in the vehicle ID card), which in itself invalidates the car's insurance (it's not a vehicle legal to drive on a street, thus it is not insured, thus you are not allowed to drive it!). It's the same as if you'd change the exhaust for an illegal tuning variant, add a N2O booster, add under-floor lighting etc. DO NOT EVER DO THIS IN ANY EUROPEAN COUNTRY.
- leoedin 13y agoMounting something on the roof rack doesn't count as modifying in that way. If that was true, bicycle racks would be illegal. I can't speak for the entirety of the EU, but I know for a fact that in the UK mounting something like this (assuming it's securely attached) is not illegal.
- mschuster91 13y agoI got fucked up by the cops in Germany for putting a not-checked-by-TÜV selfmade wood casing upon the top of my car. These guys did this in Berlin... man, they're LUCKY to having gotten out without any consequences.
- leoedin 13y agoThe law may well differ across member states. Apparently there isn't a definitive law on the matter in the UK, but you could be prosecuted if your roof load is deemed to be dangerous or is excessively heavy or overhangs the car. There definitely isn't explicit rules that require roof loads to be checked or qualified in any way. It's all moot though as they did it in Germany...
- andor 13y agoWas there a Google logo on the side of your car?
- mschuster91 13y agoHaha, nope - but I bet Google did shell the ~300€ on proper certification and registration in the vehicle ID card.
- arethuza 13y agoAccording to the AA the rule in the UK is as simple as "you must secure your load and it must not stick out dangerously". http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/loading-your-car-safely.html http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/loading-your-car-safely...
- fightlikeacow 13y agoIf that were the case, how would people ever transport anything on a roof rack? That is effectively all the project is doing (somewhat pointlessly in my opinion, but each to their own). That's not to say that they won't get stopped for some kind of lack of photography permit, but not for any of the reasons you have outlined.
- mschuster91 13y agoEver noticed the "Ex" in a circle mark on any car component, x being a number? This is a signature that this product has been tested and approved for automobile usage. If your selfmade product does not have this (of course it doesn't), then you need to go to a local TÜV agency in Germany and let them have a look over it. If it's ok you'll get a permit for it. Else, it's illegal to drive with your construction on the road.
- rejschaap 13y agoThe car component needs to be approved, the cargo does not. The bike rack needs to be approved, the bike does not. GP is trying to pass this contraption as cargo, though I doubt it would be accepted as such.
- mschuster91 13y agoYep. I learned the hard way :/
- fightlikeacow 13y agoThat may be the case in Germany, but in the UK, unless something is obviously unsafe, I don't think this would be the case. For reference, a certain culture of ridiculous body kits and spoilers would be in a lot more trouble, as I'm pretty sure that most of them do not undergo any testing, and that doesn't account for "home-made" versions.
- unwind 13y agoThe fake camera rig is mounted using bolts in holes drilled in the (rented) car's roof rack. That's not how you typically mount stuff to a roof rack, perhaps it can make it more "part of the vehicle" than "cargo" in the eyes of the law; I don't know. I failed to see the point of the project altogether, and found it rather rude to drill in rented equipment, too. I'm sensitive like that.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- Alexx 13y agoThis is just misleading. You do not go to jail in the EU for adding under-floor lighting to your car, nor fitting a roof rack, or any other such additional fittings. A car must pass it's MOT and have valid insurance, that is all. MOT requirements differ from country to county, and all insurers are different. If it fails and you keep driving it then you'll end up with a fine.
- Xylakant 13y agoWell, you'll not go to jail, but underfloor lighting is strictly speaking illegal in germany and only allowed for show cars - and even then it has to be off on the road. (StVZO §49a Absatz 1) Violating that rule invalidates the permission to drive that car on a public road, immediately voiding insurance coverage. You'd better not have an accident with that car, because you're personally liable for any damage caused. That might not bring you to jail, but can seriously ruin your life if you cause a permanent injury to someone else.
- Alexx 13y agoYes, specific requirements differ from country to country, and invalidating your insurance and crashing your car anywhere in the world has that effect. Point is that you won't 'go to jail in the entire EU', or anything of the sort for simply driving car with an unusual load on the roof rack.
- mschuster91 13y agoOh, cops certainly do have the right to tow your vehicle and take you to the next police office, where you spend maybe 2-3 hours of processing. I can tell you, it's a boatload of bureaucracy and they won't let you out until it's all done.
- Xylakant 13y agoThey can also impound your vehicle, depending on the modifications and their mood. I used to ride heavily modded motorcycles - all the entries would need a second sheet in the papers. That was always great fun to see the traffic patrol compare serial numbers for air intake, exhaust, lights, indicaters, ... especially when it was wet and they had to crawl on the ground.
- MichaelApproved 13y agoAm I missing something? In an effort to "Fuck Google", they're driving like jerks and endangering people's lives and property. Edit: This comment is from watching them dangerously cutting off cyclists and cars on the video.
- JD557 13y agoI'm with you on this one. Also, to me this feels like a really cheap move to try to spoil a brand's reputation. If they believe that there's a problem with google street view and privacy, they should try to raise awareness to it, not pretend to work for Google and act like jerks. This way, the only thing that they achieved was damaging Google's reputation instead of making people aware of the privacy implications of cars with cameras capturing everything. I believe they could have done something more interesting with this.
- andor 13y agoIt should be obvious that the cyclist was an actor
- NikolaTesla 13y agoThis takes pretentiousness to an entirely new level. But I'm sure they'd say I'm just a "hick" that doesn't "get it".
- lvturner 13y agoA standard answer to "why?" is "why not?", or "because we can" but I really can't see any benefit to this? Is cosplay a thing for cars now?
- Andrenid 13y agoThe aim might be to get Google in trouble there in Germany, since Streetview wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms?
- andor 13y agoOh come on. It's an art project. They want to see how people react to Street View cars in various situations.
- topynate 13y agoWell, their 'project of the week' was "FUCK GOOGLE". It's right there on the article page. So, you know, political art. Performance art plus politics, aka propaganda of the deed. Cutting cyclists off in the name of liberty.
- andor 13y agoYes, it's kind of political. They also say at the end of the video: "we like all your products, but no single company should be trusted with so much of our data". By driving around as Google and telling others to "turn off their cameras", they remind people that Google is basically spying on them. While not everybody might agree with the message, I think the project is no less manipulative than the Google branding ads from India, which try to positively change your impression of a large company by showing you something very emotional.
- dwild 13y agoYour argument is that if Google do it, you could do it? I don't share that opinion, if you consider that manipulative methods are bad, you shouldn't use them. Fight the lie by lying even more?
- mrspeaker 13y agoI love the fffff.at guys - they come up with the most pointless hacks, that never fail to brighten my boring work life and remind me to do something crazy every once in a while.
- twvance 13y agoHow fucking stupid
- BitMastro 13y agoTwo things: 1) IANAL, but I think it's a trademark infringement to use the Google logo on that car 2) Let's ignore them intentionally bothering drivers and cyclists, but you go through the pain of building a rig and you don't put a camera in it? A cellphone with a GPS? Goddammit!!!
- topynate 13y agoThis is of a kind with the guy who decided to pretend to be an arsehole Google employee at a demonstration against their buses. It goes right against the points they're trying to make: why pretend to be on the 'other side'? Obviously because the other side isn't acting the way you claim them to be.
- glynjackson 13y agoCan I ask, Why? I don't understand why anyone would do this! The fact they have PDF's plans suggests to me that other muppets for some unknown reason want to pretend to work for Google. When did it become cool? Now a MI5 agents car with heat seeking missiles which blow up lane hogs.... that I would be interested in!
- joryhatton 13y agowhy?