More reasons why Jacqui Smith simply can't be trusted on ID cards. She can argue till her face is bluer than a lads' night in with her hubby that they will just be used to fight terrorism, but for every new legal or technological toy that is devised, there is always some righteous self-aggrandiser who will use it for other means (think anti-terror laws for bin indiscretions here).
Here's another example of a decent idea, from last year, being hijacked.
A council is giving its lollipop men and women a new weapon to fight aggressive drivers.
Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire has mounted mini cameras on lollipops, one facing forwards, the other backwards.
The pictures can be used as evidence against drivers who hurl abuse or put the children crossing the road at risk.
Yep. If it cuts down on selfishness and intolerance towards childrens' crossings, can't argue much with that. Some might even say say about time too. Hillingdon Council in London started using these 'lollicams' in February.
CCTV cameras have been installed in lollipop ladies' sticks in a west London borough to help keep them safe.
Hillingdon Council has introduced "lollicams" to catch drivers who break the law by failing to stop when school patrol staff command them to do so.
The council has said there are 60 reported cases of abuse or intimidation every month.
So far, so good. But then you just knew that something like this, as reported on the BBC today, was coming.
Fergus Chambers, managing director of Cordia, said: "We are not just talking about people who fail to stop when they see the lollipop sign. We have 390 crossing patrol across Glasgow and every week our lollipop men and women report at least one or two incidents where drivers have been speeding or driving dangerously.
This technology will also help the police secure convictions against irresponsible drivers."
Slice by tiny slice.
