Such is the excitement of my daily journey to work (roughly four miles), that if I'm not already miles away in thought, I'll play little games to pass the time. Hardly amazing stuff: counting people I recognize is the usual one.
Today I decided I would count all the security cameras I could see: this being on the bus journey and then my ten-or-fifteen minute walk through town to work. I was expecting that I would see maybe 25 or 30. I'm sure I didn't count them all, due to the limited viewpoint from the bus, the fact that the windows were steamed up, and I didn't want to crane my neck. There were 86.
On the journey home I noticed a few that I missed as well.
Update: On my way into town this afternoon (unencumbered by steam or other inhibiting factors) I decided to have another go, and reached 116 before I lost count (clearly I can only count up to 117).
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18 comments:
I do hope you waved.......
Sadly no: if I'd waved at one I would have to have waved at all of them (says who?).
I find this rather scary. I wonder how mnay times I'll be snapped heading up the M1 tonight?
That says something about where you live, we have 4 where I live and the big scandel in this weeks local paper is that they don't work!!
pxx
It is, but why: it's one thing reading various articles about how many there are, and another just to take notice and see it all around you (and for all around to be seeing you). I wasn't even doing this to make an overtly political point either (many have discussed this far, far more eloquently than I could in that respect) but it's difficult to ignore all the same.
hi pixie (and thanks again for my award). Well, you big-city dwellers should have your 4 security cameras working, they're obviously for the benefit of society: I don't know why the likes of me, in my tiny, rustic, rural retreat, should have to suffer 86 of them. Oh, hang on....
Personal privacy is already a fading memory, and we shall soon all be tagged and chipped beyond Orwell's worst nightmares.
See A.C. Grayling online in Prospect Magazine's October 2007 issue.
Scarey! Where do you live? Beirut?
Perhaps we are all in a giant version of big brother, being screened in an alternative universe somewhere..... just a thought.
Hello Trousers, been hearing lots and lots about YOU from Pixie - who I am out with tonight. Thought I would actually have a look at the famous bloke's site. So here I am. 86 speed cameras - my my! How do you have the patience!
In the interest of nobody thinking you are too sad I just want you to know that there are 11 speed cameras betwen where i live and Ashbourne. I too have the patience.
pxx
I had to post on Pixie's blog as thats the only way you were going to take notice. She is magnetic our Pix! All the rest dont compare - I know how it is!
anti, so true: I look forward to reading Grayling. Note my update too.
d.j., no I don't live in Beirut - though Robert Fisk does, I'm currently reading his excellent "The Great War Of Civilization."
ms m, yes I think we probably are - without the word alternative:)
Hi queen vixen - thank you for dropping by and I assume I'll see you at the party! I assume pixie has given you a full and frank account of the objective truth?
There will now be an APB out on trousers - a person seen acting suspiciously in front of 116 CCTV cameras.............
As it happens, lav, a police van was on the road opposite when I was taking photographs yesterday: I was fully expecting to be stopped and asked what I was doing. I'm glad they didn't bother though.
trousers !
they don't need to..they got your post code,your blog !
heh heh heh
hmm spotto on security cameras we haven't played that one yet. So far we've only done (collectively) spotto on hobos (my girls in San Fransisco) spotto on dogs being carried two families in Paris), um spotto on satelite dishes (our family in Rome) alphabet spotto on long car journeys... sorry getting carried away.
http://tinyurl.com/29y876
and
http://tinyurl.com/253peg
.
The tables are turned.
And yes, we are in a police state.
Nice one merkin. Must look at his blog more often.
And hi bindi, nice to see you here. :)
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