Big
Brother isn't the only one monitoring your every move. According to an extensive article in the July 2014 edition
of Popular Science, the automobile repossession profession's system to unabashedly scan for and identify
car and truck owners that are payment challenged might make an NSA agent envious - and at least for now it is completely
legal. Using tow truck-mounted digital cameras, sophisticated license plate number recognition software, and a wireless
link to a massive database, the current crop of repo men roam the highways and byways recording, time stamping, and
GPS location fixing every plate it can find. Some trucks are outfitted with two, three, or more cameras to improve
efficiency, and can scan more than 8,000 plates per day. Repo companies even hire non-repo men (and women) to drive
outfitted cars through parking lots of Walmarts, airports, sports arenas, churches, and even your company's property.
A company called Digital Recognition Network (DRN) reportedly has one of the largest plate-capturing databases in
the country, with more than 1.8 billion (that's 1.8x10^9) scans. At an average payout from lending institutions of
$300 to $800 (sometimes higher), the business is quite lucrative.
Business
has really picked up (pun intended) in the last decade or so since 'no questions asked' financing has become available
in order to avoid discrimination lawsuits from 'disadvantaged' persons who, after all, have a 'right' to a car*, even
if you and I end up paying for it. A full day of work for a repo man used to consist of a single tow, but now a good
day can involve 8 or more hauls. A lot of guys work on commission, so there is a huge incentive to round 'em up. The
job is not without its dangers, so you have to admire (sorta) the willingness to potentially face a hostile owner.
You really ought to read this article titled "Scan
Artist." You will be in utter amazement - and growing more and more paranoid - all the way through. The group
of repossessers is not without its humorous side. Überrepoguy Scott Toth revealed why nighttime is preferred
for snatching a vehicle: "During a long shift, a truck-stop shower is a small luxury at just $12; a pack of hot dogs
works wonders in a neighborhood with ferocious canines; and winter is the best time to repo because few people are
willing to run down the street in their underpants."
* A right probably guaranteed by the "Good
and Welfare" clause (aka the "Good and Plenty" clause) of the U.S. Constitution.
Posted July 4, 2014
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