Google Street View lanched in UK!! But is it such a good idea?

I haven’t played with the UK version, but IF it’s the same as the street views of US cities on MSN’s Live Maps, I don’t see the reason for any angst.

It’s not live so it can’t be used to “case” your house……..
.

It has been shown in Courts in the UK that G Earth was used to “Case” an area in which the scum could get the best getaway across gardens/wasteland etc. Not only for the best place to park the stolen car but also to avoid the copper-chopper and his infra-red. Now, the same scum can see if there is a low gate at the side, if the house is alarmed or not, where the phone line is. They can relate this image to the G. Earth and really plan a housebreak.
It would take a few “innocent” physical passes to get the same info and there is a risk of being seen.

Of course, this is a very small minority…….but it will be done.

Does anyone know the address of Kate Beckinsale…I’d like to keep an eye on her movements!!!

haha.. apparently one of my old flying instructors was related to her. 😎

Does anyone know the address of Kate Beckinsale…I’d like to keep an eye on her movements!!!

It’s no more an invasion than anyone else driving by your house.
Don’t get your knickers in a twist….:D

Well it is a bit more, like I said it equates to someone taking a photo through your curtains from the street, would you stand for that? 😮

There is a resolution issue here too. I checked another friend’s house which is large and set back from a busy main road. You couldn’t make out any real detail of even the front door. I just looked like an estate agent’s advert. However my (previously mentioned) other friend’s street is narrow (as is mine) so you can see right into peoples houses if the window has no obstruction.

I think streetview could be useful and fun but I just have a few reservations. If my knickers get too twisted I can always have the house blanked out.

Brian

I`ve been looking at some places where I grew up and haven`t visited for 30 years was going to visit some `Old Haunts` before Street View came along but using the site I can see they`ve been pulled down,so it`s saved me a long journey !!

I haven’t played with the UK version, but IF it’s the same as the street views of US cities on MSN’s Live Maps, I don’t see the reason for any angst.

It’s not live so it can’t be used to “case” your house.
It’s no more an invasion than anyone else driving by your house.
Don’t get your knickers in a twist….:D

If a TV crew was shooting video to show on TV, they wouldn’t have to blur your license plate.

Unless there is something really special about the UK service, I don’t see what all the concern is about…especially coming from a country that has more CCTV/speed cameras than anyplace else.

even though it is possible to zoom into the front of houses it isn’t excellent quality as it does get very blurred and unclear, hardly enough for it to be called an invasion of privacy.I

Sorry to disagree but I’ve just checked a friend’s house and the net curtains prevent any views but looking at the neighbours house opposite you can see the fireplace and tv.

As a homeowner I class this as an invasion of my privacy in the same way that I don’t want someone standing looking in to my room from the street with a camera. We aren’t on the system yet, but I will keep checking.

Brian

I like it, bet it can’t come here 😀 Military Estate:)

This seems to show the towns in the UK currently available.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mpl?layer=c&moduleurl=http://maps.google.co.uk/help/maps/streetview/mapplet.html&mapclient=google&utm_campaign=en_GB&utm_medium=mapshpp&utm_source=en_GB-mapshpp-emea-gb-gns-svn&utm_term=svl

I just checked my location, and being 40 plus miles out of Philadelphia, I figured I was safe…..was I wrong. Thankfully, they stopped about a mile from my house. Are they going to continue doing this until every last bit of the earth is photographed?

And does anyone know if there is a schedule of sorts for the photo shoots? I’d Like to know, I want to put a large sign in the front yard with a catchy phrase like “NO TO PEEPING” or something like that.

I think it is a great tool that will be beneficial for tourists/prospective movers who want to ‘case’ an area they are going to. Its one thing being described a (perhaps sugar-coated) representation of the area over the phone, it’s a whole new world seeing it for yourself in seconds!

I, like many others, checked out where I lived on it. From one angle, my car licence plate wasn’t blurred yet all the others were. I ‘reported a concern’ just for the sake of doing so really (I wasn’t all that bothered) and the very next day they had removed the picture and instead it was just a ‘black’ view (until you clicked forward/back) a step. All they had to do was blur my plate but still, nice of them to make the effort 😀

The downside of ALL SW technology is that it WILL be abused

Never say never but I seriously doubt it with Google SV :).

(Says he, using uTorrent whilst typing about SW morals!!!!!!!!!! LoL)

;).

how do i get it lol….stupid question?

Go to Goolgle Maps, enter in a town name or postcode etc. Then on the top of the zoom in/zoom out bar on the left is a little orange man. Click on it and drag it into the area in question, the roads that currently have Street View will highlight in blue.

how do i get it lol….stupid question?

Well maybe ‘genious’ was an over-kill term but I just think it’s a fun tool that people will enjoy using to browse around the world, famous cities etc.

Granted it won’t give me anything new but I don’t see what Google Street View gives in place of asking questions. For example if I ask the manager of my Washington hotel about the area he’s hardly going to say it’s a sh*t hole is he ;).

With Google SV I can know the truth :diablo::D.

Phone the local cops. They are the most helpful.

GE SV is a great fun tool. I love it as a fun tool. The downside of ALL SW technology is that it WILL be abused.
(Says he, using uTorrent whilst typing about SW morals!!!!!!!!!! LoL)

You are correct. But round these parts, the crime rate is low, strangers are watched at all times. We know who doesn’t live in our town!

What is so genious about GE Street view?……apart from the massive amount of information to be catalogued.
What can it give you that you didn’t have before…that is of “Actual” benefit?
It’s just another tool that has replaced the dying art of asking REAL people a question.

Well maybe ‘genious’ was an over-kill term but I just think it’s a fun tool that people will enjoy using to browse around the world, famous cities etc.

Granted it won’t give me anything new but I don’t see what Google Street View gives in place of asking questions. For example if I ask the manager of my Washington hotel about the area he’s hardly going to say it’s a sh*t hole is he ;).

With Google SV I can know the truth :diablo::D.

What was stopping them walking by a couple of times a day and ‘casing’ the place? how do you know they haven’t done that before? how do you know your house isn’t already a target?

Yet now Google has produced this I bet people will be very quick to blame them for it, it’s sad. People seem so quick to find negative points in what it quite a genius idea.

You are correct. But round these parts, the crime rate is low, strangers are watched at all times. We know who doesn’t live in our town!

What is so genious about GE Street view?……apart from the massive amount of information to be catalogued.
What can it give you that you didn’t have before…that is of “Actual” benefit?
It’s just another tool that has replaced the dying art of asking REAL people a question.

So, local scum can view how to get access without “Casing” the place.

What was stopping them walking by a couple of times a day and ‘casing’ the place? how do you know they haven’t done that before? how do you know your house isn’t already a target?

Yet now Google has produced this I bet people will be very quick to blame them for it, it’s sad. People seem so quick to find negative points in what it quite a genius idea.

So, local scum can view how to get access without “Casing” the place.
I’m glad I chose to live in an area as far away from a City as possible, my area will be amongst the last to get Gogled.

Just had a look at my gaff, and I need to cut the grass. Fortunately there was a large council van parked outside at the time so you can’t see my untidy living room ! 😀

Does anyone else think that there is something really creepy about the world being able to look down your driveway??

Nope! I think it’s an amazing tool Google have given to us, for example I’ve just been checking the areas in Washington where my hotel is located and so on.

I’ve already noticed my aunts house has appeared on Google UK: Street View and I think it’s awesome!! I just think it’s going to be very amusing when the other houses/areas associated with my family show up on there soon.

How can anyone possibly complain? the faces are blanked out as are car numberplates and even though it is possible to zoom into the front of houses it isn’t excellent quality as it does get very blurred and unclear, hardly enough for it to be called an invasion of privacy.

I saw one of these Google cars drive past me so I’m just waiting for myself to appear on there :D.