The UK surveillance state. Why?

[Revoltingest]

Wow!
That must be so risky for travellers crossing several States.
Obviously municipalities will have special laws (Byelaws we call 'em) because of individual municipality characteristics.
But it's handy to have uniformity of legislation as far as possible.
Having said that Scotland and Northern Ireland have very different systems and laws to England and Wales.

I try to avoid going to the town where I live (outside city limits).
The traffic laws differ from the rest of the state, & traffic tickets
are a big revenue source.

 

[oldbadger]

I try to avoid going to the town where I live (outside city limits).
The traffic laws differ from the rest of the state, & traffic tickets
are a big revenue source.

Aha! I can't remember how many years ago a congestion charge was applied to central London roads (during the day from pre-rush-hour to post-rush-hour), probably 20 years ago, but I never drove a vehicle into London in day-time again. Mororcycles could go in at any time.

And then the anti-emmisions Bye-law was introduced, and the Thames Crossing tunnel-bridge toll-booths were scrapped and payment to cross had to be transacted by bloody IT.

And so, as these and many other rules and laws have pushed London firmly into the Auto-Number-Plate-Recognition and IT payment systems, so yours truly has retreated down the coast into the provinces.

I retreat from IT systems, online payments, card systems, and neither self nor wife have a direct debit payment other than the hounds' medi-care insurance.

But for my wish to drive my wife to/from shopping and work etc I wouldn't even bother to keep a car on the road.

It's called 'tactical withdrawal' if you're a toughie, and 'running away' if you're a softie.

 

[Wu Wei]

For a free country, the UK surveillance system has reached epidemic proportions to the point where one wonders what's really going on with all this? From all appearances it's network is massive and intrusive.

Is there a distrust of its citizenry?

Is there something going on that nobody is talking about?

Why has it gone to an epic scale that it has as it pertains to government surveillance inside a supposedly free country?

And last, how are UK citizens dealing with it all?

The UK just legalized everything that Snowden warned us about

Surveillance in England is nothing new. There was a lot of surveillance during the Elizabethan era (Nov 17, 1558 – Mar 24, 1603) as well, it is just that was done by spies and it could cost you your life

 

[Twilight Hue]

Surveillance in England is nothing new. There was a lot of surveillance during the Elizabethan era (Nov 17, 1558 – Mar 24, 1603) as well, it is just that was done by spies and it could cost you your life

That is what was mentioned to me earlier.

It seems many have been accustomed to being under surveillance throughout the generations which explains to a degree why Brits seem so unaffected by this generally speaking.

I've noticed an element of British that are vocally opposed these types of things. Is this a fringe group of people, or is it becoming more than that? From what I understand lately the UK is now starting to monitor people's phones conversations and emails at random and implementing face recognition technology into their cameras.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

That must be so risky for travellers crossing several States.

Not really. For the most part it doesn't really effect anyone. Unless someone comes to Indiana on a Sunday and wants to buy some beer, then they're out of luck because state law prohibits alcohol sales on Sunday here. In America, that Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and from there each state can make their own laws as long as it doesn't contradict federal law (though it does happen anyways), and local counties and municipalities can make their own (again with the no contradicting state law, but it happens anyways). For most people it's just a non-issue. The biggest problem is when people carry guns across state lines, because a legal carry in one state can be a felonious carry in another. Some people have also gotten in trouble when they travel to another state to hunt, and they don't bother to check local hunting laws first.
But, in general I do strongly feel we need more streamlined laws to simplify things for citizens across America.

 

[oldbadger]

Not really. For the most part it doesn't really effect anyone. Unless someone comes to Indiana on a Sunday and wants to buy some beer, then they're out of luck because state law prohibits alcohol sales on Sunday here. In America, that Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and from there each state can make their own laws as long as it doesn't contradict federal law (though it does happen anyways), and local counties and municipalities can make their own (again with the no contradicting state law, but it happens anyways). For most people it's just a non-issue. The biggest problem is when people carry guns across state lines, because a legal carry in one state can be a felonious carry in another. Some people have also gotten in trouble when they travel to another state to hunt, and they don't bother to check local hunting laws first.
But, in general I do strongly feel we need more streamlined laws to simplify things for citizens across America.

Very interesting......
I don't know about now, but the law forbade alcohol sales in Wales on a Sunday to anybody but travellers, so if you walked about three miles to the Pub you could drink, but locals could not. Stuff like that.

Apart from convenience stores no shops in the UK can trade on Sundays before 10am or after 4pm.

In England a person can own and use an air-rifle (bb gun?) without a licence, but if that person crosses in to Scotland with it they must have a licence for it.

So we've got our mish-mash of laws as well.

 

[Yerda]

Is there a distrust of its citizenry?

Is there something going on that nobody is talking about?

When social spending is cut beyond viability to accomodate the huge bills the private sector keeps passing to the public we'll be outraged and we'll organise. They're preparing for civil disobedience British style: Keep calm and build a surviellance state.