Black Van

[MoesTavern]

I have seen a blacked out van driving around the local streets. The side door is open and there is a man in there with a camera type device pointing it at the houses as they drive past.

Anyone know what's going on?

[dzug2]

Updating google streetview or similar?

[boxtops]

Take its number plate and report it to the police..... although it might be filming for Google Street View, they ought to tell people if they're doing it.

[tonyav]

Google earth maybe.

[boxtops]

snap, dzug

[doctordb]

google vans are always clearly marked and the camera stands on the roof of the vehicle.

[hc4361]

Wouldn't be google, they'd have to make at least two passes of the same street that way and the camera view would be obscured by parked vans etc.

[237SJ]

Street view has a camera on the roof (as do the parking enforcer vans around here) I`d report it to the police.

[hc4361]

Google uses this sort of thing - a hand held wouldn't be stable

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/04/the_battle_of_broughton_1.html

[boxtops]

Not that, then.

[weecalf]

Looking for people to appear on Britain,s got talent bount to running out by now .

[ivor4781]

note its number plate and call the police,if the vans unmarked

[Buenchico]

>>>note its number plate and call the police

Why? It's perfectly lawful to film people and places while you're in a public place (such as on the highway). Even if the cameras are taking pictures of people in the street, in their gardens and in their homes it's entirely legal (and long may it remain so).

Anyway, it's most likely to be part of Royal Mail's current countrywide mapping programme.

[boxtops]

Royal Mail, chris? How will it differ from Google Streetview? why duplicate?

[Buenchico]

Actually it seems that Royal Mail have abandoned the plan anyway, Boxtops. (So I must have been wrong above).

Here's the information about what was being piloted in our area:
http://www.alliescomputing.com/blog/2012/07/royal-mail-pinpoint-to-capture-gps-co-ordinates-of-every-address-in-the-uk
But here's the link (which I've only just found) saying that they're not taking it any further:
http://www.royalmail.com/personal/uk-delivery/pinpoint