Jalopnik: google street view

Karma Is A Bitch: Google Street View Prius Ticketed

Travis Hudson — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:40:00 EDT

After years of Google Street View cameras capturing accidents, boob flashings, gun fights and more, it's kind of nice to see the tables being flipped. This particular camera-bearing Google Street View vehicle was captured receiving what is likely a traffic violation. That, or the cop is one die-hard fan of Google Street View. Wait, should we be blaming Google for that Prius shortage? [Giz]

Google Street View Captures Automotive Improvisation

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EDT

If we've learned anything from Google Street View, it's that something is always going on in this crazy country of ours. Whether it's flashers, crashes or shootings, the roving cameras tell us that not everything interesting happens indoors. This is especially true for the automotive enthusiast that lacks a garage, like this fellow here.

We're not 100% sure what is going on in this image, but it looks to us as though this man is the proud owner of both a Ford Focus sedan and an early 1990's Spirit/Acclaim. Given that the Pentastar sedan already has custom rims, we wouldn't be surprised if the gentleman is trying to install aftermarket fog lights and has rigged a way to suspend himself upside down for the installation. But hey, that's just a guess. What do you think is going on here? (h/t Bob)[Google Street View]

Unique Clause Gets Google Street View Banned From Minnesota Town

Travis Hudson — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT

The wacky and crazy Google Street View vehicles that manage to capture all of the perfect moments have gotten themselves banned from a United States city, again (kind of). The town of North Oaks, a northeast community and suburb of Minneapolis has chased the Google cars away. They were able to do so because the roads in this community are owned by the residents. The residents reportedly enforce a strict "trespassing ordinance," and per a letter sent to Google earlier this year, the search engine giant removed the pictures and banished the vehicles from ever returning.

A spokesperson for Google summed it up as "Oops, our bad." We guess that means the drug dealings, boob flashings and car accidents of North Oaks will never be seen by curious bloggers (you know, like us). [The Register]

Google Street View Drives By Shooting?

Mark Arnold — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Hardigree may poke fun at the rough streets of Ray's beloved Detroit from time to time, but if these photos are what they look like they are, there's some dirt on Chicago too. Judge for yourself, but we can't help but see something going terribly wrong in these images captured in the windy city by the Google Maps Street View camera-mobiles. We've spotted everything from car accidents to Steve Job's Mercedes on the all-seeing cameras, but this takes it all to a new level.

While we don't see bodies dropping to the ground, or any caps being busted, it's hard for this not to look like what it looks like. All we can say is that certainly looks like a very gun-shaped object, apparently being pointed in a rather intentional manner at someone else. Hopefully nobody pulled the trigger. We wonder what was going through the head of the driver of the camera-mobile while this was happening, assuming he saw it. Whatever he was thinking, he evidently just kept driving.
[Gawker] Hat Tip to Will!

Google Street View Dishes Up Another Fascinating Slice-O-Life

Murilee Martin — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Now, we can't say for sure what sort of transaction was captured on film by the Google Street View photography vehicle; perhaps the Illinois gentleman with the roll of bills is negotiating for the purchase of an 80s Ford LTD. Whatever it is, we're seeing free enterprise in glorious effect here. Take that, Commies! Thanks to LTDScott aka Porcubimmer_4_Lyfe for the tip! [Google Maps]

Google Street View Banned from Military Bases

Wes Siler — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:30:00 EST

The US military has banned Google Street View from its bases after photography and video was posted of Fort Sam in Texas that potentially threatened security. According to the Inquirer, the Pentagon got "its knickers in a twist" after a vehicle carrying Street View equipment was allowed access to the base, capturing "where all the guards are, how the barriers go up and down, and how to get in and out of buildings." Information that the military is worried could aid the dreaded terrorist masterminds currently plotting our demise.

Of course, if a couple of college students driving around with all manner of black boxes, electronics and wires can gain access to a high-security military installation, it begs the question, what's stopping Al Qaeda?

At the Pentagon's request, Google has removed the material.

Stop Getting Caught In Google Street View Accidents

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:15:00 EST

That's right, a fourth Google Street View accident. After Minneapolis and Phoenix - twice, we're now joining some firefighters on cleanup duty in lovely Oceanside, California on the very Jalop appropriate El Camino Real. The two car accident looks like it may have been a three car incident due to the sandwich effect on the ~~Mercury Tracer~~ Civic, but there's no third party anywhere in sight. The fire guys seem to have brandished the jaws of life on one of the cars, ~~but we can't for the life of us figure out what it is~~ an 80's era Mazda 626. Humorously the accident occurred in a most convenient location - right in front of a junkyard fronted by an auto repair shop. [Google Street View]

Google Street View Makes Phoenix Look Dangerous

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 10:30:00 EST

We're beginning to wonder if Google Street View is somehow causing these accidents. We saw the awesome Audi Q7 versus Range Rover upside-down cake near the Phoenix Country Club a couple of weeks ago. Now we're seeing another one a mere 2.7 miles away. "That's crazy talk!" you say. Nope, there's definitely a case to be made. While the country club crackup was decidedly expensive, this one is a bit more low-rent. Underneath the blazing Arizona sun (which apparently destroyed the front camera element), this Chevrolet Cavalier took a dirt nap after being T-boned by an S-10. You can barely make out the high build quality of the Cav because it's hidden behind the wrinkled roof and the driver still chilling out in the passenger seat. We're also enjoying the "WTF?" look on the burly cop's face when he notices the camera car. [Google Street View]

Microsoft Live Truck Spotted Prowling On The Highway

Ray Wert — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:00:00 EDT

It looks like Microsoft's upping the street view ante in the cold map war against Google. Tipster The Red Monkey just sent us the shot to the right. We'll let him continue:

"This morning on my way into downtown I spotted the Microsoft live "street view" truck. I only had time to grab one picture before my exit onto J street. Its a cameraphone pic so its not great but you can see the cameras on top of the truck and the Microsoft Live logos on the back. I did not catch the name of the company out on the prowl for them either."

So get ready all you sketchy guys coming out of strip clubs, nose-pickers and pissing rednecks — it's Microsoft's turn and the Live truck's a comin' to get you on digital film for your 15 minutes of fame. Or at least 30 minutes or so of time spent on the front page of Digg. – Ray Wert

Related:
Google Street View: How They Did It [internal]

Google Street View: How They Did It

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT

If you're like us, you've been playing with Google Maps Street View for the past week instead of working. But if you've also spent too many hours wondering, while picking lint off a throw pillow, how they created all those street-level panoramas, you might want to leave the day room for a few minutes. For much of it, you can thank Immersive Media, whose Beetle-mounted Dodeca camera provided the 360-degree shots. Arranged in a dodecahedron, the camera's 11 lenses and sensors produces 11 video streams of 100 million pixels per second. Pretty sneaky, goog. – Mike Spinelli

Google Maps, Immersive Media Offer Street Level View [Media Post via Carscoop]