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Google Street View has Worcester covered

10:04am Thursday 11th March 2010 in


PEOPLE in Worcester can now view their street from their computer as Google's street-level imaging service has been extended to cover more than 95 per cent of UK roads.

Google's Street View service had been available in 25 cities since last March, but the increased coverage makes an additional 210,000 miles of detailed mapping public.

Google's cars, fitted with a special panoramic camera on the roof, have been spotted out and about in Worcester over the past year.

Street View images of pedestrianised areas are shot using special tricycles.

Street View has prompted some concerns about privacy issues.

You can find Google Street Maps here.

• Have you spotted yourself on Google Street View? Spotted anything odd in Worcester? Email us at yournews@worcesternews.co.uk

• Ballot: Google Street View has attracted a fair amount of criticism since its early days in America in 2007.

A lot of people have raised issues about privacy, while many have added their views about crime in certain areas.

What do you think? Are you for or against? Why?

Please vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comment box below.

Murray Kelso Twitter butoon 291w

Comments(42)

brooksider says...
10:30am Thu 11 Mar 10

Just viewed Foregate Street & spotted a car parked in the bus lane outside the bakers, another parked on double yellow lines at a bus stop & a DFS lorry parked on double yellows.
When I then viewed my house I saw the milkman coming out of my front door doing up his overall, strange because I cancelled the milk 3 years ago!

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MrStJohns says...
10:42am Thu 11 Mar 10

Cool like it, iv been visiting a few friends virtually, your spot on brooksider there does seem to be abit of law breaking going on that’s been caught on street view. And before people start bagging on about privacy, Any one inclined already had the ability to go on the internet have a look on right move to see a picture of your house and its value. Then if so inclined they could book an appointment to ‘view’ what valuables you may have inside. And even if your house wasn’t on the market a little peek in the window would suffice.

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kroglew says...
11:21am Thu 11 Mar 10

I've often wondered what my house looks like. Now I can find out.

Seriously, I've used this several times when heading somewhere I've not been before. It's very useful to see what to expect.

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MrStJohns says...
11:24am Thu 11 Mar 10

Yeah I think your right, its always nifty to have a look at your house in a virtual world though. but it’s a great application if your visiting somewhere you haven’t been, you can have a look before hand for landmarks etc you might pass on the way, we use it a lot for London.

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jb says...
11:27am Thu 11 Mar 10

Just had a peek at it and found my house, it must have been taken a while ago as my old car is parked up and the wooden fence is still around the front garden. Very interesting though. Being a nosey person it will keep me occupied for ages!

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lowlybarnacle says...
12:12pm Thu 11 Mar 10

MrStJohns wrote:
Cool like it, iv been visiting a few friends virtually, your spot on brooksider there does seem to be abit of law breaking going on that’s been caught on street view. And before people start bagging on about privacy, Any one inclined already had the ability to go on the internet have a look on right move to see a picture of your house and its value. Then if so inclined they could book an appointment to ‘view’ what valuables you may have inside. And even if your house wasn’t on the market a little peek in the window would suffice.
The thing with that is if someone peeks though your windows, the neighbours or you will notice. If someone stands on the street outside staring at the house for ages someone will notice. If a burglary occurs, they will be able to tell the police. How will the police know who's been viewing a streetview image of your house?

I for one will be asking to have my house removed from StreetView. It is not necessary for everyone's homes to be visible. Businesses yes, but not residential homes.

Sadly a lot of people are too dense to realise what Google are up to - why do you think they've spent all that money on vehicles, panoramic cameras, fuel, etc? Just for the good of society? Have a think about that...

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waste says...
12:35pm Thu 11 Mar 10

lowlybarnacle wrote:
MrStJohns wrote:
Cool like it, iv been visiting a few friends virtually, your spot on brooksider there does seem to be abit of law breaking going on that’s been caught on street view. And before people start bagging on about privacy, Any one inclined already had the ability to go on the internet have a look on right move to see a picture of your house and its value. Then if so inclined they could book an appointment to ‘view’ what valuables you may have inside. And even if your house wasn’t on the market a little peek in the window would suffice.
The thing with that is if someone peeks though your windows, the neighbours or you will notice. If someone stands on the street outside staring at the house for ages someone will notice. If a burglary occurs, they will be able to tell the police. How will the police know who's been viewing a streetview image of your house?

I for one will be asking to have my house removed from StreetView. It is not necessary for everyone's homes to be visible. Businesses yes, but not residential homes.

Sadly a lot of people are too dense to realise what Google are up to - why do you think they've spent all that money on vehicles, panoramic cameras, fuel, etc? Just for the good of society? Have a think about that...
Oh please do tell me. What are 'Google up to'?

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MrStJohns says...
12:37pm Thu 11 Mar 10

lowlybarnacle wrote:
MrStJohns wrote: Cool like it, iv been visiting a few friends virtually, your spot on brooksider there does seem to be abit of law breaking going on that’s been caught on street view. And before people start bagging on about privacy, Any one inclined already had the ability to go on the internet have a look on right move to see a picture of your house and its value. Then if so inclined they could book an appointment to ‘view’ what valuables you may have inside. And even if your house wasn’t on the market a little peek in the window would suffice.
The thing with that is if someone peeks though your windows, the neighbours or you will notice. If someone stands on the street outside staring at the house for ages someone will notice. If a burglary occurs, they will be able to tell the police. How will the police know who's been viewing a streetview image of your house? I for one will be asking to have my house removed from StreetView. It is not necessary for everyone's homes to be visible. Businesses yes, but not residential homes. Sadly a lot of people are too dense to realise what Google are up to - why do you think they've spent all that money on vehicles, panoramic cameras, fuel, etc? Just for the good of society? Have a think about that...
Lol you are way to paranoid, so is your house located on a public road? Where any Joe average can walk down anytime they like? Im sure even the most vigilant neighbour must overt theirs eyes from your property once in a while?! How does Google street view, stop your neighbours informing the police if someone is breaking in?! how do you know who is or isn’t looking at your house anyway, has it ever been sold in the past? Therefore floor plans, interior photos etc will all have been placed on the internet. Much more than anything Google streetview exposes. Also if you sell your property an ‘interested’ party could easily phone the estate agents to ask if its empty, and of course the estate agent will obligingly tell them. Of course Google haven’t done it out of the goodness of their hearts, however as a tool for crime its no more effective than anything that ahs previously existed.

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lowlybarnacle says...
12:44pm Thu 11 Mar 10

waste - let's play Dragons' Den for a second to try and get sleepy minds working. You're a Dragon.

Me: "Hello Dragons - I'd like £500,000 for supply of vehicles, panoramic cameras, processing power, staff costs and fuel costs so I can map the entire Worcestershire area to include almost every property in the area and then host it on a 100 Gbps server."

Now then, waste, use that brilliant mind of yours - analyse my investment and try to work out where the return on investment is going to be and how YOU are going to make a profit by investing in my proposition.

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MrStJohns says...
12:52pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Agree sky chip iv had to call in once and phone up a few times and the staff at the hub have always sorted the problem out. As you say people can only answer so many phone calls at anyone time.if you need help use my questions to you to answer :-)

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MrStJohns says...
12:57pm Thu 11 Mar 10

No idea why that comments come up on here I was posting that on the other article, anyways barnacle don’t go off subject, and start talking about dragons den why is it a security risk? Anymore than anything else prior.

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lowlybarnacle says...
1:28pm Thu 11 Mar 10

MrStJohns wrote:
No idea why that comments come up on here I was posting that on the other article, anyways barnacle don’t go off subject, and start talking about dragons den why is it a security risk? Anymore than anything else prior.
OK - put simply for simple minds - it's a gross invasion of privacy and I feel the Information Commissioner's Office was entirely wrong to allow StreetView in the UK (surprised that the authorities sided with the corporates?).

Noticed how Germany has stood against it? Don't believe me? Think I'm being 'paranoid'? Look at Germany on Google Maps and tell me whether you see street view. Same for Austria.

The reason for the above scenario is so that people can try and understand, 'What's in it for Google?' Do you understand that? Look at the scenario above and try to work out how Google are going to make a a return.

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MrStJohns says...
1:35pm Thu 11 Mar 10

What a fantastic retort, but you haven’t said why its an invasion of privacy anymore than anything else that currently exists? Surely the national census is more of an invasion, what religion are you? how often do people stay over in your home? What is your sexual orientation? Etc etc. Im not arguing with you if you actually read my post, I agree Google by no means have done it just because they can and think it would be abit of fun. However in its current guise what is the problem? Unless your going to start shouting at people to close their eyes every time they walk past your house how are you going to sop someone looking at your property I could perfectly legally come and take a photo of it right now. Im not sure why your bothered anyway surely if you’re a barnacle you live in shell.

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lowlybarnacle says...
1:47pm Thu 11 Mar 10

I'm not aware of 'anything else that currently exists' that gives a hi-res image of your home and surroundings to anyone in any part of the world.

As for the census argument - not really relevant as that info is kept private for I believe over 100 years before being made available via the local records office.

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MrStJohns says...
1:57pm Thu 11 Mar 10

You aren’t aware of anything that exists that has a high resolution image. You really must be living in a shell. The majority of estate agents use digital cameras all of which produce high resolution images. Which are then reproduced on hundreds of websites up and down the country, estate agents details contain, images of the interior of your home, bedroom, bathroom, etc etc. The census you are correct is a hundred years behind but we all know how data gets sold on, mislaid and ends up in the public domain anyway. And if someone wanted to, with today’s technology they could be walking up your street with a mobile phone recording both images and photos. Estate agents details also include floor plans which show door ways etc, surely that’s a burglars dream come true. None of this information exists on Google street view. Have your house removed its of no odds to me and its your prerogative, but I think your making a mountain out of a mole hill when it comes to the possible criminal possibilities of Google street view.

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SkyCaptain79 says...
2:01pm Thu 11 Mar 10

It's not that brilliantly high-res, only really at the initial zoom level. They have made an effort to go through and obscure peoples faces and car registrations. So while I understand both sides of the argument, I'm content to sit on the fence for the moment.

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lowlybarnacle says...
2:01pm Thu 11 Mar 10

What are you talking about?

Are you suggesting that estate agents routinely go around photographing people's homes, entering homes and then publish information on the internet?

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MrStJohns says...
2:07pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Well they do if you ask them to put it up for sale, are you familiar with the workings of an estate agents office? So ok, if your house has never been up for sale, which im sure it has, then legitimately someone standing on a public highway can take millions of photos and stare at them all night long assessing how they are going to break in, and no-one can do anything about it. Unless of course your house is MOD or an army base etc. Do you comprehend what im saying, in true terms if your property is so desirable than any little nerd walking by can look at it, photograph it, stick to fingers up at it and there’s nothing you can do. In turn Google street view hasn’t added anything new to a criminals armoury that wasn’t already there in the first place.

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Maggie Would says...
2:12pm Thu 11 Mar 10

SkyCaptain79 wrote:
It's not that brilliantly high-res, only really at the initial zoom level. They have made an effort to go through and obscure peoples faces and car registrations. So while I understand both sides of the argument, I'm content to sit on the fence for the moment.
Don't try & sit on jb's fence, though, it's not there any more.

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Maggie Would says...
2:15pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Just checked my house & it's obscured by trees. Good job really as I do have a tendency to walk around with no clothes on in front of my bedroom window.

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MrStJohns says...
2:18pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Maggie Would wrote:
Just checked my house & it's obscured by trees. Good job really as I do have a tendency to walk around with no clothes on in front of my bedroom window.
oh i say, someone a few roads across from us has a tendancy to do that aswell, the only thing its its an old bloke in he's 90s!

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SkyCaptain79 says...
2:24pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Maggie Would wrote:
<span class="currency_conv
erter_text">
SkyCaptain</span><sp
an title="Convert this amount" class="currency_conv
erter_link">79</span
><span class="currency_conv
erter_text"> wrote:
It's not that brilliantly high-res, only really at the initial zoom level. They have made an effort to go through and obscure peoples faces and car registrations. So while I understand both sides of the argument, I'm content to sit on the fence for the moment.
Don't try &amp; sit on jb's fence, though, it's not there any more.</span>
I live in a flat so it's more of a comfy sofa...
SkyCaptain79
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lowlybarnacle says...
2:33pm Thu 11 Mar 10

MrStJohns wrote:
Well they do if you ask them to put it up for sale, are you familiar with the workings of an estate agents office? So ok, if your house has never been up for sale, which im sure it has, then legitimately someone standing on a public highway can take millions of photos and stare at them all night long assessing how they are going to break in, and no-one can do anything about it. Unless of course your house is MOD or an army base etc. Do you comprehend what im saying, in true terms if your property is so desirable than any little nerd walking by can look at it, photograph it, stick to fingers up at it and there’s nothing you can do. In turn Google street view hasn’t added anything new to a criminals armoury that wasn’t already there in the first place.
Are you being deliberately obtuse?

This house has not been for sale since, hmmm, about 1990. I'm pretty sure estate agents didn't have websites back then.

We now return to your previous argument regarding someone physically standing outside your house taking photos - would that not arouse suspicion and be useful to a police investigation into a subsequent break-in?

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MrStJohns says...
2:43pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Are you? Ok as a mentioned in my last post, I think I covered the eventuality that your house my have not been on the market. Are you actually understanding what im saying.
So you are honestly trying to tell me that if someone was casually walking by and took a few photos maybe of something else but cunningly including your house, you would have a stream of neighbours phoning the police? And what exactly would the police do, tell them its not illegal to take a photo. As you say someone taking photos would probably be of use, however how would you link the photographer to the break in, unless one of your extra vigilant neighbours not only alerted the police but photographed the photographer. So my point for the last time because I think you’ve got clothe ears, remove you house do as you please, but as far as Google street view is concerned it doesn’t aid a criminal any further in their activities. I think you’ve proven that by going of on a tangent about people photographing your house. If you’ve got such vigilant neighbours what date did the big Google street view vehicle, with a camera on top, come down your road and record the required images?!

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lowlybarnacle says...
3:01pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Yep, looks like you're being obtuse. You're focussing on irrelevant rubbish (e.g. estate agents). The point is that this is an invasion of privacy and I am by no means alone in my assertion.

Google appear to accept this as they have provided a facility for people to "opt-out" of streetview. This facility is not offered in the USA. What does that tell you?

If they are so confident about the public's view of the service, why didn't they ask people to "opt-in" instead?

Will Google take on liability for burglaries that occur as a result of images seen on streetview? I think not. Yet they are happy to publicise people's homes whilst keeping their own information under tight wraps.

P.S: It was seen in the area on a Tuesday in August 2009 :)

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Maggie Would says...
3:11pm Thu 11 Mar 10

MrStJohns wrote:
Maggie Would wrote:
Just checked my house &amp; it's obscured by trees. Good job really as I do have a tendency to walk around with no clothes on in front of my bedroom window.
oh i say, someone a few roads across from us has a tendancy to do that aswell, the only thing its its an old bloke in he's 90s!
Believe me, 1st thing in the morning I can look like a 90 year old bloke.
I look like I need ironing, anyway.

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MrStJohns says...
3:12pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Yeah you’ve just looked that date up on the Worcester news website, well done.
Yep, im not being obtuse but this debate is hardly a debate, because you are unable to say anything new. I wasn’t concentrating on estate agents, you said your house wasn’t on the market I explained other ways in which your house could be photographed, filmed, sketched or anything else done and I can guarantee not one of your neighbours would notice someone taking a quick snap. If you so bothered about Google street view how your not bothered about Google earth where people can see right into your back garden?
The USA is a totally different kettle of fish tot his country, for one its made up of states, and agreements from all those would have to be sought. Maybe its to much hassle, or maybe Americas brimmed with paranoid people such as yourself. And how exactly are you going to link Google street view to a burglary, the link would be very tenuous indeed. As iv said a million times, remove your house, opt out, who cares but don’t fall under the paranoid band wagon. If you want me to actually take what your saying seriously PEE on your work, POINT EXPLANATION EVIDENCE, your got a point but the other two are lacking.

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MrStJohns says...
3:13pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Maggie Would wrote:
MrStJohns wrote:
Maggie Would wrote: Just checked my house &amp; it's obscured by trees. Good job really as I do have a tendency to walk around with no clothes on in front of my bedroom window.
oh i say, someone a few roads across from us has a tendancy to do that aswell, the only thing its its an old bloke in he's 90s!
Believe me, 1st thing in the morning I can look like a 90 year old bloke. I look like I need ironing, anyway.
Beauty comes from within Maggie ;-)

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lowlybarnacle says...
3:17pm Thu 11 Mar 10

No, I didn't look up the date on the Worcester News website as that brings up a date of November 2009. You seem good at making wild assumptions without evidence to back it up.

You're seemingly unable to respond to the comment regarding invasion of privacy - you've offered nothing that adequately addresses the issue aside from an inane rant about estate agents which is wholly irrelevant.

Nor have you been able to explain what's in this for Google. Have you worked it out yet?

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MrStJohns says...
3:24pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Honestly barnacle read my comments, how else do you want me to explain the invasion of privacy issue?! You must have the same IQ as a barnacle, you literally pick out pedantic arguments as though you are saying something new. Iv said and backed up the reason why it is no more an invasion of privacy and aids criminal behaviour no more than anything else that exists currently. As for Google’s all encompassing plan for world domination and the selling on of the rights for this new form of intelligence well that’s beyond me! As I mentioned follow my simple instructions, make your point, explain it then give some evidence. None of which you’ve done in any of the rambling repetitive comments youv posted prior to this. Im sorry to say this but your obviously way more committed to having the last say on this so crack on. All il say is im right and your wrong ;-)

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lowlybarnacle says...
3:44pm Thu 11 Mar 10

I'm committed to having a reasoned debate but as with anyone who supports Google this is impossible. It's as if some people are in a trance or something.

Here is a simple question: if someone stood outside your house/flat for 15 minutes, what would your response be, i.e. would you make a note of their description, the time and the date of their presence, go out and challenge them or completely ignore?

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Olga says...
3:53pm Thu 11 Mar 10

I also am at a loss to understand how this is an invasion of my privacy or makes me more vulnerable to crime. Although as a business we part with chunks of cash to Google every month (hate to admit that it seems to be money well-spent) I also don't see how the Street View is going to make them cash yet as the advertising is very low key..
.
As to the USA there are huge chunks of it available on Street View - must have saved tons of carbon emissions with rapid tour of the sights from the comfort of home.
No-problem with it and must less privacy problem than with our own Land Registry online.

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crowquill says...
5:17pm Thu 11 Mar 10

lowlybarnacle
Can you please explain what you think Google are doing this for???

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BanjoLegs says...
8:38pm Thu 11 Mar 10

I would also like to know from mr lowlybarnacle how Google Streetview will facilitate burglaries?
You do realise that they are static images taken last summer and not a continuous view of your front door dont you?
I looked at the images of my house - and OMG!! I left the upstairs windows open last July!! I hope I don't get burgled by a time lord.

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Maggie Would says...
10:02pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Seriously, I think lowly barnacle has other things in mind than burglary, such as something to do with the totalitarian state in which we live. He may well have a point. I'm sure he'll fill us in.
Personally, I think it's great for looking at places, but I'm worried about what will happen after the revolution.

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Biggles says...
10:33pm Thu 11 Mar 10

The one of my house wasn't taken last summer, my wife didn't buy the car on our drive until October.

Strange seeing your own house/road in such detail though.

Does anyone really know why its being done ?

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Saturn V says...
11:50pm Thu 11 Mar 10

This street view will be an immense treasure in years to come. I would love to see streetview continue for the next century, with an update every ten or fifteen years. Imagine accessing the stored images from 50 years ago. I'm sure Google understand the value of an archive like that.

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dewbre says...
5:10pm Fri 12 Mar 10

When I checked my house the car on the drive is one I changed in October 2008.

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moonpig says...
9:23pm Fri 12 Mar 10

I agree with Saturn - this is a great opportunity to catalogue the early 21st Century and will be brilliant to look back on in years to come. Imagine if they could have recorded these kind of images 100 years ago - we would all love looking at them. I really, genuinely cannot see how this is an invasion of privacy or a threat to security. The only people who need to worry are those who have been caught doing something they shouldn't. I wonder how many cars are on driveways they shouldn't be on in the middle of the day?! My only slight concern is the inclusion of people (particularly children). Even though faces are obscured it could potentially make tracking people who don't want to be found (eg. abused wives etc) much easier, if they happened to have been caught on camera.

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lowlybarnacle says...
1:25pm Sat 13 Mar 10

If it's a catalog then why not keep it concealed for 110 years, as with the census?

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Guy66 says...
9:08pm Sun 14 Mar 10

What I find it most useful for is examining all the escape routes once I've identifed a target house and robbed it. You just can't get the level of detail from a few quick snaps of a camera or from trawling estate angency details (although there great for having a quick peek inside some houses ;) ). Fantasic application imho. And being a lazy good for nothing chav I really can't be bothered going to these places to check them out in the first place. Now I can lie in bed, plan the job, check the escape plan. Brilliant - love it!!!!

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Cheesed Orf says...
9:45am Thu 18 Mar 10

Well....I think it's very entertaining!

Go to YouTube and put in 'street view funny'

Some people were very unlucky!

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