CCTV: Be part of an experiment
Closed circuit television. Are we watched by too many cameras, or too few? In fact, how many cameras are there? It seems even the experts don't know.
The Association of Chief Police Officers told iPM that several forces are trying to count up the cameras on their patches. But with CCTV on buses, in shops, at sports grounds, on gate posts and street corners, a camera census could be a dizzying task.
The quantity - and quality - of CCTV coverage is a subject of great interest to iPM listeners. Several entries in our Listeners' Opinion Poll have mentioned the cameras.
Albertina McNeill, for example, would like a camera installed in the underpass near her house after a man was recently murdered there.
But not everyone feels comforted by the presence of cameras. Listener Conrad Costa (pictured above) emailed to say he was shocked when his . As an experiment, Conrad and I went for a walk through the city counting all the cameras that we could see.
The iPM CCTV experiment
In our 15-minute journey, Conrad thought we'd find 12, in fact he counted 30. What about you? When you next set out on an everyday journey on foot - to buy a pint of milk say, or to go to your allotment - count up the cameras you pass.
During a ten or 15-minute stroll you might see cameras on lamp posts, buildings, shop doorways or car parks. There might be more than you expected, or fewer than you'd like. Tell us, explaining your journey and your final tally of cameras.
Leave in the comments below, email us or .
The iPM CCTV experiment EXTRA
If you're really taken with the idea, listener Andy Cade, who teaches graphic communication, has designed a poster which you can print off - it looks a bit like one of those eye tests. It asks anyone watching the camera footage to email iPM.
PDF file: Can You See Me? (73 KB)
And please, no risk taking on behalf of the 91Èȱ¬ - just hold it aloft and smile.
Send your count to us in an email or leave a comment on the blog.
UPDATE: Following a debate (below) Andy Cade has designed a NEW poster. Use either. iPM loves both designs.
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