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Ethical dilemmas
Original poster

AIBU to say no to DH company fitting a tracker to his car which means strangers will know the exact whereabouts of my dc ?

27 replies

Fakeblondie · 21/03/2012 20:27

Ok he gets 350 a month allowance towards a company car.
we add quite a lot more to it so we have a nice big Mercedes.
RBS want to fit a tracker to it, which is fine by me 9 til 5 when DH is working.
After this I am really really p ######d off that strangers will have the data or whereabouts of the comings and goings of all of us including my 4 dc.
apparently it's not compulsory but DH just doesn't question anything and I've just had huge row over this because he isn't listening to my concerns.
This car is paid for by us primarily and a completely separate contract to that of his work, such that if he left we would still have to pay for the car for the duration of the 3 or 4 year lease.
we have nothing to hide but I'm fuming as have no idea who or what happens to the data ect ?
AIBU x

OP posts:
Original poster
Fakeblondie · 21/03/2012 20:28

Btw it's 24/7 not 9 til 5

OP posts:
topknob · 21/03/2012 20:29

Are you allowed to use to out of hours?

topknob · 21/03/2012 20:29

Dh fits trackers for a living, honestly they won't check unless the company ask them to or if the car is stolen.

knackeredknees · 21/03/2012 20:30

I don't understand why they'd want to put a tracker on a car they don't own. Presumably if it's just a matter of them giving an allowance towards your purchase, the car is in; your name so there's no justification at all for them to have a tracker, which I understand is to find it if it's stolen.

So I'd say no, they can't and leave it at that.

maybenow · 21/03/2012 20:31

why do they want to track it? is it for your DH's security?

i think 'fuming' is an overreaction, but i would bring up the data protection act - how is the information about your movements stored? who has access to it? etc..

knackeredknees · 21/03/2012 20:31

My dh has the same sort of thing, he gets £600 a month car allowance but he bought his Mercedes in his own name with his own money.

BackforGood · 21/03/2012 20:32

I bet you'd be glad if anyone ever stole it, or even worse drove off with it when the dcs were in it.
I can't see that anyone would be interested in "watching" where you are - it's presumably there for tracking it after theft.

lisaro · 21/03/2012 20:34

It's probably an insurance thing. You're over reacting wildly. The tracker company are going to follow your children everywhere? Confused

HamblesHandbag · 21/03/2012 20:35

I would also be asking about what happens to the data and when, but what exactly are you worried about?

Are you worried about stalking or something?

topknob · 21/03/2012 20:37

It is often to check an employee is where they say they are !

Whatevertheweather · 21/03/2012 20:38

All our company cars (another major uk bank) are fitted with trackers in case of theft. I can't imagine for one minute they are actually continually tracking them.

Although it could get embarrassing if you lied to your boss about where you were 'yes just leaving the clients house sir. Working really hard' 'then why does your tracker show your car is sat on your driveway MrFakeBlondie' Blush

ToothbrushThief · 21/03/2012 20:41

Exactly what harm do you think would befall your DC if a bored individual tracked you taking them to Brownies etc? (highly unlikely - why would they target you???)

Whatevertheweather · 21/03/2012 20:43

Unless of course, if it's RBS he is working for, your dh is actually Stephen Hester Grin Then I could understand your concern

mrspnut · 21/03/2012 20:45

The tracker only tells them where the car is not who's in it.

BustersOfDoom · 21/03/2012 20:47

Who is paying for the insurance? If it's RBS then they have every right to install a tracker as it will be for them to deal with if it gets stolen

You say you are paying the majority of the lease costs but that isn't unusual when it's a company car with private use clause. Your choice to pay more and have a nice big Mercedes. Had you chosen a Fiesta then you wouldn't be paying so much.

If your DH left the company then no doubt the insurance payments would transfer to you and it would be up to you to have the tracker disabled if that is what you wanted. However leaving it active could save you lots of money in insurance premiums.

Tracker info would only be used when the vehicle is reported stolen. Do you really think RBS have a team that analyses who goes where in their company car and what they get up to on a weekend? Nobody has enough staff to waste on stuff like that these days! And why on earth would they care if they did?

MadameChinLegs · 21/03/2012 20:48

In these times of financial hardship, companies will not be paying someone to keep an eye on your car. Especially outside of office hours.

Unless you are famous or have been sent a kidnap threat, I see no negatives in this.

technodad · 06/04/2012 08:33

(unless they have recently brought out a new type of tracker recently) These trackers can only tell them where the car is located to the nearest 300 yards or so (they have very week transmitters). To actually know where the car is, they have to deploy a car with special aerials on the roof which drives around the general area until the signal gets stronger and stronger (as they get closer and closer). Also, they only track the car if it is reported stolen. It is probably less accurate than the data you mobile phone company collects (they triangulate your position quite accurately when you make calls).

I would say that you are probably being a little paranoid, but I agree that the amount of data collected by people on us is quite worrying.

Catsmamma · 06/04/2012 08:36

total over reaction....really, catch yourself on!

what on earth is it to do with your children?? You are sitting right on the edge of cuckoo land here!

billgrangersrisotto · 06/04/2012 08:38

So what if they know where your car is? What do you think is going to happen? RBS presumably know your address, where you and your DC live. Does that mean that your children are at risk? Sorry but I think this is a total overreaction and you are being crazy paranoid.

shineypenny · 06/04/2012 08:42

Surely this can only work to your advantage? Say the unthinkable happens (I pray it never does) and someone steals your car with children in it, from petrol forecourt for example? You'll be glad of that tracker on that day.

catsareevil · 06/04/2012 08:51

You are completely over-reacting to this.
What you are worrying about is possible already anyway: ANPR

SkinnyVanillaLatte · 06/04/2012 09:03

I think its a good thing,personally,to think outside of the box and question things that are normally considered just 'the done thing'.

But in this instance I wouldn't be concerned OP.

However if its not compulsory,and not for your husbands protection,perhaps he should just say you don't feel comfortable with it,so no thank you.

C0smos · 06/04/2012 09:08

We have trackers on both our cars, we get a discount on our insurance, honestly never crossed my mind that someone would be remotely interested in where I am.Who has access to the tracking data, the insurance company or your DHs work? if the later it is a bit odd unless he does the kind of job that requires him to be accountable on the road, delivery driving etc.

mamasin · 06/04/2012 09:16

You are massively overthinking this (and boasting by stealth!!)[busmile]

YouOldSlag · 18/09/2012 16:58

I think you are totally paranoid OP.

Nobody will track your family car out of hours, and nobody will know if your children are in it or not.

If you think somebody is even remotely interested in what car journeys your children may or may not be taking outside office hours then frankly, you are barking.

There. I've said it.