US Lawmakers Pressure Apple to Pull DUI Checkpoints App

[Michael Essany]

On Wednesday, four prominent US Senators: Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined forces to send a letter expressing "grave concern" to Apple. The four lawmakers are astonished that Apple would continue to permit the downloading of applications designed to notify motorists of where police commonly patrol in search of drunk drivers.

As it turns out, these DUI checkpoint apps are quite popular, and a wide variety are currently available. One application the letter explicitly points to contains a database of DUI checkpoints that is updated in real-time. Another application, with more than 10 million users, let's users alert each other to DUI checkpoints in real time. Naturally, the four senators addressed how these apps make it difficult for police to protect innocent people from drunk drivers.

"With more than 10,000 Americans dying in drunk-driving crashes every year, providing access to iPhone and iPad applications that alert users to DUI checkpoints is harmful to public safety," the letter states. "We know that your company shares our desire to end the scourge of drunk driving and we therefore would ask you to remove these applications from your store."

The same letter was also sent to Google and Research in Motion.

Fewer than 24 hours after the letter was sent, RIM effectively pulled all DUI checkpoint apps for BlackBerry users. The move drew immediate praise from lawmakers. Still, Apple is yet to offer public comment on the matter. Same goes for Google chief Eric Schmidt. Of course, both Apple and Google are no strangers to taking heat in response to controversial apps gaining access to their respective app stores. And neither is famous for reacting quickly to such protests.

Source: ABC News

[bluesummer]

so Trapster is the app?

[sammo123]

Apple should not pull these apps. It gives the government more power than they deserve. I for one think its our right to own this app just as its our right to use radar detectors

[c0dy]

Don't drink and drive, kiddos.

[redzombi2k]

Sure, yea if they don't like it then to hell with free speech I guess

[Doran]

I don't believe anyone condones drunk driving. Pulling these apps won't stop people from finding out where and when a DUI checkpoint will be set up. If a friend is driving around and sees one while on the way to a party, I am sure he/she will tell everyone not to go that way..... You don't really need an app for that......

[Be Expressive]

If your drunk you probably cant use your iDevice anyways

[feidhlim1986]

Will apps that tell you where speed cameras are installed be next to go?

[therockk]

SWEEEEEEEEEEET! Not that i drink and drive but now because of the news i know about this app! and i have just downloaded it on my iPhone 4, iPad 2, and all other iOS device :-D

[iKillYou]

I don't drink and drive however maybe I would want to use the app so that I can AVOID having to be bothered with a DUI checkpoint. If they pull them from the CrapStore we will still have them available to Jailbreakers anyways so whatever!

[feidhlim1986]

There's too much censorship happening on iOS. Even though the apps are generally frowned upon, they still should stay.

[glassJAw]

It seems like I get a mass text sent to me every Friday and Saturday night about check points here in town. Should we get rid of text messages as well?

[feidhlim1986]

Whoever made the App, just make it a web app.

[Norb]

Seriously guys we need more money so please pull this app... /s

Just curious but besides DUI's, don't DUI checkpoints get you for anything you might be violating? Like no insurance, invalid license, expired registration and so on? I kinda doubt that DUI checkpoints are there only for drunks drivers.

Anyone have any experience with this?

[that_girl]

Dang. It wouldn't be so bad to me if those type of apps were just helpful for speeders (come on, everyone has gone over the speed limit, don't lie), but to help drunk drivers is very wrong.

[iKillYou]

Seriously guys we need more money so please pull this app... /s

Just curious but besides DUI's, don't DUI checkpoints get you for anything you might be violating? Like no insurance, invalid license, expired registration and so on? I kinda doubt that DUI checkpoints are there only for drunks drivers.

Anyone have any experience with this?

EXACTLY! They treat it just like a regular stop and ask you for your license, insurance, and registration. Like I said above I don't drink and drive but I would use the app just to AVOID the bullcrap. Why should I have to be hassled if I'm not drinking and driving?

[TheJailbreakGenius]

Sorry, can't delete posts

[feidhlim1986]

Seriously guys we need more money so please pull this app... /s

Just curious but besides DUI's, don't DUI checkpoints get you for anything you might be violating? Like no insurance, invalid license, expired registration and so on? I kinda doubt that DUI checkpoints are there only for drunks drivers.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Well with any sort of police checkpoint they can also check your tax, insurance etc. They're not specifically for DUI.
They're not gonna say "off you go sir, you're sober, but your insurance is up and your license is invalid but this is for DUI's only"

[Jastra]

If your drunk you probably cant use your iDevice anyways

I'm drunk all the time while using mine.....

[PhantomPhoenix]

Police checkpoints are immoral and intrusive. HANDS OFF OUR CARS, I-DEVICES, BOOZE, AND MONEY! As though the statists don't get enough of our hard-earned money through taxation, they need to dream up these "where are your papers?" schemes to keep extorting us for more and more for crimes that we didn't commit.