# "Snapshot"



## Jezcruzen

I had to update my vehicle insurance information today with my local agent. I use and independent company, but my insurance with with Progressive.

In the course of the conversation she asked if I used "Snapshot". Frankly, I had no idea what Snapshot was. She explained it to me.

Seems there is a device offered by Progressive that they will send to you and you plug it into your vehicle for 30 days. Basically, it electronically tracks and stores your driving characteristics and reports to Progressive what they are. Progressive determines any discounts for "good driving habits", which is advertised as saving you a lot of money. Of course, bad driving habits, like braking aggressively to often and similar data could potentially get your insurance jacked up in cost. Maybe cancelled.. I don't know.

I told her that I had a very low tolerance for Big Brother snooping regardless of who is doing it. She actually concurred. 

My thought now is that this intrusion my become mandatory in order to buy and retain car insurance. Why not? Its to their advantage, not really yours.


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## TheAnt

I fear the very same thing. I am an agressive driver... I think they call it 'offensive driving' because they keep sending me to 'defensive driving' courses. :dunno:


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## Davarm

I thought that Progressive commercial that they showed the snapshot device was just a visualization of some process, wouldn't have guessed it was a real device, no thank you. That kind of thing will come around and bite you on the butt sooner or later.


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## HozayBuck

*Warning to all !! Progressive is owned in part by George Sorris(sp) so any conservative types who buy insurance from progressive are helping pay for Obamas next election...the other main investor is as bad.. I just read a write up on it and thought I had posted about it guess not...

Buyer beware! your helping the enemy !*


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## HamiltonFelix

Seems kinda easy to fool. OK, thirty days would seem like forever. But use the car with the cruise control, always run 1 mph under the limit, brake well ahead of any stops and very gently. Make sure you signal even if nobody else is around. In short, act like a Driver's Ed student taking his test. In my case (commute 48 miles each way on rural two lane), I'd have to leave early and get home a bit late for 30 days. But one could tolerate that. 

After the month is up, relax. 

Maybe they figure a month of doing that will change your habits. I don't know. Frankly, I think insurance companies love radar speeding tickets as much as the State's Revenue Collectors do. When the national 55mph limit hit, they made a fortune jacking rates on people who drove 70, in cars made to go 70, on highways made for 70 - knowing all along that those people were not dangerous drivers and there was little chance they'd pay many liability claims on them. 

Frankly, I have a strong instinctive negative reaction to invasions of privacy. If I learn how to disable the Event Data Recorder in our Corolla, I'll do so. Our Crown Vic was made the year before Ford started installing EDR's. More and more, I like older cars.


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## The_Blob

HamiltonFelix said:


> If I learn how to disable the Event Data Recorder in our Corolla, I'll do so. Our Crown Vic was made the year before Ford started installing EDR's. More and more, I like older cars.


Harbor Freight has this nifty gadget for clearing OBDII faults

CAN OBDII Code Reader with Multilingual Menu










When I disconnected mine (under the passenger front seat) the only thing that happened was I would get a check engine light & the fault would say that the EDR was not functioning. It will come a time when devices like this will be used to tax you for mileage driven. Of course don't count on a reduction in the gas tax... after all, they have a socialist utopia to build. :gaah:

Vetronix (Bosch) makes software to read the data recorder and published this list of locations of the event data recorders in various cars/

General Motors: 1994

Buick Commercial -LF side under dash

Buick Roadmaster -LF side under dash

Cadillac Commercial -LF side under dash

Cadillac Fleetwood -Call

Chevrolet Caprice -LF side under dash

Chevrolet Commercial -LF side under dash

Pontiac Grand Prix -Under RF seat

General Motors: 1995

Buick Commercial -LF side under dash

Buick Le Sabre -Under RF seat

Buick Park Avenue -Under RF seat

Buick Regal -Under RF seat

Buick Roadmaster -LF side under dash

Cadillac Commercial -LF side under dash

Cadillac Concours -Under LF seat

Cadillac Deville -Under LF seat

Cadillac Eldorado -Under LF seat

Cadillac Fleetwood -LF side under dash

Cadillac Seville -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Caprice -LF side under dash

Chevrolet Impala -LF side under dash

Chevrolet Lumina -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Metro -Under center console

Chevrolet Monte Carlo -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Eighty Eight -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Ninety Eight -Under RF seat

Pontiac Bonneville -Under RF seat

Pontiac Grand Prix -Under RF seat

Pontiac Firefly -Under center console

Saturn All Models -Under center console

General Motors: 1996

Buick Commercial -LF side under dash

Buick Le Sabre -Under RF seat

Buick Park Avenue -Under RF seat

Buick Regal -Under RF seat

Buick Riviera -Under RF seat

Buick Roadmaster -LF side under dash

Buick Skylark -Under RF seat

Cadillac Commercial -LF side under dash

Cadillac Concours -Under LF seat

Cadillac Deville -Under LF seat

Cadillac Eldorado -Under LF seat

Cadillac Fleetwood -LF side under dash

Cadillac Seville -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Astro -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Camaro -Under center console

Chevrolet Caprice -LF side under dash

Chevrolet Cavalier -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Express -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Impala -LF side under dash

Chevrolet Lumina -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Metro -Call- Under center console

Chevrolet Monte Carlo -Under RF seat

Geo Tracker -Call- Under center console

GMC Safari -Under LF seat

GMC Savana -Under LF seat

Oldsmobile Achieva -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Aurora -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Eighty Eight -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Ninety Eight -Under RF seat

Pontiac Bonneville -Under RF seat

Pontiac Firebird -Under center console

Pontiac Firefly -Call-Under center console

Pontiac Grand AM -Under RF seat

Pontiac Grand Prix -Under RF seat

Pontiac Sunfire -Under RF seat

Saturn All models -Under center console

General Motors: 1997

Buick Century -Under RF seat

Buick LeSabre -Under RF seat

Buick Park Avenue -Under RF seat

Buick Regal -Under RF seat

Buick Riviera -Under RF seat

Buick Skylark -Under RF seat

Cadillac Commercial -Under LF seat

Cadillac Concours -Under LF seat

Cadillac Deville -Under LF seat

Cadillac Eldorado -Under LF seat

Cadillac Seville -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Astro -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Camaro -Under center console

Chevrolet Cavalier -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Corvette -Behind accessory trim plate,

under heater and AC control

Chevrolet Express -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Lumina -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Malibu -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Metro -Call-Under center console

Chevrolet Monte Carlo -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Silverado -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Suburban -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Tahoe -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Venture -Call-Under RF seat

Geo Tracker -Call-Under center console

GMC Safari -Under LF seat

GMC Savana -Under LF seat

GMC Sierra -Under LF seat

GMC Suburban -Under LF seat

GMC Yukon -Under LF seat

Oldsmobile Achieva -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Aurora -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Eighty Eight -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Regency -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Silhouette -Under RF seat

Pontiac Bonneville -Under RF seat

Pontiac Firebird -Under center console

Pontiac Firefly -Call-Under center console

Pontiac Grand AM -Under RF seat

Pontiac Grand Prix -Under RF seat

Pontiac Sunfire -Under RF seat

Pontiac Trans Sport -Under RF seat

Saturn All models -Under center console

General Motors: 1998

Buick Century -Under RF seat

Buick LeSabre -Under RF seat

Buick Park Avenue -Under RF seat

Buick Regal -Under RF seat

Buick Riviera -Under RF seat

Buick Skylark -Under RF seat

Cadillac Commercial -Under LF seat

Cadillac Deville -Under LF seat

Cadillac Eldorado -Under RF seat

Cadillac Seville -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Astro -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Blazer -Under center console

Chevrolet Camaro -Under center console

Chevrolet Cavalier -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Corvette -Behind accessory trim plate,

under heater and AC control

Chevrolet Express -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Lumina -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Malibu -Under RF seat

Chevrolet Metro -Call-Under center console

Chevrolet Monte Carlo -Under RF seat

Chevrolet S10 -Under center console

Chevrolet S10 electric -Under center console

Chevrolet Silverado -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Suburban -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Tahoe -Under LF seat

Chevrolet Tracker -Call-Under center console

Chevrolet Venture -Call-Under RF seat

GMC Jimmy -Under center console

GMC Safari -Under LF seat

GMC Savana -Under LF seat

GMC Sierra -Under LF seat

GMC Sonoma -Under center console

GMC Suburban -Under LF seat

GMC Yukon -Under LF seat

Oldsmobile Achieva -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Aurora -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Bravada -Under center console

Oldsmobile Cutlass -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Eighty Eight -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Intrigue -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Regency -Under RF seat

Oldsmobile Silhouette -Call-Under RF seat

Pontiac Bonneville -Under RF seat

Pontiac Firebird -Under center console

Pontiac Firefly -Call-Under center console

Pontiac Grand AM -Under RF seat

Pontiac Grand Prix -Under RF seat

Pontiac Sunfire -Under RF seat


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## Immolatus

Davarm said:


> I thought that Progressive commercial that they showed the snapshot device was just a visualization of some process, wouldn't have guessed it was a real device, no thank you. That kind of thing will come around and bite you on the butt sooner or later.


I thought the same thing. I says to my girl I says "Thats not an actual device is it?" she says "Looks like it, look it up" Sho nuff it is. Unreal. Sure, Mr. Agent man, I will gladly attach yet another device to my car that will allow/encourage someone to follow my every move. Not gonna happen.


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## Davarm

The_Blob, I am not sure, correct me if I am wrong - Their are pretty stiff penalties for messing with the OBDII device. Ive had mechanics tell me that if you get caught you may wind up having to get dinner with a pea shooter, you would be so far behind bars.

If I ever have the chance to pick up a good pre computer vehicle without selling my first born, gonna get it. Its Big Brother nonsense like this that's eating away at our privacy, bit by bit, until one day we will wake up and have lost what little we have left.


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## goshengirl

Yeah, whenever I see that Progressive commercial with that snapshot device, it creeps me out. An electronic tracking device recording all my vehicular movements? No thank you.

And to chime in with HB, my hubby was saying he'd learned that the name 'Progressive' was quite intentional, related to the 1930s progressive/eugenics movement, and that we needed to make sure we never had insurance from that company. I need to follow up with him to find out exactly what he learned and where.


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## The_Blob

goshengirl said:


> And to chime in with HB, my hubby was saying he'd learned that the name 'Progressive' was quite intentional, related to the 1930s progressive/eugenics movement, and that we needed to make sure we never had insurance from that company. I need to follow up with him to find out exactly what he learned and where.


that's actually pretty funny, considering they were a major sponsor for The Glenn Beck program on Fox at one time...

... until he pointed out what a RACIST Obama is.


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## The_Blob

Davarm said:


> The_Blob, I am not sure, correct me if I am wrong - Their are pretty stiff penalties for messing with the OBDII device. Ive had mechanics tell me that if you get caught you may wind up having to get dinner with a pea shooter, you would be so far behind bars.
> 
> If I ever have the chance to pick up a good pre computer vehicle without selling my first born, gonna get it. Its Big Brother nonsense like this that's eating away at our privacy, bit by bit, until one day we will wake up and have lost what little we have left.


oh, I would NEVER drive a vehicle in that _*obviously*_ 'unroadworthy condition'  ... it was for _*experimental*_ purposes only.

:lolsmash:


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## HamiltonFelix

It's worth investigating the penalty thing. I think it's a LOT worse for a professional Mechanic in a shop than it is for an ordinary Joe at home working on his own rig.

We've already seen multiple proposals from legislators (including congresscritters from Oregon) to hang GPS trackers on all cars, so they could tax us for actual miles driven instead of settling for their heavy fuel taxes. This has been floated ever since really fuel efficient cars had them collecting less gas tax than desired. I'm sure it's just _coincidental_ that they'd have the ability to track and record each and every movement of every one of us...

No way am I putting a GPS tracker on my car (of course, I voluntarily pay piles of money to Verizon so my wife and I can carry full time GPS trackers in our pockets -- but at least I can turn the phones off). And you couldn't pay me to get OnStar.

I still think a program to put an electronic watcher in your car to take a "30 day snapshot" of your driving habits would be easy to fool. Just drive like a little old lady for 30 days, then give the device back. I can't see it benefitting the company very much.


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## NaeKid

Davarm said:


> The_Blob, I am not sure, correct me if I am wrong - Their are pretty stiff penalties for messing with the OBDII device. Ive had mechanics tell me that if you get caught you may wind up having to get dinner with a pea shooter, you would be so far behind bars.
> 
> If I ever have the chance to pick up a good pre computer vehicle without selling my first born, gonna get it. Its Big Brother nonsense like this that's eating away at our privacy, bit by bit, until one day we will wake up and have lost what little we have left.


You are more than welcome to hook up an OBD-II code-scanner / reprogrammer to your vehicle and work over its "little-black-box". I have a couple different models of scanners / re-programmers already, they work well. You can even hook up a laptop or similar device to your vehicle and reprogram the whole computer, easy.

Mac tools and Snap-On and many other companies make the tools, make use of them any way that you see fit!


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## Davarm

Yes, Blob, we need more upstanding, law abiding, citizens like you, especially those that help keep us all informed.

NaeKid, I have one, got it so that I would not have to have a mechanic tell me what I need to have done to my car when the light comes on. I used to go to AutoZone to have the codes read until they got tired of seeing my face.

I will have to investigate its capabilities, for educational purposes only, of course.


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## Tweto

Man, there is no-way I would break any laws like reprograming a car computer. I never speed, always come to a complete stop, and never eat white bread because the government told me so.


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