back to article Street View captures traditional British Christmas

And so it begins. Just hours after it launched here, we're much obliged to patriotic reader Russ for the first image from Google's Street View to capture the true spirit of Blighty. Our tableau vivant is set in Shoreditch's Curtain Road, which lies at the heart of London's Nathan Barley country. The star of the show is …

COMMENTS

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  1. david
    Happy

    looks like

    looks like is fairly common to make pavement pizzas there judging by the colour of the pavement to the left of the guy up-chucking. Perhaps the root cause is the local deep fried chicken and thats just how far you can walk before the poisoning kicks in.

  2. Norbury
    Alien

    Blurred hand?

    What's in his hand? Perhaps we're actually witnessing a lightstick-men-in-black moment?

  3. FathomsDown
    Stop

    Esprit de corps?

    "We shouldn't overlook the strong supporting turn by his friend in the novelty antlers, however, who is displaying the kind of esprit de corps one only finds in the East End."

    Really? It looks like he's trying to steal his shirt!

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Shoreditch

    This was the first place I did a streetview tour of today, but sadly no-one was photographed going in or out of the area's many strip clubs.

  5. Daniel

    Hey, isn't that The Inquirer's head office?

    Or maybe not.

    Looks a classy district, actually.

    The girl on the other side of the street smoking a fag and texting her mate is doubtless writing something along the lines of "LOLZ THERES THIS AWESUM CAR JUST CUM DOUN THA STREET MAN. ITS GOT LIKE DIS TOWAH TING STUK ONTOP"

    I can also spot four separate CCTV cameras on the nearby walls in this iittle tableau, but no doubt the tin-foilers will still call this an example of Google's invasion of this young lad's right to privatly vomit on the Queens Highway.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    Oh come on mate

    It's Christmas, she ain't that bad and i really fancy her mate

  7. Gilbert George

    Where was Optimus Prime?

    When will we get the playmobil reconstruction with Optimus Prime saving the day?

  8. Maverick
    Go

    I can't get dodgy soho

    Been strolling around Soho on streetview in the hope of some lady of the night showing her wears but have been denied... Anyone else had any luck.

    Also if you go to the corner of Frith Street and Old Compton Street you can't go down Old Compton because of roadworks, how disappointing.

  9. Daniel

    RE: Oh come on mate

    I didn't say she was 'bad'. I just suspect that the 'Hoxton Pony' is the nearest she's ever come to a Pony Club, is all.

  10. Simon
    Unhappy

    Gotta love the auto-blurr technology...

    that blurs his hand and not his head... nice work!

    The patch on the pavement next to the dude blowing chunks could be either pee or puke... note to self - dont go there...

    Hehehe

  11. Simon

    Fun!

    If you go to the default street view location for that road and turn round to the right there is a brunette next to the pub, if you go down the road toward the guy emptying his stomach she appears again! Oh the fun!!!

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Global Warming Christmas

    Funny kind of Christmas where everyone is dressed for Spring/Summer. A stag do perhaps?

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    <3 My home town!

    I live just down the street from this standard scene of street entertainment in this part of the world.

    As to the number of cameras in the street, I once counted the number of cameras visible in the 5 minute walk it took to get to my home from Liverpool Street and came to the grand total of 73 cameras! (smile & wave).

    Another interesting sight is to be found just down one side street off Curtain Road:

    http://tinyurl.com/d5n386

    (Safe for work!)

    Anon coz, well I don't want you buggers knowing where I live!

  14. Dominic Bradbury
    Unhappy

    Shouldn't that be ...

    Google Street 'Spew'

  15. Efros

    Grey Balled

    The particular Street View ball is greyed out on My Google Earth.

    Efros

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Too late...

    "This image is no longer available".

    The great god Google spoils all our fun. :/

  17. mark
    Thumb Up

    Bit of trouble with the law

    Looks like the police weren't too impressed with streetview - looks like they're trying to book one of the drivers in this one:

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sw1w9tq&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=22.172703,67.675781&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=51.495487,-0.14633&panoid=00IoafWq2VE2uSkK7JtVsg&cbp=12,86.92275128408554,,2,7.6720100638910615&ll=51.496454,-0.143316&spn=0.001977,0.02002&z=16&iwloc=addr

  18. Ron Eve
    Coat

    Pulled

    It's been removed already, bastards... if you 'step' along the street that image is 'removed' although one step beyond (!) you can turn and look back and see those guys.

    Is this the new sport then? See what turns up on StreetView and alert everyone before it gets pulled?

    By the way, it can't have been done at Christmas, everyone's wearing t-shirts. Unless they're Geordies....

    /just a coat - I'm a soft southern bastad.

  19. Ke
    Coat

    Alternative angle of article scene

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Shoreditch+High+St,+Hackney,+London+E1,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=21.06738,42.84668&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FeY1EgMdydH-_w&split=0&layer=c&cbll=51.5252,-0.080316&panoid=o0ZIknbzfQNoo2FDxgG0Qw&cbp=12,2.307543203137446,,1,9.855177407675578&ll=51.525286,-0.080316&spn=0.011775,0.029633&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    i'm sorry but...

    This is precisely the problem with Google, and Google Earth.

    What use is it to remove the image? It has already been seen by millions, and saved and republished thousands of times.

    You can easily recognise the man in the antlers. I'm sorry but I am not amused.

    Just because people go out in public does not mean they consent to that moment being frozen in history, broadcast all over the internet and on tv to millions,

    And before you all get on your soapbox, there is a huge difference, almost no comparison to an amateur photographer taking a photo and showing it to maybe 6 of their friends. The privacy laws need to be tightened up fast, with the internet, privacy is being eroded by the second. In fact I wonder if privacy even exists anymore. The benefits or amusement at seeing a couple of photos like this is not worth the harm or at least alarm it will cause to many. People should be free to go about, to WORK, to FUNERALS etc, which is a necessary part of life, not for fun, they should be able to without the prospect of their photo splashed all over the internet. When tv is filming they have to get permission from the people, or put up clear signs that filming is in progress, so that people who do not want to be filmed have the chance to consent or not. The only time it's okay is when filming is expected such as at festivals etc.

    I personally am disgusted that someone (Google) is allowed to do drive-by mass photographing of every single part of the UK with zero warning, zero opportunity to get out of the way (unlike with street photographers) zero opportunity to kick up a fuss and not consent to having their photo taken (or how or where it is used), and do with those photos what they wish, including make MONEY, and/or attract people to their services. Then they might add some 'privacy measures' as an afterthought. Many people not even being aware their photo was taken, who took it, how to find it, how to get it removed. The removal service is a joke, like I said at the start.

    All of this is being excused because it's 'nice' and 'cool' to have a street view. Yes it is cool but it was not done the right way. There should at the very least have been clear dates published for when Google would be snapping their photos in each city. There is absolutely no special effort involved to do that. Only the tiniest bit of thought and respect, for Google to announce it, and the media would have done the work for them and made sure everyone knew/was warned. One has to wonder that if it was so easy to announce, why did Google do the thing so covertly??? Pretty shady behaviour.

    BUT as usual the hoi polloi don't care unless something directly, negatively affects them. It's pretty ironic when you consider that the most people using, applauding and excusing Google Street View can't see the 'wider picture'.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    christmas?

    It was in fact done in the summer. You can find the reports of googlemobile sightings on this very site with a quick search.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Re: Pulled

    If you go the other way and look forwards in the direction the car was trevalling then you can't see any of the main players which leads me to believe that either.

    a.) The scene was staged

    b.) The google street car driver saw the previous pavement artwork and thought it maybe a common occurence and decided to lay in wait for the next artist.

    or

    c.) The lads saw the GSV car from what looks to be some sort of eatery on the other side of the road and decided to run across and put on a show.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    @Mark - Thats a good one...

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sw1w9tq&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=22.172703,67.675781&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=51.495487,-0.14633&panoid=00IoafWq2VE2uSkK7JtVsg&cbp=12,86.92275128408554,,2,7.6720100638910615&ll=51.496454,-0.143316&spn=0.001977,0.02002&z=16&iwloc=addr

    This is either a case of Google street view finds giant mirror! or bad planning.. 2 gcars in the same dead end street.. or secret google meeting exposed on street view... or a gcar breeding episode..

    OK i'll stop now.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What a nutter

    So who will be the first to create a website for all the jollies to be found on Streetview?

    Here is my 2 pennorth from a nutter in Upper Norwood who has some beef with his local council and is mounting his own little protest. Two images of the same location. Zoom in on the second one for a close up of the shark leaping over the house roof. And if oyu think this is crazy just ask his neighbours about the tank that he used to have on his drive and other previous obscenities on his roof.

    Anonymous coz he might still have the tank and come to find me.

    http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=scrutton+street+uk&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.683309,61.171875&ie=UTF8&ll=51.52518,-0.07935&spn=0.003618,0.011544&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.525315,-0.079349&panoid=8uYCogHlNtlRBujhEybLsQ&cbp=12,359.92272142184413,,0,15.204460966542745

    http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=scrutton+street+uk&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.683309,61.171875&ie=UTF8&ll=51.52518,-0.07935&spn=0.003618,0.011544&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.525315,-0.079349&panoid=8uYCogHlNtlRBujhEybLsQ&cbp=12,359.92272142184413,,0,15.204460966542745

  25. Phil Parker
    Thumb Down

    Permission ?

    AC said "When tv is filming they have to get permission from the people, or put up clear signs that filming is in progress, so that people who do not want to be filmed have the chance to consent or not. " - Really ? I've seen plenty of news camera crews out and about (used to work opposite a crown court) and never seen a sign warning about being filmed. They just use people in the street as background colour.

    He/she also said: "There should at the very least have been clear dates published for when Google would be snapping their photos in each city. There is absolutely no special effort involved to do that." - So sending a letter to everyone who lives or simply could appear in the city is no effort ? At the very least you would need to heavily poster the area with this information, or do you think a special page on Google people could visit to look the details up would be enough ? Of course if you did this every Big Brother wannabee and idiot with a placard would then decend on the area to try and get themselves photographed.

    Sorry, if you are embarased about spweing in the street, being photographed is the least that should happen to you.

  26. Chris Jackson
    Flame

    Vomit guy

    The vomit guy is here;

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Shoreditch+High+St,+Hackney,+London+E1,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=21.06738,42.84668&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FeY1EgMdydH-_w&split=0&ll=51.525954,-0.080338&spn=0.010787,0.020921&z=16&iwloc%20addr&layer=c&cbll=51.525404,-0.080328&panoid=zZaS9XpUeCDi3tCvx43QsQ&cbp=12,297.47692118164565,,1,15.517327434750946

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    @AC I'm sorry but.. Facts Straight

    'When tv is filming they have to get permission from the people'

    No They Dont!

    'You can easily recognise the man in the antlers'

    Go on then identify him.. while your at it find me..

    I dont have to get your permisssion to photograph/film you or your house from a public street. and whats more the images are my copyright not yours. (Thats The Law)

    Now if I were to use that imagery for commercial gain then the story is different. so if you catch google putting thier own adverts on street view feel free to sue there assess of.

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Gates Horns

    Christmas?

    There is no way that is London at Christmas. Those gents are wearing their sleeves up. The regulation clothing for Soft Southern Shites is full sweaters at the best of times. At Christmas they would have perished long before they got the second sleeve rolled up!

    Bill because it is warm enough in hell for the dirty southerners!

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Hoi Polloi

    It's not *the* Hoi Polloi, it's just Hoi Polloi, AC.

    It would be a little like describing you as the the whinging idiot. Honestly, it's a car with a six foot tripod on the roof. It did not sneak up on you.

    Paris, 'cos even she's not that dumb.

  30. phil mcracken
    Paris Hilton

    @AC

    "One has to wonder that if it was so easy to announce, why did Google do the thing so covertly??? Pretty shady behaviour."

    And imagine if they had done that - the cars would have probably been attacked by paranoid schizo "they're all coming to get us!" tards like yourself.

    Besides, I'd hardly call a car with an 8ft camera rack on the top "covert".

    And there is NO expectation of privacy in a public place - people can take photos and do what they want. It's when they impinge on private property that people's privacy is affected.

    You want to protect your privacy? Fine. Lock all your doors, cut your phoneline, and make sure you take your medication. Google Earth is the least of your worries.

    Paris, because she loves being in front of the camera.

  31. BoldMan
    Thumb Up

    Ahem, what?

    Further along from AC @ 08:38, this is what you see if you go back down Phipp's Mews and zoom in a bit...

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sw1w9tq&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=22.172703,67.675781&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=51.495442,-0.146185&panoid=TSMPg8ch5f_rBaDedXMfBw&cbp=12,298.97555300822324,,2,4.811018684580695&ll=51.495492,-0.146298&spn=0.007241,0.014935&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr

    Well I never!

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    thank you, thank you, thank you

    At least 3 comments making me laugh out loud and co-workers looking at me like i've gone bonkers (well, more than usual)...ha ha ha

    what a great way to start Friday

  33. Francis Offord
    Thumb Up

    CAW, ROOKED AGAIN.

    HUGHIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWHEREAREYOU?

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Two GCars

    There must have been at least two of these riding around together.

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sw1w9tq&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=22.172703,67.675781&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=51.495442,-0.146185&panoid=TSMPg8ch5f_rBaDedXMfBw&cbp=12,298.97555300822324,,2,4.811018684580695&ll=51.495492,-0.146298&spn=0.007241,0.014935&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I guess...

    The photos must have been taken on a Sunday, as they haven't gone down The Mall... It can't be a security thing as they have photographed pretty much everything else I can think our beloved, unelected president would class as sensitive.

  36. christopher
    Go

    Streetview car spotting

    The cars are still out - seen today in Park Road, Spalding. PE11 postcode, Lincolnshire.

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