The Bum Bot
by Lori Barrett | April 23, 2008 at 8:06 am
Posted in weird
How would the Bum Bot be received in Baltimore?
An Atlanta bar owner has invented a robotic security officer to chase away homeless people in his neighborhood. The Bum Bot is equipped with a video camera, water pistol, spotlight, and even a voice via walkie-talkie. As an added bonus, the video feed from the camera is often broadcast on the bar’s televisions.
The robot was created after the ex-Marine’s previous security attempts — patrolling on foot with an assault rifle — were not well received. So far, no one has complained about the Bum Bot — although the robot is covered with gym mats, protecting it from the bricks thrown by its lesser fans.
I’m inclined to think this is more of a publicity stunt for the man’s bar than an attempt to clean up the neighborhood. Just check out this video on YouTube, where the Bum Bot shoots local radio personalities for incorrectly answering trivia questions.
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April 23rd, 2008 at 1:03 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I'm not sure how much more business the bar will generate but I bet he has a lot more loiterers now...
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:32 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
"The robot was created after the ex-Marine’s previous security attempts — patrolling on foot with an assault rifle"
-----snip-----
That's really all you need to know about the story in order to ascertain that this person is not only mentally ill, but a complete knucklehead to boot.
Anyone who derives pleasure from watching homeless and/or drug addicts being belittled is seriously in need of help.
!
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:13 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
There is a bum on Cross St. that always asks me for change. When i respond with "Sorry, I dont have any," he replies "Don't be sorry, I'm a bum." That always cracks me up. If i ever do have change, he's the one im giving it to.
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:32 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Think of the other great things this could be used for...but if this was in Baltimore, it would stolen immediately.
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
EXTERMINATE!
EXTERMINATE!
Seriously, are we trying to start the Robot Apocolypse?
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:09 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
those were my first thoughts as well, josh
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:11 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
@joshua: Please see Exibit A:
http://www.bthesite.com/videos/play.php?v=21
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:12 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Finally! We're realizing that the homeless are not people and have no human rights, let alone any dignity. It's about time. Anyone without a job or home should be either sent to prison or a farm far away from the rest of our polite and scared society.
Hmm, the guy has loiterers outside his bar. There's a homeless shelter nearby. If you've ever put 2 and 2 together you will know that after they open the doors to the shelter and the long line files in there is still a good sized line that doesn't fit in. So they are left out. That's life. That's homelesness. That's something that should be addressed and not kicked around by a gun-toting robot wielding knucklehead.
But I agree. If that robot were brought to Baltimore it would be stolen immediately. I'd love to see that.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:43 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Dunno, just seems kind of schlocky.
As for homeless people, I'm not sure that anyone has the 'right' to loiter on someone else's property unless permitted. I'm pretty sure that's been the law for hundreds of years.
I also don't see where folks get off calling him a knucklehead or mentally deranged. I don't think you can determine that from what is in the article.
My 2 cents.
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:03 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
@Garth
Did you miss the part about him patroling the property with an assault rifle as his INITIAL course of action?
!
April 24th, 2008 at 1:48 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Maybe this can be introduced into Mayor Dixon's 10 year plan for eliminating homelessness in Baltimore City. No wait. The robot would be stoled. We already covered that.