The surveilled life

With the recent installation of thee new video cameras in the lobby of my office building, I realized that my commute is captured on video from the moment of arrival at Union Station until stepping into the elevator at work.

There are cameras on the platform at the train station, cameras inside the lobby, three cameras on the subway platform, cameras in subway cars, more cameras at the destination platform, several cameras on the street, one camera aimed at everybody walking into the building lobby, and another aimed at everybody going into the elevators.

Around the loading dock and alley of the Mayflower Hotel, where I sometimes have a cigarette, there are at least five security cameras that I've noticed. When I go to Caribou for coffee, I pass at least two cameras on ATMs.

On the street that I live, they have installed red light cameras along almost the entire route from home to the commuter station. In fact, virtually my entire route -- from door to door -- is captured on video except for the segment when I'm on the commuter train.

And they're working on that.