How long do you think you could get away with having obvious future technology?

[astro]

Just a whimsical curiosity re how long you could get away with having super advanced future tech before you get caught out.

Let’s offer a few examples - Maybe you can think of some of your own. These would all be located in the US and subject to it’s laws.

In a monster truck rally in rural areas instead of “Truckasaurus” spouting flames coming on you have a 20 foot high sentient Warbot from 2500 AD standing in and doing some tricks like flipping over cars and laser slicing them up. Despite requests you do not give media interviews about your bot or make claims about it. It just performs. How many shows can you probably do before the authorities show up?

You bring your circa 3000 AD sentient android bot (and it’s very obvious by it’s looks it’s a robot not a human) into a busy NYC restaurant to have lunch and have a discussion with it while eating. You tip very well. Neither you nor the bot entertains nosy questions from passer by. How many times can you go back before someone shows up with the power to detain you?

You have a 4000 AD anti grav hauler you use on your farm to tote materials around and your activities and the hauler are visible from the nearly busy road. You have a locked gated driveway and do not respond to questions about "What is that? How long till the MIB show up?

Beyond the “How long can you get away with it?” scenario let’s say that (in the US) someone smart enough gets a look at it from near or far and it’s obvious it’s impossibly advanced and you are not deemed adept enough to have made it yourself based on current tech. Can it be taken from you?

[Broomstick]

@astro

You have a 4000 AD anti grav hauler you use on your farm to tote materials around and your activities and the hauler are visible from the nearly busy road. You have a locked gated driveway and do not respond to questions about "What is that? How long till the MIB show up?

Hang tires off the side so it looks like a wheeled vehicle from any reasonable distance and you can probably get away with this one for quite some time.

Beyond the “How long can you get away with it?” scenario let’s say that (in the US) someone smart enough gets a look at it from near or far and it’s obvious it’s impossibly advanced and you are not deemed adept enough to have made it yourself based on current tech. Can it be taken from you?

Sure it can. Either criminals show up and take it from you, or the government shows up and takes it from you.

Well, the 'bots might resist and/or escape and return to you. Maybe.

[Fredescu]

@astro

In a monster truck rally in rural areas instead of “Truckasaurus” spouting flames coming on you have a 20 foot high sentient Warbot from 2500 AD standing in and doing some tricks like flipping over cars and laser slicing them up. Despite requests you do not give media interviews about your bot or make claims about it. It just performs. How many shows can you probably do before the authorities show up?

You will do 2, maybe 3 shows, before someone with high powered photography, or a paid off worker, gets a close look at the parts and figures out that these haven’t been made by any known manufacturer.

@astro

You bring your circa 3000 AD sentient android bot (and it’s very obvious by it’s looks it’s a robot not a human) into a busy NYC restaurant to have lunch and have a discussion with it while eating. You tip very well. Neither you nor the bot entertains nosy questions from passer by. How many times can you go back before someone shows up with the power to detain you?

Once will be enough. You won’t get to go back. It will be shared far and wide on Twitter and Facebook before you’ve even ordered. It will be assumed to be a publicity stunt and journos will rush to be the first with a quote from you. These will be pointed questions from interviewers, not nosy questions from passers by. You could divert them by pretending it’s very good cos play, but it sounds like you have no interest in lying to cover it up. If so, you won’t make it home.

@astro

You have a 4000 AD anti grav hauler you use on your farm to tote materials around and your activities and the hauler are visible from the nearly busy road. You have a locked gated driveway and do not respond to questions about "What is that? How long till the MIB show up?

It seems arrogant not to hide it. How busy a road? Anywhere from 30mins to a day I guess?

@astro

Beyond the “How long can you get away with it?” scenario let’s say that (in the US) someone smart enough gets a look at it from near or far and it’s obvious it’s impossibly advanced and you are not deemed adept enough to have made it yourself based on current tech. Can it be taken from you?

The US government will take the view that if they don’t get to it first, their enemies will. It will be taken from you.

[Jackmannii]

I once wondered how long I could get away with using my cellphone to video a Nazi-era Nuremberg rally.

Sadly, I figured they’d be onto me pretty fast.