tt9714

I have noticed that when people on the board post pictures of their car, they very frequently "white out" their license plate numbers. What is the rationale for this?

User 462021

Some people may see someones car and like something about it, like the stereo system or even the whole car. You can find out where the person lives with their lic. plate number so these people are just playing it safe.

Fixn2xlr8

Im not sure but I thought it was a great idea for security. I actually blanked mine out on the back of the car last night. What would if someone behind me at a light wrote it down or something. No telling what might happen if someone saw it.

Crackhead944S

I would guess to prevent:

" I was hit and run by a Guards red 944 turbo license plate number blah, blah, blah." by some unscrupulous lurker. Because as we all know the Porsche owners here have deep pockets.

Or with a plate one can find out a name and address and maybe even a VIN number. Maybe someone could get a key cut from a dealer. Someone had a key cut on the RX7 board.

User 462021

[quote]Originally posted by Crackhead944S:
<strong> Maybe someone could get a key cut from a dealer. Someone had a key cut on the RX7 board.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I remember reading that post over on their board.

bpp944

I saw "Gone in 60 seconds" and I'm not going to let my lady go like that!

tt9714

It seems that if the concern is about security, the risk of someone doing "mischievous acts" locally is much greater than through an internet board where people are spread out all over the country.

What I mean to say is that presumably people ~do~ drive around with at least one license plate on the car. What's to keep the person on the road behind you from doing the same thing?

jim968

May also be related to an old racing habit... at organized events, people would remove or cover the tag to reduce the chance that their insurance company might somehow use it to find out that they were racing the car. Dunno if it really made any difference, but a lot of people did it way back when.

And on the 'net, I'd rather be a little too security conscious than not enough...

Jim, not that there are any kooks or unscrupulous people out there...uh, huh...

Olli Snellman

Here in Finland you can get owners name and address if you know licenseplate number.You only need cellular phone; send plate number in SMS-message to the spesicifig number of vechile administrator center.This service will return to your cellular phone a SMS message where is owners name,address etc.A year ago some thiefs burgeled into my car and got steros and few other things.They get caught later.They told police that they got my information via that service.
So, at least me try to avoid unnecessry publicity.

Olli
'88 951

jim968

There's no practical way to avoid having people see your tag when driving. But it's easy to avoid exposure to a potentially larger audience on the internet, so why _not_ do it?

Jim... mo' coffee!

Dan Gallagher

i keep both of my licence plates under the drivers seat of my car so that nobody can see them but if a cop requests them (and this seems to happen alot for some reason) i can show him.

GeorgeK

I had posted in the past a few pics of my cars with plates. I did receive a few mails regarding my cars with questions like "how much", or "Can I come to see it?" from total strangers.
I love to find my car in its garage when I go for a drive.
GeorgeK

Tabor

In some states DMV records are completly sealed to the public, like, Oregon. They have been sealed since 1997.

nikko

I think that on the boards you freely give lots of information about whats in your car (performance, stereo,ect...) and with plate info posted as well you are just giving potental thieves a shopping list and a place to pick the stuff up. at least blanking the plate offers a little more security. <img src="graemlins/icon107.gif" border="0" alt="[icon107]" />

nickhance

One of the other boards I've been to (www.dtmpower.net) has guys that have had their car stolen by lurkers.

Whats to keep some total stranger/bad person from watching the board and finding everything out about your car via plate number or what not, then coming by to "pick up a few things"?