Bill Wagner

I'm putting together a web site (slowly) and was thinking about including some photos of my car. I've noticed that some people use image editors to blur or completely white out their plate numbers.

To me, this doesn't really look good because it stands out making the car look kind of peculiar and can draw attention away from the overall image when viewing it (just my opinion).

Is there a valid reason for doing this? For example, if I exposed my plates on a web site, could a potential thief look at them, record the number, and then track down my location so he could steal my car?

All opinions will be appreciated.

Adrian

Dear Bill,
I had the same problem with my book. Some people did not care and others wanted the plate blanked out. Most of the blanking requests came from the USA. I think fear of tracking down and theft is the main reason. May also be insurance reasons as well. What I have done is blanked all plates and put the photographers name alongside the photo,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4

neil williams

I think it is security. In good old New Zealand, you can pay the Post Office about $10, give them a number plate, and they will give you the registration details. Great service, especially for tracking tenants who run with rent oweing.

In one of those great shows, where they get a reformed car theif to tell you how they do it, the guy said that for special cars he would always track the home address down, as it was much easier to steal a car from home than the street.

cheers

Neil

Bill Wagner

Maybe I can make up some bogus license plate and stick it on my car before I photograph it (something like P964-C4) but with my luck, someone already has a custom plate like that, his car will get stolen, and I'll get sued for doing that.

Anyone ever see a license plate with a smiley face logo on it??? Can I get sued for that???

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Adrian

Dear Bill,
I would make up a very un-original plate like "Porsche" or something. You cannot get sued by PCNA or PAG unless you have a willful intent to cause damage to the trademark. Your web site is not a do damage to Porsche site,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4

PS: Here in Switzerland each Kanton publishes a book every year listing the name and address of every rego plate holder. Each book costs around $US20:00 so to cover all of Switzerland you would need to spend 520 bucks. I am sure anyone can imagine what these books are used for and they are.

Robert Coats

[quote]Originally posted by Bill Wagner:
<strong>Is there a valid reason for doing this? For example, if I exposed my plates on a web site, could a potential thief look at them, record the number, and then track down my location so he could steal my car?
</strong><hr></blockquote>
There is no privacy anymore.

Those who obscure their plate in a photo do so thinking it will help prevent theft, or to make a well-intentioned attempt to protect some of their privacy. Neither will work 100%, and neither are the primary method used by the bad guys.

If a thief really wants you car, blotting out your plate in an internet photo isn't going to slow him down very much. In fact, I don't think most car thieves are smart enough to even consider what a plate number might be able to reveal.

If somebody wants to learn more about you, your family, and your car, it doesn't take much. There are many more efficent ways to do this online without even bothering to track down facts based on a vehicle plate. Again, there is no real privacy anymore.

Of course, I'm a bit biased; I like showing off my plate:

Wachuko

[quote]Originally posted by Bill Wagner:
<strong>I'm putting together a web site (slowly)... </strong><hr></blockquote>

And the website url is????

Rick964

I don't see how showing your plate online is any more dangerous then driving around town with your plate visible. Online, people can see it from all over the world but IMHO nobody is going to travel great distances just to steal your car. When you are driving around town and a thief sees your plate he can write it down or just follow you and wait for you to park and leave the car.

Just my $0.02 anyhow.

Jim Michaels

If they have your plate # (mine's ZDK 9889) they can get your address, show up at your house with technology to deactivate the motion sensing lights, the home alarm, the garage door lock, the two Dobbies who sleep in the garage, the car alarm, locks, and ignition, as well as spoil your aim with the 38 S&W.

Jay H

Not to get too off topic... but...

I used to work with a "reformed" auto thief (it was always interesting to talk with him). He maintained that if a professional thief wants your car, there isn't much you can do to stop him from getting your car. Thiefs even know what brand of car alarm you have just from the flashing LED in your door/dash, etc.

The alarms and Club's and whatnot just keep the 'kids' from stealing your car.

Bill Wagner

Well I think I'll go the "bogus" way and create some type of stick over plate for photos that says something about the car (I like P964 C4, but without any state identified on it, it should be clear to anyone it's a bogus plate. It will also identify the car that someone is looking at.

Jaime, the site address is:

<a href="http://members.rennlist.com/billwagner" target="_blank">http://members.rennlist.com/billwagner</a>

Not much there yet....just a how-to on using the Check Engine Light....which I'm going to make a post on tonight, since there seem to be some oddities about when this was really implemented.

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />