Sgt128

It seems like most of the time people block their License plates when they share photos of their cars. Some go as far as taking them off their car before even taking the photos. My question is, why? I mean you drive thousands of miles with everyone seeing them.

jnc2000

I never block mine.. I figure my car is seen all across the MW United States.. If it's in some photo's who cares. It's truly one of a kind WDP... if someone wants to memorize my plate, let them.

Prime Mover

Hahaha I've always thought the exact same thing. Maybe they are in the witness protection program?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

i think it stemmed from the old days of being online.
Ppl were scared, especially when having a trunk full of electronics.

But now a days, blocking out the licence plate is null.

Stew4HD

It's called privacy. More people prowl the internet than you encounter in your daily drive. If you can't figure out why we hide the plate info.

Prime Mover

I'm pretty simple. How about spelling it out for me?

jnc2000

The internet is not anyonmous. You SN, name, vehicle VIN, address is already out there. Hiding your plate number is null at this point. If somebody really wants your info they're not going to search a message board full of pictures to find it.

SMH

The day's of privacy are over.

Stew4HD

dats okay.. I will still do it.. just for fun.. keeps simple people guessing.. and just why does it matter if we hide it? Damn. MYOB

eazy

iTrader: (8)

I agree with you. If you wondered why people like privacy, wasn't there a time on this forum where someone had parts stolen from their ride and turned out to be some dude on the forums? I'm not paranoid or anything I just rather be safe than sorry

Ken1997TL

I don't want internet stalkers

And no, my real name, VIN, address is NOT out there. Nor is my phone number OR primary email.

jnc2000

I'm not paranoid either... here's the thing. The things that are available to the general public are astonishing through a simple search... in a couple of hours online.

The things that our government has access to / large corporations have access to blows my mind.

By no means am I trying to spin this into a political thread - and perhaps this should be taken to Car Talk if it's heading this way (because I'm sensing it is...), but I digress we all have a right / exception of privacy. But the moment you sign online that all goes away. The moment you enter the public domain that goes away.

Everything is logged, sniffed, DPI-ed and stored. -- All for inspection by NSA, FBI, LI (CALEA / Lawful intercept) - you name it.. And I'm not talking for a matter of hours or days. Depending on the type of data it all has it's own specific retention time.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

:wheresmytinfoilhat?:

Ken1997TL

Of course Uncle Sam knows all, I'm just trying to make it slightly more difficult for the average internet loser

crxb

bmw owners might block the plate as they might have a tune that could void their warranty

if they discuss the tune on the web and there is a photo of their plate .....

although I wonder if someone takes a photo of their car in their driveway w/ say an iPhone -

blocks off the plate

not realizing that geo location is still in the photo meta data

4G Express

God this thread sucks, why fill the forum with such nonsense?

TechnoCat

Locking your front door won't prevent a determined thief either... do you leave your front door unlocked?

Stew4HD

This is what you get when there is nothing wrong with our cars.. nothing to complain about.. so this silly stuff comes up.. or why aren't the TL's selling better.. etc..

Rocketsfan

I think it's because it could be easier to find you after you've shown off your car with all your mods, new stereo equipment, etc. on a forum accessible by thousands.

While driving around, most people couldn't give a rats butt about your license plate, but online you make enemies, you have thieves, etc. that you're basically advertising "here are all the things in my car and here is my car's plate info".

It's like saying your average lock isn't going to stop a burglar, but we still lock our cars and houses. We're just trying to make it more difficult (hopefully).

jnc2000

Out here we often do.... small town, everyone knows everyone. Cars are left running at the store - key's left in the ignition etc. Doors to the home are always open for the neighbor etc.

If you're a stranger though coming through my door, its shoot first and ask questions later.

I can't tell you how many small towns across the MW still live like this.... sure it's going away, but while they still exist I'll always reside in one. I was born in a small town, raised in a small town, and I'll die in a small town.

Sgt128

I posted this Thread this morning and have just now checked it. Wow, some intersting responses. I believe in always being on the safe side. I do also see the point in hiding your License plate info if you have a lot of valuable electronics or something that you are afraid of getting stolen. I do have to also say in the 22 years I have been in Law Enforcement I have taken some stupid reports and none of them have ever dealt with someone seeing someones license plate on the internet and tracking them down. It could happen yes, but so could a lot of things. I do appreciate the responses from everyone though.

Stew4HD

John Mellencamp connection...

jnc2000

Someone caught it

Trying to bring some light to this thread

HighRevving

OP, Here is a list of events in their chronological order:

1. You drove @ 50mph.. above speed limit.. sideways; and killed couple of bimmers doing it
2. Bragged about it in your favorite social site and you forgot to mention 'in Mexico'
3. You upgraded your exhaust so you can send rumbles thru the adjacent drivers' spines and bragged about that too. You social media buddies said 'Pics Or It Didn't Happen'
4. You snap a pic of the rear of your car (exhaust tips, license plate..)
5. Some politician stumbles on your post between (naky pics?) tweets (cough) and/or extra-marital affairs (cough) and decides this is my chance to hit the hill
6. Law passes
7. Now imagine someone asking the same question you just asked while sitting in court awaiting your verdict

Mr.Skytech

iTrader: (13)

I sometimes cover my plates but if someone wants to f@#$ with me they can. I say bring it. Be prepared because I always am. Besides a good fight is good to get a lot of stress out.

My last car was vandalized twice! First the side sills were stolen, then the front lip kit was torn out. That guy messed up my car pretty bad so i had to take it to the body shop and get it restored.

The day i got my car back i decided to sleep in the trunk. I though, he took the sides then the front now he is missing the back. I parked the car in a dark spot, opened the rear window a little, opened the middle part that leads into the trunk and patiently waited inside. I also left the door unlocked just so he can give me time to get out of the trunk.

It was very hot but then at 3:47 AM he came by. I was in the trunk looking through the middle part. I saw him look inside then he checked the doors. He opened the front door and sat inside. He stated working on the "Security" thing by the door lock. Then i got my Gorilla wrench tool and got out of the trunk like a crazy person. I was so mad and he got scared to see what was going on. I started with his legs. I hit him on the right side, then i hit his left. All the while being careful not to hit his head. he went down saying "I wasn't going to steal it man!!" "I wasn't going to steal it!"

Then i took his wallet and got his drivers license. I told him that I now know where he lives and that if he came back i was going to war with him at his house.

I dont play for shit. I love to fight and I have a high red belt in Kenpo. So if you want to mess with me go ahead, it would be nice to play.

omaralt

note to self: do not go to queens

RazzleD

Well every car forum has a crazy or two out there. At least we know what this one is driving

kingba45

I leave my door unlocked come on over thiefs..... I will be waiting

TommySalami

Cheaper insurance companies have been known to raise rates for people they see autocrossing or tracking their cars in pictures posted online.

Hapa DC5

If your story is true that is fucking awesome lol. I use to have a temper like this too. I mellowed out quite a bit. Didn't want to call the cops?

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

wow there are a lot of 4G TL owners in this thread.

i don't really care about blocking the plates.

Hapa DC5

I think it was moved from their forum.

Carraway

I think it's a mix of things. I remember a news story a while back revealed that the Ohio DMV was selling personal information to anyone who had a plate number and asked. Someone wound up dead because of it, and the state no longer allows that. That is an isolated, extreme case, of course, but it's at least concerning.

At any rate, I think it's mostly to help at least keep up an illusion of privacy, similar to why I'm pretty certain none of the handles in this thread so far are our real names.

But I did it because I'm a superhero. Or was that because I wanted people to think me a superhero? Hang on, I'll try to do something superheroic.

TommySalami

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

4G owners think people actually want their cars?..

nspec_ya4

iTrader: (38)

it makes a lot of sense. Just dont fee like explaining it right now. I would do it too as much as possible

sho_nuff1997

iTrader: (2)

From the guy with his plate showing in his avatar.

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

madcaps

iTrader: (1)

Meh, I do it, so whats it to ya?

PortlandRL

Edit: This "discussion" kinda reminds me of this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOTDn2A7hcY

Type34

Okay, this made me chuckle a bit. I'm not so sure that information would ever reach the report...

Officer: Okay what happened here?
Owner: Someone broke into my car.
Officer: Okay I see. Have you identified missing items?
Owner: Yes, they took my custom stereo and obviously my 20" wheels.
Officer: Any idea how this happened?
Owner: My first guess is that someone from Acurazine saw my TL in the "Tires and Wheels" section, wrote down my license plate, found my address, and stole my goods.
Officer: I'll be sure to add that to the report.

The effect is obvious, but the cause may not be so easy to decipher. If leaving your license plate in a picture simply increases your chances of having something done to your vehicle, I'm erroring on the side of caution.