OT: Why blur plates?

MustangPaul · Apr 27, 2004

Hi--

It is early (or late, depending on how you look at it) and I can't sleep. Anyway, I was wondering why when some people put pics of their cars on the net they blur out the plates. I mean, I could see these plates driving down the road, so they aren't secret, so why make them unreadable when they are placed on line?

These are the sort of heavy duty things I think about.

--Paul

steelhorse · Apr 27, 2004

Well in other forums and on here I have heard of "internet predators" who look for certain types of cars/equipment in their areas and once they have located something they like they try to find it and it sure makes it a whole lot easier to find people with a plate# or even when people put their address in their profile........better safe than sorry

Max Power · Apr 27, 2004

People can run your plate, find out where you live, and steal your car.

Simple as that.

one2gamble · Apr 27, 2004

Max Power said:
People can run your plate, find out where you live, and steal your car.

Simple as that.

not unless they work for the DMV or a police department

one2gamble · Apr 27, 2004

Max Power said:
People can run your plate, find out where you live, and steal your car.

Simple as that.

not unless they work for the DMV or a police department, it stupid you show your plates all day long get over it

65fastback2+2 · Apr 27, 2004

people can see you drive by write down ur plate and steal ur car. Kinda hard to steal it in a garage or with other cars parked around it though

MustangPaul · Apr 28, 2004

See, it what I thought. I drive the car every day so my plate is on parade. Still, most times, when you see a car on the net, the plate is fuzzed out. Who knows. . . .

steelhorse · Apr 28, 2004

one2gamble said:
not unless they work for the DMV or a police department

Not true, there are several websites you can get this information from.

allcarfan · Apr 28, 2004

Ok...

Lets say I drive a 1990 red coupe....and everyone knows I drive a 1990 red coupe....a pretty common car

Lets say good ol ALLCARFAN stirs up some crap on a forum somewhere....and someplace else I post a picture of my car with the license plate showing. Some guy that I pissed off can then start looking for a red coupe with that license plate and do something to my car.

My point is, when you are driving down the road...not many people look at your license plate...you go right by them, or they go right by you. When a still picture is posted, someone can get a better look at it. When you see someone drive down the road, it is impersonal. When you chat within people online and form 'relationships'...and then see their plates, its a little more personal.

I cant put into words what im trying to say....God, I need a cup of coffee.

MustangPaul · Apr 28, 2004

Allcar--Are you going to beat me up?

Good point, though. No sense making it easier for people to mess with you and/or your car.

--P

Pakrat · Apr 28, 2004

Well, I have yet to see a car in a magazine with the plate blurred, and those are usually nicer and more expensive cars then we have and goes out to far more more people in some cases. I think it is mainly done out of paranoia personally. Like anything in life, if someone wants you or your car bad enough, then even though it may deter things, a blurred plate will not stop them from getting to you or your car. We all leave behind an IP trail these days, and that can get anyone just about anything they want to know about you. If it helps you sleep better at night then blur it, but don't get a false sense of security from it either.

65fastback2+2 · Apr 28, 2004

allcarfan said:
Ok...

Lets say I drive a 1990 red coupe....and everyone knows I drive a 1990 red coupe....a pretty common car

Lets say good ol ALLCARFAN stirs up some crap on a forum somewhere....and someplace else I post a picture of my car with the license plate showing. Some guy that I pissed off can then start looking for a red coupe with that license plate and do something to my car.

My point is, when you are driving down the road...not many people look at your license plate...you go right by them, or they go right by you. When a still picture is posted, someone can get a better look at it. When you see someone drive down the road, it is impersonal. When you chat within people online and form 'relationships'...and then see their plates, its a little more personal.

I cant put into words what im trying to say....God, I need a cup of coffee.

maybe thats why mommy always say, "be on your best behavior".

one2gamble · Apr 28, 2004

steelhorse said:
Not true, there are several websites you can get this information from.

show me one

steelhorse · Apr 28, 2004

one2gamble said:
show me one

Well at my previous job we used publicdata.com to look up criminal backgrounds and such (before we hired a service) and we used it to run plates on a couple of occasions. There are others out there too.

J-Scratch · Apr 28, 2004

Can't let paranoia control you.

one2gamble · Apr 28, 2004

according to that website they can only do plate scans for these states
DMV - License Plate
Florida Idaho Maine Mississippi Missouri Ohio Oregon South Dakota Texas Utah Wisconsin

I guess its a state regulation then

hungrymonkey · Apr 29, 2004

some states allow you to go to the dmv and get peoples info from plate numbers.

lets run a different scenario. Say I post a picture of my car with the plate number on it. someone sees this, then recalls that I am a Vet. They run my plate number through the dmv and get my name and address. Then they go to the local couthouse in my area and ask to see my Discharge papers. Since Oregon allows people to see those records.

They then have my address, name, social security number, and way more info than I want anyone to have.

steelhorse · Apr 29, 2004

Ok HM i guess it is possible but I think that falls into the "black helicopter file"
watch out for sheeple

Basically it's kinda what I said before better safe than sorry , but if they want it bad enough they'll get it anyways

OT: Why blur plates?

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