Revealing License Plate Numbers on Forums

[real550A]

"How do you think the press found the name of Elliot Spitzer's booty call?"

I'm betting they use the same service?

[the]

Originally Posted by pope

It is not necessary to use your real name, phone number and license plate on the internet. So why do it?

Unlike a community IRL, people can be part of it without being seen. They can target specific subjects and use the information they gather for wrong-doing, although admittedly this happens very rarely.

It is astonishing the amount of things you can learn about someone with simple searching and cross-referencing.

IMO, it's best to keep your personal information for real life and understand that not making it public on the internet is NOT hiding. You can reveal yourself to the people you choose and on a more private basis.


A person sitting on the corner of a street will see one 911 a day. On here he can find hundreds in the same amount of time.

Exactly. Why do it? What if you change your mind later? You can't get your stuff back from the Internets.

Cars do get stolen all the time. I've been on a lot of diff car boards over the years, and I recall at least one documented case of one being stolen by someone who saw it on a board.

IMO one is nuts to not keep their internet profile as low as possible.

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by tcar

Not true; you can get that info, easily. And I'm 'General Public'.

I saw a rare car that I was looking for and wanted. Went to the state MV office with the plate number, paid a fee ($25, I think) and got the name and address of the owner.

Called them and offered them X dollars (it wasn't for sale). They said no, not for sale, but then they called me back a week later and counter offered. I bought the car.

It's one thing to be driving down the street like I was, its another for some 300 pound loser in his underwear in his mother's basement (or someone in 'Nigeria') using that info.

I just wouldn't do it.

Originally Posted by the

Exactly. Why do it? What if you change your mind later? You can't get your stuff back from the Internets.

Cars do get stolen all the time. I've been on a lot of diff car boards over the years, and I recall at least one documented case of one being stolen by someone who saw it on a board.

IMO one is nuts to not keep their internet profile as low as possible.

Hey, tcar and the ... how's it going?

It's the age old problem with events you're aware of versus statistics. People have an inate tendancy to generalize outcomes from isolated events. How many other cars were stolen off the street during that time. How many identities were stolen because someone left a port open on a server? The fact remains that there is tons of risk in life but running around scared of your shadow makes for a miserable life. Don't be stupid but evaluate the risk. Just my humble opinion.

[the]

Not posting pictures of your car and license plate is "running around scared of your shadow" and contributes to a "miserable life?"

I never realized that by not posting pics of my plate, house, kids, etc. on teh internets car parts boards, I was missing out on so much. I feel so empty.

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by the

Not posting pictures of your car and license plate is "running around scared of your shadow" and contributes to a "miserable life?"

I never realized that by not posting pics of my plate, house, kids, etc. on the Internets car parts boards, I was missing out on so much. I feel so empty.

Everyone has their fears. My mom hates to fly in spite of the unmatched safety record. The Internet has a very high "safety rating" if you will, as well. Pictures that include license plates on a Porsche forum is only an example of how many people go to extremes to protect against something that is so remote to happen that even worrying about it may border on paranoid.

The fact that you took this so personally is surprising but not unexpected. Sorry if I offended you, the, but I was illustrating a human tendency, generalization, that can make for unnecessary discomfort. BTW, I think the subject was license plates not house, kids etc. I'm not sure how that got into the mix.

[aigel]

Let us ask the question the other way around: What do you gain by keeping your license plate visible? 2 minutes?

If there is no upside to something and the downside is unclear, why do it?

George

[slodave]

I blank out mine, but there are one or two photos with it showing. My car is not registered to my address and even though the number is public knowledge, I'd rather not have a static display of the number on the Internet. I also blank out the numbers of other cars that may end up in my picture.

[Kaliv]

Whether it's reality or fiction, it gives you some sense that you can control your information. Perhaps it's peace of mind knowing that if someone wants to know your information, you just made it a little bit harder. More than likely, you saw someone else blank out their plate so you said, "hey, why not...only takes a few moments". It's all about control...or the perception thereof.

[the]

Originally Posted by rbuswell

Everyone has their fears. My mom hates to fly in spite of the unmatched safety record. The Internet has a very high "safety rating" if you will, as well. Pictures that include license plates on a Porsche forum is only an example of how many people go to extremes to protect against something that is so remote to happen that even worrying about it may border on paranoid.

The fact that you took this so personally is surprising but not unexpected. Sorry if I offended you, the, but I was illustrating a human tendency, generalization, that can make for unnecessary discomfort. BTW, I think the subject was license plates not house, kids etc. I'm not sure how that got into the mix.

No offense taken!

For me, there is no going to extremes on this issue at all. I don't post any pictures of my cars, or my name, or any other identifying information. Of course, NOT posting such stuff takes zero effort or time. So, not only am I not going through any "extreme" measures, I'm doing the exact opposite. I'm taking no measures at all, and making no effort at all.

I don't do it because there is absolutely no upside to me in doing so.

An analogy to flying, or driving, etc. doesn't work. There are upsides to those activities (i.e., you get where you need to go), so some risk must be incurred.

[the]

Originally Posted by rbuswell

I'd like to think I'm as security conscience as the next guy

You might like to think that, but based on your user name and the information you have in your public profile, I can assure you that, objectively speaking, you are not as security conscious as "the next guy" (i.e., the average poster here in PPOT). Not even close.

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by aigel

Let us ask the question the other way around: What do you gain by keeping your license plate visible? 2 minutes?

If there is no upside to something and the downside is unclear, why do it?

George

Actually, my sense is there are pictures of some really cool cars on the forums and blanking out the plate really uglies up the shot. This is especially true for some of the innovative vanity plates.

Originally Posted by the

No offense taken!

For me, there is no going to extremes on this issue at all. I don't post any pictures of my cars, or my name, or any other identifying information. Of course, NOT posting such stuff takes zero effort or time. So, not only am I not going through any "extreme" measures, I'm doing the exact opposite. I'm taking no measures at all, and making no effort at all.

I don't do it because there is absolutely no upside to me in doing so.

An analogy to flying, or driving, etc. doesn't work. There are upsides to those activities (i.e., you get where you need to go), so some risk must be incurred.

You might like to think that, but based on your user name and the information you have in your public profile, I can assure you that, objectively speaking, you are not as security conscious as "the next guy" (i.e., the average poster here in PPOT). Not even close.

I've been reasonably active on the Internet for about eight years now. I've never had a trojan or virus attack, never had a credit card number taken, never had a check stolen from a mail box, etc. The worst that happened to me was someone tried to steal my identity on eBay. Another eBayer alerted me to the problem, I found out how the thief got my log in, got rid of the user name, eBay moved my feedback to a new account and I went on living. eBay even used my experience to beef up their security.

THE, you may want to think your comment is a threat to me, like you plan to do something to me and my family. Trust me, I'm not sleeping with a gun under my pillow, waiting for THE (or anyone else for that matter) to come by and blow me away. I know that there are more random acts of violence going on than Porsche enthusiasts reading about the fact that I live in Castle Rock. It goes back to my comments to you in the H4 thread. You turn this into a personal thing, now that's inciting! You may want to look at why you're concerned about safety on a Porsche forum. Is it because you want to escalate things to make people mad (and get away with it) or is it that you're afraid for your family? Just think about it.

As you may already know, I helped start a breakfast car meet here in Denver recently. It's been a wonderful success so far. But in order to get on the opt in list, interested Porsche enthusiasts needed to give me their email, phone number and the car(s) they own. People have opted in by the hundreds. Do you think they're afraid for their safety? Not so much. Do you think trusting someone they don't know is paying off for them in fun and enjoyment of their cars? In other words, was there an upside to being trusting? You bet. Was there another way to do this? Probably. There was even a screw-up with the email service I used that inadvertently sent spam to the opt-in list. So far, everyone who attended the breakfast has been forgiving. You may have already opted-in and I don't remember your handle but the fact remains, people are afraid of their shadow and they need to strike a balance between security and reality.

Here's another example of how being "less afraid" had an upside. I was helping get a DIY project going a little over a year ago. In it I put my office and cell phone numbers. As a result of being "out there" Grady Clay gave me a call. As a result of Grady taking a chance and calling me, we have become VERY close friends. Over the last year or so I've gotten to know Grady on a very personal basis. If you follow Grady on Pelican and think that's all there is, you just don't know even the half of it. He is one of the most amazing people I've ever met and I view it as one of the great blessings I've ever had. Upside? I'd say so.

[175K911]

Three ways this can come back to bite you:

1- If your car is under warranty (clearly the vast majority here aren't) discussion of performance parts could jeopardize your warranty. My former Audi dealer would follow some of the Audi sites to see who put big brakes, and especially chips, in their cars and would not honor the warranty. (Unfortunately I speak from personal experience here.) And there was a big deal a few years back about Mitshbishi voiding warranties on lots of Evos based on people posting on forums about chipping their cars. They traced license plates back to the VIN and voided the warranty.

2- Theft. Granted a license plate is in the public domain, but it's so much easier for a thief to browse a Porsche forum, select the car they want from the convenience of their laptop, and go to work.

3- Insurance. I'm sure everyone here has told their insurance agent and company about every single mod done to their cars. Uh Huh. My agent is an enthusiast and insists on knowing everything I'm doing to my cars to protect me. An insurance company has the right to dis-allow a claim if it's discovered there were non-factory parts on the car, particularly in the suspensions and brakes. Rarely invoked, but it could be in severe cases like when an injury or worse is involved. Insurance could suggest that your aftermarket brakes, suspension, wheels and tires caused you to not be able to avoid the incident and therefore insurance isn't liable to pay out.

Again, these are all extreme cases but having personally experienced #1, have read about #2 and have an insurance agent concerned about #3 tells me to always block my plate. Personal preference I guess, and it certainly doesn't hurt to do it.

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by 175K911

Three ways this can come back to bite you:

1- If your car is under warranty (clearly the vast majority here aren't) discussion of performance parts could jeopardize your warranty. My former Audi dealer would follow some of the Audi sites to see who put big brakes, and especially chips, in their cars and would not honor the warranty. (Unfortunately I speak from personal experience here.) And there was a big deal a few years back about Mitshbishi voiding warranties on lots of Evos based on people posting on forums about chipping their cars. They traced license plates back to the VIN and voided the warranty.

2- Theft. Granted a license plate is in the public domain, but it's so much easier for a thief to browse a Porsche forum, select the car they want from the convenience of their laptop, and go to work.

3- Insurance. I'm sure everyone here has told their insurance agent and company about every single mod done to their cars. Uh Huh. My agent is an enthusiast and insists on knowing everything I'm doing to my cars to protect me. An insurance company has the right to dis-allow a claim if it's discovered there were non-factory parts on the car, particularly in the suspensions and brakes. Rarely invoked, but it could be in severe cases like when an injury or worse is involved. Insurance could suggest that your aftermarket brakes, suspension, wheels and tires caused you to not be able to avoid the incident and therefore insurance isn't liable to pay out.

Again, these are all extreme cases but having personally experienced #1, have read about #2 and have an insurance agent concerned about #3 tells me to always block my plate. Personal preference I guess, and it certainly doesn't hurt to do it.

175K911, I'm sorry but defrauding car manufacturers and insurance companies may be a good reason to not show your plates but when someone does this sort of stuff and expects other Audi owners or policyholders to pay for it, that just isn't nice. All major car companies and insurance companies, of course, have actuaries that predict outcomes based on likelihoods. Illegal or unethical behavior can only be taken into account marginally. The rest of it results in higher costs for all of us.

I say, do the right thing, have the right coverage, don't file a claim or submit a warranty request if you don't follow the rules or have the coverage, then you don't have to worry about whether your plate is on the web or not.

[ljowdy]

Originally Posted by "richde

I doubt you'd be charged with a felony if you simply registered a car in CA the same way you would in the state you came from. There would be some trouble, tickets, a tow, what to do with it, etc.

That does beg the question, what CAN you register it as, the manufacturer of the kit? Of course they don't have CARB certification if they're not in CA. On top of that, naturally you couldn't have all the clean air devices from the donor, because the new chassis isn't the donor. Is it impossible to register a replica in CA?

I don't understand how you can make the first statement in your sentence considering you're over 8,000 miles away. I know of a few people that were charged with a felony for registereing their cars as a 50 something Porsche when in fact it was a replica. Via court, the charges were reduced and a huge fine added but never the less, they were charged with a felony.

The second part of your question is this, if it's a replica then it has to go through the special construction permit process which includes a Calif. assigned VIN, smog and safety inspection.

[carambola]

isn't 914 club having a rash of thefts?

i'm just sayin'

[the]

Originally Posted by rbuswell

THE, you may want to think your comment is a threat to me, like you plan to do something to me and my family. Trust me, I'm not sleeping with a gun under my pillow, waiting for THE (or anyone else for that matter) to come by and blow me away.

Where in the world does THAT come from?!?

[3.2 CAB]

I am not sure if Florida still allows it, but in the past, it was one of the states that you could assemble a replica/kit car, as the real deal. I have seen numerous Lambo's, Ferrari's, Cobra's, and spyders of all types. I do not know if this is still the case, but before buying an exotic car in Florida you really needed to do your homework to make sure that it was the genuine article.
Another topic introduced into this thread, someone stated, that you had to be doing something illegal, for the police to have cause to stop you... that is so NOT TRUE. I have been pulled over many times in any number of my vehicles, by the PO-PO, just because they wanted to look at it and get the background story about them. I sure have been pulled over many, many times, but I have still have not ever gotten a ticket for anything(being retired from Law Enforcement might have played into this). This has happened so much, even though I do not drink, but if I think that I might even sip a beer with some friends, I make sure that I am not in one of the "cool factor" cars, I am in a soccer mom type vehicle. It is just too much trouble, if you get pulled over because the police is admiring your ride, but then they smell alcohol on you. Just my $0.03

[Noah930]

I'm not particularly paranoid, like the majority (3/4) of those who have voted, so far. But, at the same time, about 1/4 of us are sensitive to the issue. It's a simple request, to not post clear photos of others' cars' license plates. So why not respect that (unless you know the other guy doesn't care)? Yes, it's public info, as you openly display your plates to everyone when driving down the road. But a sizable minority care, so just respect their privacy.

Insurance companies and governmental agencies aren't necessarily reasonable, after all. I've been to DEs where I didn't participate--just stopped by to spectate. If photos of my car at a racetrack appear on the internet, I certainly don't want my insurance company to give me a hard time about coverage at some later time. I've also been to car events (even unofficial "Pelican" events, like morning Cars and Coffee gatherings) where no speeding of illicit activities occurred. Again, I wouldn't want governmental attention directed my way because of that.

Originally Posted by tcar

It's one thing to be driving down the street like I was, its another for some 300 pound loser in his underwear in his mother's basement (or someone in 'Nigeria') using that info.

Just to let you know, I find your post offensive. And no, I'm not Nigerian.

[SCWDP911]

Phew, looks like things are calming down again... I was about to break out the women;s leather boot thread!

I really appreciate the opinions shared on this topic. Honestly, I am one that has a hard time deciding which side of the line to stand on with respect to topics like this: 1. do everything I can to try to "protect" myself and my family against every potential threat that might possibly ever happen, or; 2. try to live my life with the positive energy and thoughts that good comes to me and my family.

I am not naive and think that only good things will always happen to me and the family, but I also believe that if I focus on all the bad things that CAN happen, I run the potential of bringing more of it towards me. This obviously is not everyone's point of view, but thought I would share it.

On another related topic, I have been deliberating a vanity plate for my car, now that my time for registration is near: RIP MCQ

[equality72521]

Originally Posted by the

Where in the world does THAT come from?!?

No doubt!