Why do people black out the license plate in forum photos

Tidybuoy · 12-05-2011, 10:14 AM

I'm just curious why some people will black out the license plate when showing photos of their car. It seems to me that the license plate is displayed every day while driving so why blank it out on a forum - safety?

Just wondering...

attamz · 12-05-2011, 10:33 AM

paranoia

T77911S · 12-05-2011, 10:44 AM

i get a kick out of seeing that too. they should block their name, more info to be found just searching their name.

McLovin · 12-05-2011, 10:57 AM

I think it for the most part isn't necessary.

BUT, it isn't exactly the same as driving around on the street with your plate.

First, driving on the street, you have no choice. If license plates were optional, I wouldn't run one.

Second, on the street, you are just an anonymous car. On the interwebs, you do develop a "personality." You could get into an argument with someone, say something that offends someone, etc. on a forum. I guess if you post your plate, and someone on the forum (for whatever reason) wants to track you down, they might be able to, using the plate.

Third, if someone were looking to find a certain car to steal (like, say a '73 911S or some other valuable, relatively rare car), a Porsche forum would be a great place to start. Certainly much better than just driving around looking for a '73S parked on the street. With search functions on forums, you could easily find pictures of many '73S's, and if you can see their plates, you might be able to find addresses using those plates (depending on the rules of your state's DMV, or how much you are willing to lie to the DMV to get the information).

On the other hand, millions and millions of pictures of cars and plates are posted on the Web, and nothing bad ever happens.

But, I'm sure #2 and #3 have happened before. Rarely, sure, but there's no doubt they have happened.

McLovin · 12-05-2011, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T77911S

i get a kick out of seeing that too. they should block their name, more info to be found just searching their name.

99.9% of posters do block their name, by using a handle. Very few people use or disclose their real name on internet forums.

Tidybuoy · 12-05-2011, 11:17 AM

Thanks.

VERN

Decolliber · 12-05-2011, 12:01 PM

Also, sometimes people confess to doing illegal things (eg, 140 in a 35 zone)

schumicat · 12-05-2011, 12:11 PM

In some states you used to be able to find out registered owner/address with the plate number. I don't think that is possible any longer (due to laws to prevent stalkers, thieves, etc.). Someone with access (law enforcement, DMV) could still access the information.

jlynch1960 · jlynch1960's Garage

I asked the same question about six months ago. Generated about three inconclusive pages of discussion. Seems pretty nonsensical to me and none of that discussion in that thread persuaded me that it was really worth the effort. Posted a car for sale with the plate visible. It and I am still alive and well.

Bill in OKC · 12-05-2011, 12:59 PM

A long time ago... there was a magazine that had very nice vehicles on the cover. At some point they realized that for several months every vehicle they had featured was stolen. They had an editorial about this and figured that showing the license plate was the reason and made it a policy not to show them in the future. I don't think it is possible to track the vehicle's registered address by tag number any more except for law enforcement, but now smart phone pics are geo-tagged so watch out what pics you post online.

hcoles · 12-05-2011, 01:25 PM

if you talk about running your car on the track or driving with the cat out, you may not want the car traceable

Vincent Hill · Vincent Hill's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill in OKC

A long time ago... there was a magazine that had very nice vehicles on the cover. At some point they realized that for several months every vehicle they had featured was stolen. They had an editorial about this and figured that showing the license plate was the reason and made it a policy not to show them in the future. I don't think it is possible to track the vehicle's registered address by tag number any more except for law enforcement, but now smart phone pics are geo-tagged so watch out what pics you post online.

The Insurance companies have access to this kind of information and if you stated that a car with a certain plate may have damaged your car, you can tell them that you want to write them to see if they damaged your car. Something close to that happened to me and I sent a letter to the owner and eventually took him to court and collected damages

Eclectic911 · 12-05-2011, 04:43 PM

A photographer told me the plates distracts from the picture.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eclectic911

A photographer told me the plates distracts from the picture.

In some cases they do. When they are a distraction we photoshop them out completely.

andyt11 · 12-06-2011, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill in OKC

I don't think it is possible to track the vehicle's registered address by tag number any more except for law enforcement....

Law enforcement and insurance brokers / agents / DMV / anyone with a crooked friend or relative in these fields......

mystro · mystro's Garage

I have seen in other forums people taking pics of cars that are not theirs blacking the plate numbers and saying its their car. It happens to me. Some knuckle head used a pic of one of my cars and was using it in their profile pic as their car.