3 ms·
I'm going to put myself in the "partly agree" category, here. First, to get it out of the way, I hate where things stand, today. Location privacy basically do
by mdip 4y ago
I'm going to put myself in the "partly agree" category, here.
First, to get it out of the way, I hate where things stand, today. Location privacy basically doesn't exist. A permanent license plate reader was just installed at an intersection bordering my neighborhood[0]. They're installed in every police cruiser, they're automatic and they flag problems/trigger being pulled over.
On three occasions, over 20 years (evenly spaced), I was pulled over for vehicle registration problems. The first, someone had scraped the tag off of my car and I was driving without tags. I showed the cop my registration/insurance and 10-60 minutes later I was on my way. The second (about 7-10 years ago) was my new motorcycle who's registration expired six months later than my cars, I rode for almost the entire summer with the wrong tabs on my car, passing several police (sometimes driving directly behind me) until I was finally pulled over. I was written the ticket because "it was six months past-due" (he waived the charge when I showed up renewed to the hearing).
The last was this year: my car was in my ex-wife's name and the registration expired in July. I still had insurance and I was aware that it was past due but couldn't resolve the problem, myself. I drive with Waze and in my area "if the cop isn't on the road driving with you" they're lit up on Waze. I avoided driving. When I had no choice, I avoided routes that showed cops and altered my route when they showed up unexpectedly[2].
This worked for two weeks after the expiration date and two days into the following month. The first time a cop ends up behind me I got pulled over[3]. The wording he chose was "Your vehicle was flagged as having expired plates" or something like that[3].
The unintentional follow-up to this, though, is that when I received my tabs it was unusually cold outside, I was running late for a date and my plate was too dirty to just "spit shine/affix" the sticker, so I put it in my winter jacket pocket and went on my way (figuring if I got pulled over, I'd show them the tab and explain my situation). I had no less than three police cars happen into range of being able to read my plate electronically or visually and not one budged. Maybe a coincidence, I thought? Perhaps they had something better to do/get to? The route to my girlfriend's house passes a police station; it's rare for me to take that route without encountering a cop on the road or in a speed trap. It's been 6 months since I put those tabs in my pocket. They're still there.
[0] Full disclosure: My information is from a neighbor mentioning it and my noticing it afterward as I drove past; I have not inspected/researched but it's not relevant as these installations are being rolled out at an increasing pace.
[1] The first was my new motorcycle which renewed on a different day than my cars and I missed it, the second was a car that was in my ex-wife's name which she failed to renew.
[2] It was a very weird place for me ... I've never had that "avoid the cops" feeling in my life. It's unnerving.
[3] The guy saw the car was in my wife's name, I said "divorce", he said he "totally understands" (and was incredibly sympathetic). He did write the ticket, but told me to ask for a hearing, show up with current registration and he'd request the ticket be invalidated. It was. I wasn't even given court fees.