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> missing/covered plates Here in CA, I routinely see illegible plates covered with smoky grey plastic. Don't understand why these apparently are not promptly

> missing/covered plates Here in CA, I routinely see illegible plates covered with smoky grey plastic. Don't understand why these apparently are not promptly pulled over by the cops, with the owners fined enough hundreds of dollars to permanently effect better behavior. No high-tech needed. But then, politicos do love their science fair projects ...

seattle_spring 3y ago
I’ve always wondered that too. A lot of people will claim that “it’s their right” to not be recognized by surveillance and that’s why they use those covers, but seems a lot more likely that they don’t want take responsibility if they get in an accident that they can slip out of without being identified.
- brewdad 3y ago
  I think a lot of drivers view speeding and extending yellow lights as a bit of a cat and mouse game. As Carlin once said “Cop didn’t see it? I didn’t do it.” Red light and speed cameras give police too much advantage in this “game” so they seek to take their own advantage.
- pavel_lishin 3y ago
  They're also great for running tolls. I don't feel great about toll roads, personally, but I do feel that if you're using a license plate contraption to dodge tolls, your car should be crushed into a cube while you watch.
- mike_d 3y ago
  I now have a Flock camera at both ends of my street. There is no way for me to come or go from my own house without the government having a record of it. Unfortunately installing a smoke cover on my plate and waiting to get pulled over and issued a ticket is the only real way to kick off a 4th amendment challenge.
  - salawat 3y ago
    ...Or... Do as teenagers and other mis^H^H^H privacy valuing, god fearing, concerned citizens have done. Go "lose" them.
  - lotsofpulp 3y ago
    Assuming you have a mobile device on you, that was already the case, just from location data from ATT/Verizon/Tmobile towers.
    - mike_d 3y ago
      That requires a warrant (I'm very familiar with the process to request data from cell carriers). ALPR can be queried at any time because they are government owned cameras.
      - lotsofpulp 3y ago
        After Snowden and stuff like this, I assume if the government (at least federal) really wants it, they can procure it. Plus, the location data is probably saved so it’s just a matter of querying a specific phone number to see the whole history. https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/16/20696222/att-location-data-tracking-lawsuit-electronic-frontier-foundation https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/16/20696222/att-location-dat... > The suit stems from recent investigations into how AT&T and other wireless carriers share the sensitive data. A New York Times article last year found that law enforcement has used the data to track phones without a court order. In another investigation, published earlier this year, Motherboard was able to pay a bounty hunter $300 to track the location of a phone using the data. Several lawmakers were quick to criticize the companies’ policies following the Motherboard report.
        brokenmachine 3y ago
        >Several lawmakers were quick to criticize the companies’ policies following the Motherboard report. You'd think, being lawmakers, they might be able to think of a more effective method to stop the behavior. But no, apparently nothing can be done. Move along, nothing to see here.
xhkkffbf 3y ago
Some people will cleverly glue a leaf over 50, 60 or even 80% of the number. How did it get there? I don't know. Must be nature's fault. I'm so sorry officer.
- nanomonkey 3y ago
  Better yet, there are electromagnetic covers that allow you to drop the "leaf" while you're being pulled over for plausible deniability.
  - Red_Leaves_Flyy 3y ago
    Lot of premeditation there
kylehotchkiss 3y ago
At least they have plates. I see cars driving plate-free in southern CA on a normal basis.

seattle_spring 3y ago

I’ve always wondered that too. A lot of people will claim that “it’s their right” to not be recognized by surveillance and that’s why they use those covers, but seems a lot more likely that they don’t want take responsibility if they get in an accident that they can slip out of without being identified.

brewdad 3y ago
I think a lot of drivers view speeding and extending yellow lights as a bit of a cat and mouse game. As Carlin once said “Cop didn’t see it? I didn’t do it.” Red light and speed cameras give police too much advantage in this “game” so they seek to take their own advantage.
pavel_lishin 3y ago
They're also great for running tolls. I don't feel great about toll roads, personally, but I do feel that if you're using a license plate contraption to dodge tolls, your car should be crushed into a cube while you watch.
mike_d 3y ago
I now have a Flock camera at both ends of my street. There is no way for me to come or go from my own house without the government having a record of it. Unfortunately installing a smoke cover on my plate and waiting to get pulled over and issued a ticket is the only real way to kick off a 4th amendment challenge.
- salawat 3y ago
  ...Or... Do as teenagers and other mis^H^H^H privacy valuing, god fearing, concerned citizens have done. Go "lose" them.
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  Assuming you have a mobile device on you, that was already the case, just from location data from ATT/Verizon/Tmobile towers.
  - mike_d 3y ago
    That requires a warrant (I'm very familiar with the process to request data from cell carriers). ALPR can be queried at any time because they are government owned cameras.
    - lotsofpulp 3y ago
      After Snowden and stuff like this, I assume if the government (at least federal) really wants it, they can procure it. Plus, the location data is probably saved so it’s just a matter of querying a specific phone number to see the whole history. https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/16/20696222/att-location-data-tracking-lawsuit-electronic-frontier-foundation https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/16/20696222/att-location-dat... > The suit stems from recent investigations into how AT&T and other wireless carriers share the sensitive data. A New York Times article last year found that law enforcement has used the data to track phones without a court order. In another investigation, published earlier this year, Motherboard was able to pay a bounty hunter $300 to track the location of a phone using the data. Several lawmakers were quick to criticize the companies’ policies following the Motherboard report.
      - brokenmachine 3y ago
        >Several lawmakers were quick to criticize the companies’ policies following the Motherboard report. You'd think, being lawmakers, they might be able to think of a more effective method to stop the behavior. But no, apparently nothing can be done. Move along, nothing to see here.

xhkkffbf 3y ago

Some people will cleverly glue a leaf over 50, 60 or even 80% of the number. How did it get there? I don't know. Must be nature's fault. I'm so sorry officer.

nanomonkey 3y ago
Better yet, there are electromagnetic covers that allow you to drop the "leaf" while you're being pulled over for plausible deniability.
- Red_Leaves_Flyy 3y ago
  Lot of premeditation there

kylehotchkiss 3y ago

At least they have plates. I see cars driving plate-free in southern CA on a normal basis.