Stupid Question - Why do user "blank" out their number plates?

**Revolver** · 07-06-2011, 09:10 PM

Hey everyone,

Just wondering (& I think this is the best place to ask this) why is it that some people blank out their number plates after taking photos of their car?? I have racked my brain trying to come up with why & I cant. Usually after a few weeks, the answer will just pop into my head, But nothing.

I just cant see why. Sure there might be a few thousand white EB XR6 falcons (as an example) around, but being a member of an online forum such as this, if your the social type, your car will become recognizable through its build thread, AFF event, club event, Ford day, or seeing that same car in the same area, time upon time, upon time again. & Its the only one with THOSE wheels/wing/bumpers/sticker/grille/exhaust note/number plate (such as a personalised one) or all of the above. If its a case of privacy, then its best not to photograph it........

As for taking photos of someone else's car. Well I have blanked out the plate, its not my car, & due to that, not my right to display its number plate.....

Other than that, I am a little perplexed as to why this happens. Maybe im just having a blonde moment. (Well more than a moment, the question has been around awhile).

Cheers,
BBII

b2tf · 07-06-2011, 09:14 PM

In the case of newer cars it is often to hide the identity of the vehicle to protect warranty.

Franco Cozzo · 07-06-2011, 09:15 PM

So someone who doesn't like you on the forum can't dob you into hoon hotline I suppose.

Yellow_Festiva · 07-06-2011, 09:20 PM

If you have a desirable car or a car full of desirable parts it is easy enough to trace via the plate if you know the right people.

Also, your car may be in the habit of doing something not exactly kosher with the law, showing your plates makes the job of the police to find you sooo much easier.

Ben73 · 07-06-2011, 09:31 PM

Internet people will find out where you live and come kill you.

Seriously on another car forum I am on, someone made a thread called "show us your license plate' everyone took a photo of their car with the plate well in view.

**GasoLane** · 07-06-2011, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Beast II

As for taking photos of someone else's car. Well I have blanked out the plate, its not my car, & due to that, not my right to display its number plate.....

That's the courteous and ethical thing to do, but legally you don't have to.

If it's in a public place anyone can photograph it.

b2tf · 07-06-2011, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

That's the courteous and ethical thing to do, but legally you don't have to.

If it's in a public place anyone can photograph it.

Righto Rog come round and try and take a pic of my ute. I dare ya.................

**GasoLane** · 07-06-2011, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b2tf

Righto Rog come round and try and take a pic of my ute. I dare ya.................

I'd have to wait 'till you got out of your driveway and I don't even know where you live anymore.

b2tf · 07-06-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I'd have to wait 'till you got out of your driveway and I don't even know where you live anymore.

Haha, out Forest Hill way now. Close enough to hear 1 RTU marching up to get their breakfast

FGII-XR6 · 07-06-2011, 09:59 PM

too easy for scammers to track your car and steal it. nothing like shoping for a car with extra goodies on a forun then go rip it off it makes life easy for them with a number plate

danthefordman · 07-06-2011, 10:07 PM

I have heard discussion (but have no proof) in the past about people being targeted by police with regards to potential defects (blowers, tyres etc etc), after being featured in magazines, very much the same as a forum. Also, these forums make for a great shopping catalogue for car thieves, they know all/some of the details of you and your car, can potentially trace your identity and the location of the car through a variety of means stemming from your photos, discussions etc. Removing the plate numbers is just a means of making this task harder for the scum.

AUIIPURSUIT · 07-06-2011, 10:05 PM

to do with admission of guilt, and risk of stolen goods, mixed with some healthy internet paranoia.

**GasoLane** · 07-06-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUIIPURSUIT

to do with admission of guilt, and risk of stolen goods, mixed with some healthy internet paranoia.

This has got my vote so far.

Ford_The_Win I've tried Googling myself... I don't exist.

onfire I have never seen any of my cars in any driveways, mine or my friends. Maybe Google hates me.

onfire · 07-06-2011, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

This has got my vote so far.

onfire I have never seen any of my cars in any driveways, mine or my friends. Maybe Google hates me.

Chances are Google does 90% of it's street view work during 9-5.

This incident was prior to the explosion of Facebook. It isn't hard to connect an email address to a name on Facebook if they're opened an account, and discover a world of information about a person if their profile is open.

**GasoLane** · 07-06-2011, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onfire

Chances are Google does 90% of it's street view work during 9-5.

I could be wrong but as far as I know Google's cars have only ever done two drive by street views.

Quote:

Originally Posted by onfire

This incident was prior to the explosion of Facebook. It isn't hard to connect an email address to a name on Facebook if they're opened an account, and discover a world of information about a person if their profile is open.

Yet another reason not to be on there

svo supporter · 07-06-2011, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onfire

Chances are Google does 90% of it's street view work during 9-5.

This incident was prior to the explosion of Facebook. It isn't hard to connect an email address to a name on Facebook if they're opened an account, and discover a world of information about a person if their profile is open.

You have google, yes You also have nearmaps, which I have discovered round my neck of the woods, fairly upto date. ie the last picture taken of my place was only a month ago.

So I see blanking plates as another way of protecting property.

Auslandau · 07-06-2011, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onfire

Chances are Google does 90% of it's street view work during 9-5.

This incident was prior to the explosion of Facebook. It isn't hard to connect an email address to a name on Facebook if they're opened an account, and discover a world of information about a person if their profile is open.

LXC 696 and I am on face book ...... go for it! My information should take approx 27 secs to find along with my full name, email address and business for anyone who would want it .... phone number should take another minute or so along with where I live and same goes for many others on here. If the mob are after you it wont take long

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Your headlights are covered as well. Are they also paranoid and hiding?

Paranoid to the max ...... is that you behind the tree out front???

**Revolver** · 07-06-2011, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Paranoid to the max ...... is that you behind the tree out front???

STOP IT YOU TWO! Please I want to stop laughing.

Gas o lane's next line:

"Yep. Was that a rifle I just heard being cocked?"

Like I said in my first post, if it's for privacy, then you shouldn't be taking photos of it. Without going full conspiracy theorist, if you REALLY want to know where someone is, you can find out by various & not exactly legal channels, all using the net. So once again I say: if your that worried about privacy, don't post pictures. If you don't want anyone to know about the car, don't share it! In fact if your that paranoid of the internet, you shouldn't be on it. No netbank, spacebook, email or be a member of a site..... Just the way I see it. I can't see how blanking out the plate will help when you can do that......

**GasoLane** · 08-06-2011, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Paranoid to the max ...... is that you behind the tree out front???

Are you nuts?... All Trees have hidden cameras in them. I've heard that some even have stealth sparrows that write number plates down.

(Unless you live in Collingwood, then they use Magpies)

**Whoosha** · 08-06-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

LXC 696 and I am on face book ...... go for it! My information should take approx 27 secs to find along with my full name, email address and business for anyone who would want it .... phone number should take another minute or so along with where I live and same goes for many others on here. If the mob are after you it wont take long

Paranoid to the max ...... is that you behind the tree out front???

You better belive it ... I have you and your coup listed and your car will be on a truck and gone by Friday night this week and thats a given

Vin numbers work better at Vic roads webb site for free you can then find out the rego from there and titles, after that you have to pay for the contact details

**SSD-85** · 07-06-2011, 10:07 PM

I think its largely identity theft paranoia. eg: uploading a pic of your car (appearing legit) to fakely "sell" it to scam money. I dont bother with it simply because its hard to blend in with a Venom Red AU3 XR8

onfire · 07-06-2011, 10:30 PM

I remember a few years ago. Someone asked for help in tracking down a user who had ripped off a few people on here. There wasn't a lot of information to go by, except for a pic of his car, the plates visible and a user-name.

It took all of 30 minute to go from searching his username on google. Finding him on other forums and piecing together information. His car sitting in his drive way on Google maps confirmed his address.

It's not hard to gather potentially dangerous pieces of information about someone from something you'd consider so insignificant.

That's why.

Ford_The_Win · 07-06-2011, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onfire

I remember a few years ago. Someone asked for help in tracking down a user who had ripped off a few people on here. There wasn't a lot of information to go by, except for a pic of his car, the plates visible and a user-name.

It took all of 30 minute to go from searching his username on google. Finding him on other forums and piecing together information. His car sitting in his drive way on Google maps confirmed his address.

It's not hard to gather potentially dangerous pieces of information about someone from something you'd consider so insignificant.

That's why.

Exactly right. Takes a few minutes to put someone's username/location into google and find out all sorts of information about them.

Auslandau · 07-06-2011, 10:48 PM

The Landau gets driven with plates, car shows, drags, there is a multitude of photos floating the net for years of mine, many haven't been taken with my knowledge and have never been bothered about it. Its even in my avatar. Same goes for everyone else I know who has 'different' type cars. Maybe I am not a paranoid type person? I do think its strange when people have a very obvious personalized plate they have paid money for to gain attention ..... and then proceed to cover it

PS> Nope .... the plate in the avatar was covered up! Have to look into that as I cant remember doing it! I must be in hiding!

**GasoLane** · 07-06-2011, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

PS> Nope .... the plate in the avatar was covered up! Have to look into that as I cant remember doing it! I must be in hiding!

Your headlights are covered as well. Are they also paranoid and hiding?

**Captain Stubing** · 07-06-2011, 10:49 PM

It's just paranoia... if you know a registration number, you can't just google it up to see where it lives. It's like knowing what colour the car is.

Despite what some movies depict, you can't type a rego number onto Google, and get the address, credit card history, and grocery list of the owner.

Modern cars have inbuilt theft deterrents, so you can't just hotwire them to steal them.

I've got the plates of my Sierra in photos (25DJS)... can someone tell me where I am?

GS608 · 07-06-2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanny

It's just paranoia... if you know a registration number, you can't just google it up to see where it lives. It's like knowing what colour the car is.

Despite what some movies depict, you can't type a rego number onto Google, and get the address, credit card history, and grocery list of the owner.

Modern cars have inbuilt theft deterrents, so you can't just hotwire them to steal them.

I've got the plates of my Sierra in photos (25DJS)... can someone tell me where I am?

North Brisbane?

**Captain Stubing** · 10-06-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5.0

North Brisbane?

Quote:

Originally Posted by au3xr6

you can't google number plates but you can track them with contacts. I could find you from your number plat but it would cost me . information is a comodity and is available for a price

I can get this info at work, but I know if I abuse that right, my job could be at risk. There are audit trails there to show who has looked at what, and if something happens the person who accessed the information will have to explain why they looked up this particular info.

FGII-XR6 · 08-06-2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanny

It's just paranoia... if you know a registration number, you can't just google it up to see where it lives. It's like knowing what colour the car is.

Despite what some movies depict, you can't type a rego number onto Google, and get the address, credit card history, and grocery list of the owner.

Modern cars have inbuilt theft deterrents, so you can't just hotwire them to steal them.

I've got the plates of my Sierra in photos (25DJS)... can someone tell me where I am?

you can't google number plates but you can track them with contacts. I could find you from your number plat but it would cost me . information is a comodity and is available for a price

**GasoLane** · 08-06-2011, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by au3xr6

you can't google number plates but you can track them with contacts. I could find you from your number plat but it would cost me . information is a comodity and is available for a price

In NSW anyone can go to the RTA and for a fee get the address of any numberplate as au3xr6 says.

However, not only do the RTA want your name and address they also write the owner of the plates in question and notify them that there has been an enquiry on their number plates, who was enquiring and when.