I don't understand why this is done. It's not like you can keep it a secret, if you drive the car down the street, there's your plate for all to see. I would understand if these were pics of people street racing or something, but a lot of times it's just joe blow's suburban parked in the driveway. :think:
Why blur license plates in photos?
- Thread starter wfedwar
- Start date
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
wxtornado said:I don't have to find your address thru the tag - you are advertising it for all to see, right on the outside of your house!
I think the point that gmblack3a was making was that if you see one car on the road or parked in front of a house, you aren't seeing the inside of a garage that might have a dozen such cars in it. Those indoor pictures might also give clues as to layout, security, access, etc.
I guess it's the same concept as being in a store and paying for a big ticket item in cash, everybody is going to see that you just laid out big bucks, but you still don't hold up your wallet and show it to everybody in the store so they can see how much is (left) in there.
tom p.
Active member
- Internet anonymity = good
- Don't make shopping any easier for on-line car thieves
But really, who has access to find an address from a tag? Law enforcement? Anyone else? I know my insurance company doesn't know my tag, but they do know the cars I own and where they are garaged. I honestly don't think it's ok to ever take pictures inside someone else's home without thier permission. That wasn't what I was talking about.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
wfedwar said:
Oh come on, criminals have ways of getting information. By the same token you could say "who has access to my credit card number?", but CC #'s get stolen all the time. The criminal element, especially if it's "organized", finds it pretty easy to penetrate things like the DMV where they can recruit relatively low-paid employees to get information.
Setec Astronomy said:
My point is if these cars are driven down the street, there's nothing to be gained by blurring the plate. Anyway, I'd think if someone had a connection in the DMV, they could just search out a few dozen supercars and thier addresses. Plate wouldn't do anything for you.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
I guess we could argue this around all day. If I'm a car thief and I see on car drive by on the street, am I going to say "I'd like to steal that car, I'm going to turn around and follow it and see where it lives". Well, I might. But if I can look on the internet, see a garage with a dozen cars to steal, well...I might.
It's still a form of personal information that belongs to the client that I would think it prudent to not disclose. IMO the risk is pretty small, but I'm not a LEO, an exotic car owner, or an exotic car detailer, so my opinion doesn't really matter.
It's still a form of personal information that belongs to the client that I would think it prudent to not disclose. IMO the risk is pretty small, but I'm not a LEO, an exotic car owner, or an exotic car detailer, so my opinion doesn't really matter.
JCastro1085
New member
Well for me I don't care about showing my license plate number:
Those are Illinois Marine Corps. license plate and it's really simple to figure out who they belong to, these Military plates cannot be customized they're issued on a first come first serve basis so my plate # is 4144 and that means here in Illinois I am the fourth thousand one hundred and forty fourth person to be issued these (no fancy DMV research needed). I can understand both sides of the story here:
-On one end why block your license plate #'s when any potential thief can target your vehicle as your driving down the street? It was mentioned that the majority of the people seeing your car would be family, friends, and neighbors, true, but not really! I lived in a big city and anytime I left my block, I'm open to any "what if" type thief around me. In a heavily populated city, you could live there for years and not even know who just moved into the apartment building right across the street! (I say that from personal experience)
-On the flip side I understand that some people feel more secure not putting their plate number online, to each his own right? If not putting your plate # online gives you peace of mind, then by all means go for it.
I don't own a fancy car by no means, and a professional car thief wouldn't even bother with my vehicle, so the only thief I'd have to worry about would be your average gang-banger or thug and seeing as how my car cannot be started without the correct computer chip key, I'm not too worried about his "skills". Hell after 3 false attempts the cpu will lock automatically and the only way to get it to start back up would be to tow it to the dealer and have them unlock it. That in itself gives me my piece of mind. I understand that virtually any car can be stolen but the people with the skill capable of doing it, wouldn't even bother with a Chrysler 300M Special.
Makes you think though, if a Chrysler (nothing compared to most M-Benz, BMW, Porsche, etc) has the ability to lock the cpu after 3 false attempts to prevent the vehicle from being stolen, and requiring a computer chip in the key, how much more difficult do you think it is to steal one of those high end cars?
Besides if I ever thought someone was actually trying to break in and steal my car, most of us here have a pretty good security system:
:hifive::hifive::hifive:
Moral of this post: "To each his own"
Those are Illinois Marine Corps. license plate and it's really simple to figure out who they belong to, these Military plates cannot be customized they're issued on a first come first serve basis so my plate # is 4144 and that means here in Illinois I am the fourth thousand one hundred and forty fourth person to be issued these (no fancy DMV research needed). I can understand both sides of the story here:
-On one end why block your license plate #'s when any potential thief can target your vehicle as your driving down the street? It was mentioned that the majority of the people seeing your car would be family, friends, and neighbors, true, but not really! I lived in a big city and anytime I left my block, I'm open to any "what if" type thief around me. In a heavily populated city, you could live there for years and not even know who just moved into the apartment building right across the street! (I say that from personal experience)
-On the flip side I understand that some people feel more secure not putting their plate number online, to each his own right? If not putting your plate # online gives you peace of mind, then by all means go for it.
I don't own a fancy car by no means, and a professional car thief wouldn't even bother with my vehicle, so the only thief I'd have to worry about would be your average gang-banger or thug and seeing as how my car cannot be started without the correct computer chip key, I'm not too worried about his "skills". Hell after 3 false attempts the cpu will lock automatically and the only way to get it to start back up would be to tow it to the dealer and have them unlock it. That in itself gives me my piece of mind. I understand that virtually any car can be stolen but the people with the skill capable of doing it, wouldn't even bother with a Chrysler 300M Special.
Makes you think though, if a Chrysler (nothing compared to most M-Benz, BMW, Porsche, etc) has the ability to lock the cpu after 3 false attempts to prevent the vehicle from being stolen, and requiring a computer chip in the key, how much more difficult do you think it is to steal one of those high end cars?
Besides if I ever thought someone was actually trying to break in and steal my car, most of us here have a pretty good security system:
:hifive::hifive::hifive:
Moral of this post: "To each his own"
imported_Amused
New member
Customer and personal privacy. Generally, people aren't too thrilled to have stuff about them, even if it's an object of possession, displayed on the internet (via a 3rd party). So, removing as many clues as possible to ownership is good practice and common courtesy.
Dan
Well-known member
JCastro1085 said:Well for me I don't care about showing my license plate number:
Those are Illinois Marine Corps. license plate and it's really simple to figure out who they belong to, these Military plates cannot be customized they're issued on a first come first serve basis so my plate # is 4144 and that means here in Illinois I am the fourth thousand one hundred and forty fourth person to be issued these (no fancy DMV research needed). I can understand both sides of the story here:
-On one end why block your license plate #'s when any potential thief can target your vehicle as your driving down the street? It was mentioned that the majority of the people seeing your car would be family, friends, and neighbors, true, but not really! I live in a big city and anytime I leave my block, I'm open to any "what if" type thief around me. In a heavily populated city, you could live there for years and not even know who just moved into the apartment building right across the street! (I say that from personal experience)
-On the flip side I understand that some people feel more secure not putting their plate number online, to each his own right? If not putting your plate # online gives you peace of mind, then by all means go for it.
I don't own a fancy car by no means, and a professional car thief wouldn't even bother with my vehicle, so the only thief I'd have to worry about would be your average gang-banger or thug and seeing as how my car cannot be started without the correct computer chip key, I'm not too worried about his "skills". Hell after 3 false attempts the cpu will lock automatically and the only way to get it to start back up would be to tow it to the dealer and have them unlock it. That in itself gives me my piece of mind. I understand that virtually any car can be stolen but the people with the skill capable of doing it, wouldn't even bother with a Chrysler 300M Special.
Makes you think though, if a Chrysler (nothing compared to most M-Benz, BMW, Porsche, etc) has the ability to lock the cpu after 3 false attempts to prevent the vehicle from being stolen, and requiring a computer chip in the key, how much more difficult do you think it is to steal one of those high end cars?
Besides if I ever thought someone was actually trying to break in and steal my car, most of us here have a pretty good security system:
:hifive::hifive::hifive:
Moral of this post: "To each his own"
Well, you are making some assumptions. Who cares if your car starts, its worth more in pieces. Putting it on a flatbed is faster, easier and looks more legit. Second, you just posted that you own a gun, where there is one, there is more, now someone seeing your tag number gets your address, waits till you are gone and you can imagine the rest. We all know how easy homes/cars are to break in/steal, etc. Criminals prey on opportunity. The more you present, the better your chances are for being taken.
For those thinking you can't get an address from a tag number, time to wake up. A google search and $30 and you are in business.
JCastro1085
New member
yakky said:
I'll agree with u chopping a car is worth more. I recently moved out of Chicago (the Northside is too crowded IMO) and unless I'm driving the car, it's always in a garage (even at work). For me, my car is in my garage at night so to tow it on a flat bed truck without me knowing would be almost impossible because you'd have to back in my drive way and the master bedroom is right next to the drive way so I would hear you coming. Drive way also has motion sensitive lights (meaning if you walk in my drive way the lights would come on at night). I'm a sensitive sleeper (something I learned in Iraq, you have to be so no one sneaks up on ya) so any noise and I'm up. I really don't worry about theft where I live now, even when I'm gone "Freedom" (my 120lbs rottweiler ) takes his post.
My house is no "Fort Knox" or anything but I don't have a problem posting my tags. I'm sure they're a lot more people out there with far more security to their homes then I have. Besides people who have the money and can afford high end cars, I'm sure they have the money to secure their homes as well.
EDIT:
I hope I don't come off cocky its just that when it comes to home security I don't play around with that, and I can hear some of you right now say "Well then why post your tags online?" I don't mess around when it comes to keeping my home and loved ones safe but at the same time I really don't think blocking my tags online is going to stop a would be thief from attempting to steal my car, especially when all it takes is to just drive past one and he could follow you home.
Dan
Well-known member
JCastro1085 said:
You aren't coming off cocky, just a little too optimistic. Like I said, crime and opportunity go hand in hand. Yeah, your 300 isn't a big target, but say you piss on some nutjobs favorite LSP (for example, lol) and he decides to find you. You are a lot easier to find. Just one of many reasons.
JCastro1085
New member
yakky said:
Perhaps? I know my guard isn't up like if I were in Iraq again, and now living outside of Chicago has made me a bit more relaxed as opposed to when I used to live in the Humboldt Park area (not the best of neighborhoods in Chicago)
yakky said:
Well said.
yakky said:
LMAO! I see your point, take every precaution to avoid the hassle. My frame of thought is this regarding posting my tags online: I have a vehicle not really sought after, you can't start it, and getting to it would prove rather difficult (more of a hassle then the vehicles really worth), so I'm not too concerned, I know I can protect my home, family, and possessions. Funny thing is, I live right in the middle if a cul-de-sac and my neighbor is a Devil Dog as well, so if anyone ever tried to do something......let's just say you picked the wrong one (ever seen the movie Gran Torino lol?)
Like I said: "To each his own"
FWIW if I were to ever post a picture w/another vehicle I would blur their plates out of respect for them.
Innovative Detailing
New member
Only one big reason Customers right to PRIVACY If your customer requests this, you must do so.
EliminatorXP said:
Yeah, I get this and I guess there's no really obvious reason other than just general privacy concerns. The reason I asked the question in the first place is that I used to see this all the time when people took pictures at the dragstrip or even street racing. The reasons to blur plates there are obvious: 1) evidence for law enforcement (in the case of street racing) and 2) evidence that insurance companies were known to use to deny coverage and reject claims. It looks like it just caught on as a general practice.