[DeTomaso] NPC? Why do people black out license plate numbers in photos on Internet?

[Gray Gregory]

Garth is right. The primary concern of having you license plate number made public is that it's not that hard for someone to find out your name and address. No big deal in terms of protecting the car but more of an overall personal security issue. Probably not a big deal for most of us but for women or public figures that may be more concerned about that it could be.

Gray

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at poca.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at poca.com] On Behalf Of Garth Rodericks
Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013 11:59 AM
To: DeTomaso Mail List
Subject: [DeTomaso] NPC? Why do people black out license plate numbers in photos on Internet?

Just a guess, but I believe the concern here is that if someone wanted to steal your car they could find your address (presumably the location of the car) from the license plate. 


In California you used to be able to walk into the DMV with a license plate number, fill out a form, state that this vehicle is blocking part of your  driveway and that you'd like to ask the owner to move it, wait a moment, then walk out with the registered owner's address.  Again, you used to be able to do this in California, but I believe they no longer give out addresses. 


But as Mike already pointed out, your just as likely (perhaps more likely) to have the same thing happen if you drive your car out in public or take it to a car show,  because now the would be perpetrator has the benefit of "proximity;"  he know's the car is in the neighborhood so to speak, versus trying to uncover addresses for countless cars found on the internet to only find they live half way across the country, which limits his opportunity.


Cheers!
Garth



--- Original Message ---
I've heard "protect my privacy", and "protect against theft" but have never understood the risk.  I've happily posted zillions of pictures of my car with the license plate visible as I'm not sure what anyone could do with simply the license plate number. It isn't a country-specific thing, and they tend to do it all over. I don't see how someone can steal my car because they know what the license plate number is. If I attend an event in a DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S, then I'm not really seeking to protect my privacy - I'd attend in something a shade more discrete.  I more or less follow Mike's philosophy - I think that my car, my VIN number, and even my license plate have been sufficiently well documented in various public forums so that if it were stolen, I'm sure that someone would raise the voice of alarm if it showed up for sale somewhere. If you ask people to erase your license plate number, why do you do it? Just curious, and wondering if I'm too innocent? Thanks!
Charles McCall
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