Originally published at: Police and local news were impressed with a license plate flipper commonly available on Amazon | Boing Boing
…
3 Likes
They left the flip side blank?
8 Likes
What’s to prevent someone from fastening a rugged tablet to the license plate holder of their car and writing code to display a random license plate number on it, changing the number periodically or when prompted by a signal from a phone in the vehicle?
4 Likes
I suspect the primary use case here is for red light cameras and license plate toll readers. Only need to have it flipped temporarily I would think.
7 Likes
Just look for the white mercedes with a roof rack…
5 Likes
You don’t even need to improvise, you can legally use digital license plates in several U.S. states: https://reviver.com/
6 Likes
Probably the other way around. Law enforcement in Southern California uses an extensive network of license plate cameras to build databases of the movements of individual vehicles. You would want the license plate to be hidden most of the time to avoid this surveillance.
That said, I don’t think there’s any real enforcement of license plate requirements. It would be easier to just print out a paper temp plate with a different number every day.
5 Likes
Been done before
6 Likes
“… released on bond before their trial.”
They are gone.
4 Likes
I was referring to the burglars who used the gadget in order to avoid detection. As mentioned in the video in the OP.
1 Like
For what it’s worth, I live near a regional race track (as in I can hear the cars racing when the wind’s right), and quite a few people who drive their cars to the track on a track day will take their plates off, or use one of these while on the track, so that their plate won’t be photographed and sent all over the Internet. Or, maybe they think the weight and added wind resistance will made a difference in their time. There’s even a sign at the track exit for racers reminding them.
3 Likes
I like the part about the “sophisticated system for syphoning gas directly into their own car!”…. which is a $10 electric fuel pump from Pep Boys.
Yah, we used to just throw a piece of tape over it, because people take a lot of photos on track days that get posted everywhere, and no sense giving out any more personal info than necessary in this world.
6 Likes
People do this in part so that the vehicle manufacturer will not have a record of what might be considered abuse and so deny a warranty repair. Also I believe that most car insurance companies do not cover damage done in competitive events. When I did autocross I saw a Porsche turbo slide off the course and into a light pole. I wonder what he told his insurance company.
3 Likes
The gas siphon? They have a $45000 car and don’t even want to pay for gas?
Forget grifting. They need to write a script and shop it around Hollywood.
1 Like
I’m scratching my head after looking at the website. It’s a service that starts at $17.95/month. Why would I pay a third party over $200/year when I could bolt my plate to my car? What exactly is its function other than being cool-looking?
1 Like
Custom order for Steve Jobs.
4 Likes
It blows my mind when they let them walk out before trial.
1 Like
As far as I can tell, these flippers aren’t actually available on Amazon.
Probably violates the Terms and Conditions to be so creative. Plus, it’s priced like “software as a service.”
1 Like
