Plate scanners

[nathanm]

$5.00 says you do that, and the first time they try to scan your plate while you're driving, and they will cite you for an improper tag display. Arizona passed a law that if you have a licsense plate frame and it covers the top portion that displays the state name, it is illegal and you can be stopped for it.

They'd have a hard time winning if the entirety of the plate was clearly visible to the human eye, absent an addition to the law specifically barring interfering with machine-reading of the plate. It would only cause problems with cameras without an IR filter, which I presume law enforcement would use unless they didn't care about being able to use the machines at night.

Additional lights are against the law. The dictionary definition of "light" includes electromagnetic radiation capable of causing visual stimulus.

Edited to add: If the barcode has letters and numbers associated with it, it is illegal to cover it up:

2. The license plate shall be securely attached to the rear of the vehicle, except truck-tractor plates which shall be attached to the front of the vehicle. The Tax Commission may, with the concurrence of the Department of Public Safety, by Joint Rule, change and direct the manner, place and location of display of any vehicle license plate when such action is deemed in the public interest. The license plate, decal and all letters and numbers shall be clearly visible at all times. The operation of a vehicle in this state, regardless of where such vehicle is registered, upon which the license plate is covered, overlaid or otherwise screened with any material, whether such material be clear, translucent, tinted or opaque, shall be a violation of this paragraph.

[custosnox]

They'd have a hard time winning if the entirety of the plate was clearly visible to the human eye, absent an addition to the law specifically barring interfering with machine-reading of the plate. It would only cause problems with cameras without an IR filter, which I presume law enforcement would use unless they didn't care about being able to use the machines at night.

Additional lights are against the law. The dictionary definition of "light" includes electromagnetic radiation capable of causing visual stimulus.

Edited to add: If the barcode has letters and numbers associated with it, it is illegal to cover it up:

2. The license plate shall be securely attached to the rear of the vehicle, except truck-tractor plates which shall be attached to the front of the vehicle. The Tax Commission may, with the concurrence of the Department of Public Safety, by Joint Rule, change and direct the manner, place and location of display of any vehicle license plate when such action is deemed in the public interest. The license plate, decal and all letters and numbers shall be clearly visible at all times. The operation of a vehicle in this state, regardless of where such vehicle is registered, upon which the license plate is covered, overlaid or otherwise screened with any material, whether such material be clear, translucent, tinted or opaque, shall be a violation of this paragraph.

hey, the bar code is letters and numbers, just not in a form that you reconize

[Red Arrow]

I still question the validity of doing this.  Most every tag that has a tag frame already covers up the barcode.  If they're using optical readers, it's really not all that difficult to trick them.

I really like the tags that have FOP "badges" covering part of the tag.

[custosnox]

I really like the tags that have FOP "badges" covering part of the tag.

Not like any cop would bother running a tag after seeing it anyhow

[DolfanBob]

I really like the tags that have FOP "badges" covering part of the tag.

Are they running the numbers or the little bar code on the sticker ? lol
Just curious how far they are going to go with this.

[patric]

hey, the bar code is letters and numbers, just not in a form that you reconize

The little bar codes are just for inventory.  The Automatic License Plate Recognition surveillance cameras actually look at the letters and numbers on the plate, and use character recognition to compare the scanned tag number to those downloaded into it's memory.  We all had to get new tags last year to be compatible with this.
The MPH-900 scanners ELSAG loaned to the Sheriff have a faint red flicker at night from the infrared emitters, looking like something out of War of the Worlds. 
Gonna scare little kids with that one...

[nathanm]

Speaking of tracking:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/10/fbi-tracking-device/all/1

[jamesrage]

I know that there has been a discussion of plate scanners on the turnpikes recently to "look" for people that are driving uninsured as the thread went. And there has been a discussion as to police using them at intersections to look for "stolen tags or vehicles", and repo trucks have them to locate cars to be reposessed. Well this community is now trolling parking lots at malls with this technology. I am not a "Big Brother" person in my thinking, and if my car were stolen, and they found it with this technology I would thank them. But it is not perfect. It might hit on a plate for a stolen car tag in AZ, but the numbers and the plate on the car are from Arkansas. And they believe that it may find potential criminals before they act.

"The readers are not only capable of tracking stolen vehicles and plates, but vehicles associated in Amber Alerts, people wanted on outstanding warrants and potential crime suspects." According to Gilbert police Officer Mike Berguetski.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/2010/09/14/20100914gilbert-police-license-plate-cameras.html

I think the less surveillance on the people the better. The ones that should have surveillance on them are those in office