New license plate design...

[Hoss]

Inherently I don't think it's a horrible design.  What irks me the most about it is that we are forced to pay extra for it.  We didn't pay for the last redesign.  If lawmakers could balance books, this wouldn't happen.  Just a way to reinforce to the Oklahoma people that our lawmakers are incompetent.

[cannon_fodder]

A friend strongly recommended that I take an X-acto and slice the stickers so that if someone tries to remove them they come off in pieces. Additionally, she said to replace the normal Phillips head screws with socket head screws to make it more difficult to remove/steal the tag. And since the bird tags are brand new, thieves will target them.

Very common in the lower-socio-economic areas of town.  Ye ole' cutting of the tag sticker.  But steeling a plate in Oklahoma doesn't help very much, as any turnpike has auto-plate readers.  And if you cut the tag so it is harder to remove, isn't the result that someone would just have to steel multiple pieces of your sticker and then put them on their vehicle (in that it was already on your vehicle in all cut up)?

[AngieB]

Very common in the lower-socio-economic areas of town.  Ye ole' cutting of the tag sticker.  But steeling a plate in Oklahoma doesn't help very much, as any turnpike has auto-plate readers.  And if you cut the tag so it is harder to remove, isn't the result that someone would just have to steel multiple pieces of your sticker and then put them on their vehicle (in that it was already on your vehicle in all cut up)?

Who would bother with multiple pieces? If you slice it on the diagonal a couple of different ways after it is adhered to the tag. It's a huge pain in the @ss to remove and put on another plate. It's about deterring the theft. Nothing will stop it altogether.

I don't understand your logic of not stealing a plate because the turnpike has auto-plate readers. You don't have to use turnpikes. I rarely do.

[patric]

I could have sworn someone posted a composite photo showing the license plate overlaid with the internet clip art that is our new design.

[AngieB]

I could have sworn someone posted a composite photo showing the license plate overlaid with the internet clip art that is our new design.

I did, but I pulled it. It was actually drawn from a copyrighted photo that was about the 20th result or so when you google image search 'scissortail flycatcher'.

[Conan71]

My wife and I were in the lane next to a car with one of these tags Sunday.  From a design aspect, it is harder to read the tag letters and numbers due to the choice in colors and pattern.  I thought it was just me, but when I said something to her, she had the same issue trying to decipher the letters and numbers.  It's not like reading tags is a usual exercise for me, but it really struck me how the identification of the tag is somewhat lost by design.  I hope LEO's have better luck with that than I did.

[patric]

My wife and I were in the lane next to a car with one of these tags Sunday.  From a design aspect, it is harder to read the tag letters and numbers due to the choice in colors and pattern.  I thought it was just me, but when I said something to her, she had the same issue trying to decipher the letters and numbers.  It's not like reading tags is a usual exercise for me, but it really struck me how the identification of the tag is somewhat lost by design.  I hope LEO's have better luck with that than I did.

The big thing now is that they be machine-readable.  That was the primary reason we jumped on the 3M-decal-versus-embossed bandwagon for the last plates.

State officials said Oklahoma's previous plates – which were more than seven years old – were past warranty and beginning to deteriorate, dulling the reflective sheeting on them and making them more difficult to see at night.

My car tag has a warranty?  I can read it ok and most everyone else's; was there another reason we had to upgrade?

This year, every motorist will pay $5 (extra) for the newly designed plate when they go to register their vehicle or renew their tag.
The new plates cost the state about $2.05 to produce, the Associated Press reports.
Most of the additional revenue will go into a newly created State Public Safety Fund that will be available for the Legislature to spend to "support public safety" in the state.
http://kfor.com/2017/01/03/oklahomas-newly-designed-license-plates-hitting-the-road

Oh, thats more like the Department of Public Safety we know.

[cannon_fodder]

How long did we have the Oklahoma is OK! plates?  20 years?  For some reason those were good enough. Looking out my window at the parking lot, all the plates seem just fine.  I haven't noticed a single plate that looked worn, overly faded, flaking, or anything else.  Being "out of warranty" means jack sh!t.

They want the ability to digitally track citizens.  It makes red light cameras easier.  It makes tickets on the turnpike easier.  It makes auto-speed tickets easier.  And it makes putting up random scanners to track everyone easier.  Which is good because, you know, small government and stuff.

Why not be honest about it so we can have a real debate?

[Conan71]

How long did we have the Oklahoma is OK! plates?  20 years?  For some reason those were good enough. Looking out my window at the parking lot, all the plates seem just fine.  I haven't noticed a single plate that looked worn, overly faded, flaking, or anything else.  Being "out of warranty" means jack sh!t.

They want the ability to digitally track citizens.  It makes red light cameras easier.  It makes tickets on the turnpike easier.  It makes auto-speed tickets easier.  And it makes putting up random scanners to track everyone easier.  Which is good because, you know, small government and stuff.

Why not be honest about it so we can have a real debate?

So we can't have Real ID because that is government over-reach and a privacy breach etc. but scannable and trackable tags aren't.  M'kay.

The new plate is really hideous looking.  Glad I now have this option:

[patric]

So we can't have Real ID because that is government over-reach and a privacy breach etc. but scannable and trackable tags aren't.  M'kay.

The Okie legislature voted unanimously in 2007 to block REAL ID out of concern for identity theft, and the privacy and security of personally identifying information.
Today we compile running databases of people's habits based on automated tracking of license plates (and other things).

I guess the only real difference is whether we have the means to order the data in a way that can be monetized.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I have the new bird tag. Eh. It's fine. Whatever.

A friend strongly recommended that I take an X-acto and slice the stickers so that if someone tries to remove them they come off in pieces. Additionally, she said to replace the normal Phillips head screws with socket head screws to make it more difficult to remove/steal the tag. And since the bird tags are brand new, thieves will target them.

Don't hear much about it lately, but stealing the decal used to happen quite a bit.  I cut 4 lines horizontal and 4 vertical on every decal.  Been a long time, but have had someone try to take off and they gave up after a couple little blocks. 

Never had a tag stolen but it does happen quite a bit.  Hex head (socket) helps.  Torx screw with the security pin is good, too.

[Conan71]

Don't hear much about it lately, but stealing the decal used to happen quite a bit.  I cut 4 lines horizontal and 4 vertical on every decal.  Been a long time, but have had someone try to take off and they gave up after a couple little blocks.  

Never had a tag stolen but it does happen quite a bit.  Hex head (socket) helps.  Torx screw with the security pin is good, too.

Good one, I never thought of torx head.  You can't fake that one when trying to remove, either you have the correct torx bit or you don't.  There's no finagling with a screwdriver, crescent wrench, or pliers if it's a round head design screw.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Good one, I never thought of torx head.  You can't fake that one when trying to remove, either you have the correct torx bit or you don't.  There's no finagling with a screwdriver, crescent wrench, or pliers if it's a round head design screw.

As with every solution, there may be issues.  I have a couple of cars that use Torx - in particular for the tag light fixtures, so I carry a set of drivers with me in the trunk toolbox....Crooks probably do too....   No perfect world.

[patric]

Well its almost time again to replace our old-fashioned internet clipart license tags with something

more original
cleaner and easier to read
more profitable to the Department of Public Safety

New license plate design coming for Oklahoma through rebranding effort
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also doubles as the state's secretary of tourism and branding, wants to ditch the widely criticized scissor-tailed flycatcher license plates Gov. Mary Fallin unveiled in 2016.

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/new-license-plate-design-coming-for-oklahoma-through-rebranding-effort/article_bba2192c-a554-5d3d-bef7-ef53db063f38.html
https://oklahoman.com/article/5635590/oklahoma-to-get-new-license-plates-logo-slogan

[swake]

Well its almost time again to replace our old-fashioned internet clipart license tags with something

more original
cleaner and easier to read
more profitable to the Department of Public Safety

New license plate design coming for Oklahoma through rebranding effort
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who also doubles as the state's secretary of tourism and branding, wants to ditch the widely criticized scissor-tailed flycatcher license plates Gov. Mary Fallin unveiled in 2016.

https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/new-license-plate-design-coming-for-oklahoma-through-rebranding-effort/article_bba2192c-a554-5d3d-bef7-ef53db063f38.html
https://oklahoman.com/article/5635590/oklahoma-to-get-new-license-plates-logo-slogan

They would have to be an improvement over what we have now.