Let’s have a contest. Who can think of the most creative way this could go wrong?
As electronic highway billboards flashing neon advertisements become more prevalent, the next frontier in distracted driving is already approaching — ad-blaring license plates.
The California Legislature is considering a bill that would allow the state to begin researching the use of electronic license plates for vehicles. The move is intended as a moneymaker for a state facing a $19 billion deficit.
The device would mimic a standard license plate when the vehicle is in motion but would switch to digital ads or other messages when it is stopped for more than four seconds, whether in traffic or at a red light. The license plate number would remain visible at all times in some section of the screen.
[...]
“We’re just trying to find creative ways of generating additional revenues,” he said. “It’s an exciting marriage of technology with need, and an opportunity to keep California in the forefront.”
The whole frigging state will look like a NASCAR race.
This will cause more accidents than cell phone drivers, since drivers will be distracted by the ads while they drive around town.
Plus how will law enforcement and “red light cameras” be able to identify a car with ads flashing on their plates, rather than the car’s FUCKING identification numbers?
#5 Mexican licensee plates? LOL clever. That might work if your car is 15 year old junker. But some shmuck in a Toyota Prius with Mexican plates would look horribly wrong.
Maybe we should put advertising on Police and Fire vehicles too! States don’t seem to know how to stop spending so they will just create idiotic ways to pay for it. That’s the spineless wonders we elect to government.
#22… the funny thing is, the cars with Sonora plates here in southern Arizona are usually newer and in much better condition that the native AZ cars.
And as a So. Calif. native, it is very, very rare you see you a Mexican license plate on the roads here. You will see a handful of Baja plates in San Diego, but that is about it.
In my experience, I can count more Mexican tags in the Costco parking lot in Tucson than I see in a year on the roads of SoCal.
I would like to know how much more money these plates will cost. Will they work in extreme cold or extreme heat? When they break who pays for new plates? As stated already, no one will want to be forced to rewire their cars to supply power to these plates. Plus, the power required for a cellular network connection for new adds and emergency broadcasts. Another way for the gov’t to track you as well. That database will never be abused of course, we would have such sincere assurances from all our elected officials. And of course, these things will be hacked the day after they are released. Another revenue stream for the gov’t will be fining folks if the plates break or if they are hacked. And knowing the great security measurements used by all gov’t agencies, they will probably have some form of RFID for some unknown reason. Perhaps for cops to easily scan the plates. And of course, RFID is completely unsecure so all information associated with you will be out there for everyone to gather just by driving down a street.
In order to have these plates, one should have to be a Prius owner. And we know what THEY are like. I’d love to have one if it advertised Rugers or something.
Hacked plates displaying full motion color porn, gives new meaning to the phrase, “rear ended in traffic.”
#4 what makes you think that a state would allow you to refuse these things once it determines there is money to be made? If it can evict you from your house when somebody else will net it more tax revenue, it can surely compel you into being a moving billboard.
#1 Ad: “ACME DRIVING SCHOOL”
#2: Any of a million ambulance-chasing lawyers
#3: “IOWA REAL ESTATE”
“If Schwarzenegger is desperate for creative ideas on how to balance a budget, here’s my suggestion:
raise taxes and cut spending.”
I live in California and the only area he has cut is education and aid to developmentally delayed kids. No tax raises and no cuts to the corporations that we subsidize.
Hm… let’s see. Have inmates punch metal plates and hand to driver, probably 5$ altogether with no maintenance.
Or, spend 60 to 80$ per car plus the network needed to update the tags (presuming they don’t piggyback on some carrier) and expect replacement of tag every two years. And it being a lcd or oled screen, assume breakage chance of 20% per week. That should bankrupt CA handily within 6 months.
Whoever suggested it is stupendously stupid. Not quite on a BP CEO doing a yacht race level, but getting there.
CA has great ideas now and then, but they also have the absolute WORST ideas too.
I would like to know how much more money these plates will cost. Will they work in extreme cold or extreme heat? When they break who pays for new plates? As stated already, no one will want to be forced to rewire their cars to supply power to these plates. Plus, the power required for a cellular network connection for new adds and emergency broadcasts. Another way for the gov’t to track you as well. That database will never be abused of course, we would have such sincere assurances from all our elected officials. And of course, these things will be hacked the day after they are released. Another revenue stream for the gov’t will be fining folks if the plates break or if they are hacked. And knowing the great security measurements used by all gov’t agencies, they will probably have some form of RFID for some unknown reason. Perhaps for cops to easily scan the plates. And of course, RFID is completely unsecure so all information associated with you will be out there for everyone to gather just by driving down a street.
+1
Won’t work. For a variety of reasons many of which have already been mentioned above.
The real reason they would be a failure though has very little to do with the plates. Let’s say they raise a billion dollars in ad revenues. Judging by California’s history, the legislature would immediately raise spending by three billion dollars!
Hmmm. If the plan DOES work, maybe Obama will consider forcing every individual in the US of good ole A to have a programmable tattoo engraved on their forehead so the insurance companies can advertise. This will raise huge sums of money that we can spend on Nancy Pelosi. I just hope they don’t go for implantable LEDs. I’m afraid the flashing lights would keep me awake…
If you are wondering what will power these new license plates, you may not be aware that there already laws requiring that there be a light to illuminate your CURRENT plates (on a vehicle with 4 wheels or more, that is). So the power requirements are ALREADY THERE!
But what I want to know is how to report an aggressive or drunk driver when all I can see is a billboard telling me how great it is to be in the state I am already in?
—(…And now some soap boxing…)—
And another thing! Why hasn’t SOMEONE ever challenged the government for instituting all these restrictions with plates, licenses and taxes in the first place? After all, our constitutional RIGHTS already tell us that no one (including the government) should be given the authority to obstruct or interfere with anyone else form the ability to freely travel any roadway, highway or waterway within the United States of America. And yet, the government interferes every day by requiring all kinds of licenses which are then taxed to do exactly that!
Doesn’t anyone KNOW their RIGHTS? Or give a damn?
Now, you might want to jump in and point out drunk drivers. DON’T! Think about it. We should punish the ACT a person does. And when punishing someone for a homicide only then should we take into account mitigating circumstances such whether or not they were drunk. Not the other way around! After all, it’s no accident when someone drives drunk or picks up an ax and hacks someone to death. Therefore, we should punish the ACTS people do using the “eye for an eye” standard – which we currently DON’T DO!
“The California Legislature is considering a bill that would allow the state to begin researching the use of electronic license plates for vehicles. The move is intended as a moneymaker for a state facing a $19 billion deficit.”
It never occurs to them to cut expenses, only raise revenue. This is DNA-level retardation.
#33–TJ, the LIEBertardian==where do you find this Constitutional Right? Only in case law, the same case law that says driving is a privilege. Better argument is you have a right to walk anywhere you want to as long as you stay off public highways and private property?
Does your right to travel include use of airplanes and rockets too, or just cars, motorcycles, segways, bicycles and soapboxes?
Does your soapbox have wheels too? And a nice propeller cap? It should. You’ve got rights after all.
Then what will I illuminate my plates with to be in compliance with existing law? Or if I drive out of state? I think the draw on the battery will be too high to power the LCD, and the communication point to communicate with the ad servers, especially when the car is parked.
What happens when I mangle the plates while parking close to those concrete things at the end of parking spaces? With a normal plate, I just bend it back how it normally is. An LCD would probably crack and break.
The whole idea is stupid and unworkable. A better idea would be to issue plates with ads painted on the background, or even better: have normal license plates like normal states.
T. J. said, on June 21st, 2010 at 10:24 am
“If you are wondering what will power these new license plates, you may not be aware that there already laws requiring that there be a light to illuminate your CURRENT plates (on a vehicle with 4 wheels or more, that is). So the power requirements are ALREADY THERE!”
People are WAY WAY over-advertised to. I find myself not buying products that are over advertised, or advertised in a way I dislike (easy to do!).
Next time you are at the store try one of the less expensive no-name brands; often they are as good or better. Sure, sometimes they are terrible, but often not.
Product ads that blink and flash at me on the computer screen really get on my list fast!
HQH
#37 “I find myself not buying products that are over advertised”
How do you take the time to sort what is and isn’t advertised. I just tune out the ads. If I had to review ad to make it a point to not buy products from them, I would get nothing else done.
I don’t think this would holdup in a court of law. Since when can somebody convert you personal property for personal (the state) gain. Won’t holdup. This is al BS.