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Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

npr.org

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Re: Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

#21

Post by loceng »

pletsch wrote: post #3

Saw a few of these this weekend, I'm curious to see if the 407 (Ontario's toll road)cameras can read them at night. I imagine this gets changed quite quickly if they can only read the old plates.

On CBC radio call in portion of a show a police officer agreed they're not good to read, definitely not easier, and I believe he was the caller that theorized that the blue background colour is reflective but they didn't reflect the letting itself: he theorized that made it easier for toll cameras to read the plates (better contrast) but not for human eyes.

Also an ex-firefighter called in too and said that the flat plates (old ones had the characters imprinted) would make it more difficult to identify the remains of fiery vehicle crashes.

Re: Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

#22

Post by hwc »

millzlane wrote: post #17
HenryKissinger wrote: post #2

The concept of physical license plates is completely outdated anyway.

Yep, I can take plates off of relatively anycar I see, preferably the same make, model, and color. Skip tolls, red lights, kill anyone, be a get away vehicle, collect parking tickets practically do anything I want where I didn't want to be identified by my license plate. License plates unless they're permanently affixed to cars is a bit outdated. Identifying license plates on the vehicle should be more permanent. Sim…

Paint a QR code of the VIN on the front and back bumpers at the factory. Done.

Re: Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

#23

Post by skrebbel »

pszndr wrote: post #18

> The plates also had a new slogan – "A Place to Grow" – which drew the ire of some critics, who preferred the previous "Yours to Discover," which the plates had sported since 1982 Both are just as corny as they are useless in a license plate. Why put in novelty stuff? License plates are for identification, and should serve solely that function.

Just a reminder that "drew the ire of some critics" is journo speak for "somebody tweeted something".

Twitter is a goldmine for making issues seem more controversial than they really are. Just search Twitter for the topic of your article and you'll always find at least one dissenting voice.

Re: Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

#24

Post by Nasrudith »

pszndr wrote: post #18

> The plates also had a new slogan – "A Place to Grow" – which drew the ire of some critics, who preferred the previous "Yours to Discover," which the plates had sported since 1982 Both are just as corny as they are useless in a license plate. Why put in novelty stuff? License plates are for identification, and should serve solely that function.

Because of greed conceptually - they undermine real function seeking imaginary gains in marketing.

Re: Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

#26

Post by julianlam »

pletsch wrote: post #3

Saw a few of these this weekend, I'm curious to see if the 407 (Ontario's toll road)cameras can read them at night. I imagine this gets changed quite quickly if they can only read the old plates.

The article does specify that the Ford government tested the plates with "key stakeholders", which I'd imagine the 407 cameras would be one of them.

Re: Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

#27

Post by mumblemumble »

pletsch wrote: post #3

Saw a few of these this weekend, I'm curious to see if the 407 (Ontario's toll road)cameras can read them at night. I imagine this gets changed quite quickly if they can only read the old plates.

Given the numbers I've seen on some of my ETR bills, I could see that being a clever strategy to get more people to move to Ontario.

Re: Ontario's new license plates have a problem: you can't read them

#29

Post by yjftsjthsd-h »

loceng wrote: post #21
pletsch wrote: post #3

Saw a few of these this weekend, I'm curious to see if the 407 (Ontario's toll road)cameras can read them at night. I imagine this gets changed quite quickly if they can only read the old plates.

On CBC radio call in portion of a show a police officer agreed they're not good to read, definitely not easier, and I believe he was the caller that theorized that the blue background colour is reflective but they didn't reflect the letting itself: he theorized that made it easier for toll cameras to read the plates (better contrast) but not for human eyes. Also an ex-firefighter called in too and said that the flat…

> easier for troll cameras to read

...typo? or...?

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