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California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

macobserver.com

61–70 of 135 posts

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anonymity. Silver SL's, even AMGs, aren't exactly uncommon in the area. Plus, you don't have to worry about red light cameras.

Anonymity? How many plate-less Mercedes are there in CA?

If I'd had a silver SL55 I would have de-plated it, in the hope that Steve Jobs would have got blamed for everything I did.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#62
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My best bet is he just didn't want to have to deal with the DMV...

If anyone happens to see this, the best thing I've learned this year is that you can do all your DMV business (at least in CA) at any AAA office, if you're a member.

Really? Including getting my licence renewed?

I've been putting off going to the DMV for nearly a year now. My licence is very, very expired. If I can join AAA to avoid this, I definitely will.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#63
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The advantage is that you can't prove it was his car. Even if every other Mercedes AMG is registered, there's no way to prove that his is the only one without a plate.

VIN is visible from the outside of the car

Not at 90 mph.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#64
post #31
post #9

Now explain why he liked to use handicap spots and find the DMV loophole for that. Or how he seeded Apple by selling something that would have landed him in federal prison today.

Did he use them everywhere or just at apple? He's rich enough to pay the fine once in a while when it happened if it was outside of apple too.

It's more that you get towed, vs. fined. Even if you're a billionaire, it's annoying when someone tows your car.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#65
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If anyone happens to see this, the best thing I've learned this year is that you can do all your DMV business (at least in CA) at any AAA office, if you're a member.

Really? Including getting my licence renewed? I've been putting off going to the DMV for nearly a year now. My licence is very, very expired. If I can join AAA to avoid this, I definitely will.

Well, I bought a car and exchanged plates there.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#66
post #3

So basically, Steve got a new Mercedes more often than I get new shoes. Now that's what I expect out of a multibillionaire. Good to see he at least kept himself in new-car smell on a regular basis, and certainly kept a local dealer quite happy.

>Now that's what I expect out of a multibillionaire.

I suppose it makes up for him not living in a gated fortress.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#68
Except there's no loophole. Registering the vehicle at purchase (or at beginning of lease) is required. Cal DMV will then send you plates. At which time your paper stickers expire.

Besides, his vehicle wasn't displaying the temporary plates either.

Look, MacObserver and all the rest of you fanboys: Steve Jobs just decided to disobey the law. There's no loophole. There's just a guy who thought the lines of his car were spoiled by license plates and who decided that, fuck it, he's a billionaire and the laws didn't apply to him.

Jobs was an asshole and a scofflaw. He'll be remembered for doing great things with Apple. Quit trying to whitewash the rest of his life. By the time you people get done with him, his Wikipedia page will talk about how he spent four hours every day feeding puppies and orphans. Sheesh. Knock it off already.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#69

I'm told by a family friend who was Jobs' neighbor that his license plates were stolen regularly by his fans. This was probably how he chose to solve that problem.

For what it's worth, I lived near Jobs' growing up, and not once heard of his plates (or anyone in that neighborhood's) plates getting stolen.

Re: California DMV Loophole Allowed Jobs to Drive Sans-Plates

#70
post #3

So basically, Steve got a new Mercedes more often than I get new shoes. Now that's what I expect out of a multibillionaire. Good to see he at least kept himself in new-car smell on a regular basis, and certainly kept a local dealer quite happy.

> Now that's what I expect out of a multibillionaire. I suppose it makes up for him not living in a gated fortress.

The thing that's fascinating about people with that much money is that they have a lot of freedom to express themselves within their lifestyle.

Cars are a very particular expression of that. So Larry Ellison has a custom all-aluminum roadster, Steve had his German sedans, and ESRI's Jack Dangermond is noted for driving a Taurus wagon.

But just having a Mercedes AMG isn't the same as leasing a new one every six months. But as has mentioned, he may have simply leased the same vehicle on successive six-month terms. That's a very good point and I'd suspect that was in fact the case. It's an even cleverer maneuver and simply sounds more like what Steve would do.

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