On the other hand it feels like there's been a huge money grab with automated systems mailing out tickets or maybe I'm just at sore at the $180 red light camera ticket I just paid.
Did you run a red light?
More Americans are using fake license plates
11–20 of 170 posts
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#12I’m not an old person, but I know I’m going to sound like a curmudgeon saying this. I think it’s just moral decay. I can’t think of any other meaningful reason. In Phoenix, which I consider the national capitol of bad drivers, in the span of less than 10 years, I’ve noticed a staggering number of people in the metro area who just blatantly run red lights now. Sometimes seconds after they’ve turned. It’s straight up r…
It is “moral decay” almost by definition. But that’s pointless because it only shifts the question to what led to the “moral decay”.
Usually those crying out “moral decay” do so because they have certain pet theories, but there is no evidence for those pet theories, and more often than not there is enough evidence to disprove their pet theory.
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#13PA. Who has the most expensive turnpike. Closed all tolls.
They implemented a shit mail system that doesn't work.
Then they suddenly had 350 million in unpaid tolls.
Talk about putting a stick in your wheel
So the legislature changed the law - don't pay to play on the quasi private road, and your registration will get suspended
I see a lot more cars with bike racks on 476 now.
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#14I’m not an old person, but I know I’m going to sound like a curmudgeon saying this. I think it’s just moral decay. I can’t think of any other meaningful reason. In Phoenix, which I consider the national capitol of bad drivers, in the span of less than 10 years, I’ve noticed a staggering number of people in the metro area who just blatantly run red lights now. Sometimes seconds after they’ve turned. It’s straight up r…
“Moral decay” doesn’t really offer much of an explanation though. That’s basically just saying “people are doing bad things more these days because people care less about doing good things these days.”
There’s absolutely a transition occurring from a country that is still mostly high trust to one that is low trust.
See: the sizable contingent in SF who believes that open air drug markets and rampant violent crime are simply the price one must pay to live in cities.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#15I’m not an old person, but I know I’m going to sound like a curmudgeon saying this. I think it’s just moral decay. I can’t think of any other meaningful reason. In Phoenix, which I consider the national capitol of bad drivers, in the span of less than 10 years, I’ve noticed a staggering number of people in the metro area who just blatantly run red lights now. Sometimes seconds after they’ve turned. It’s straight up r…
“Moral decay” doesn’t really offer much of an explanation though. That’s basically just saying “people are doing bad things more these days because people care less about doing good things these days.”
It could be the "broken windows" theory. As more people do it, more people think it's acceptable or just how things are, and so do it themselves, further exacerbating the problem. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#16On the other hand it feels like there's been a huge money grab with automated systems mailing out tickets or maybe I'm just at sore at the $180 red light camera ticket I just paid.
I am absolutely not a fan of fixed or hidden speed cameras, but red light cameras are legitimately good because you have zero reason or excuse to go through a red or speed through an intersection.
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#17I’m not an old person, but I know I’m going to sound like a curmudgeon saying this. I think it’s just moral decay. I can’t think of any other meaningful reason. In Phoenix, which I consider the national capitol of bad drivers, in the span of less than 10 years, I’ve noticed a staggering number of people in the metro area who just blatantly run red lights now. Sometimes seconds after they’ve turned. It’s straight up r…
I don't think that's a good explanation at all. People are murdering less than a few decades ago, beating their kids less, stealing fewer car stereos. There might indeed be moral decay, but that doesn't answer why fake license plates and not some other thing.
I suspect the reason for greater fake license plate use is the same reason for most products picking up: people are selling them, people are hearing about them, etc.
I suspect speeding has many causes, among them the fact that cars these days can accelerate easier and ride more gently at high speeds. People mostly drive however feels comfortable.
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#18Many of the subjects of Streetsblog's "criminal mischief" (defaced or obscured plates) are vehicles displaying NYPD parking permits. This problem won't get solved until someone besides the police is tasked with fixing it, at least in NYC.
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#19As I understand New York state requires car inspections every 12 months. Do they not fail that due to unreadable license plates? Where I am in Europe if you even have a screw in a place that could potentially confuse a camera it will fail the inspection.
This article talks about both unreadable and fake plates. I think you're talking about unreadable plates.
In that case you remove your tape or other obstruction before the inspection and put it back right after.
The police in New York support this kind of obstruction when done by the right people. The person quoted in the article removed an obstruction from a license plate of a car parked on the street. The driver called the cops, who took the side of the person evading traffic law.
Re: More Americans are using fake license plates
#20I’m not an old person, but I know I’m going to sound like a curmudgeon saying this. I think it’s just moral decay. I can’t think of any other meaningful reason. In Phoenix, which I consider the national capitol of bad drivers, in the span of less than 10 years, I’ve noticed a staggering number of people in the metro area who just blatantly run red lights now. Sometimes seconds after they’ve turned. It’s straight up r…
During the BLM protests, and then when COVID hit, police "quiet quit" on traffic enforcement, despite little to no danger to them (and high availability of the vaccine, which many did not avail themselves of.)
Unfortunately, the result has been skyrocketing injuries and deaths.