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California Wants To Put E-Ads On License Plates

Posted by kdawson on from the distracted-stopping dept.

techmuse writes "The San Jose Mercury News reports that the California state legislature wants to put electronic advertising on license plates. The plate would display standard plate information when the car is moving, but would also display ads when the car is stopped for more than 4 seconds (say, at a red light). Not distracting or annoying at all! 'The bill has received no formal opposition. It passed unanimously through the Senate last month and is scheduled to be heard Monday by the Assembly Transportation Committee.'"

18 of 624 comments (clear)

  1. Programmable Number Plates by Bronster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Oh goody - programmable number plates. What could possibly go wrong. I can just imagine how happy the jackers are going to be - no need to switch plates, just upload a custom firmware and you're gold.

    1. Re:Programmable Number Plates by Bronster · · Score: 4, Insightful

      On the flip side, I'd love a "back off" button I could get to make the plate flash a message at the wanker behind me, or even a "turn your lights on".

    2. Re:Programmable Number Plates by nametaken · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It says they're looking to be able to put logos and such on the plates too, to "support your favorite team". So I can just imagine what the first hacker is going to draw on a plate.

      So they're running a $19 billion deficit and these are the ideas they're coming up with to fix the problem? How about, STOP SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY?

      The best ones were at the bottom... other upcoming CA legislation. Making it illegal to use a mobile device while on a bicycle? Really? They have nothing better to worry about? Making all lead ammunition illegal for hunting... excepting that it's already illegal to use in most cases? Time well spent, you goofs. Oh, but they remembered to throw in some legislation to make it easier for people to transfer their foodstamp program benefits. Glad to see they have their priorities straight. :P

    3. Re:Programmable Number Plates by GrumpySteen · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I can see a huge underground industry built up around this because there's no way in hell what ever "encryption" they use will last.

      And then, once the encryption is broken, they can justify passing an even more draconian version of the DMCA that makes breaking encryption a felony with mandatory prison time. Hooray for the future!

    4. Re:Programmable Number Plates by compro01 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      How about, STOP SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY?

      8 words : Ballot measures making a lot of spending mandatory.

      6 more words : Super-majority required for tax increases.

      People vote for ballot measures for spending, but then vote against the tax increases to pay for it.

      --
      upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
    5. Re:Programmable Number Plates by Runaway1956 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This. 85th percentile rules.

      Want a realistic speed limit, with zero meaningless bullshit involved? Build your road. Open it to the public. Monitor the speed of traffic for a month or more. There WILL be some idiots who drive to fast - just let them, they are part of the formula. There will also be some other morons who drive so slow, you wonder if they are alive or not. No problem - they are also part of the formula.

      After you've monitored speeds for a reasonable period of time (remember, I said a month or more - six months seems to long, probably 60 to 90 days is right) you find that 85th percentile, and post that as the speed limit. Go ahead, and round it to the nearest 5 mph, or, if you insist (out of some unfounded fear) round to the next LOWER 5 mph. Post that speed limit now.

      You will find that *almost* nobody speeds. You have found the magical number, which reasonable people can all agree on. Some still drive to slow - and you really ought to check them out. Elderly people, people with poor vision, people with poor reflexes, people with near zero experience. Go ahead, and check them out.

      Those who normally speed through bullshit speed zones are *mostly* going to recognize that the speed limit here is reasonable, and they will tend to observe it, or stay within that 5 mph over range, for which almost no cop ever pulls a guy over.

      The oddball who INSISTS that he is going to drive 10 to 30 mile over the speed limit is an utter moron, and he needs to be taken to court, fined, driver's license suspended, and possibly given some jail time. He has no business on the road.

      This formula scares some people. "Oh dear, doing things this way might mean speed limits over 80 MPH!"

      Tough noogies. If 80, 90, or 100 MPH scares you, then you have no business driving on a major highway. Take the back roads, and look at the pretty farms along the way. Or, just stay in town, and fly if you must travel to another city.

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
    6. Re:Programmable Number Plates by Runaway1956 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The point of posting the speed limit, you ask?

      There will ALWAYS be some few damn fools who think that they are Mario Andretti. Places where everyone else is quite happy to drive 50 mph, he will insist on doing 80 or more. Places where everyone else is doing ~100 mph, he will insist on going 150 or more.

      Remember, we don't have an Autobahn here in the states. There are few places that really are designed to run more than 100mph. There is SOME POINT at which an increase in speed is reckless endangerment, on any and all roadways in the states.

      Those reckless drivers who insist on endangering every single soul that they get close to should be dealt with, and harshly.

      The speed limit isn't to limit the reasonable person who is driving within safe limits - it is only there to enable the cops to identify and cite the less common idiots.

      If the US should ever build the equivalent of the Autobahn, and decide not to post any speed limit at all, I will be among the first to drive it. :^)

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
  2. The cycle by mrsteveman1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Spend too much money -> need money -> get more money with stupid schemes -> spend too much money -> ....

    Repeat

  3. Cool idea, destined to turn out badly by Monty845 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The idea is cool, but I would be really pissed if someone could put ads on my car without my consent. But how else will they rake in the money for the state? (Maybe make it optional and split the ad revenue with the driver?)

  4. But does it run linux? by madfilipino · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I can't believe no one has asked this yet.

  5. Green technology by LoverOfJoy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    California is totally into green technology lately. I've got a great idea for them. Normal non-powered license plates. Once created they use no energy and produce no emissions.

    1. Re:Green technology by SolitaryMan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yes, and what do the powered license plates display when they break? And what will they display when hacked?

      The second one is easy: porn

      --
      May Peace Prevail On Earth
  6. This is a stupid formula by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    People drive at what *they* perceive a safe speed to be, not what is a safe speed.

    People also drive at a distance behind other cars at which they perceive to be safe.

    How many people stay the requisite 3 seconds behind other cars? (or even longer on wet/icey roads)

    How many people are aware of why that 3 second rule exists and understand it enough to obey it?

    The point here is that people will drive in a manner that is neither safe for themselves or others on the road because they can and because they think it is ok without understanding why it isn't.

    1. Re:This is a stupid formula by andi75 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      My car has a built-in range check and its computer tells me how far behind I am behind the car in front of me.

      I feel most comfortable at a time distance of +3 seconds and let the car drive in cruise control then, which I turn off at 2.0-2.5 seconds. I have currently set the range check to start blinking warningly at 1.5 seconds or less. At that point you really need to be paying very close attention to what's going on on the road (yes, that means watching quite a few cars ahead). When it's at less then 1.2 seconds I usually put my foot on the brake to be able to quickly react to anything (and it's high time to lose some speed anyway).

      If someone cuts into the lane right in front of me it sometimes goes down to 0.8 seconds. Needless to say that I make damn sure it doesn't stay that way for long.

  7. What they send to the Feds doesn't matter by Shivetya · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The state and federal taxes are not related. It does not matter how much the people of California pay to the federal government, only how much they pay to their own state. Now if your saying that the forty billion dollar difference is not making up for unfunded mandates at the federal level, well boo hoo, that still does not help California's problem.

    California's problem is based in part on too many entitlements, too much pay and benefits to the government workers, and far too many people off the tax rolls. The amounts going to pay government employee pay, pensions, and benefits, is staggering and only getting worse as politicians pay that group to keep themselves in power.

    No, having that forty billion extra won't save California, they need to have reasonable expenditures before any amount of income matters. The sad part is, many states in the Northeast US are in worse shape but you never hear of it

    --
    * Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
    1. Re:What they send to the Feds doesn't matter by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The state and federal taxes are not related. It does not matter how much the people of California pay to the federal government, only how much they pay to their own state.

      The money is collected from taxes and sent out of the state, that sounds like a problem to me. We're not printing the fucking money and sending it to them. The money comes ultimately from businesses and individuals throughout California, and we're funding other people's mandates! Why should any state that can't stand on its own continue to exist? If the state isn't worth having around on its own merits, merge it with some state that is, and take a star off the damned flag.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  8. Re:Really? by cbiltcliffe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    make all legislators, state and local, wear those garish advertisement suits (like the Nascar idiots).

    That's not advertising, it's sponsorship. Entirely different thing, just like campaign contributions and bribery.

    So, those "garish advertisement suits" should clearly show every company who's money the politico thinks is more important than his constituents opinions.

    Sounds like a great idea. People will know who to blame when things go sideways.

    --
    "City hall" in German is "Rathaus" Kinda explains a few things......
  9. Re:Really? by vtcodger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A truly brilliant idea.

    Policeman to bystander. "So, the bank robbers were driving a black sedan and you aren't sure of the make or year because all cars look alike nowadays? I don't suppose you got the license number?"

    Bystander. "Sure. It was 'WALMART ROLLS BACK PRICES'".

    --
    You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey