California Wants To Put E-Ads On License Plates

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.'"

Comments

Really?

[an00bis]

You stay classy California.

Re:Really?

[Anonymous Coward]

I can see everybody loving having a flashing ad for "male enhancement" products on their plates at the stop lights

Re:Really?

[thoughtspace]

What? Honk if you're horny?

Re:Really?

[thrawn_aj]

Indeed. I live in CA and my answer to the numbnut legislators who came up with this is simple - use Sacramento as a fucking billboard instead of whoring out the entire population of the state because you can't do your job worth a damn and balance your fucking budget. I propose an alternative. Turn the state capitol and its environs into a billboard farm (the walls should sell for a high price dontcha think?) and make all legislators, state and local, wear those garish advertisement suits (like the Nascar idiots). That oughta bring in the cash. I swear, at this point, it seems like those douchebags have just given up entirely. Twits. Another year of this nonsense and I swear I'm gonna go Republican :'( NTTAWWT

Someone clue me in on this - exactly what happens if a state goes bankrupt? What if a state legislature just throws up its hands and says, "I got nuthin". Can they just, ah ... foreclose on a state? I mean, what are we looking at here, worst case? Should I start stocking up on canned goods and shit? Emigrate to Oregon? What?

Re:Really?

[MalHavoc]

It'll be great when a car gets pulled over for speeding and the cop calls in the license plate.
"Roger, I need a check on a plate. California plate Papa-Three-November-One-Sierra. Wait no, scratch that. He rolled forward a bit. New plate number Charlie-One-Alpha-One-Sierra."

Re:Really?

[vtcodger]

It's way worse than that. The state was New Hampshire and the slogan that was taped over was "LIVE FREE OR DIE".

http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=15440

Eventually, the case was heard by the Supreme Court of the Unites States. New Hampshire lost 6-3 on First Amendment -- Freedom of Speech grounds. The defendant was eventually awarded legal fees which New Hampshire refused to pay until a marshall walked into a state liquor store with a writ and demanded $21,000.

Re:Really?

[cbiltcliffe]

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.

Re:Really?

[vtcodger]

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'".

Re:Really?

[Bill_the_Engineer]

wear those garish advertisement suits (like the Nascar idiots).

Idiots? They make more money than we do and all they have to do is drive fast and turn left. Who's the bigger idiot?

Re:Really?

[TheLink]

Wow. He covers up the "live free" slogan, and they jailed him for that. Sounds like "the beatings will continue until morale improves" ;).

Later on he moves to Connecticut and covers up "The Constitution State" and gets a citation for that... Talk about irony.

Anyway, the e-ads are a ridiculous idea from so many points, are they really serious about it?

Just because the vehicle is stationary doesn't mean you wouldn't need to know the license plate number. Most people drive around with non-faked license plates because they think they'll never commit a serious enough crime. But the difference between a law abiding citizen and a criminal is often just a lapse in judgement, a bad mistake or two.

Re:Really?

[ComputerGeek01]

I live in Buffalos NY and our CITY has been backrupt for awhile now. They got assigned a control board from ??? by ???, I didn't vote for any of those retards, who don't allow them to spend anything but then they whine and cry like little kids until they get what they want anyway. They close down parks and the such (although a state wouldn't be responsible for that anyway) and spend what ever money they can pry out of the control board for project A on special interest project B anyway. So basically you get less services and pay more taxes and nothing else changes.

Re:Really?

[drinkypoo]

The irony of course is that the guy who received the citation still doesn't understand the First Amendment:

His faith causes him to question whether the First Amendment has been extended too far in certain circumstances. He says that the First Amendment should not protect immorality. "I think that freedom should protect the right principles of morality," he says.

"I think the ACLU does a good job for good things and I think they do a good job for bad things, such as protecting pornography and homosexuality -- things that conflict with the teachings of the Bible," Maynard says.

"But they did right by me in my case and I still appreciate that."

Some men you just can't reach...

Re:Really?

[operagost]

From the link:

He believed that the motto violated his religious beliefs because it implied that one had to give up his life for the state.

Reading comprehension FAIL.

Re:Really?

[qazxsw]

How about selling the state name like a sports stadium? :)

Re:Really?

[maxwell demon]

"OK, the plate seems to be: Victor-India-Alpha-Golf-Romeo-Alpha."

Programmable Number Plates

[Bronster]

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.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Bronster]

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".

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[0100010001010011]

Speed and red light cameras become useless too, 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.

Car in motion > 30 mph = some random number.
Car stopped and < 30 mph = your 'real' number.

Then ads for being stopped.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[jhoegl]

So... when the cop pulls you over your real number will be displayed... GENIUS!

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[nametaken]

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

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Statecraftsman]

Possible ad you may see on your license plate in the future:

Jailbreak your license plate. $19.95. Text 'Plate' to 55555 and follow this car for 60 seconds.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[GrumpySteen]

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!

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[larry bagina]

I support team goatse.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Anonymous Coward]

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".

I think we all would at times. There are some homemade examples of this on youtube. Do note, however, that this is a direct violation of the law in many places and would fall under more general reckless driving laws in the rest.

Rule of thumb: moving/changing signs are not allowed on cars.

Also for those who don't know; The California state legislature throws stupid stuff like this around all the time. It never goes anywhere. They don't do it because they want to pass the law. They do it because there is some wealthy business behind it. This is clearly a crappy ad for some crappy ad manufacturer.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[compro01]

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.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[PitaBred]

I'll slow down as soon as the speed limits are set by engineers and not politicians and people with a monetary stake in the revenue from tickets resulting from said limits.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[eugene ts wong]

I agree. I would also appreciate being able to say, "Sorry.", or "Thanks.". I realize that I can wave, but it isn't as effective, in my opinion. I feel that if we could communicate with each other, then we'd be safer.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Nkwe]

The article said it was to prevent animals from swallowing spent casings and introducing lead into the food chain. I couldn't speak to the likelihood or real impact of that actually happening.

It is not the shell casings, it is the bullet or the shot inside shotgun shells. Birds that bottom feed eat the used shot on the bottom of lakes and waterways causing the lead to get into the (animal) food chain. It is not just waterfowl, scavengers such as the condor are also effected. Lead Shot

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[unkiereamus]

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.

So, 2005 was the last year I could conveniently find (read 10 seconds of googling) numbers for, but according to taxfoundation.org, in 2005, CA sent ~$286,627,000,000 to the Federal Government, on the other hand they received ~$242,023,000,000 dollars worth of federal funding.

I'd just like to note that this represents a 44.6 billion dollar disparity.

Of course, the withdrawal of that money from the federal budget would mean the effective collapse of numerous other states (I started to add up the numbers, but frankly, I'm too lazy.)

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[SmitherIsGod]

Already done.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/car/d138/

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Splab]

Roads are built to code, they are designed to handle cars at the speed politicians have set with a margin for idiots.

Please make sure you only kill yourself when you have an accident...

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[sectoidman]

Lead shot and bullets (especially copper-jacketed bullets) aren't terribly dangerous as far as lead exposure goes, since the elemental lead used in projectile construction isn't as bio-available as its derivative organic compounds (like, say, lead acetate or tetra-ethyl lead).

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[nametaken]

I'm quite familiar with the difference between bullets, shot, primers, wads, powder, shotshells and pistol and rifle casings. I'm a longtime shooter. I specifically used the language used in the article to avoid any confusion.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Runaway1956]

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.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Runaway1956]

You, sir, seem to have bought into the idea that the politicians who vote and set the speed limits have a clue. GP knows what he is talking about. Google the terms "speed limit" and "85th percentile".

You, and all drivers and voters, should be aware that politicians have no desire to post "safe" speed limits, because the vast majority of people will observe those speed limits. Their motivation is to generate revenue, by posting speed limits BELOW what safety dictates. If you know of a road near you where more than half the people consistently speed by more than 10 MPH over the speed limit, then you know of a cash cow.

There is SOME truth in your statement. In residential and business areas, streets that are poorly designed are indeed dangerous. For instance, there is absolutely NO REASON to put a 6 lane highway through a school zone - or, conversely, to build a school on a 6 lane highway. Depending on which was built first, whoever designed and built the latter structure was a complete MORON!!

However, the 85th percentile applies even in built up areas, PROVIDED THAT the streets and roads were designed and built by engineers and contractors who have a clue about traffic flow.

When you get into old city areas that predate motor vehicles, and when you get into cities and towns with no zoning or planning committees, then all bets are off.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[roman_mir]

So what is the point of posting it?

What is the point of posting a speed limit at a limit that is already natural to 85% of people on that road? WHY POST IT?

There is no need to set a speed limit at all, unless there is some unnatural thing happening around a zone, like a school zone where the speed limit is not due to the road conditions but is there because some kids are dumb and/or inattentive, while others just don't understand the danger yet due to lack of experience?

There is no need to post a speed limit on a road that has no obstacles of the kind described above.

I am driving in Germany for the past half a year, and there is nothing special about the Autobahn that makes it so much different from most US/Canadian highways, in fact Autobahn is much more narrow than many highways that I normally drive in Canada on.

I drive at my normal speed of 160 to 210 Km/m here on the highway but in the city I am within 10 km of the posted limit. As I am driving the Accura MDX we brought here, many cars zoom by at probably 1.5 times my speed and those are not only BMWs, Mercedes and Audis. People go fast in everything, from VWs to Peugeots and so what?

The system here makes perfect sense and a system that you are proposing is nonsense - limiting people artificially on a road to a speed they already have chosen?

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[u17]

My car does not do 100 MPH, you insensitive clod! And at 90 the engine is revved up like crazy while the car ceases to drive stably.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Runaway1956]

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. :^)

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Eternal Vigilance]

"Don't jizz on me"?

Sounds like the Gadsden Flag of the sexual revolution.

"Wank Free Or Die"

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[rainmouse]

I suppose speed limits of 30 mph in a residential area is purely motivated towards speeding tickets income and nothing to do with the 20% fatality at 30mph vs 40 mph where its 90% fatality rate. Seems like this are speed limits imposed by engineers. Of course now they are pushing for 20mph in residential areas which decreases the chance of death to around 2.5%. Of course you could argue its political when over 3 thousand people in the UK alone are killed on roads each year. You can throw out whatever excuse for driving irresponsibly, but don't think your fooling everyone.

figures from Sunday Times which may or may not be 100% accurate but they paint a decent picture. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article3941769.ece

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Mr. Freeman]

Actually, there is. It varies by state to state but there may be laws that prohibit you from putting flashing lights, changing displays, lit displays, etc. based on where you live.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[thrawn_aj]

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. :^)

I'd wait a year for the loons to Darwin themselves and then just go out and .... and .... make love to it. Like I said in a previous post, take away limits that people have lived under all their lives and the first expression of that newfound freedom is likely to be ... unwise.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[thrawn_aj]

So I can just imagine what the first hacker is going to draw on a plate.

8008135 ?

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[swamp_ig]

The problem with this approach is most people's *perception* of a reasonable speed limit is incorrect.

For an individual major accidents are a highly unusual occourance, hence the feeling of 'too fast' is strongly associated with whatever you're used to. Remember back to when you were first driving, and how everything seemed too fast? You soon got used to it.

Unfortunatly e=mv^2 is not your friend. At high speeds that huge amount of energy turns a fender bender into a 6 month stay in hospital and two years of rehab for the survivors.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[hedwards]

I thought that was "Wank Free or Die Hard."

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[hedwards]

That's too be expected. In general the blue states pay for running the federal government, but it's typically the red states that whine and demand tax breaks. California, New York and almost certainly Florida would be paying more than they're getting. Here in WA we've got the same problem on the state level. The vast majority of the taxes come from the west of the cascades, but east of the cascades is where most of the support for hobbling government and the ability to pay for things the voters demanded is supported.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[ericrost]

Here's a very edifying collection of those statistics. The "libertarians" amongst us are actually receiving the most benefit from our socialist policies, while the "socialists" amongst us are actually those that are quite self sufficient.

http://www.good.is/post/the-anti-tax-states-get-a-great-deal-on-taxes/

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Myopic]

The California state legislature throws stupid stuff like this around all the time. It never goes anywhere. They don't do it because they want to pass the law. They do it because there is some wealthy business behind it.

That is a motherfucking stupid reason to vote for or pass a bill. It borders on treason.

My apologies for the profanity.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[stewbacca]

The point of posting speed limits it is to keep most traffic driving at roughly the same speed. I absolutely agree with your suggestion to remove speed recommendations altogether (having lived in Germany myself, and clearly understanding where you are coming from), but that will NEVER happen in America. We are uptight, conservative and lack proper driver's education.

Also, the Autobahn is engineered with minimum inclines and declines and beautifully engineered equal-radius corners. US highways are engineered to cut around the path of least resistance and for the least amount of money. This leads to wild changes in elevation and dangerous increasing-radius corners, to go along with our giant, crappy cars with their non-handling cloud suspensions and our uneducated drivers.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Bill_the_Engineer]

Actually that makes sense. Who's better to make these license plates? A little over qualified... perhaps.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[John Hasler]

An acquaintance who worked for one those agencies for forty years assures me that the primary consideration in setting speed limits is revenue. The bureaucrats ask the engineers what the optimum safe speed is and then set the limit as far below that as they think the voters will tolerate. He says that unrealistically-low limits increase accident rates by increasing the speed dispersion.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[cbiltcliffe]

It has been proven many times over, the slower you go in a built up area, the less critical and minor accidents occur.

Among all drivers? Or only the crappy ones?

All those studies are biased in their selection, in that only people who get into accidents are selected.

They don't prove that accidents happen because of speed. They prove that people who are likely to get into accidents are more likely to get into accidents at higher speeds. They demonstrate nothing about drivers who are not likely to get into accidents in the first place.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[Golddess]

Right, because highway driving and residential driving are completely the same thing.

GP may not have explicitly stated they were talking about highways, but I cannot believe anyone out there thinks speed limits should be removed everywhere, including residential neighborhoods.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[blackraven14250]

Corporations are our enemy, therefore it is treason.

Re:Programmable Number Plates

[DragonWriter]

Also for those who don't know; The California state legislature throws stupid stuff like this around all the time. It never goes anywhere.

Like any legislative body, the California state legislature has lots of bills introduced, byt most of the more off-the-wall ones never get significant support and don't pass out of committee, much less out of the first house.

OTOH, this particular measure passed out of the California State Senate without objection and is now being heard by an Assembly committee, so I'm not sure its as unlikely to become law as you suggest.

The cycle

[mrsteveman1]

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

Repeat

Re:The cycle

[Low Ranked Craig]

Exactly. California is ungovernable and run buy a bunch of tax and waste (it's a stretch to call it tax and spend) idiots. We lived there for 20+ years and got out 5 years ago due to the financial insanity of trying to make ends meet. I can honestly say the only things I miss are some of the radio stations (which I now get on the net) and Disneyland. Everything else is rubbish as compared to the asking price of living and doing business there. California is becoming a place for the rich and the poor. The rich can afford it, and the state pays* for everything if you're poor. If you're middle class they bend you over and pound you in the ass. With sand.

* with borrowed money

Re:The cycle

[coaxial]

Exactly. California is ungovernable and run buy a bunch of tax and waste (it's a stretch to call it tax and spend) idiots.

Well actually it's spend and don't tax. In that sense, it's a model Republican state.

Lest we forget Prop 13 that essentially froze property tax income at 1970s values, it's constitution that makes initiatives sacrosanct, the constitutional amendment that requires a 2/3s supermajority to raise (but not lower) taxes, and a 2/3s supermajority to balance a budget, and a marginalized set of political extremists that just happen to hold 2 seats over the 1/3 minority in both houses. (Yes, slashdoters, 2 people hold the entire state hostage.)

God I wished Repair California actually had their act together.

Fuck the initiative process. Fuck the 2/3s supermajorites. Grow the fuck up.

The refrain that taxes are "too high" has no basis on reality. Taxes are at a 50 year low nationwide, and taxes haven't been able to be raised in California for since the 1970s. Nationwide, the US is significantly below the OECD average at 28%. (The OECD average 36%.)

If I was King of California, I'd know what I'd do solve the budget problems of California. I'd raise taxes.

Re:The cycle

[Undead Waffle]

If I was King of California, I'd know what I'd do solve the budget problems of California. I'd raise taxes.

Except California already has the highest sales tax (when local taxes are added). Not to mention one of the highest costs of living in the country. I would say that's a pretty good indication that our problem is related more to our spending than our taxing.

Driving up the cost of living and the cost of doing business can cause plenty of negative side effects, so just raising taxes isn't a fix-all for California's budget problems.

taxes haven't been able to be raised in California for since the 1970s

That's just outright wrong. For the past year we've been paying an extra 1% sales tax and local taxes have certainly gone up. LA county went up half a percent at the same time.

And if you're talking about property taxes not going up the value of the property is still assessed when the property changes ownership. Even if the percentage of the property value paid doesn't change it's still a lot more for the state government than it was in the 70s since home prices have gone up quite a bit faster than inflation.

Re:The cycle

[drinkypoo]

We have no business taking out foreign leaders because we disagree with their methods. Bay of Pigs, anyone?

It's preferable to carpet-bombing of countries. I do see that this is a false dichotomy. We created this problem in the first place.

Cool idea, destined to turn out badly

[Monty845]

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?)

Re:Cool idea, destined to turn out badly

[an00bis]

The idea is definitely not cool. But technically the plate belongs to the state so I guess they could do whatever they wanted with it. It's going to eventually come down to someone taking offense to what could potentially be placed on their car. I really don't see this ever happening.

Re:Cool idea, destined to turn out badly

[jhoegl]

Wait till they GPS the shit. Oh your in zip code #####, advertise this.
Privacy people will go nuts.

Re:Cool idea, destined to turn out badly

[blai]

What if, somehow, the licence plate will pay for your car insurance?

No way.

[TavisJohn]

No way would I plug that stupidity into my cars power supply.

Want to advertise on MY property, then pay ME not the state.

I wonder how long after this goes into effect that some guy files a lawsuit for embarrassing him by displaying a tampon advert on his truck's plate.

Or some religious crazy files a lawsuit because the plate displayed a condom advert...

Lower fees?

[Dr_Banzai]

Perhaps accepting the advertising could result in lower license or insurance fees.

Re:Lower fees?

[darth dickinson]

When has the government *ever* lowered fees?

Re:Lower fees?

[donaggie03]

Exactly. Just a few weeks ago we got a notice in the mail that the water rates are going to go up soon. Why? Because water usage is DOWN in my area.

Crashes?

[the1337g33k]

What if it gets the Blue Screen of Death?

Re:Crashes?

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

What if it gets the Blue Screen of Death?

Blue screens are almost always a driver problem.

pulled over?

[Anonymous Coward]

"I'm sorry officer. Guess you should've written my number down BEFORE you pulled me over!"

Re:pulled over?

[deniable]

"No, I didn't get to choose the bacon ad."

issues

[AnAdventurer]

If they can send (?) ad and other information (FTFA) to your plate, they can receive it as well. I am guessing; where you are, for how long, or for how fast you are going. Possibly privacy takes another icicle in the eye.

How about Tetris?

[martin-boundary]

I don't think electronic ads would be that interesting on license plates, but how about a game of Tetris? The car behind could honk once to rotate left, and honk twice to rotate right. This could really reduce boredom in traffic jams!

Re:How about Tetris?

[BluBrick]

Tetris is a great idea ! However, I propose the following controls:
Turn signals: Move piece left and right
Flash high beam: Rotate piece
Honk horn: Drop piece

Yes, that would help drivers relax in a stressful traffic jam! Traffic tetris - Brilliant!

sweet

[Anonymous Coward]

I always wanted top Rickroll people at stop lights

But does it run linux?

[madfilipino]

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

Fuck No

[Khyber]

I will bill every applicable agency $10,000 for every watt-hour of power the thing consumes.

Let's see you try to encroach upon my shit, assholes.

story about that...

[Max Threshold]

I grew up in Indiana and lived all over the US. I've always ignored those yellow advisory speed limit signs on curves and stuff. But I discovered that in Tennessee, more than anywhere else, you ignore those at your own peril. Even in a BMW!

Re:story about that...

[Eivind]

True, it's culturally very different. In Germany "30mph advised" means "it'd take WET ice and summer-tires to make this curve dangerous in 70mph", whereas in parts of Norway, "30 mph advised" means "if you enter this curve in 50mph, you're unlikely to exit it in one piece"

Re:story about that...

[Runaway1956]

Yes, it's safe to ignore those cautionary signs, most of the time. But, you should always be aware of them. Dead Man's Curve on I-90 in Cleveland Ohio pretty much means what it says. The Indian Stairway in Oklahoma says 25 mph on every curve, and you can do 35 on most of them, but two of those curves mean exactly what they say. There are a lot more.

And, if you're driving a truck or a camper, you had better pay attention too. We have a curve three miles north of my house in Arkansas, with warning signs that say "35 MPH". I can do ~65 in any of my kid's sports cars - but big trucks and campers alike have gone off that curve while doing ~40 - 45 MPH.

My own personal rule of thumb, is to slow to within 15 MPH of what the sign says BEFORE getting to the curve, then adjust as I see fit as I actually enter the curve.

I've found a few curves in W. Virginia and N. Carolina that scared the crap out of me, too. My rule of thumb was dangerously to fast for them! It sucks to get into the curve, then realize that it gets sharper before it straightens out!

Re:The Legislature?

[Adrian Lopez]

I guess you were asleep when they showed that "how a bill becomes law" video. The California state legislature hasn't even voted on this, and I doubt that it ever will. Like it says in TFA, this is a proposal by a one particular member, and will never be more than that unless he gets a lot of other assemblymen and state senators to back it.

I guess you fell asleep before reading the sentence in TFA that says the bill "passed unanimously through the Senate last month"? The Senate is part of the Legislature, you know.

Keyboard?

[lopaka1998]

What a wonderful idea - especially the way California drivers drive... All they need to do is add a keyboard for the driver. You can text the person in front of you or behind you... imagine the possibilities...

"Hey, you, assh*** where the f**k did you learn to drive?!!!"

No more need to use the horn.

Green technology

[LoverOfJoy]

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.

Re:Green technology

[halowolf]

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

Re:Green technology

[SolitaryMan]

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

Re:Green technology

[heritage727]

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

The blue license plate of death?

Can it say "STOLEN" if somebody steals your car?

[Joce640k]

That would be cool. Apart from that it's all fail.

This is a stupid formula

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Re:This is a stupid formula

[andi75]

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.

Does it ever end?

[BinBoy]

At what point is the beast satisfied? Couldn't we agree on some reasonable percentage of the total personal/corporate income and then force the government to spend within that limit?

Re:Driving is a privilege,

[Stooshie]

Unless "Honk" is the product. :-)

What they send to the Feds doesn't matter

[Shivetya]

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

Re:What they send to the Feds doesn't matter

[drinkypoo]

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.

Re:Pb vs U

[tsotha]

Now that's a good idea. That way if you ever run across an armored pheasant you'll still knock that sucker down. And since DU is pyrophoric by the time you get there he'll be cooked, too.

How will the owner of the vehicle get compensated?

[loudheart]

California gets 30% and owner gets 70% of the ad revenue?

State-owned black box on every car

[John Hasler]

> ...it's designed to display warnings for local traffic conditions so it
> presumably has built-in GPS to know where you are.

Short-range roadside transmitters would suffice for that (paid for by the company so that they can sell local ads). However, this is an opportunity to get state-owned black boxes onto every car in the state. Initially, of course, Californians will be assured that no information will be gathered. Then the exceptions will start creeping in. Finally, a connector will be mandated and the plate plugged into the vehicle CAN bus.

It will be a felony to meddle with the plate in any way, including suppressing the ads.

broken

[jDeepbeep]

what do the powered license plates display when they break?

PC_LOAD_AD

Enter state surveillance of your driving

[intheshelter]

I'm stunned I haven't heard this from anyone else, but you know these will have to be wirelessly connected somehow so it can update with the latest advertising. And with that wireless connection is a nice easy way for the state to Lojack your car and know exactly where you are every minute of the day. How convenient.

Re:When the only highway is too fast for your car

[PitaBred]

There are always other roads. The Interstate is never the only path.

My thought

[Capt.DrumkenBum]

If you want to put an advertisement on my car you can god damn well pay me for the privilege!