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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.'"

38 of 624 comments (clear)

  1. Really? by an00bis · · Score: 5, Funny

    You stay classy California.

    1. Re:Really? by thoughtspace · · Score: 4, Funny

      What? Honk if you're horny?

    2. Re:Really? by thrawn_aj · · Score: 4, Interesting

      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?

    3. Re:Really? by MalHavoc · · Score: 4, Funny

      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."

    4. Re:Really? by vtcodger · · Score: 5, Informative

      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.

      --
      You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
    5. 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......
    6. 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
    7. Re:Really? by Bill_the_Engineer · · Score: 4, Funny

      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?

      --
      These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
    8. Re:Really? by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Informative

      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...

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Really? by maxwell+demon · · Score: 5, Funny

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

      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  2. 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 0100010001010011 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      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.

    3. 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

    4. Re:Programmable Number Plates by Statecraftsman · · Score: 4, Funny

      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.

    5. 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!

    6. Re:Programmable Number Plates by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Funny

      I support team goatse.

      --
      Do you even lift?

      These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    7. Re:Programmable Number Plates by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      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.

    8. Re:Programmable Number Plates by PitaBred · · Score: 5, Interesting

      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.

      --
      My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
    9. Re:Programmable Number Plates by Nkwe · · Score: 4, Interesting

      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

    10. Re:Programmable Number Plates by unkiereamus · · Score: 5, Interesting

      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.)

      --
      I needed a sig so people would know who I am, but I was too drunk to make something witty, so you get this instead.
    11. Re:Programmable Number Plates by sectoidman · · Score: 4, Informative

      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).

    12. 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
    13. 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
    14. Re:Programmable Number Plates by rainmouse · · Score: 5, Informative

      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

  3. Lower fees? by Dr_Banzai · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  4. Re:Cool idea, destined to turn out badly by blai · · Score: 4, Interesting

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

    --
    In soviet Russia, God creates you!
  5. How about Tetris? by martin-boundary · · Score: 5, Funny

    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!

  6. Re:pulled over? by deniable · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  7. Re:Crashes? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 5, Funny

    What if it gets the Blue Screen of Death?

    Blue screens are almost always a driver problem.

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  8. 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 heritage727 · · Score: 4, Funny

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

      The blue license plate of death?

  9. Re:story about that... by Runaway1956 · · Score: 4, Informative

    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!

    --
    "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
  10. Can it say "STOLEN" if somebody steals your car? by Joce640k · · Score: 5, Interesting

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

    --
    No sig today...
  11. 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.

  12. Re:Pb vs U by tsotha · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

  13. broken by jDeepbeep · · Score: 4, Funny

    what do the powered license plates display when they break?

    PC_LOAD_AD

    --
    Reply to That ||
  14. 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.'"