Woman blames Star Trek plates for thousands of dollars in accidental tickets

Started by ZLoth, December 06, 2024, 08:22:52 AM

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ZLoth

From KSL:

Woman blames Star Trek license plates for tens of thousands of dollars in accidental tickets
QuoteA Long Island retiree says she's getting traffic tickets from all over the country.

But she hasn't driven a car in four years.

So how could this be happening?
FULL ARTICLE HERE
Don't Drive Distrac... SQUIRREL!


formulanone

Headline is incorrect; it should be:

Incompetent Authorities Blame Innocent Star Trek Fan

kalvado

There are horror stories about fake plates being traced to completely different people. Looks like overall plates discipline went down during covid. NYC started to crack down on all the fake plates, IMHO primarily because tolls are not paid by those drivers. Probably it would take a while for things to stabilize...

wanderer2575

Kinda scary that an unofficial (and illegal to use as a license plate) vanity plate that can be made by any craft person was the root of this.  But this kind of thing has happened when a legitimate plate "number" is used for other purposes.  For example:

Motorists with personalized license plates reading 'NO PLATE' or 'NO TAG' have received a plethora of traffic tickets
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/auto-no-plate/

How a 'NULL' license plate landed one hacker in ticket hell
https://www.wired.com/story/null-license-plate-landed-one-hacker-ticket-hell/

ZLoth

Don't Drive Distrac... SQUIRREL!

Max Rockatansky


vdeane

I wouldn't be surprised if whatever "database" NY is giving people (knowing NY, it could even be an Excel spreadsheet) only has the current plate information, with no record of prior plates.  Then, if other people are just appending/overwriting previous records instead of just using the new version only, the old plate would come up, and they would just blindly send out the ticket.

If that's the case, the easy solution would be the keep the plate in the records but change the name/address information to something like "plate no longer valid".
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

ZLoth

The problem I see isn't the plate itself, but the usage of the plate. Yes, I would have loved to have NCC1701D thirty years ago, but the New York City and surrounding areas have had issues with fake plates and/or fake temporary plates for ages as people try to avoid paying the tolls and parking fees.
Don't Drive Distrac... SQUIRREL!

Road Hog


ZLoth

Don't Drive Distrac... SQUIRREL!

LilianaUwU

Quote from: formulanone on December 06, 2024, 08:34:55 AMHeadline is incorrect; it should be:

Incompetent Authorities Blame Innocent Star Trek Fan

Can't have the media say anything bad about the authorities that pay them to post positive things about them, of course.
"Volcano with no fire... Not volcano... Just mountain."
—Mr. Thwomp

My pronouns are she/her. Also, I'm an admin on the AARoads Wiki.

vdeane

Quote from: LilianaUwU on December 11, 2024, 02:54:21 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 06, 2024, 08:34:55 AMHeadline is incorrect; it should be:

Incompetent Authorities Blame Innocent Star Trek Fan

Can't have the media say anything bad about the authorities that pay them to post positive things about them, of course.
That headline also wouldn't get nearly as many clicks.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

kkt

Quote from: LilianaUwU on December 11, 2024, 02:54:21 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 06, 2024, 08:34:55 AMHeadline is incorrect; it should be:

Incompetent Authorities Blame Innocent Star Trek Fan

Can't have the media say anything bad about the authorities that pay them to post positive things about them, of course.

How much do you think the DMVs pay the press for favorable coverage?

formulanone

Quote from: kkt on December 12, 2024, 05:43:38 PM
Quote from: LilianaUwU on December 11, 2024, 02:54:21 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 06, 2024, 08:34:55 AMHeadline is incorrect; it should be:

Incompetent Authorities Blame Innocent Star Trek Fan

Can't have the media say anything bad about the authorities that pay them to post positive things about them, of course.

How much do you think the DMVs pay the press for favorable coverage?


I dunno, but if it was me, I'd kick someone in the dithium crystals for that kind of habitual fuckupery. Seems like a pretty faceless blame to assert upon if I was a media conglomerate, but I suppose I wouldn't want my car surreptitiously towed away, either.

LilianaUwU

Quote from: kkt on December 12, 2024, 05:43:38 PM
Quote from: LilianaUwU on December 11, 2024, 02:54:21 PM
Quote from: formulanone on December 06, 2024, 08:34:55 AMHeadline is incorrect; it should be:

Incompetent Authorities Blame Innocent Star Trek Fan

Can't have the media say anything bad about the authorities that pay them to post positive things about them, of course.

How much do you think the DMVs pay the press for favorable coverage?

$1.95 and a half brick of cheese.
"Volcano with no fire... Not volcano... Just mountain."
—Mr. Thwomp

My pronouns are she/her. Also, I'm an admin on the AARoads Wiki.

ZLoth

If the DMV had a positive image, would we have movie scenes like this:

Don't Drive Distrac... SQUIRREL!

Scott5114

I actually enjoyed my interaction with the Nevada DMV...

Part of that is the signage that reads "Real Nevadans say Nev-AD-a." (Which is there to keep new residents from getting into a fight within their first 30 days here.)
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Stephane Dumas

Blaming Star Trek, I can imagine J. Jonah Jameson laughing now. ;)



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