Conference back40::soapbox

    
    Car thieves are going to start running around with duct tape to cover
    the decals from the outside.

    .1  i'll bet you've hot-wired a few pontiacs in your time, eh
        mz_deb?

    
    The sticker is just another way for the police to but into your
    business.  There are better methods (like lojack) available if only the
    police would sign up to use them.
    
    I used to live in Boston back in the '80s.  My car was stolen (hey, it
    was Boston) and I found it in the "Projects" down the street.  While I
    went to check on the damage (it was torched) I noticed 2 other cars
    being stripped, and one car probably being stripped (it was noon when I
    went in to check on my car).
    
    I told the police that if they went into the Projects they would find
    two or three cars being stripped right now, out in the open.  They said
    "we're not going in there - the would strip the cruiser too"
    
    I moved at the end of the month.
    
    	Skip

    
    .2
    
    ooooo errrrr!
    

    
    re: .0
    
    It amazes me what people will stoop to, to feel more "protected"...
    

                       <<< Note 488.3 by LEADIN::REITH >>>
    
>    The sticker is just another way for the police to but into your
>    business.  There are better methods (like lojack) available if only the
>    police would sign up to use them.
    
    	People are putting these on their car specifically to ENCOURAGE
    	the police to "butt into their business."  It would seem to me
    	that if they were driving home from a party at 2AM and were pulled
    	over because of their sticker, they would be assured that the
    	program works.  If I had the sticker and did not get pulled over
    	at 2AM if I were out driving, I would be disappointed in the
    	program.
    
    	I think there is insufficient police presence on the streets at
    	the wee hours of the morning to make this program successful.
    	
    	And I could never understand why a product like lojack never
    	caught on.  
    
    	As for the stripping story you related, we hear of it far too 
    	often.  The thugs rule the night, and the cops are scared.  But
    	their fear may be a result of their relative impotence due to
    	regulation brought on by our fear of their abuse of power.  There
    	is no simple fix to the situation.

    
    .2
    
    Well, I broke 3 nails changing a headlight once; does that count?

    
    And when they catch car thieves, little to nothing happens 
    afterward, so why bother.

    I think they should put the tape on the car thieves' foreheads and let
    them loose on the highway, on foot.  128 would do nicely for a start.    

    
    Being pulled over at 2:00 AM when driving my own car does not sound fun.
    
    

    	.10
    
    	Then don't put the tape on your car.

i agree that there are not enough officers on the streets at nite...but i am 
not sure that is the answer, either.  i know i wouldn't want the cops 
stopping me every other mile just because i had a sticker on the back of my 
car and was out 'past curfew'...

i don't think there is any real way to curb auto theft.  lojack is good, but 
only if you know within hours that the car has been stolen.  if you go to bed 
at 11:00pm andyour car is there, and you don't realize til 6:30am the next 
morning that your car is missing, chances are good it is already in a million 
pieces in some chopshop.  lojack might find the carcass in 20 minutes, but a 
lot of good that is going to do you now...

-raq

    
    > And when they catch car thieves, little to nothing happens 
    > afterward, so why bother.

    Hehehehehehe,.... It all depends on WHO catches them .... If the cops
    catch 'em, nothing happens; but if the OWNER catches them,...
    it's a slightly {cough} different story.....

    Dan

    
    "I think there is insufficient police presence on the streets at
    the wee hours of the morning to make this program successful."
    
    They are out there.... 
    
    A few weeks back my husband was on the road at 3:30AM to meet a friend
    to go fishing. (I don't even think the fish have their eyes open!)
    
    He was stopped by a state trooper who followed him off an exit ramp. 
    The trooper started asking him all sorts of questions, where he was 
    going, what was he doing out. When he told him he was off 
    to go fishing, the trooper asked where, what kind of fish, what kind of 
    gear do you use, etc.  The trooper was probably checking to see if 
    he was drunk.
    
    So, they'll stop you anyways, why bother with a sticker.
    
    

    	Lojack might not save your car, but it might lead police to
    	the chop shop.
    
    	I wondered why they can't put a lojack-type device into rare
    	artwork or other valuable items.  Sure, the device would have 
    	to be made MUCH smaller, but they've done that with computers.

    Most likely a CARBUFFS question but.... ANyone know the coverage area
    of LoJack?  I know the PRM is covered but what about other parts of the
    country.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?

oh, i agree that lojack won't necessarily save your car all the time, but it 
can.  i was just pointing out to someone that mentioned lojack earlier that 
there are 'defects' in the lojack system...i still wouldn't mind having it 
(if i could afford it right now), as there are thieve out there who know a 
lot of cars have the system and often will let the car 'cool' down for a day 
or two before bringing it to the 'shop' and in those cases, you can pretty 
much get your car back with a lot fewer things missing...


-raq

(have i just totally confused myself???  i need to go home..)

    
    
    RE: .14  I'd be pissed.  I'd ask what he stopped me for, if there
    wasn't a reason, I'd be on my way.
    
    

    Being a suspicious-of-authority type, Lojack makes me somewhat
    uneasy.  If I understand its operation correctly, the police can
    "activate" the Lojack in your car, and pinpoint its location
    almost instantly.  In theory, couldn't they also do this when
    my car is not stolen, to pinpoint *my* location almost instantly?
    
    As for the sticker, taping over it was my first reaction, too, though
    I might use somewhat less visible than duct tape.  Or maybe something
    like a big D.A.R.E. bumper sticker... :-)
    
    Chris

    Don`t forget a lot of this car nicking is done by joy riders who
    are too young to be nicked.
    
    As in the case of my Aunt,who actually saw 2 13 year olds driving
    her car (after smashing her house up and er,urinating in her
    front room. Nice touch). The Police managed to stop them,but couldn`t
    charge them with anything. The parents didn`t want to know,so had
    to get a social worker involved etc,etc. 2 hours after being released
    they had nicked another car. 
    
    

    >> He was stopped by a state trooper who followed him off an exit ramp. 
    >> The trooper started asking him all sorts of questions, where he was 
    >> going, what was he doing out. When he told him he was off 
    >> to go fishing, the trooper asked where,...
    
    This is ridiculous... since when are we obligated to tell the police
    where we're going, why we're out, what we're doing, and so on.
    
    Where are you going?  "Just driving around."
    Where have you been?  "Just driving around."
    What are you doing?   "Just driving around."
    
    If they can't tell you exactly what you're doing that's illegal,
    what do they think they're doing?
    
    Chris

    
    
     I agree with Mike... I'd be royally PO'd...
    
     My first and only question to him/her would be..
    
    "What is the reason I was stopped?"
    
    Most likely, there would be no reasonable answer...
    

    
    I am not sure why he stopped him.  I don't know if he asked him or not
    the reason.  Guess he could have made something up as to the reason
    why.
    
    When he asked for the license and registration he said to my husband,
    "Your not from Leominster."  The license has our old address on it
    while the truck registration has our new address.  My husband told him
    to look on the back of the license for the address change.
    
    The trooper relaxed and let him go along.
    
    Guess having a police sticker on your truck doesn't help anymore these
    days! :>)
    
    Mary
    

    Bet the repo men would hate the yellow stickers :-)
    
    

    The sticker thing makes me think of those stupid 'Baby on Board'
    signs/stickers.  Am I supposed to give *you* more room because you've
    got a kid in teh car (probably not buckled in, to boot)?  
    
    On a security side, we have a thing called 'Neighbourhood Watch' where
    nieghbours are supposed to keep an eye on the area around them and
    report suspicious things.  Houses get a sticker to upt in their window,
    street signs go up on streets leading into the area, etc...  After a
    while, it just blends into the background of the environment, sort of
    like advertising.  

One night last winter, my wife and I were on our way home from somewhere, and
we were passing by Worcester airport where she used to take flying lessons.
We drove up to the hangar to say "hi" to the folks (if they were there that
late) and see what was new...

On the way up, we passed by Mr. Airport Policeman. No one home at the flight
school.

On the way down, Mr. AP pulled us over for absolutely no reason. "I saw you
go up, wondering what you're doing around here?"

"Uh, looking around", adding, in my head, Got a problem with that?
My wife adds, "I used to take flying lessons here!"

He let us go. What a Richard Cranium. To protect and serve.

    
    A few months ago my roommate was driving home from work (he works 2nd
    shift, so comes home around 2:00AM) through the town of Newbury, MA.
    (Oh the stories I could tell about the Police Presence in that town.)
    He was not speeding, weaving, or anything - but did that matter?
    
    No!  A town cop was coming the other way, saw my friend on the road
    late at night and banged a quick U turn and went after him.  Pulled him
    over and gave him the third degree about where he was coming from and
    where he was going and what not.  When he found out that he couldn't
    bag him for anything he was visably disappointed and let him go.
    
    On another note - I know two people who had the following happen to
    them:
    
    Both of these people were a little late with their car insurance
    payments, and therefore (Mass strikes again) had their registration
    revoked.  Both people stopped at a gas station to fill up at around
    midnight.  Neither one saw the officer of the law across the street. 
    So both were extremely surprised when said officer pulled them over as
    the left the gas station.
    
    It seems the cop "ran" their license number while they were filling up
    and got back the information that the reg was canceled.  There was no
    reason for running the plate except that he could.
    
    And a last one - One those infamous shows - "Cops", "Real Stories of
    the Highway Patrol", etc. I have seen at least 1 and usually more Civil
    Rights and Constitutional Rights violations per show.
    
    The joys of living in a police state.
    
    	Skip

    >> And a last one - One those infamous shows - "Cops", "Real Stories of
    >> the Highway Patrol", etc. I have seen at least 1 and usually more Civil
    >> Rights and Constitutional Rights violations per show.
    
    I've seen that too, on the rare occasions that I stop on one of
    these shows while channel-scanning.
    
    At first, I was astounded that the police would allow such behavior
    to be televised, especially since the programs are done with their
    full cooperation.  Then it occurred to me that they probably wanted
    this stuff on the tube every night so that the sheep would not only
    become accustomed to such violations as being the norm, but also to
    consider them to be high entertainment.
    
    Chris

    
    
    This is why they can't catch car theives, their too busy harassing
    normal citizens.
    
    

>    No!  A town cop was coming the other way, saw my friend on the road
>    late at night and banged a quick U turn and went after him.  Pulled him
>    over and gave him the third degree about where he was coming from and
>    where he was going and what not.  When he found out that he couldn't
>    bag him for anything he was visably disappointed and let him go.

Being a cop on a night beat in a small town is very lonely work. Many of the
donut shops are closed at that hour. If it weren't for the human contact they
get from the occasional hassling of a peaceful citizen, they might not have
any human contact at all. If that happened, who knows - they might have to
turn to corruption or something.

 I watch "Cops" frequently and I always feel kinda wierd when I see how
 hopped up they get as they are about to conduct a raid..everybody's screaming
 "police!" "Search warrant" and other stuff and they seem to try to out do each
 other as they go charging into somebody's homes..




 Jim

    
    
    I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets this feeling when watching that
    show.  Although I must say that I've seen some real good cops on the
    show as well who truely are doing a wonderful job.
    
    Mike  

    .30 -< Put yourself in the occifer's shoes for a moment >-
    > Being a cop on a night beat in a small town is very lonely work. 
    
    I know.  I use to be an Auxillery cop in my home town and we would
    ride with the police one day a week doing the 8:00 - 2:00 time
    slot (spanned two seperate shifts).  There were times when we
    would go over a half hour without seeing another living person. 
    But, we did not then pull over the first car we saw.  We knew
    people had rights and respected them.
    
    I personally think that the WoDs and shows like COPS are making
    everyone (police included) more willing to accept this racheting
    up of police powers.
    
    As and anecdotal example - The greatly enhanced police budget in
    my old home town was shot down at town meeting.  My mother was
    very upset because of "all the crime everywhere" (pointing to all
    the news about crime).  Yet, the crime level nationwide is the
    lowest it has been in the 20+ years they have been measuring it. 
    Yet people think crime is such a major problem.
    
    	Skip

    And you suggest they politely ask for permission to enter a building
    when they have an allegedly legal search warrant?  
    
    COPS: "Excuse us but we are the police and we have a warrant because we
    think you are unlawful, possibly dangerous and may have weapons.  Can
    we come in and serve this warrant?  If you don't let us, we will get
    upset and may have to knock harder next time."  
    
    Perps:  GO (r.o.) YOUR MOTHERS COPPERS!   
    
    COPS: "Please let us in, please!"
    
    Gimme a break.  So much whining about bad guts and drugs and so much
    whining about rights violations.  Sheesh.  Have it one way or the other
    please, this is not Burger King.  Of course they are screaming and
    yelling.  It is tense, stressful, and dangerous to do a raid.  
    
    Brian

> hopped up they get as they are about to conduct a raid..everybody's screaming
> "police!" "Search warrant" and other stuff and they seem to try to out do each
> other

I'm reminded of the SWAT teams scaling the walls of the Daley Municipal Center
in "The Blues Brothers" -

	"Hut. Hut. Hut. Hut."

    
    Sort of in line with the last few....
    
    A few weeks ago I was coming home and a cop from the town I live in 
    lit up his flashing lights to pull me over.  Since I had done nothing
    wrong, I asked him what was up and he indicated the sticker on my 
    registration had expired.  He was right, since I had just renewed it
    and the day I got it, it was raining so I didn't get a chance to 
    put the new one on.  I showed him the sticker, and he was satisfied
    and let me off.
    
    Made me wonder though, how he knew it was expired. How could he read
    the small print on the sticker, late in the evening, and in the rain??
    He never got within 100 feet of me on the road.
    Any ideas?
    
    
    

    .36> Made me wonder though, how he knew it was expired. How could he
    > read the small print on the sticker, late in the evening, and in
    > the rain?? He never got within 100 feet of me on the road. Any
    > ideas?
     
    Probably a different color.

Assuming you're in Mass, he knew by the color of the sticker and the plate
number.  The color indicates the year of expiration, and the month of
expiration matches the last digit on the plate (for passenger plates).

    re: .38
    
    What digit is used for November & December?
    
    re: .lojack
    
    Sounds very Big-Brotherish to us paranoid-types. I'd never put it on my
    truck. Of course, I don't fix body damage, either. Lets me park my
    truck in New York with a (false?) feeling of confidence - as long as I
    park near a Lexus.

>    And you suggest they politely ask for permission to enter a building
>    when they have an allegedly legal search warrant?  
 

     no.



   
    Jim

November and December are for non-passenger plates (commercial, etc.).
I think they may also be for all-letter vanity plates.

    
    re: NOTIME::SACKS
    
    Thanks.  I was wondering how he knew.  
    
    al
    

    
    
    Rep .38 Gerald
    
    >>>Assuming you're in Mass, he knew by the color of the sticker and the
    plate
    number.  The color indicates the year of expiration, and the month of
    expiration matches the last digit on the plate (for passenger plates).
    
      The color part is correct but the last digit in the plate and the
    month don't have anything thing to do with it. My MA. plate ends with
    a six but my registration expires in July. The registration expires
    at the end of the month you register the car in except for commerical
    and vanity paltes which are December.
    
    
    	-mike
    

>      The color part is correct but the last digit in the plate and the
>    month don't have anything thing to do with it. My MA. plate ends with
>    a six but my registration expires in July. The registration expires
>    at the end of the month you register the car in except for commerical
>    and vanity paltes which are December.

I stand by my explanation.  I don't know why yours doesn't follow the pattern.
BTW, on the red-white-and-blue plates, the month is embossed on the plate.
It always matches the last digit.

 I believe anyone who appears on COPS has given approval for their picture/words
 description and account of the game..whoops, wrong disclaimer..anyway, 
 they give their permission to be used on the show.  Those who's faces are
 covered up do not, as I understand it.




 Jim

    I have never seen passengers on a plate.

 >> I believe anyone who appears on COPS has given approval...
    
    Yeah, last week these same people were probably on the daytime
    talk shows telling a rapturous nation about their three simultaneous
    spouses...
    
    Chris

    
    better than spontaneous combustion, I suppose.

    
    <-----
    
    Internal or external combustion??
    

       <<< Note 488.45 by NOTIME::SACKS "Gerald Sacks ZKO2-3/N30
           DTN:381-2085" >>>
    
    
>      The color part is correct but the last digit in the plate and the
>    month don't have anything thing to do with it. My MA. plate ends with
>    a six but my registration expires in July. The registration expires
>    at the end of the month you register the car in except for commerical
>    and vanity paltes which are December.

    Over the last 8-10 years, the plates given out on a particular month
    have the last digit match the month they are given out.  Vanity plates
    are then renewed in November and Commercial plates are done in
    December.
    
    If you always reregister on time, the number will always match the
    month.  But if you reregister at a different time - say because you
    bought a new car and are transfering the registration - the number will
    no longer match.
    
    Also, in theory, the inspection date should match your registration
    date.  But some people (like me) are always late with the inspections
    (that way I get 13 months out of a sticker) and so the dates never
    match.
    
    	Skip

    
    well, i have to back up mike's situtation...my plate's last number is a
    4 and my registration expires every other march.  I thought they used
    the number on your plate to indicate when you go in for inspections???
    (or at least attempted that a few years ago...)  i guess i should also
    point out that my plates have green numbering/lettering, and therefore
    wouldn't have the month it expires on it (which i have seen).   maybe
    it differs depending on when you got your plates and what color they
    are (as i found out, because mine are the green ones, i am not required
    to have the front matching plate).
    
    
    -raq
    

    In NH, your inspection and registration expire in your birth month, no
    matter when you got them - or renewed them.
    
    My truck sat idle and uninspected for several months recently, but when
    I did get it inspected (June) they only gave me a sticker good until
    November (birth month.)
    
    For new inspections or registrations, they will not give you one valid
    for more than 16 months. (eg. if you're born in November, and register
    a new car in october, the registration is good for 13 months.)
    
    That way, no one can do the 13-month inspection trick. (dang!) 

	There is a sure fire way of combatting auto theft. I was going to go on
a business trip when I lived in Worcester. I was going to put my luggage out in
the car the night before, as I had to get up early the next morning and drive
to Boston to catch the plane. I never got around to bringing the luggage out
though. The next morning I woke up, went out to my car, and saw that the car in
front and on both sides of my car had all been broken into. I looked, but no
one ever tried. Then it hit me why they never broke in. There was something
sitting on my front passengers seat. I truly believe that it prevented the car
from being broken into. What was this thing? A math book. No car should be
without one! :-)


Glen

    
    Back when I lived in Boston, I had the perfect solution to keep my car
    safe.  I had a mannequin (named Herman) in the front seat that was well
    ventilated from target practice.
    
    The car remained untouched for almost a year.  Then, one day, I removed
    the thing for a date I was going on and forgot to put it back.  The
    next day the car was gone.
    
    	Skip

    
    re: math book...
    
     Someone elses..... right???
    

>    Over the last 8-10 years, the plates given out on a particular month
>    have the last digit match the month they are given out.  Vanity plates
>    are then renewed in November and Commercial plates are done in
>    December.

Wrong.  I registered in January 1988.  The last digit on my plate is 2, and my
registration expires in February.

For those of you who claim that your last digit doesn't match the renewal
month, are you sure you're talking about registration renewal and not
insurance renewal?  There was a discussion about this in CARBUFFS, and
someone who claimed that the registration renewal month didn't match the
last digit later retracted after he actually looked at the sticker.

>>Wrong.  I registered in January 1988.  The last digit on my plate is 2, and my
>>registration expires in February.

	Same sort of thing here.  I registered in March 1990.  The last digit
	on my plate is 2, and my registration expires in February.

    
    
    Rep .57  Gerald
    
    >>>For those of you who claim that your last digit doesn't match the
    renewal
    month, are you sure you're talking about registration renewal and not
    insurance renewal? 
    
      My MA plate number is 526-MEE my cute little sticker on the plate now
    says it expires on the last day of 7/98 as does the registration card.
    My wifes car has MA 536-MEE and it is exactly the same. Maybe with the
    new plates being issued in the PRM what you say is true but it isn't
    always true with the green colored MA plates.
    
    -mike
    

mike --  If you go out to the parking lot and examine a bunch of Mass plates,
you'll find that your situation is worthy of inclusion in Ripley's Believe It
Or Not.  It's as rare as a two-headed calf or an honest lawyer.

	>>It's as rare as a two-headed calf or an honest lawyer.

	...or a bad bottle of Burgundy in your cellar, mikey. ;>

    
    
    Rep .60  Gerald
    
    
    >>>mike --  If you go out to the parking lot and examine a bunch of
    Mass plates,
    you'll find that your situation is worthy of inclusion in Ripley's
    Believe It
    Or Not.  It's as rare as a two-headed calf or an honest lawyer.
    
      Or, when when I registered the cars <both on the same day> the
    registry driod screwed up and gave me the wrong series number!!!
    Nah, that couldn't have happened!!! ;-)
    
    
    -mike
    

I stole the "as rare as" line from the NYTimes, where it was used many years
ago.  A lawyer wrote in to complain.

    
    
    >>>...or a bad bottle of Burgundy in your cellar, mikey. ;>
    
      Moi, I don't have any Burgundy in my cave!!! ;-)
    

>                      <<< Note 488.33 by LEADIN::REITH >>>
>    my old home town was shot down at town meeting.  My mother was
>    very upset because of "all the crime everywhere" (pointing to all
>    the news about crime).  Yet, the crime level nationwide is the
>    lowest it has been in the 20+ years they have been measuring it. 
>    Yet people think crime is such a major problem.

Bingo. Our "big crime problem" is 90% media hype. Now maybe urban poor folks
live in genuine fear every day, but think about how much crime you've
actually had first hand experience with when deciding for yourself if you
really have a "crime problem".

Let's see, I can think of: one bicycle ripped off, never recovered
                           one US flag stolen, never recovered
                           was near the scene of a B&E once, got minor
                              hassle from the cops about it
                           numerous other minor incidents that everyone has
                              experienced at on time or another: vandalism,
                              threats, telephone fun & games, etc...
                              
That's about it. About half a dozen very minor incidents in 33 years. I
conclude that I don't have a crime problem. No new, oppressive laws for me,
thanks.

>     <<< Note 488.34 by CONSLT::MCBRIDE "Reformatted to fit your screen" >>>
>    And you suggest they politely ask for permission to enter a building
>    when they have an allegedly legal search warrant?  

If they have reason to believe that the suspect is armed and/or dangerous, no.
If they have no such reason, there's absolutely no excuse for ninja style,
black pajamas, faces masked, sledgehammer the door down, guns drawn, toss a
flash-bang grenade, on your face on the floor, no-knock invasion.

    Somehow I sorta miss the crowd that usually complains about the police
    sitting idle in the donut shop or behind the 7/11 while criminals rob, rape
    and pillage. (The why aren't they out there doing their job group)
    
    Now we have a few instances of (law abiding) citizens being stopped
    late at night because they were in an area devoid of other people. Just
    because you were law abiding doesn't mean that you didn't look
    suspicious. When bad guys see the cops active in in an area they tend
    to find another place to do their work. Too bad you weren't there when
    a cop stopped a car and it turned out to be a bad guy with a stolen
    car, etc. I would remind you that T. McVeigh the accused Oklahoma
    bomber was stopped for a traffic violation and otherwise might not have
    been apprehended as quickly as he was. 
    
    I would agree with those who feel their rights were infringed if they
    were being stopped several times in one night or every single night. An
    occaisional stop during a life time of driving is not my idea of living in 
    a police state. Ever been stopped at a roadblock, sure it's a pain to
    be delayed, but not as bad as having to deal with a criminal. 
    
    I've been stopped once, late at night leaving an industrial park. The
    officer was courteous, explained that they had a rash of breakins and
    were suspicious of lone vehicles in the area at night. After checking
    my license and registration and listening to why I was there he
    apologized for the stop and I was on my way. Am I one of the
    "brainwashed" masses some noters talk about, definitely not! Did he run a 
    license late check, probably...big deal! Did he make a note of the
    stop, my plate and ID, probably...so what. I rather have a lost a few
    minutes of my time knowing that there is a cop trying to do a tough job
    the best they can and stay alive doing it. 
    
    I'm not arguing for abusive police power but with all the ACLU lawyers,
    supreme court liberals and lax judges it's almost impossible for the 
    police to do their job these days. I say it's better to cut them a little 
    slack than to have them sit in the station waiting for a phone call.
    
    JLB 

>    I would agree with those who feel their rights were infringed if they
>    were being stopped several times in one night or every single night. An
>    occaisional stop during a life time of driving is not my idea of living in 
>    a police state. Ever been stopped at a roadblock, sure it's a pain to
>    be delayed, but not as bad as having to deal with a criminal. 

Or a black being stopped when whites aren't.  I read something recently about
a black stopped after a robbery.  The cop hadn't bothered to find out the race
of the perpetrator -- white.

re: .67 

>    Now we have a few instances of (law abiding) citizens being stopped
>    late at night because they were in an area devoid of other people. Just
>    because you were law abiding doesn't mean that you didn't look
 
And the probable cause for such a stop is...?????

>    I would remind you that T. McVeigh the accused Oklahoma
>    bomber was stopped for a traffic violation and otherwise might not have
>    been apprehended as quickly as he was.

And I would remind you he was driving a car with no license plate.  That's
valid probable cause.

Bob

    and speeding, too.
    
    sez sumtin' about his brains, don't it?

    
    I agree police have a hard time - as i've said, i've been on that side
    of the fence.  But, there is a difference between having a hard time
    and abusing your position.
    
    When my roommate was stopped it was for no reason whatsoever.  There
    had been no breakins in the area.  He was not speeding, weaving, or
    whatever.  He was just driving home from work.  In fact, the area he
    was in does not even have any bars.  It is primarily an industrial
    park, with many of the companies running multiple shifts.
    
    This was abuse of power.  This was wrong.  I quit the force when one of
    the officers there started doing a similar thing.  I will continue to
    argue against it.
    
    When you live in a free society, you risk the fact that some people
    will get away with crimes.  The alternative of a severe police state is
    worse, and yet that police state still does not provide 100%
    protection.
    
    	Skip

	My license plate number is 694-KIS.  My registration expires
	in April.

	I do recall a few years ago when they set up inspection sticker
	renewals to coincide with the ending digit of your license plate.

	The "ends in a letter, non-vanity" plates got new stickers in
	October.  

	Honestly, I don't know what the April registration is based upon.
	I bought my Mustang in June of 1985, my Honda in November of 1987,
	and my Taurus in March of 1992.  Same license plate was on each
	car.  Go figure.

	Karen

| <<< Note 488.56 by SOLVIT::KRAWIECKI "Zebwas have foot-in-mouth disease!" >>>


| re: math book...

| Someone elses..... right???

	Nope.... mines!

    
    Mines? To keep car thieves away? 

re MA plate stickers:

Once when I got the registration renewal for a car whose last plate
digit was 5 I got a plate sticker that expired in April.  Registration
itself said May.  Next renewal I got the May sticker and registration.

I guess the registry isn't above using plate stickers off by a month,
possiblty when running out of stickers for the current month.

    In Jan. of 96 my plate`s will read FIREFIGHTER. YESSSSS.

    
    first of all, it is "plates".
    
    second of all, since when does the registry of any state allow more
    than 7 letters on a license plate??
    
    
    
    

    .77
    Thanks for the correction to "plates". The plate has 2 number 2 alpha
    characters and a fire insignia between them. Inside the insignia are
    the two letters FD. Where the state logo is is where the FIREFIGHTER
    shows up. 
    
    Hope this clears up any confussion. 

    re: .77
    
    Both Californy and New Nork have had 8 letters on their plates for
    quite some time now. Virginia justed switched to 8 last year. I imagine
    there are probably 10 states that allow 8 letters. 

    
    <---
    point taken...didn't know some states allowed more letters/numbers. 
    thanks.
    
    
    well, .78, then your plate isn't going to "read" firefighter, it'll
    have the insignia on it...not quite the same thing, doncha know...
    
    

    N.J. tried 7 but the State Police had to much trouble remebering them.
    So now they are back to six.

    It will still say FIREFIGHTER on it though.

    NYC tried 8 but none of the cops cared.
    
    Try - just TRY - to get pulled over for a traffic violation in NYC.
    Pretty much the only way you can do it is on the sidewalk.

    
    re: .82
    
    I doubt it... the most I've ever seen on any license from any state is
    7 or 8... Yours has 11....
    

| <<< Note 488.77 by GAVEL::JANDROW "FriendsRtheFamilyUChooseForYourself" >>>


| first of all, it is "plates".

	raqo.... for me it is plate. One plate, 1 sticker. :-)

| second of all, since when does the registry of any state allow more than 7 
| letters on a license plate??

	raq honey..... I believe the word Massachusetts has more than 7
letters, and it is on every MA plate. So I would have to say MA is one that
allows more than 7 letters...... :-)


Glen

    When I get the "plates" I`ll take a picture of it and send it to you.

    
    go ahead...
    
    i am not saying that your plates won't have the 'word' firefighter on
    them, just that your 'plate number' won't be "firefighter"...
    
    

    Of course not. His plate number will be 42.

    .87
    Thats correct but can I send you a picture anyway?

    Why would my plate number be 42?

    It's the answer, of course.

    
    So does that mean the Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything
    is now on a license plate?
    
    Gee, those inmates mak'n 'em are smarter then I thought

    
    He never said his plate number would be 'firefighter'.  He said his
    plate would read 'firefighter'.  Big difference.
    
    
    It's just you 8^).
    
    

    I sorry I even mentioned it. 
    

    re: .93
    
    >It's just you 8^).
    
    
    Me too...  for awhile that is... until I realized what CRANE was trying
    to say...
    

    
    NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. (CP) - Police likely won't head to Croatia to pick
    up a car reported stolen from St. Catharines 3 years ago.
    
    Sgt. Mike Blackburn, a military police officer, spotted the $93,000 
    Mercedes-Benz - with Ontario plates - in Dubrovnik on April 3rd.  It
    was reported stolen from a leasing company in 1992.  Blackburn recently
    returned from his tour of duty and ran a check on the car.
    

    
    Dubrovnik.  I'll bet that's where my mower is.

    
    I just learned today, (from my father, who knows one of the town
    officials) that the police were told by the selectmen that they had
    to have a minimum number of speeding tickets each month, or have a
    very good reason.  Considering the town (in MA) receives something
    like 50% of each speeding ticket, I would guess this is a revenue
    enhancement program.
    
    Note that there was little or no complaints of speeding that I know 
    of (but then again, they didn't call me up for my advice either).
    I do know that the road near my house has a lot of speeding problems
    (you should see how fast the road goes*) and they never run radar
    out there.
    
    	Skip
    
    
    
    * I figured I would go for the pre-emptive strike on that sentence.
      Probably still catch some grief tho'.

    Boston Globe did a good story a few months back on towns in Mass. that
    use tickets to generate revenue. The leading source of tickets in Mass.
    was a town of 8,000. Can't remember the name. Wrote more tickets than
    Boston.

re: .-1
   Don't tell me.
   Let me guess.
   There was a snarf there, but it's been stolen.

    Yes, call it a preemptive anti-snarf if you will.   

    If you dont want your car stolen DONT BUY ONE. If you have something
    someone might want then you are at risk opf having it stolen. Stay home
    if yopu want to feel comfy and protected, even then you are not 100%
    safe. If you think your stuff should be protected by anyone other than
    yourself you are a deluded little dreamer, you probably pay for suntans
    too.
    

    
    Chris, is that someone stealing your bike?
    

    What comes around goes around. True, I like my bike but since I've made
    little or no emotional atachment to the thing, if they really want they
    can have it. The only thing that would piss me off if it were to get
    stolen is that I would have to get on the bus wearing my spandex
    carrying my seat and water bottle making it almost completely obvious
    that my bike had been stolen. I would be looking bumbed out and
    despondant, a smoldering fire behind my eyes would force me to look
    away from everybody further announcing my dilema. Yanking another
    thousand dollars out the bank would be offset by the pleasure in
    searching for a new bike, then later riding it.
    
    I once read a novel called, The Egyptian, and in the story the lead
    character whips his slave for NOT stealing. A slave who didn't steal
    couldn't be trusted because their actions were no longer predictable.
    The master would be wondering why the slave was not trying to better
    his or her lot in life. Laziness and inaction on the part of any person
    from slave to elite masters is cause for concern and disgust.
    
    I also have a friend who was a professional thief. In his hey day he
    would make about 10K-15K per month!!! Only working for about 6hrs a
    month. Talking to him and his colleagues has helped me understand the
    other side of the story. Some guys have 8000/mth coke habits, some guys
    like the thrill, some like the hours, some have never known another way
    of life.
    
    so did I walk the walk?

| <<< Note 488.103 by POLAR::WILSONC "Cars = Death" >>>


| If you dont want your car stolen DONT BUY ONE. 

	But not everyone is lucky enough (well, except for Jack, maybe) to have
someone just give them a car....

    Your're right I should have said DONT CALL IT "YOURS".
    
    
    
    
    that doesn't make sence, who cares i'm on holidays in 2 1/2 hrs.