One Man's Crusade Against The Personalised Plates Monopoly

[NZ BMW 368]

wouldnt that be a reason to buy the ones with the german font? for the most part they are almost identical to the untrained (cop) eye, but those scanners wouldnt pick it up. and anyway, there are two legal fonts in NZ, so that in itself will cause issues.

It'd be relatively easy for them to write the software to pick up the various fonts. You forget that the software will also have to account for various screws, dents and chips which are on all the plates out there. I don't think there will be anywhere to hide

[hybrid 1043]

The system already exists and is being run in some speed camera vehicles at the moment. It can read other fonts. Currently the police are gathering statistics and a database only. No enforcement is taking place.

They also driving the vehicles around industrial areas collecting parked car info. It wont be long before it becomes BAU with this.

[tmase 19]

Machine learning for font recognition has pretty advanced, the automated postal sorting systems have been using it for some time. Different number plate fonts would be no issue. In Queensland, W.A. and I am sure other states there are differences in the fonts of state issued plates, some vanity plates have different lettering and spacings and they have introduced automated licence plate readers in police cars a while back.

[AN E30 Fan 1]

This system is being tested in NZ. They started in Auckland a few years ago, but havn't heard anything more since.

Its called ANPR, Automatic Number Plate Recognition. I went through a police check point on the Pakuranga Highway only last week where they had one of these vans parked 50m before the check point.

Seemed to work very well, they had 8-10 cars pulled over on the side of the road.

[Lucan 196]

The system already exists and is being run in some speed camera vehicles at the moment. It can read other fonts. Currently the police are gathering statistics and a database only. No enforcement is taking place.

They also driving the vehicles around industrial areas collecting parked car info. It wont be long before it becomes BAU with this.

I've been seeing these around for a while now, the ones I've spotted generally have been right before or after going through booze bus stops...Had been wondering whether they're collecting data or issuing infringements.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Blackie

[Wom 0]

I have seen people with no plates on at all

or plates completely obscured (very common)

or those stickers people print themselves and use as plates

and I've seen cops drive past, or follow those people and not pull them over

I wonder if they get fined at all?

they are breaking the same law that the fake german plates falls under

Edited May 23, 2012 by Wom

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

I have seen people with no plates on at all

or plates completely obscured (very common)

or those stickers people print themselves and use as plates

and I've seen cops drive past, or follow those people and not pull them over

I wonder if they get fined at all?

they are breaking the same law that the fake german plates falls under

It IS Upper Hutt though, if you were a cop would YOU pull over a rough as guts 80s Falcodore with no plates on?

[Wom 0]

actually was more referring to the cars I see in Wellington city during lunch break

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

yep just winding you up. i saw a brand new Scania truck on the motorway today with no plates