:confused:

Just occurred to me the other day - when posting photos or referring to other cars by their registration numbers, why do we mask out bits to avoid identifying them??? What *IS* the point?

I mean, it's not like we can't just go ANYWHERE and find a car/make/model/reg number, is it??

:confused:

The point is that plates can be cloned. And it comes down to personal preference. If you dont mind that your plate is visible, someone else might take objections to theirs being published. Hence you obscure plates as standard, unless it is your plate, then you can do what you like.

Also, plates are (for the most part) unique identifiers to a car...so if someone on here posts that they've had x,y and z done to make their car go like the clappers, and had a six-figure value ICE install done, if a picture was posted with the numberplate visible, it would be all too easy for someone with itchy fingers to trace down the vehicles location and know exactly how to nick it...

Rob.

The point is that plates can be cloned. And it comes down to personal preference. If you dont mind that your plate is visible, someone else might take objections to theirs being published. Hence you obscure plates as standard, unless it is your plate, then you can do what you like.

Yeah, but that was my point too. If someone wanted to clone a plate, then all they'd have to do is sit by a roadside and wait for a similar car to theirs to pass by, take a note of a it's reg, and clone it.

Why sit by the side of the road if they can just look at the galleries on sites like this?

Then you come down to what is most important, for a lot of people, warranty. This site is monitored by Skoda. Hard trying to explain why you have knackered bushes or a blown nsf wheel bearing if your car has regularly been on track. Then there are the forces of law and order... yes they do monitor car websites, so a post of "saw this black Octy RS with plate hammering it after a 911. I was doing 90 and they pulled away from me" could give rise to charges of speeding and / or racing on public highway.

It is also just a common courtesy, not everyone wants their reg number splashed all over the internet, so to be on the safe side only partial plates are given and they are obscurred in photos.

Hope that helps.

Jon

Why sit by the side of the road if they can just look at the galleries on sites like this?

I know this is going to sound childish, but, why go to sites like this, when all you have to do is sit by the roadside, or look out of your bedroom window?

Most chavs and pikies who'd use this information to their advantage don't even know how to spell their name, never mind get online...(generalisation!)

Then you come down to what is most important' date=' for a lot of people, warranty. This site is monitored by Skoda. Hard trying to explain why you have knackered bushes or a blown nsf wheel bearing if your car has regularly been on track. Then there are the forces of law and order... yes they do monitor car websites, so a post of "saw this black Octy RS with plate hammering it after a 911. I was doing 90 and they pulled away from me" [i']could[/i] give rise to charges of speeding and / or racing on public highway.

It is also just a common courtesy, not everyone wants their reg number splashed all over the internet, so to be on the safe side only partial plates are given and they are obscurred in photos.

Hope that helps.

Jon

I don't think the law could use info on a site like this as admissable evidence. It's all too circumstancial...

Perhaps the warranty reason's a valid one, though, but do you really think someone from Skoda's head office (or dealerships) sit down and read all the posts on this site and put them into a database for future reference?

I don't think the law could use info on a site like this as admissable evidence. It's all too circumstancial...

Most confessions are pretty circumstantial too...

Rob.

No, no of course not

Actually they do monitor the site and when you have thread title such as:

National Track Day

National Track Day 2

National Handling Day

Trax photos

Tyred Goat Slalom pictures

It's not exactly tricky to go pick out which ones to look at, is it? Then of course there are national drives / meets. Sometimes things happen on those meets (removing sumps, rolling cars, mechanical failures etc etc) so you don't have to be Einstein to trawl through and find info.

Do you know Jon, I think I've just been convinced to never ever post anything about MY car exploits on here ever again.

Had never even considered the wide ranging implications that such posts could/can possibly lead too.

Ty Croes? Never 'eard of it mate

And that picture of your car with the full reg number displayed, along with the timing beam strut is explained in what way?

And that picture of your car with the full reg number displayed, along with the timing beam strut is explained in what way?

Someone must have been using this site, seen the photo of his car and decided to clone the reg number. Ain't that right, CJ

Chris

Perhaps the warranty reason's a valid one, though, but do you really think someone from Skoda's head office (or dealerships) sit down and read all the posts on this site and put them into a database for future reference?

Basically its just common courtesy not to show piccies of other peoples' car regs unless they are happy with it. If you aren't bothered on your own car then fair enough, but as Jon says:

(1) Skoda UK do regularly access this site (in fact a current member that used to work for them was the main contact for a while);

(2) Dealers do access it (one came on the other day to introduce themselves);

(3) If you've got a Briskoda sticker on your car it doesn't take a rocket scientist to have a look at the site and see whats up - if you are making a big warranty claim it is certainly worth it for the dealer / skoda; and

(4) If I was wanting to clone a Skoda so i could drive like an idiot I would come onto Briskoda - biggest Skoda site, lots of choices of the right car of the same coulour and if they all showed their registrations I could have a field day for ages. As a pointer how would you feel if you got a Congestion Charge penalty fine every day? Believe me it is happening in London a lot at the moment and is VERY difficult to get them to admit that it can't be you.

Anyway, as I said its your call on your car

As a pointer how would you feel if you got a Congestion Charge penalty fine every day? Believe me it is happening in London a lot at the moment and is VERY difficult to get them to admit that it can't be you.

Unfortunately the software (or the monkeys that wrote it ) is not clever enough to recognise even if it was a different car, many reports of cloning have been the wrong make \ model never mind colour!

I know this is going to sound childish' date=' but, why go to sites like this, when all you have to do is sit by the roadside, or look out of your bedroom window?

Most chavs and pikies who'd use this information to their advantage don't even know how to spell their name, never mind get online...(generalisation!)[/quote']

If I sat outside my house or anybody else, it would be hard to spot another Elegance TDi etc. Therefore typing that into google, or search this site is much easier. Also if you get another car in your area there is a chance that you will be spotted side by side! Why not go on the net, get a plate from Inverness, and use it on your commute into Central London with no CC to pay. It has happened before, as one of the Kia Press Cars in a well known magazine was cloned!

Unfortunately the software (or the monkeys that wrote it ) is not clever enough to recognise even if it was a different car, many reports of cloning have been the wrong make \ model never mind colour!

I know Ian - which means if you actually get the right car and colour there is absolutely b***er all chance of you getting off the charge ..... unless it was in a pound / clamped etc already and they had photographed it already

I know Ian - which means if you actually get the right car and colour there is absolutely b***er all chance of you getting off the charge .....

Though if you can prove you were elsewhere, or one of the "face cameras" show up the driver's ID, it does make things easier.

Cloning is becoming more prevalent though, and the widespread increase in traffic cameras isn't going to make it any better!

Rob.

Unfortunately the software (or the monkeys that wrote it ) is not clever enough to recognise even if it was a different car, many reports of cloning have been the wrong make \ model never mind colour!

That will be why you should pick a bus registation number. They are exempt, so you'll just pile through every day with no charge nor eyebrows been raised....

Pah! That's the Superb owners sorted then

It has happened before, as one of the Kia Press Cars in a well known magazine was cloned!

Oh, great.

:(

If I sat outside my house or anybody else, it would be hard to spot another Elegance TDi etc. Therefore typing that into google, or search this site is much easier. Also if you get another car in your area there is a chance that you will be spotted side by side! Why not go on the net, get a plate from Inverness, and use it on your commute into Central London with no CC to pay. It has happened before, as one of the Kia Press Cars in a well known magazine was cloned!

In that case, just pop over to your local Skoda dealer, and search their forecourt for a similar car. Not that difficult, or time consuming.

I'm pretty convinced not to publish my reg or anyone elses reg numbers, but the point I was trying to make was that if you wanted another reg number, it wouldn't be difficult to find one.

If you live in an area with a couple of Skoda dealerships within 15 miles of each other not to mention the countless 2nd hand dealers, it won't take you long to see another car of similar appearance. Unless it's a Seat Arosa Sport.

In that case' date=' just pop over to your local Skoda dealer, and search their forecourt for a similar car. Not that difficult, or time consuming.

I'm pretty convinced not to publish my reg or anyone elses reg numbers, but the point I was trying to make was that if you wanted another reg number, it wouldn't be difficult to find one.

If you live in an area with a couple of Skoda dealerships within 15 miles of each other not to mention the countless 2nd hand dealers, it won't take you long to see another car of similar appearance. Unless it's a Seat Arosa Sport.[/quote']

Skoda's used-car test facility will do this quite nicely.

However, this is someone elses car that vulnerable and not yours i.e. your car shouldn't be sitting on a forecourt but it may be on a Skoda forum.

Or a Superb

:eek: Who rolled their car? How on earth did that happen!??