Posted on 10/27/2011 7:44:06 PM PDT by Daffynition
The multitude of mysteries revealed following the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' death now includes one that puzzled car enthusiasts for years: How did Jobs get away with driving without a license plate? It was common knowledge that Jobs would park his Mercedes SL55 AMG in a handicapped spot at Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters, with nothing to identify his vehicle other than the tiny barcode that usually rests behind the rear license plate. According to Walter Isaacson's new biography, Jobs wanted to avoid having a plate for privacy reasons; and yet when having a license-less silver Mercedes became a kind of trademark, Jobs kept motoring without one "because I don't." [snip] You'll have to read at the link to find the answer. ;)
(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...
Orwellian, it is.
Yep, when he wasn't bumming a ride from a customer. I heard stories that he would fly in to visit stores and after his inspection, the store manager would get on the loudspeaker and sheepishly ask, "If there are any WalMart customers heading out towards the airport, Mr. Walton would appreciate a ride." I always thought that was a rather nice touch.
At least Columbo’s wheels are in better shape than the Willys Jalopy project I have sort of attempted to do something with but the parts budget is a tad thin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es2_DaYkmnc
What he did was legal and I see nothing wrong with it aside from the aggravation of being pulled over periodically.
Very cool! A labor of love. Good luck!
Then there’s this fixer-upper: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2796823/posts
This doesn’t have anything to do with taxes or registration, etc. - it has to do with aesthetics. SJ thought a license plate detracted from the design of the car and therefore was not needed. That’s it.
Did he break any?
Actions Speak Louder Than Words ...
Your source of this knowledge?
That's a neat story. Walton had a folksy image, but probably the biggest key to his success was his use of technology.
They do care if it looks like you had plates and removed them. If you get pulled over and they look up on the computer that you have your plates issued but you do not have them on you will be sited.
No. He is a god.
Don’t know about Cali, but there are no personal property taxes on cars in my state. You just pay sales tax when you buy the car and yearly registration of $75.
Of course, the state still screws you when you buy a used car, since you have to pay sales tax on the purchase price or blue book value, which ever is higher.
Glad you like. Did you see the 6x6 humor clip in my channel?
I plan to do another one and I tried to be Clarksonish in my comments and will endeavor to achieve more in the way of Clarkson-speak.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIbRlsBH0Qk
DELIGHTFUL!!! Thanks for the smiles! Kudos! Well done!
Reminds me of my friend in Port Orchard, WA - on the Kitsap Peninsula who has military vehicles in every state of restoration on his hobby farm. It’s a unique love affair with those vehicles!
Back in the early 90`s, a freind`s father managed the local WM. He nearly soiled himself one day when he noticed the old man looking at stuff on aisle 3 was Sam Walton. He`d just pop in and check things.
It depends where in California you live.
Some of the small towns in the Bay Area will pull you over in a heartbeat without plates.
Try driving in Tiburon/Belvedere with any type of infraction on your vehicle, and you will be stopped.
Guaranteed you won’t even make it out of town.
Actually, the Temp sticker goes in the rear window, not the front, and a missing front plate ticket is way more than a few bucks.
I’ve had a few Corvette’s, and the later models with the plastic front end would look like crap with a front plate instead of the insert with the “CORVETTE” inlay, so I did that instead on my 98 Convertible.
I was pulled over almost immediately and wasn’t given a ticket, but a warning and was told the fine was around $200 for no front plate.
After that, I would keep the front plate in the car and if I was pulled over, I would tell the officer I just lost my job and need to sell the car, and I took the front plate off and put the insert in its place to take pics as I’m putting the car up for sale, and would show the officer the front plate which I kept in the car.
Of course, it helped that I kept the car washed and polished (not waxed!) and in immaculate condition, so I never got a ticket, but at times was made to put the front plate on the car, on the spot.
IDK what the exact dollar fine is, but it’s in the hundreds of dollars for no front plate once they’ve been issued by CA DMV and you have received them.
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