Old Ron after a visit to Santa Fe......
Posted on 09/25/2007 5:38:56 PM PDT by Santa Fe_Conservative
Albuquerque, N.M. -- People are getting red light camera tickets with cars that have the same license plate numbers as their's.
"It showed that it was a blue car that was running the light, and my car was a red truck, and I thought, this is strange," said Kathy Harrison. So Harrison called MVD.
Alice Ortiz with the MVD says, "We have identified about 45 plates out of 2 million. They seem to be isolated to our UNM plates."
The problem seems to be with the UNM "Go Lobos" plates.
MVD says that there is a computer glitch and they are working on fixing it and that they will contact customers to make sure they have the right plate number.
Officials also say regardless of what plate you have you should check that the registration number matches your plate.
They’re probably all vanity plates, with the letters “J-O-S-E” on them....
Basic data entry field checking can say allow no dup’s. Just how stupid are these government folks in NM.
Meanwhile, while you, the innocent, debate things with the “Authorities”, they want you to pay the ticket, or they’ll revoke your license.....
They assumed UNM alumni would n-e-v-e-r notice...
Funny now, but NY recalled about 4500 plates manufactured with the letters DUI and DWI after “customers” complained.
MVD says that there is a computer glitch and they are working on fixing it and that they will contact customers
Customers ?
And those are just the ones they've identified. How about the ones they haven't identified yet? How about counterfeit plates? With some sheet metal and paint it wouldn't be hard to do; i.e., if there's any justice in the world, this ought to be the death knell of red light camera tickets.
re: “Basic data entry field checking can say allow no dup’s. Just how stupid are these government folks in NM”
As one who has worked for many big IT shops, I can say they are typical of gubmint. The rate of errors is extremely high in the IRS and SSA. It is very high in Illinois state government and in the credit bureaus, especially Equifax; and almost as high in Chicago City gubmint and the utility companies in IL.
Then a little less so in the competitive companies in the midwest, but still higher than it should be.
Our failed public education system is a major reason for these problems. There just are not enough people in the USA willing and able to work in IT. A major reason for so many immigrants in IT, and for offshoring, is the lack of competent Americans.
And it will get worse in the future. Those who want a computer check of SSN used by illegals have no idea what the unintended consequences will be.
One would think that a DB of plates would be “keyed” on plate #. You can’t have dup’s in a key, the DB won’t allow it.
Damn. Between duplicate plates, DUI fatalities and out of control child support laws, New Mexico seems to be a place to avoid.
Just wait until government runs health care!
If you want on or off the NM Ping list, please FReepmail me.
IMHO..this sounds WAAY too cute to be an accident....
Old Ron after a visit to Santa Fe......
This reminds me of a strange thing that happened to my (now former) boss about 10 years ago. This incident occurred in Albuquerque.
He was stopped for not having tags on his license plate, and when he got out to look for himself, he noticed that he had a brand spanking new license plate on his vehicle, and his other one had been stolen.
The thing is, the cop ran the new plate and said that “it wasn’t in the system at all.”
So someone had access to newly-minted plates, and for some reason needed a plate with a valid tag on it (for nefarious purposes, no doubt), and my boss was the unfortunate victim of this switcheroo.
It’s a wonderful state. It’s just run by idiots.
susie
I had my plates swiped off my mini van once in Midland TX. It really fried me since I’d had that same plate number quite a while and it was easy to remember.
susie
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