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Say NO to Mandatory E-Bike License Plates and Registrations [California]
(bikeeastbay.org)
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this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2026
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So are you arguing that cars shouldn't have license plates, either? Because if the point of license plates is to enable surveillance, then that would apply to cars, as well.
Cars are much, much more dangerous, and the system of surveillance already exists, so that's not a fight worth getting into right now. Once we've solved the issue of street safety, which, frankly, license plates have done little to mitigate, it would probably be appropriate to eliminate them.
Although honestly maybe there is a stronger case to be made against them because we're having this debate right now. The fact that people are required to give up their privacy and autonomy simply to get around makes them much more likely to accept further concessions in areas where the safety benefits are far less obvious.
OK, well, at least you're consistent.
I would be careful with the statement that license plates have done little to mitigate road safety issues, though. They have not fixed the problem entirely of course, far from it, but they have greatly increased accountability, because all an ordinary citizen needs to do in the case of a hit and run is to note the plate number. It also enables the use of speed and red light cameras, which have also lead to a decrease in dangerous driving. (And note - speed and red light cameras are not surveillance in that sense, since they - bar malfunctions - only hit those who are guilty or are very likely to be guilty).