Welcome to Tennessee (it shouldn't matter, but it does: clean-cut taxpaying middle-aged white guy, with former background in govt data centers [1] ). If I had any detectible minority status, I would display a plate properly.

More onlookers (from behind) snap photos of this taglessness than any other politics/offensive bumper sticker I've had [2] — my only thought is that my vehicle misleads them to think that perhaps I'm undercover I.C.E. (purposefully obscurring)..?

[1] I've woken up blackout in a comped hotel when friends in identical situation got arrested/PI; I still carry a long-expired govt work badge in my moneyclip

[2] 2nd-most popular, all-time, was "Patron Saint of Denials Luigi Mangione" image

It really doesn't, there are lawful reasons to not have a plate yet.

It's not about hiding — it's about sending a message.

IIRC, Steve Jobs was known to do this in his black plateless Mercedes (decades ago).

I have a printout of #1105 in my glovebox, specifically because my license plate is similarly-ridiculous (and "unscannable" but a legally-issued specialty plate). On the reverse is a copy of my state's law on "proper display of registration identifier," but not to discuss with a cop (for him to find in event of being an asshole, searching my vehicle).

My vehicle blends in and is otherwise-legal — non-compliance encourages me to obey most traffic laws — but I do carry the plate in my passenger seat to display in event of pull-over (my plate is some iteration of "no plate," and I do respect individual officers' safeties [1]).

[1] They have every right to know, when performing a lawful investigation. My plan would be to hold it up while initially stopped (to show intent of identification, my plate is complicated in many ways and must be searched for in a very odd way).

These lens "blockers" are working less-and-less well (as tech gets better if they ever worked well at all), and seem to increase targeting from law enforcement.

In Tennessee, after the first two citations for "improper display of registration" it becomes an actual crime (an actual misdemeanor); if I ever get to this point (four months now multiple cops behind me haven't given a single F), I have an increasingly-insane series of "protests" that have semi-interesting legalities [0].

[0] e.g. transfer registration to brother ($10 gift fee every few months, which results in no tag requirement); small 3ft trailer (possibly with guillotine erected atop, blocking view), as TN does not issue license plates to trailers less than 15ft length

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This isn't about "disappearing" (impossible in any modern civilization) — it's about sending a message and adding one small additional layer of protection from simple broad ALPR searches.

>much harder time getting a vehicle in the first place.

This is a good thing; add "houses" to the list, too. Credit is too freely issued — we live on debt (as a society/world).

I've seen people throw their $20k in negative equity into a new purchase/lease — and just been baffled.

--but I agree: lenders oughta'be able to retrieve their lien'ed properties.

Repossessing cars isn't societally harmful, quite the opposite in fact.

Discouraging people from using cars at all?

Finding missing people? Finding criminals?

Catching the pedophiles. Think of the children.