CurbTXT Lets San Franciscans Communicate via License Plates

11 years, 2 months ago - 25 January 2013, Autoblog
CurbTXT Lets San Franciscans Communicate via License Plates
Have you ever had the urge to warn the owner of a vehicle that they have unknowingly parked illegally, and are about to get towed? How about wanting to contact someone whose car is parked dangerously or blocking you in a driveway?

Three guys in San Francisco have come up with a solution to a city slicker's everyday problem, and the answer is called CurbTXT. In a nutshell, participants register their vehicle's license plate number online and then affix a small sticker to the vehicle identifying them as a fellow partaker in the program. If one happens upon a vehicle wearing the C-Text insignia, doing something against the grain of society's conformity, they are able to send an anonymous SMS-based text to the owner of the car or truck by simply punching in a license plate number. For those with privacy concerns, the sender does not have to be registered, and the personal information of the sender and recipient are kept anonymous, unless the the sender identifies themselves.)

While the program is interesting, it is obviously only effective with widespread use (as of now, the service has been used to send "dozens" of messages). That said, the company is in fast-forward mode to register as many vehicles as possible in the San Francisco area. If it gets enough traction, this innovative new way to help fellow motorists avoid parking fines and towing could be coming your way.