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Latest Steve Jobs Mystery Revealed: How He Drove Without License Plates

By Justin Hyde | Yahoo! Autos – Thu, Oct 27, 2011 7:10 PM EDT

Photo credit: Getty Images/ Lodev via FlickrPhoto credit: Getty Images/ Lodev via Flickr

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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."

For years, rumors swirled that Jobs had either won a special dispensation from California authorities or was just daring police to stop him. While the why remains somewhat cloudy, an interview by ITWire with a former Apple security executive reveals the real reason: a little-known loophole in California vehicle laws that gives owners up to six months to get plates for their vehicles.

According to Jon Callas, now chief technical officer of Entrust, Jobs would arrange with his vehicle leasing company to switch out his silver Mercedes every six months with a new, identical model — just another of the complicated and expensive ways Jobs thought differently.
 

4,929 comments

  • Lalo
    Lalo  •  4 months ago
    مرحبا انا معاش حانفتح اليااهو لان نسيت كلمة المرور عندي ياهو جديد توة انضيفكم فيه لا تستغربووو اووكي
  • Kawawa Rashid
    Kawawa Rashid  •  4 months ago
    moving around with a numberless car? well maybe he was a criminal who was yet to be discovered. i thought in America no one is above the law. so
  • marlyn
    marlyn  •  5 months ago
    It's a great idea, to aviod car naping and holdup, good job.. steve....
  • Misheck Nkole
    Misheck Nkole  •  5 months ago
    motive behind this not very inspiring
  • bess
    bess  •  6 months ago
    HIs money his life, let the man rest,
  • Jayavaraman
    Jayavaraman  •  5 months ago
    Special man?。。。
  • Sigmond Hutter
    Sigmond Hutter  •  6 months ago
    good idea !
  • Mervin
    Mervin  •  6 months ago
    to smart thats it
  • DM
    DM  •  6 months ago
    It was because you can't ticket a car without a license plate, if the VIN is also obscured. Of course he wouldn't come out and SAY that, but it was to avoid parking tickets, so he could park just any old where.
  • Get Real
    Get Real  •  6 months ago
    Let's be honest here. . . shall we?

    If this had been a story about a regular guy who had skirted around the law most of the posters would have been crying about how he was a cheat.

    They would have whined about how they had to pay their license fee and so should he.

    They would have called him a jerk for using a handicapped parking space.

    But it's Steve Jobs so it's cool.
    • Telling It Like It Is 200 ...
      Telling It Like It Is 200 ... 6 months ago
      LOL Best post of the evening and entirely true IMO
    • Clementine K
      Clementine K 6 months ago
      Hahahaha, did not even notice the handicapped parking until you said that.
    • Helgi
      Helgi 6 months ago
      Now finally all the dirt from this man is showing up. I've always found it quite silly to automatically say nice things about a person after they've died. What if that person was a complete asshole?
  • Dane
    Dane  •  6 months ago
    "privacy reasons"??? a mercedes with no plate isn't noticable?
    • RJB
      RJB 6 months ago
      Or with dealer plates / the dealer logo in lieu of a plate. But I guess I kind of agree. I don't think it was a privacy issue but more of an issue of sticking it to the MAN.
    • A Yahoo! User 6 months ago
      where i can find this animation avatar?
    • Ali L
      Ali L 6 months ago
      It really isn't noticeable at all seeing a Mercedes on the road in southern california is as common as seeing a Honda especially with everyone so image conscious and leasing there vehicles.
  • HiddenAgenda
    HiddenAgenda  •  6 months ago
    He just went to great lengths to arrogantly buck the system just to prove a point.
    • .
      . 6 months ago
      Narcissistic personality disorder.
    • Garbage
      Garbage 6 months ago
      Fvck the man disorder.
    • AmalitsaA
      AmalitsaA 6 months ago
      I AM ALL FOR BUCKING THE SYSTEM I HARDLY EVER PAY TO EAT OUT IN OVER 5 YEARS!!!! BUYA!! ITS THE TRUTH !!! GO TO BIRTHDAY FREEBIES .COM AND JUST CREAT BIRTHDAYS EVERY TIME YOU WANT TO EAT OUT
  • ben
    ben  •  6 months ago
    I have no problem with the license plate, but hard parked in a handicapped spot?
    • Brandon K
      Brandon K 6 months ago
      He had cancer dude
    • Greg
      Greg 6 months ago
      At his own company, which probably had more than one spot. Also do you grieve over using a handicapped accessible toilet?
    • FOFF*
      FOFF* 6 months ago
      Making a big deal about it? He was ill. In fact, he died. Do you need a special education about his health problem? Even ordinary people get harass by an oxymoron. For example, a racial slur. It could be expressed by vandalizing his or her property. Then, how much more for this man? If we all know how people think, our world is way much better than what we have today. ;-) In addition, how many handicaps use a non-handicaps parking space everyday? Shall I jump into a conclusion that they can do anything to able people because of their circumstances? Don't you think that respecting others mutually is a good thing? In contrast, I absolutely do not advocate bad behaviors. I think that I'm a fortunate person due to the fact that I'm not a handicap. I'm always willing to give up my space for them.
  • anonymous
    anonymous  •  6 months ago
    Why not just register it to the company instead of himself? He did many great things, but this is just another example of someone who thought the rules shouldn't apply to him.
    • Kathy
      Kathy 6 months ago
      I disagree...he was very cool and a rebel and never stopped asking whats next....dont judge anyone...your just judging yourself...its true.
    • Ken
      Ken 6 months ago
      Apparently he didnt break the rules according to California state law
    • John Doe
      John Doe 6 months ago
      company plates constrain you even more than government plates, it defeats the point
  • MexicanLeafBlower
    MexicanLeafBlower  •  6 months ago
    I don't have plates on my car either. It's a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero and has sat in my driveway with no engine since I lost my job in 2008.
  • Kaleigh
    Kaleigh  •  6 months ago
    That's not creative. That's just excessive and wasteful.
  • AFLAC!!
    AFLAC!!  •  6 months ago
    Sounds pretty cheap and arrogant to me.
  • A Yahoo! User  •  6 months ago
    just that? nkt
  • Sam art
    Sam art  •  6 months ago
    hmmm.... not very strange!....
  • C.L.S
    C.L.S  •  6 months ago
    Identifying with The Almighty ! Late Steve Jobs had purest of his mind, unmindful of his worldly existence, lived and did what can be unachievable by most, now the world adores him. So was my eldest son Divyatma Ashutosh, same disease as of Steve Jobs, same temparament - left this world on 20th December, 2009.
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