Sometimes it can be very difficult, even with the aid of GPS, to quickly and accurately identify a specific property, particularly at night, and when a road vehicle is traveling at speed.

This means that drive-by shootings can be deplorably inaccurate.

While this may be good news for vendors of small arms ammunition, it is bad news for the innocent householders whose property gets peppered with automatic fire, and does little to convince the real target of the determination and effectiveness of their opponents.

Currently, many properties display no number at all, or have one in a stylised representation which is difficult to read in poor light.

We therefore propose that all properties in urban and suburban areas should be mandated to display a standardised illuminated house number, similar to a vehicle registration plate, in one of a limited number of prescribed positions, said sign to be suitably illuminated during the hours of darkness.
-- 8th of 7, Feb 28 2012

B.A.D. - Dial A Hitman https://www.youtube...watch?v=6lRhCClHvjM
A short musical interlude... [DrBob, Apr 30 2019]

This makes the assumption that drive by shooters are literate/numerate. Suggest instead that the house must display a near life size, illuminated image of its usual occupants (including pets and imaginary friends) to further minimise bullet wastage.
-- calum, Feb 28 2012


Many municipalities specify number size and position. Frequently it is painted on the curb in reflective paint. I really don't think correct targetting of drive by shootings is the major concern.
-- MechE, Feb 28 2012


Oh please, any competent drive by shooter should have done his homework and identified the target house hours before he drives by shooting. Homework, people. Do your homework! Drive by about 4:00pm, when most day shift people are coming home from work, and you'll probably be able to see your target getting out of his car.
-- Psalm_97, Feb 28 2012


// in one of a limited number of prescribed positions//

What if your house is somewhere else?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 28 2012


For pizza delivery people everywhere, I place a bun at your feet.
-- blissmiss, Feb 29 2012


This idea sounds to me like yet another thinly disguised Borg-ish plot to assimilate the world.
-- DrBob, Feb 29 2012


Does the house undergo a WOF check to get the plate? Send in the contractor on that pretense.
-- wjt, Apr 25 2019


But if you're likely to be the target of a drive-by shooting you probably know this and so you'll just display the house number of your neighbour.

This could be prevented by combining the house number with the house's GPS coordinates in a tamper-proof way, for example, by making the house number the GPS coordinates encrypted with the house owner's private PGP key. To verify that you're shooting up the right house, just download the supposed house owner's public key, decrypt the house number and see if you get the (approximate) GPS coordinates of where you are. If you do, then continue shooting.
-- hippo, Apr 25 2019


Or just sneak out at night and paint a huge arrow pointing towards the house in question.
-- not_morrison_rm, Apr 26 2019


I, for one, welcome our new cybernetic overlords.
-- Voice, Apr 26 2019


Oi, Borg, did you just assimilate Voice?
-- not_morrison_rm, Apr 27 2019


Not yet ... but that time is not far off ...
-- 8th of 7, Apr 27 2019


Well that took an unexpected turn.

Bun for the unexpected turn.
-- doctorremulac3, Apr 27 2019



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