Virginia & personalized plates
Charles Packer
Maryland or D.C.? If so, why? My wife, who doesn't get over into
Virginia that much, was struck by all the personalized plates
we saw on Sunday in a drive between Ashburn and D.C.
--
mai...@cpacker.org (Charles Packer)
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
swatcop
"Charles Packer" <mai...@cpacker.org> wrote in message
news:f88bc493.03110...@posting.google.com...
As a matter of fact, I believe that personalized tags ARE more popular in
Virginia than any other state. I've got family in the Roanoke area, and
years ago before becoming a cop I was an armored car supervisor and my run
was from NJ through MD, DE, WV, VA, and NC. I have never seen so many
personalized tags in any other state. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
Maybe Virginians have more time on their hands than we do. It certainly is a
hell of a lot more laid back in Virginia than a lot of other states that
I've been to.
--
<-= swatcop =->
"If it wasn't for stupid people I'd be unemployed."
John Gilmer
"swatcop" <swa...@tampabay.rr.nospam> wrote in message
news:Pgtpb.92234$RP2....@twister.tampabay.rr.com...
>
>
> "Charles Packer" <mai...@cpacker.org> wrote in message
> news:f88bc493.03110...@posting.google.com...
> > Are custom license plates more popular in Virginia than in
> > Maryland or D.C.? If so, why? My wife, who doesn't get over into
> > Virginia that much, was struck by all the personalized plates
> > we saw on Sunday in a drive between Ashburn and D.C.
Maybe it has something to do with the cost. I think the custom
numbers/letters was only about $10 year a few years back.
There is a BIG variety of special backgrounds available for not too much
money. The only license background that was prohibitied in the last few
years was when the Baby Killer supporting governor refused to go along with
a pro-life license plate. But, generally speaking, if you can get 300
folks to go along, just about any plate can be custom made. Even obscure
yankee schools have their custom VA plates!
Nate Nagel
They are a lot less expensive in VA than in other states. My ex-GF
has a set, I think she told me they cost about $10 or something like
that. Certainly less than $20. I'm sure their reasoning is that if
they are cheap enough people will say "why not?" and more people will
end up buying them. (worked, in her case... she's not the kind of
person who would go out of her way to get personalized tags were they,
say $50) I think it's kind of cool, although I wish some people would
put a little more thought into them...
nate
Sharon
"Nate Nagel" <njn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4b6d2dd6.03110...@posting.google.com...
> They are a lot less expensive in VA than in other states. My ex-GF
> has a set, I think she told me they cost about $10 or something like
> that. Certainly less than $20. I'm sure their reasoning is that if
> they are cheap enough people will say "why not?" and more people will
> end up buying them. (worked, in her case... she's not the kind of
> person who would go out of her way to get personalized tags were they,
> say $50) I think it's kind of cool, although I wish some people would
> put a little more thought into them...
>
> nate
No kidding. There's a car always parked in my office complex with the plate
"LCN PLT". Like, duhhh. I don't understand why people spend extra money
for plates that are completely inane like that.
--
Sharon, Lurking As Usual
To reply, replace spammersmustdie with jcwoman1963
E.R.
none other than Nate Nagel:
>They are a lot less expensive in VA than in other states. My ex-GF
>has a set, I think she told me they cost about $10 or something like
>that. Certainly less than $20. I'm sure their reasoning is that if
>they are cheap enough people will say "why not?" and more people will
>end up buying them. (worked, in her case... she's not the kind of
>person who would go out of her way to get personalized tags were they,
>say $50)
They cost $100 + $40/yr rental (added to in$urance bill) here, and
that was plenty cheap enough to entice me. :} (In Europe they can
cost a LOT more than that, so I couldn't believe it when I
discovered how cheap they are here.)
--
E.R. aka S.J.G. aka Ricardo - Xlate & correct for e-mail reply
'91 mx6gt, white, 5sp MT, V1, CB
Rush Wickes
> Maryland or D.C.? If so, why? My wife, who doesn't get over into
> Virginia that much, was struck by all the personalized plates
> we saw on Sunday in a drive between Ashburn and D.C.
>
According to a news report I heard on the radio in the summer of 2001,
Virginia has the second highest number of vanity plates per capita (one out
of five vehicles has one). This is only behind Connecticut, which first
introduced the concept of personalized (vanity) numbers for license plates
back in 1937.
There are several factors that I'd attribute to the popularity of vanity
tags in Virginia as compared to other states.
Cost: Virginia charges a one time fee of $10 up front for most basic vanity
plates (e.g. the mountains to seashore, the fall leaves border, scenic
patriot, state bird and great seal plates) and charges an annual $10 fee for
a personalized 'number'. Other states charge significantly more for a
vanity number and some have very limited options for alternative plates.
Flexibility: Some Virginia plates have the capability of fitting 7.5
characters (4 letters, a space, three letters), which gives drivers more
opportunity to form the phrase that fits them best.
Convenience: The Virginia DMV web site (www.dmvnow.com) allows visitors to
create their plate online and purchase it if it is available. Many other
state DMV web sites require you to fill out a form with your choice and mail
it in, then they'll mail it back with your new plate or tell you the desired
vanity number/name isn't available.
Choice: All you need to get a new plate design started here is a
legislative sponsor and 350 applications to buy a plate from owners of
licensed motor vehicles in Virginia. Each plate has to get approved in a
committee of the General Assembly, some of whose members questioned whether
the volume of new plates were getting out of hand. This complaint was
voiced just after an extended debate over whether a plate commemorating
Jimmy Buffett fans ('parrot heads') should be approved.
Not every vanity plate lasts this process. Ones commemorating Fairfax
County's history, the 300th anniversary of Falls Church and Eagle Scouts
were among those whose authorization was repealed this past year when they
did not get 350 applications by their deadlines.
For more information on this subject:
http://www.loper.org/~george/archives/2003/Jan/91.html
--
Rush Wickes -- remove the '=' to reply via e-mail
Blacksburg, VA
Brandon Sommerville
That's at least a humorous take on it.
There's a GSX Type S that parks around the corner from us, the license
plate is "GSX S". My wife wonders if that's because "DUMBASS" was
already taken.
--
Brandon Sommerville
remove ".gov" to e-mail
Definition of "Lottery":
Millions of stupid people contributing
to make one stupid person look smart.
John Gilmer
> There's a GSX Type S that parks around the corner from us, the license
> plate is "GSX S". My wife wonders if that's because "DUMBASS" was
> already taken.
Now, now: don't be nasty!
ONE "reasonable" reason for the "GSX S" plate might be just to make it
easier to remember.
Bernie Cosell
} Are custom license plates more popular in Virginia than in
} Maryland or D.C.? If so, why? My wife, who doesn't get over into
} Virginia that much, was struck by all the personalized plates
} we saw on Sunday in a drive between Ashburn and D.C.
I have always thought of it as a simple lesson in economics 101. Some
states make it almost prohibitively expensive [I think it is near, or more
than, $100/yr in Massachusetts] and also make it difficult. In MA they
were called "vanity plates" because you had to be pretty vain to go to the
bother and expense of getting them. In VA, the customized plates are
really easy to get and cost something like $10. The economics lesson is:
by which path do you make more profit, selling a few items at BIG prices,
or selling a LOT of items at a smaller price. I'm betting that VA makes
more from its customized plate program than MA does...
In any event, the *consequence* of that legislative decision is that having
[and changing!] customized plates is a simple, common thing in VA. I've
had friends who've changed their plates three or four times in a year --
for the thinnest of reasons, but it is so easy to do, why not? I got my
last one with a few clicks on the VA DOT website and my new plates arrived
in the mail about a week or so later, when it is *that* easy [and
inexpensive], why not?
/Bernie\
--
Bernie Cosell Fantasy Farm Fibers
ber...@fantasyfarm.com Pearisburg, VA
--> Too many people, too few sheep <--
news.verizon.net
many who get these plates have been that they must be so shallow and lacking
personality that they require their cars to be an extension or a
compensation of their lacking there of.
The funniest one to me is when a female has her name on the license plate.
And then any two bit stalker criminal type just has something to go on and
follows her (it has happened) and says to her, "Hey Suzi (insert any name
here), and then she's a bit too dumb and shocked, so she says, "how did you
know my name?" Ah yes....
It was fun being a detective in the mid 90's.
Apollos Frank-James MacArthur
Wondering why pay extra to state the obvious.
"Bernie Cosell" <ber...@fantasyfarm.com> wrote in message
news:8j7fqvkg5tj33bq6f...@library.airnews.net...
John Duncan Yoyo
<gil...@crosslink.net> wrote:
>
>
>> There's a GSX Type S that parks around the corner from us, the license
>> plate is "GSX S". My wife wonders if that's because "DUMBASS" was
>> already taken.
>
>Now, now: don't be nasty!
Dumbass was either taken or blocked, but dumbas is still available.
Go to
<http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/vehicles/plate_search.asp>
to view the staggering selection of VA plates. You can also check to
see what is available for selection as a personalized plate.
>
>ONE "reasonable" reason for the "GSX S" plate might be just to make it
>easier to remember.
>
I always though obscure puns on the car make were better. My choice
for my old Neon would have been Tetra.
--
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.
C.R. Krieger
> It's all still pretty cheeseball and corny to me.
You and my wife would agree. She says it's the same thing as wearing
a big red rubber clown nose.
> Generally my opinion of
> many who get these plates have been that they must be so shallow and lacking
> personality that they require their cars to be an extension or a
> compensation of their lacking there of.
Some of us regard our cars as *fun* instead of as mere transportation
appliances. A lot of guys like you never can understand that, so
don't bother trying.
> The funniest one to me is when a female has her name on the license plate.
> And then any two bit stalker criminal type just has something to go on and
> follows her (it has happened) and says to her, "Hey Suzi (insert any name
> here), and then she's a bit too dumb and shocked, so she says, "how did you
> know my name?" Ah yes....
Yup. Understood. Of course, in my case, they say "WARP ONE" and
"WARP TWO". A lot of people think that means I'm a big Star Trek fan.
In actuality, it's my usual velocity ... =;^)
> Wondering why pay extra to state the obvious.
It's almost as cheap here as in VA: $15/year. I figure that's about
three cents per outing. It's worth that to me.
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there; fixed that)
Toastmaster
Brandon Sommerville wrote:
> On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 16:20:52 -0500, "Sharon"
> <spammer...@decus.eisner.org> wrote:
>
>
>>"Nate Nagel" <njn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:4b6d2dd6.03110...@posting.google.com...
>>
>>>They are a lot less expensive in VA than in other states. My ex-GF
>>>has a set, I think she told me they cost about $10 or something like
>>>that. Certainly less than $20. I'm sure their reasoning is that if
>>>they are cheap enough people will say "why not?" and more people will
>>>end up buying them. (worked, in her case... she's not the kind of
>>>person who would go out of her way to get personalized tags were they,
>>>say $50) I think it's kind of cool, although I wish some people would
>>>put a little more thought into them...
>>>
>>>nate
>>
>>No kidding. There's a car always parked in my office complex with the plate
>>"LCN PLT". Like, duhhh. I don't understand why people spend extra money
>>for plates that are completely inane like that.
>
I remmeber the story of a guy in California whose vanity plate was
"NOPLATE" He got a shit load of parking tickets for people that had...
uhh.. no plate.
APOLLOS
of as mere transportation
appliances. A lot of guys like you never can understand that, so don't
mean guys like me who own two Porsches and 7 motorcycles? Pardon me, but I
have a lot of fun on the road, particularly when rush hour traffic is
standing still and I can cruise by in between lanes on my motorcycles
fighting congestion and gridlock as I go. If I needed mere transportation I
would drive a Honda. Don't be so quick to label me "guys like you."
Apollos Frank-James MacArthur
Two Wheels One World
"C.R. Krieger" <warp2_...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a8a578a8.03110...@posting.google.com...
John Gilmer
"John Duncan Yoyo" <john-dun...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:8rtfqvo9h8f8i0h96...@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 07:29:48 -0500, "John Gilmer"
> <gil...@crosslink.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >> There's a GSX Type S that parks around the corner from us, the license
> >> plate is "GSX S". My wife wonders if that's because "DUMBASS" was
> >> already taken.
> >
> >Now, now: don't be nasty!
>
> Dumbass was either taken or blocked, but dumbas is still available.
> Go to
Actually, even it "they" were to issue, dumbas (or dumbass) it would likely
soon be recalled.
> <http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/vehicles/plate_search.asp>
> to view the staggering selection of VA plates. You can also check to
> see what is available for selection as a personalized plate.
> >
> >ONE "reasonable" reason for the "GSX S" plate might be just to make it
> >easier to remember.
> >
> I always though obscure puns on the car make were better. My choice
> for my old Neon would have been Tetra.
That would have been fun for you. Maybe someone else justed wanted it easy
for himself and his friends to remember without having to get into
discussions about fish.
Nate Nagel
ability to reply to x-posted threads)
John Duncan Yoyo wrote:
> On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 07:29:48 -0500, "John Gilmer"
> <gil...@crosslink.net> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>>There's a GSX Type S that parks around the corner from us, the license
>>>plate is "GSX S". My wife wonders if that's because "DUMBASS" was
>>>already taken.
>>
>>Now, now: don't be nasty!
>
>
> Dumbass was either taken or blocked, but dumbas is still available.
> Go to
> <http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/vehicles/plate_search.asp>
> to view the staggering selection of VA plates. You can also check to
> see what is available for selection as a personalized plate.
<shawshank redemption>
It's DUMAS!
</shawshank redemption>
>
>>ONE "reasonable" reason for the "GSX S" plate might be just to make it
>>easier to remember.
>>
>
> I always though obscure puns on the car make were better. My choice
> for my old Neon would have been Tetra.
My personal favorite (being a VW fan) was "IM L8" on... you guessed
it... a white Rabbit.
nate
--
go dry to reply.
http://www.toad.net/~njnagel
C.R. Krieger
> To the matter of you stating: "Some of us regard our cars as *fun* instead
> of as mere transportation
> appliances. A lot of guys like you never can understand that, so don't
> bother trying." I have to ask, what do you mean by guys like you? Do you
> mean guys like me who own two Porsches and 7 motorcycles? Pardon me, but I
> have a lot of fun on the road, particularly when rush hour traffic is
> standing still and I can cruise by in between lanes on my motorcycles
> fighting congestion and gridlock as I go. If I needed mere transportation I
> would drive a Honda. Don't be so quick to label me "guys like you."
Notice I didn't say *all* guys like you (I'm a lawyer; that's my job.
;^) ). Obviously, there are exceptions and obviously you are one of
them. I find there's a fairly high percentage of enthusiast *drivers*
like *us* (you and me) that will spring for the extra few bucks for a
personalized plate number.
Now, if we can get you to figure out how to interleave your replies
with the original message so it's easier to read ... (Poke around in
your newsreader's settings - you'll find it.)
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there, too!)
Sharon
news:jBWpb.60264$ri.10...@twister.nyc.rr.com...
The background story on this was that when the plate number was either
missing or illegible on traffic violations the CA DMV recorded them in their
database under the key "no plate". I assume the plate number was the key
field to their database so could not be left blank. They'd been doing this
for years and years, accumulating violations for this bogus license. Until
along came the guy of which you speak, who thought he was clever to get "no
plate" as his vanity license. Boy was he in for a surprise... I heard that
he instantly recieved thousands of citations in the mail and that they kept
coming for months before the DMV fixed it.
... Actually, I never heard how the matter was fixed. I don't know if
they fixed their database, or if the guy had to change his plate.
(I used to work computer support for a 911 agency in California, so got
to hear about stuff like this.)
Still on the topic of vanity plates, and I think this wins the state
stupidity prize: California instituted what they called "children's plates"
several years ago. These plates were vanity plates in the normal sense,
except that they also had a small list of icons you could also have. So
your plate could say things like "I<heart>DOGS", "99+WPM", etc. The icons
included a hand, a heart, a plus sign, etc. I forget them all now.
DMV told the 911 dispatchers and cops that when they ran queries on the
plates, they needed to just remove the icon. So "I<heart>DOGS" would be ran
as "IDOGS". I always wondered how that didn't pull up records for a
different plate that actually *was* "IDOGS"....
John Duncan Yoyo
<gil...@crosslink.net> wrote:
>
>"John Duncan Yoyo" <john-dun...@cox.net> wrote in message
>news:8rtfqvo9h8f8i0h96...@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 07:29:48 -0500, "John Gilmer"
>> <gil...@crosslink.net> wrote:
>> <http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/vehicles/plate_search.asp>
>> to view the staggering selection of VA plates. You can also check to
>> see what is available for selection as a personalized plate.
>> >
>> >ONE "reasonable" reason for the "GSX S" plate might be just to make it
>> >easier to remember.
>> >
>> I always though obscure puns on the car make were better. My choice
>> for my old Neon would have been Tetra.
>
>That would have been fun for you. Maybe someone else justed wanted it easy
>for himself and his friends to remember without having to get into
>discussions about fish.
>
They are wonderful little fish. I could probably hold my own for five
minutes or so of fish talk.
PP
"APOLLOS" <frank.m...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:S7Xpb.569$7V1...@nwrddc01.gnilink.net...
> Pardon me, but I
> have a lot of fun on the road, particularly when rush hour traffic is
> standing still and I can cruise by in between lanes on my motorcycles
> fighting congestion and gridlock as I go.
Apollos:
Where do you do this? Everytime I try it, I get bagged by the man!
PP
Daniel L. Bateman
> Go to
> <http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/vehicles/plate_search.asp>
> to view the staggering selection of VA plates. You can also check to
> see what is available for selection as a personalized plate.
> >
You know, VA has some nice web sites & services. The DMV site is
great (unlike the offices sometimes), and I was impressed with the
election results page at http://sbe.vipnet.org/
APOLLOS
"PP" <pplassmR...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:AKtqb.839038$oO4.8...@news.easynews.com...
To be honest I do everywhere except Maryland. So by everywhere I mean
primarily DC and VA. In VA you gotta be careful and quite conservative
about it. In DC as long as you are not looking blatantly unsafe, believe
me, the cops here have a lot more things to be concerned about and deal with
than a bike or two splitting lanes.
Do it, and if you see a cop simply ease into the flow and pull back out when
the coast is clear. It has been my experience that they will NEVER even
bother or give a second look.
APOLLOS
I should add that I have NEVER gotten any kind of moving violation ticket in
DC or VA and been riding here for years. The few I've gotten in MD have all
been thrown out in court. The handful I got in Cali also beaten by me,
representing myself as an ace traffic attorney.
***LEGAL DISCLAIMER***
Past results do not guarantee future success. Actual experiences of one
initial do not necessarily represent typical or average results.
Guardenman
backgrounds and write what you want (within reason) on them for a
nominal fee. They make about 75% profit on each plate even at the
reduced prices they charge. It is a good source of revenue for the
state. Besides it's fun to add a little bit of personality to your car
or truck.
PP
>
> To be honest I do everywhere except Maryland. So by everywhere I mean
> primarily DC and VA. In VA you gotta be careful and quite conservative
> about it. In DC as long as you are not looking blatantly unsafe, believe
> me, the cops here have a lot more things to be concerned about and deal
with
> than a bike or two splitting lanes.
>
> Do it, and if you see a cop simply ease into the flow and pull back out
when
> the coast is clear. It has been my experience that they will NEVER even
> bother or give a second look.
>
> APOLLOS
>
> I should add that I have NEVER gotten any kind of moving violation ticket
in
> DC or VA and been riding here for years. The few I've gotten in MD have
all
> been thrown out in court. The handful I got in Cali also beaten by me,
> representing myself as an ace traffic attorney.
>
> ***LEGAL DISCLAIMER***
>
> Past results do not guarantee future success. Actual experiences of one
> initial do not necessarily represent typical or average results.
Thanks. I live near Richmond, and I guess the police here have more time on
their hands!
I have had a few tickets reduced, but never thrown out. I guess I'm just
not as good a lawyer as you.
:-(
PP
Nancy Merckle
> No kidding. There's a car always parked in my office complex with the plate
> "LCN PLT". Like, duhhh. I don't understand why people spend extra money
> for plates that are completely inane like that.
Two plates come to mind here, both seen on Maryland cars several years
ago.
"NONE" and my personal favorite "LE TAG" on a Renaut Le Car.
Nancy
E.R.
>Thanks. I live near Richmond,
Don't we all? :}
Btw "Muggins" speeds with vanity plates. It's $100 to get 'em, and
$40 annual rental added to one's in$urance bill. And that's, uhh,
it, basically.
--
E.R. aka S.J.G. aka Ricardo - Xlate & correct for e-mail reply
'91 mx6gt, white, 5sp MT, V1, CB
"Cogito ergo zoom" (I think therefore I speed) - "Muggins"
"Zoom zoom zoom" - Mazda
Peachy Ashie Passion
> Are custom license plates more popular in Virginia than in
> Maryland or D.C.? If so, why? My wife, who doesn't get over into
> Virginia that much, was struck by all the personalized plates
> we saw on Sunday in a drive between Ashburn and D.C.
gosh no kidding. My mom wanted custom
plates in Utah where she lived.. As I recall
it was 125 bucks up front and 25 a year.
T Chaos
vanity plates only cost $10/year if you select the free plates. This is
in addition to registration costs each time you change your license
plate #.
more costly ones are $25/ year in addition to the above (the $25 partly
going to charity causes).