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License Plate News

Started by Alex, February 04, 2010, 10:38:53 AM

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roadman

One of my BIGGEST pet peeves about state government.  Why does it require a special law enacted by the Legislature to create specialty license plates?
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)


SP Cook

Quote from: roadman on May 20, 2019, 05:02:54 PM
One of my BIGGEST pet peeves about state government.  Why does it require a special law enacted by the Legislature to create specialty license plates?

Agree.  Often it is pure pandering, but, IMHO, more importantly there is an equal protection argument here.  If government authorizes a plate that expresses an opinion, should it not be required to authorize a plate for other opinions?

IMHO, there should just be a standard number of pre-sale pledges required and if you sell that many, you are in.

TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: MantyMadTown on April 17, 2019, 06:44:05 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on April 09, 2019, 10:38:28 PM
Open for business? As opposed to what, a centralized fascist government that controls the means of production ("get lost")?

Dumb slogan. Used by various US states as well. I hate them all.

Our former governor Scott Walker used the slogan for my state. I hated it.

Quote from: signalman on April 10, 2019, 10:34:24 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 10, 2019, 10:13:38 PM
Quote from: signalman on April 10, 2019, 01:21:15 PM
The "open for business" slogan implies that the state/province cares more about business than its citizens.

I am not sure if that's a good thing to imply, nor am I sure that a licence plate is the best spot for it.
It belongs on neither welcome signs nor license plates.

Agreed.

I did get a good laugh when I crossed into Wisconsin in March and they had replaced the "Open for Business"  plaques with "Tony Evers, Governor"  ones. Other than the need to replace them whenever he leaves office, I remembered how Illinois had to hastily scrub Hot Roddy B.'s name off of everything pretty much overnight.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

kphoger

Quote from: SP Cook on May 21, 2019, 09:28:31 AM
IMHO, more importantly there is an equal protection argument here.  If government authorizes a plate that expresses an opinion, should it not be required to authorize a plate for other opinions?

I'm not sure an opinion expressed on a license plate can be construed as discrimination in favor of the people who hold that opinion.  Interesting thought...
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

signalman

Quote from: SP Cook on May 21, 2019, 09:28:31 AM
IMHO, there should just be a standard number of pre-sale pledges required and if you sell that many, you are in.
This is often a requirement before a special interest plate is allowed and manufactured.  This requirement may vary by state though, I'm not sure.

signalman

Quote from: kphoger on May 21, 2019, 02:49:02 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 21, 2019, 09:28:31 AM
IMHO, more importantly there is an equal protection argument here.  If government authorizes a plate that expresses an opinion, should it not be required to authorize a plate for other opinions?

I'm not sure an opinion expressed on a license plate can be construed as discrimination in favor of the people who hold that opinion.  Interesting thought...
NH allows one to cover up the "Live Free or Die" slogan if they so choose to.

oscar

Quote from: signalman on May 21, 2019, 05:16:40 PM
NH allows one to cover up the "Live Free or Die" slogan if they so choose to.

More exactly, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a vehicle owner can cover up that slogan, whether NH likes it or not. That principle can be generalized, such as perhaps for people offended by the sappy "Virginia Is For Lovers" slogan on that state's standard plates.

The Supremes have recently addressed other license plate issues, such as upholding Texas' refusal to issue Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty license plates.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

roadfro

Quote from: roadman on May 20, 2019, 05:02:54 PM
One of my BIGGEST pet peeves about state government.  Why does it require a special law enacted by the Legislature to create specialty license plates?
Now that I'm thinking about this, I'm curious on this...

The legislature, maybe about 10 years ago, changed law to have a statutory limit on the number of specialized plates that can be issued at any time–and enacted a minimum active registration threshold for discontinuance. New proposals need a minimum pledge amount also.

The Nevada DMV has a process by which they approve specialty plates for charitable organizations, and these get reviewed by a commission established by the legislature.


Interestingly, I don't think either of these are listed on the DMV's website as next in queue. So are these new plates being created above the existing legislative cap? :Hmm:
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

DJ Particle

Quote from: 1995hoo on April 13, 2019, 11:23:38 AM
I seem to recall a newspaper story some years ago about some state (I have no idea which) issuing two plates but only requiring the rear plate, which then led to someone from that state getting a ticket in DC for not displaying the front plate.

Sounds like MN Collector's plates (for 20+-year-old vehicles).  They used to even have a rule where you could put a plate with tabs for the year of your vehicle (so long as the plate didn't use a current alphanumeric scheme) on the rear.  And for collector's plates, they only required rear plates (normal plates require both front/back).

So it's entirely possible it could be a MN vehicle, over 20 years old, with older general-issue plates, tabbed for the year of the car's model, with only one plate.  To the untrained, it would look like a MN car with expired tabs showing only one plate from a two-plate state.

mgk920

Quote from: DJ Particle on May 22, 2019, 05:59:53 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 13, 2019, 11:23:38 AM
I seem to recall a newspaper story some years ago about some state (I have no idea which) issuing two plates but only requiring the rear plate, which then led to someone from that state getting a ticket in DC for not displaying the front plate.

Sounds like MN Collector's plates (for 20+-year-old vehicles).  They used to even have a rule where you could put a plate with tabs for the year of your vehicle (so long as the plate didn't use a current alphanumeric scheme) on the rear.  And for collector's plates, they only required rear plates (normal plates require both front/back).

So it's entirely possible it could be a MN vehicle, over 20 years old, with older general-issue plates, tabbed for the year of the car's model, with only one plate.  To the untrained, it would look like a MN car with expired tabs showing only one plate from a two-plate state.

Wisconsin also has non-expiring 'collector' plates for vehicles 20 or more model years old (also classes of 'hobbyist' and 'antique' plates).  The rules for Wisconsin 'collector' plates - 1] vehicle must be 20 or more model years old and cannot be altered or modified from the manufacturer's original specifications, 2] owner must have one or more other vehicles currently registered in his/her name on a regular annual basis, and 3] vehicle cannot be legally driven on public roads during the month of January.

Non-expiring 'antique' plates are for unmodified vehicles 1945 model year or older.  Vehicle can only be used in special purposes such as shows and parades (that one should be changed, IMHO.  75 or more model years old?  man, 50 model years old and the 1969 Dodge Charger with the 426 Hemi engine would now be eligible  :wow: ).

Non-expiring 'Hobbyist' plates are also available for reconstructed, street modified or replicas of vehicles 20 or more model years old or for homemade vehicles.

My usual mechanic has a classic 1969 Winnebago motor home with collector plates.   :cool:

Wisconsin also allows the display of period-correct plates on older cars that are so registered, as long as the antique or collector plates are also displayed.

Mike

SP Cook

The Texas case was the one I was referring to, not so much the NH (and DC) use of a political slogan about which reasonable people can disagree on the standard plate.  Texas has plenty of plates for causes and groups that not everybody approves of, but singles out the SCV.  I would concede that the state could say 100% no politics, religion, controversy on plates at all, but how can it legally pick sides?

In my state, the legislature wastes its time approving individual bills for plates.  Totally up to them.  You can get, for example, "In God We Trust".  Now what if I want something contradictory?  How can government say you can have, on an official plate a religious slogan, but not an anti religious slogan or a slogan from another religion?  They offer plates for the Contractor's Association (which is an anti-union and pro-development group), for the "Friends of Coal" and for the various masonic groups.  All things reasonable people can disagree with.   What if I want a plate for some tree hugging group?

In the past they rejected plates that were to read "Choose Life" (which Virginia and Kentucky have) and "Vote Democrat".  So government can decide to make a plate that reads "Vote Democrat" ?  I don't think so.


frankenroad

Quote from: oscar on May 21, 2019, 06:03:59 PM

More exactly, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a vehicle owner can cover up that slogan, whether NH likes it or not. That principle can be generalized, such as perhaps for people offended by the sappy "Virginia Is For Lovers" slogan on that state's standard plates.

The Supremes have recently addressed other license plate issues, such as upholding Texas' refusal to issue Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty license plates.

IIRC,  Supreme Court ruling was that you could cover anything EXCEPT the state name, expiration sticker (if any), and serial number.  So the Virginia folks could only cover "is for Lovers" unless the word Virginia appears somewhere else on the plate.
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Highways I've lived on M-43, M-185, US-127

oscar

Quote from: frankenroad on May 22, 2019, 12:28:20 PM
Quote from: oscar on May 21, 2019, 06:03:59 PM

More exactly, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a vehicle owner can cover up that slogan, whether NH likes it or not. That principle can be generalized, such as perhaps for people offended by the sappy "Virginia Is For Lovers" slogan on that state's standard plates.

The Supremes have recently addressed other license plate issues, such as upholding Texas' refusal to issue Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty license plates.

IIRC,  Supreme Court ruling was that you could cover anything EXCEPT the state name, expiration sticker (if any), and serial number.  So the Virginia folks could only cover "is for Lovers" unless the word Virginia appears somewhere else on the plate.

"Virginia" is in large letters on the top line of the standard plate. "Virginia Is For Lovers" is in smaller type on the bottom line.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

kphoger

Quote from: oscar on May 22, 2019, 12:41:01 PM
Quote from: frankenroad on May 22, 2019, 12:28:20 PM
Quote from: oscar on May 21, 2019, 06:03:59 PM

More exactly, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a vehicle owner can cover up that slogan, whether NH likes it or not. That principle can be generalized, such as perhaps for people offended by the sappy "Virginia Is For Lovers" slogan on that state's standard plates.

The Supremes have recently addressed other license plate issues, such as upholding Texas' refusal to issue Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty license plates.

IIRC,  Supreme Court ruling was that you could cover anything EXCEPT the state name, expiration sticker (if any), and serial number.  So the Virginia folks could only cover "is for Lovers" unless the word Virginia appears somewhere else on the plate.

"Virginia" is in large letters on the top line of the standard plate. "Virginia Is For Lovers" is in smaller type on the bottom line.

I think the point is this:  If Virginia is the state name, and it has not been ruled that you are allowed to cover up the state name, then covering up 'Virginia is for lovers' in its entirety is not protected by the ruling.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

oscar

Quote from: kphoger on May 22, 2019, 02:39:17 PM
I think the point is this:  If Virginia is the state name, and it has not been ruled that you are allowed to cover up the state name, then covering up 'Virginia is for lovers' in its entirety is not protected by the ruling.

The ruling in question doesn't say that you can't cover up any instance of a state name on a license plate. The motto at issue didn't include the state name, and the Jehovah's Witnesses who won the case never sought to cover up the "New Hampshire" text elsewhere on their plates that distinguishes NH plates from those of other states. Had there been an effort to obscure the only instance of the state name, or identifying info such as the plate number, it would have been a different case and probably a different result.

Your read of the ruling is waaaay too picky, even for a lawyer like me.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

kphoger

Quote from: oscar on May 22, 2019, 04:14:22 PM

Quote from: kphoger on May 22, 2019, 02:39:17 PM
I think the point is this:  If Virginia is the state name, and it has not been ruled that you are allowed to cover up the state name, then covering up 'Virginia is for lovers' in its entirety is not protected by the ruling.

The ruling in question doesn't say that you can't cover up any instance of a state name on a license plate. The motto at issue didn't include the state name, and the Jehovah's Witnesses who won the case never sought to cover up the "New Hampshire" text elsewhere on their plates that distinguishes NH plates from those of other states. Had there been an effort to obscure the only instance of the state name, or identifying info such as the plate number, it would have been a different case and probably a different result.

Your read of the ruling is waaaay too picky, even for a lawyer like me.

Oh, I didn't read it at all.  I was just trying to interpret frankenroad's post.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

1995hoo

The state in which the issue of obscuring part of the plate became a big issue was Maine, where some people resented the lobster on the plate and painted over it. In so doing, they reduced the plates' reflective properties. I don't remember how that turned out.

I kind of agree with SP Cook's general sentiment about the specialty plates. In Virginia, the process has pretty much been that you get 350 people to sign up for a plate and the General Assembly then rubber-stamps it. I think the Supreme Court decision cited as the basis for revoking the Sons of Confederate Veterans plates seems to have overlooked that aspect of the process. The state isn't really endorsing the viewpoints the plates might represent. On the other hand, Virginia does offer a new SCV plate that omits the Battle Flag, which makes it a lot less problematic in my mind because they're not censoring the group so much as they're objecting to a certain design.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

SP Cook

While we are on the subject of speciality plates, this was a discussion we had a while back on a sports board I was on. 

Most states now issue college plates for out-of-state colleges, but some refuse.  Particularly KY and OH, which was the subject of our particular discussion.

Opinions?  Should you be able to get a "Go Auburn" plate if you live in Georgia?

corco

Quote from: SP Cook on May 23, 2019, 12:00:05 PM
While we are on the subject of speciality plates, this was a discussion we had a while back on a sports board I was on. 

Most states now issue college plates for out-of-state colleges, but some refuse.  Particularly KY and OH, which was the subject of our particular discussion.

Opinions?  Should you be able to get a "Go Auburn" plate if you live in Georgia?

I think it's heresy and absolutely should not be allowed - especially in the case of competing state institutions

DaBigE

Quote from: corco on May 23, 2019, 12:10:47 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 23, 2019, 12:00:05 PM
While we are on the subject of speciality plates, this was a discussion we had a while back on a sports board I was on. 

Most states now issue college plates for out-of-state colleges, but some refuse.  Particularly KY and OH, which was the subject of our particular discussion.

Opinions?  Should you be able to get a "Go Auburn" plate if you live in Georgia?

I think it's heresy and absolutely should not be allowed - especially in the case of competing state institutions

^ This. I even have mixed feelings about WisDOT offering Marquette license plates.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

jakeroot

I have thought seriously hard about designing a Washington state license plate, that is just as dead simple as possible. Something like black numbers, black "WASHINGTON", black border, and that's it. Maybe even just "WA".

I know for a fact that I'd pay for something like this. I prefer really simple license plates. But I'd need to get some signatures first. I know a lot of car guys would be on board, on account of license plate designs often detracting from the design of a car (something European plates don't really do). But a lot of people, including, I'm sure, quite a few of you, like fancy plate designs. I don't really know how I would market this kind of license plate.

SP Cook

So what you are talking about is something like Nevada which offers a plate it calls "Circa 1982"  which is a replica of its plain white on blue plates of that era ?  And Texas' current standard plate which is very plain and, according to the state's website, done purposefully so based on citizen complaints that previous ones were to "busy". 

Yeah, I know a lot of car guys that would prefer it if the state offered a sort of throwback plate.

kphoger

Quote from: jakeroot on May 23, 2019, 02:03:56 PM
I have thought seriously hard about designing a Washington state license plate, that is just as dead simple as possible. Something like black numbers, black "WASHINGTON", black border, and that's it. Maybe even just "WA".

So, basically, the white and green plates.



Of course, if your heart is set on the color black, then...

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

DaBigE

Quote from: jakeroot on May 23, 2019, 02:03:56 PM
I have thought seriously hard about designing a Washington state license plate, that is just as dead simple as possible. Something like black numbers, black "WASHINGTON", black border, and that's it. Maybe even just "WA".

I know for a fact that I'd pay for something like this. I prefer really simple license plates. But I'd need to get some signatures first. I know a lot of car guys would be on board, on account of license plate designs often detracting from the design of a car (something European plates don't really do). But a lot of people, including, I'm sure, quite a few of you, like fancy plate designs. I don't really know how I would market this kind of license plate.

No issues from me. Frankly, the plain-er the better. They were intended to be a vehicle identifier, not a personal beliefs/tourism billboard (that's what bumper stickers are for, IMO).
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

mgk920

Quote from: DaBigE on May 23, 2019, 01:34:18 PM
Quote from: corco on May 23, 2019, 12:10:47 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on May 23, 2019, 12:00:05 PM
While we are on the subject of speciality plates, this was a discussion we had a while back on a sports board I was on. 

Most states now issue college plates for out-of-state colleges, but some refuse.  Particularly KY and OH, which was the subject of our particular discussion.

Opinions?  Should you be able to get a "Go Auburn" plate if you live in Georgia?

I think it's heresy and absolutely should not be allowed - especially in the case of competing state institutions

^ This. I even have mixed feelings about WisDOT offering Marquette license plates.

I often see plates for other UWSystem schools (ie, UW Stevens Point, UW Eau Claire, etc), too.  OTOH, The only private school that I have seen so far on WisDOT plates is Marquette.  None (yet) for D-III Lawrence.

Mike



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