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License Plate News

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

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vdeane

As a lifelong resident of a state that uses windshield stickers, how do plate stickers not become an issue?  I can't imagine they can easily be removed, the roadway dust/grime that invariably gets on the plate would make new stickers harder to stick on, and putting stickers on top of each other is ugly and would likely make for a large "tower" very quickly.

Windshield stickers also allow the state to scrimp on cost.  The NY registration stickers have no more adhesive than those "I voted" stickers that people get at the polls and have been known to fall off once and a while.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.


Pete from Boston

Quote from: vdeane on April 21, 2015, 09:00:21 PM
As a lifelong resident of a state that uses windshield stickers, how do plate stickers not become an issue?  I can't imagine they can easily be removed

No need to remove them.

Quotethe roadway dust/grime that invariably gets on the plate would make new stickers harder to stick on

I dampen a paper towel and wipe off said grime with one swipe before applying the new sticker.

Quoteand putting stickers on top of each other is ugly and would likely make for a large "tower" very quickly.

Not really.  Ours are renewed every two years.  I just put the new one atop the old, and have had maybe five of these stacked on one plate without issue.  The glue is pretty good, and the sticker is thin.

QuoteWindshield stickers also allow the state to scrimp on cost.  The NY registration stickers have no more adhesive than those "I voted" stickers that people get at the polls and have been known to fall off once and a while.

Our inspection stickers go in the window.  I've never had a station change it without leaving a mess of residual glue and paper.  I've goo-goned/scraped this off, but more than a little effort in this regard endangers the new sticker.

kkt

Washington uses stickers.  We don't take the old ones off, just stick the new ones on top.  Washington requires new license plates every seven years or whenever the vehicle is sold, so the stack doesn't get too high.

6a


Quote from: vdeane on April 21, 2015, 09:00:21 PM
putting stickers on top of each other is ugly and would likely make for a large "tower" very quickly.

You mean like this? :D


gonealookin

#754
Our specialty plate options in Nevada have shied away from any political issues.  However, some of our current legislators think we should have a "Protect the Second Amendment" plate option.  The bill was written by the same state senator who wrote the 85 mph (now 80 mph) bill, has passed the Senate and in fact both bills are before the Assembly Transportation Committee at a meeting tomorrow.



I'm neutral on gun politics and don't intend to start any argument over that.  It does seem to me that the people who would like to express this sentiment on their vehicles are not that likely to be willing to pay the voluntary annual tax to do so when a bumper sticker would accomplish the same purpose, so if the bill becomes law we'll see whether this plate has any traction.

oscar

Quote from: gonealookin on April 22, 2015, 02:15:43 PM
It does seem to me that the people who would like to express this sentiment on their vehicles are not that likely to be willing to pay the voluntary annual tax to do so when a bumper sticker would accomplish the same purpose, so if the bill becomes law we'll see whether this plate has any traction.

Agreed. NRA stickers seem easy enough to get if that's what you want to communicate -- I've gotten free ones unsolicited, even though I'm not a member. And the plate design is underwhelming, with the brown "Battle Born" image hard to make out against the blue/dark blue background, with the background design itself also hard to make out (though a plain background of one of those colors would work for me).
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Brandon

Quote from: vdeane on April 21, 2015, 09:00:21 PM
As a lifelong resident of a state that uses windshield stickers, how do plate stickers not become an issue?  I can't imagine they can easily be removed, the roadway dust/grime that invariably gets on the plate would make new stickers harder to stick on, and putting stickers on top of each other is ugly and would likely make for a large "tower" very quickly.

Windshield stickers also allow the state to scrimp on cost.  The NY registration stickers have no more adhesive than those "I voted" stickers that people get at the polls and have been known to fall off once and a while.

Illinois uses plate stickers (one, for the rear plate only - ours is a backward state with front and rear plates).  They're relatively thin, very sticky stickers.  As Pete From Boston put it, we wipe the grime away with a wet paper towel and then apply the sticker.  If the stack of stickers should become too tall, we just was a scraper to remove some of them.

The only windshield stickers are vehicle tax stickers put out annually by some (not all) municipalities, most famously Chicago.  These go in the lower right hand corner of the windshield, and some vehicles have quite an amazing display of them with several from years past.  These stickers are also very sticky and do not fall off the windshield during the year they are required.  They do peel off eventually, like a couple of years after being applied.  My municipality (Joliet) got rid of these stickers about 20 years ago.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

PHLBOS

#757
PA uses plates stickers for registration renewals yearly.  Until roughly a decade ago, the month on the plate sticker had to match the month on the windshield inspection sticker(s)*.

*Several counties require two inspection sitckers: one for the safety inspection (that is required in every county), the other is for emissions inspection (that's required in several but not all counties).

For many years (mostly prior to 2000 before every plate was replaced with the first-generation white/blue/yellow design), it was not uncommon to see plates in Philadelphia and the adjacent suburbs with either corners cut off or even an entire section due to thieves obtaining plate stickers.  The older-style blue plates that had the indent for the plate sticker located at the lower-left corner.  A vehicle that had bumper-mounted rear plates were the ones most targeted.

Sticker stealing/plate vandalism became such an epidemic during the late 90s that many city officials (including then-Police Commissioner Jim Timoney) petitioned PennDOT & Harrisburg to abolish the plate stickers altogether & have the safety inspection sticker double as a registration sticker. 

Their response: any vehicle registered in Philadelphia had the option to receive yellow Post-it-style tags (showing the plate number and expiration month & year in black) that would be placed on the lower-left corner of the rear window instead of the conventional plate sticker. 

Such a solution created 2 problems:

1.  The stickers wouldn't stay on the rear window for too long.

2.  Many Philadelphia motorists complained that the stickers unfairly targeted & even profiled them (by suburban police officers).

Needless to say, the Post-It style stickers for the rear-window only lasted for a year-and-a-half; despite the number of sticker thefts/plate vandalism declining during that period. 

With the newer-design plates (that first rolled out in 2000) having the indentation for the registration sticker located on the upper-left corner (which made it harder for thieves/vandals to quickly get at); the problem wasn't as rampant as it once was.

In terms of placement of the yearly stickers are concerned (PA's oldest standard/commercial/truck/vanity plates on the road are now 15 years old, PA's Wildlife owl plate (from the mid-90s) is now the oldest plate on the road): over the course of time, many would either place the new sticker on top of the old or rotate the sticker placement at every corner.  Some would even place stickers towards the center of the plate.

Typically, I just remove the old sticker and place the new one at the same spot.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

Scott5114

#758
Quote from: apeman33 on April 16, 2015, 04:06:40 AM
Are they going to be limited to just five characters or is the idea that plates that have five characters or fewer offset to the right so the sunflower is visible? I ask partly because if I ever got a personalized plate, I know what I want and that word, if available, has six letters.

Let me guess...APEMAN? :P

I like that Kansas plate better than the current base.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

SP Cook

The whole "thieves take stickers" built up over the years meme seems to bubble up in local media from time to time.  My state uses stickers and I have seen plenty of stacks like the one 6a posts.  It is one of those much ado about nothing deals.  Yes, a thief can, with some effort cut the sticker stack off and glue it onto his expired or stolen plate.  Or just steal the plate itself, which make more sense.  In either event, the DMV will issue you a new plate for free or a nominal charge, and the thief plate number will show up as bogus in the computer and he will not have the backup registration card if pulled over.

In my state, the DMV will just issue you a new plate at renewal time if you just ask at no charge.  I get one every couple years, since city parking ticket computers do not update.   

WV, BTW, prints a faux sticker on new plates.  For example, next year's sticker is green.  But if you get a new plate, the corner where the sticker goes is already green with a 2016.  Part of the plate. 

The "cop target people with some indication of being from out of town" deal bubbles up too.  County name states, places where the suburbs are in another state (currently popular in DC), dealer logos, political stickers, and other local indicia.  My experience is that traffic cops divide the world into themselves and their victims, and make no further distinctions.  All are scum.


The High Plains Traveler

I take a razor and remove the stack of stickers off my plates when they reach 4 or 5 in thickness. I'm amazed at how careless people are at applying the new registrations, putting them over the month sticker or on the top right or left of the plate instead of the lower right, which is clearly indicated on the instructions on the envelope the sticker comes in.
"Tongue-tied and twisted; just an earth-bound misfit, I."

thenetwork

I slightly stagger mine so that I can see the different colors from over the years.  Colorado seems to have a 4-year color cycle (not necessarily in this order): Red, Orange, Teal and Yellow.

I don't think the cops look too much at the yearly sticker as they do the overall plate if they are checking plates for validity.  There is probably more instances of wrong plate on wrong car than bogus/no sticker on plate for right car.

6a

Or you could be like my idiot neighbor and put the sticker on the tinted plastic covering over the plate.

DaBigE

Several years back, the media around here were running stories about thieves who had taken a tin snips and cut out the year sticker, then affix it to their car. Like that wouldn't be obvious to a competent LEO. :rolleyes:

I'll shave mine off once they reach about 4 deep. A tin snips or an allen wrench is the only way a thief will make off with my plate. I hate the rust stain trails that develop from the cheap screws that usually come with a car, so I've swapped them to stainless steel. Since they were in the neighboring bin and didn't cost any extra I opted for the allen headed screws.
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SteveG1988

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roadfro

Quote from: vdeane on April 21, 2015, 09:00:21 PM
As a lifelong resident of a state that uses windshield stickers, how do plate stickers not become an issue?  I can't imagine they can easily be removed, the roadway dust/grime that invariably gets on the plate would make new stickers harder to stick on, and putting stickers on top of each other is ugly and would likely make for a large "tower" very quickly.

Many years ago, due to stories in the news about theft of the registration stickers, I adopted the practice of meticulously peeling off the old sticker every year before applying the new sticker (and also scoring the sticker so it couldn't come off in one piece, as a deterrent to would-be thieves). My understanding was that layering the stickers made it easier to tear off the current sticker, as opposed to if the sticker was directly adhered to the plate.

Since then, the stickers have changed so that they are super sticky and virtually impossible to tear off in one piece–but I keep to my old practice anyway out of habit. I also use this time to make a yearly check of my plates to clean them off and make sure they still look good.

Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

OCGuy81

Wasn't sticker theft an issue in Missouri, prompting the state to put the "well" for the stickers in the middle of the plate?  Always thought that was strange placement.

Pete from Boston

A lot of stickers of this kind have slits or score lines preventing them from being removed in one or even a couple of pieces. I can't recall if ours have this, but it is a common feature to prevent theft and reuse.

jwolfer

Quote from: SP Cook on April 25, 2015, 09:26:43 AM
The whole "thieves take stickers" built up over the years meme seems to bubble up in local media from time to time.  My state uses stickers and I have seen plenty of stacks like the one 6a posts.  It is one of those much ado about nothing deals.  Yes, a thief can, with some effort cut the sticker stack off and glue it onto his expired or stolen plate.  Or just steal the plate itself, which make more sense.  In either event, the DMV will issue you a new plate for free or a nominal charge, and the thief plate number will show up as bogus in the computer and he will not have the backup registration card if pulled over.

In my state, the DMV will just issue you a new plate at renewal time if you just ask at no charge.  I get one every couple years, since city parking ticket computers do not update.   

WV, BTW, prints a faux sticker on new plates.  For example, next year's sticker is green.  But if you get a new plate, the corner where the sticker goes is already green with a 2016.  Part of the plate. 

The "cop target people with some indication of being from out of town" deal bubbles up too.  County name states, places where the suburbs are in another state (currently popular in DC), dealer logos, political stickers, and other local indicia.  My experience is that traffic cops divide the world into themselves and their victims, and make no further distinctions.  All are scum.
I think it's funny the same type of person  who does not want county name on tag here in Florida will have bumper stickers, stick families and their kids name and sports all indicated on their car.  And then sharining their entire lives on social media.

Sort of related, tags are always pixelated on TV now, even boat registration numbers. If some stalker is gonna take the time to find your information From your tag. They already have looked you up on Facebook, gone to property appraisers website to find your home.

SP Cook

Quote from: jwolfer on April 30, 2015, 12:28:08 AM

I think it's funny the same type of person  who does not want county name on tag here in Florida will have bumper stickers, stick families and their kids name and sports all indicated on their car. 


Work made me go to a "personal safety" class a couple of years ago.  Lot of it was common sense, lot of it was BS, but one thing they said that I had not considered was about the stick families.  Don't do it.  You are giving out too much information.  And generally identifying Mom's car (as opposed to Dad's). If not giving away the names of your kids.  And, probably where they will be at a certain time (Ashlee 8 mentioned in the softball logo will probably be waiting for you to pick her up at the softball field).   Also bad is anything that identifies the driver as a single female, such as the "whatever state/college Girl" stickers or school logos in pink.   Also "branch of service Wife".  Probably means husband is not home for long periods that can probably be figured out in most area with a little work. 

Just keep your car, especially female's cars, as generic as possible. 

As to bumper stickers, I maintain that 95% of people with more than 3 bumper stickers are generally nuts.  Either politically or religiously, or both, in one direction or the other.  In any event, first, be courteous and take the election stickers off, win or lose, by December 1.  And why make yourself a target?  Maybe the cop on random tax duty isn't so random?  Maybe he targets people with democrat stickers, or Clemson fans, or Mets fans, or people with Jesus fishes, or people with those "gay" equal sign stickers, or whatever.   Or maybe you have a breakdown in the hood and they don't like your candidate's plan to take away their life of idle.   Just keep it under your hat.



The Nature Boy

I have a Boston Red Sox sticker on my car. I just hope I never run afoul of any angry Yankees fans.

Pete from Boston


Quote from: SP Cook on April 30, 2015, 07:00:59 AM
Quote from: jwolfer on April 30, 2015, 12:28:08 AM

I think it's funny the same type of person  who does not want county name on tag here in Florida will have bumper stickers, stick families and their kids name and sports all indicated on their car. 


Work made me go to a "personal safety" class a couple of years ago.  Lot of it was common sense, lot of it was BS, but one thing they said that I had not considered was about the stick families.  Don't do it.  You are giving out too much information.  And generally identifying Mom's car (as opposed to Dad's). If not giving away the names of your kids.  And, probably where they will be at a certain time (Ashlee 8 mentioned in the softball logo will probably be waiting for you to pick her up at the softball field).   Also bad is anything that identifies the driver as a single female, such as the "whatever state/college Girl" stickers or school logos in pink.   Also "branch of service Wife".  Probably means husband is not home for long periods that can probably be figured out in most area with a little work. 

Just keep your car, especially female's cars, as generic as possible. 

As to bumper stickers, I maintain that 95% of people with more than 3 bumper stickers are generally nuts.  Either politically or religiously, or both, in one direction or the other.  In any event, first, be courteous and take the election stickers off, win or lose, by December 1.  And why make yourself a target?  Maybe the cop on random tax duty isn't so random?  Maybe he targets people with democrat stickers, or Clemson fans, or Mets fans, or people with Jesus fishes, or people with those "gay" equal sign stickers, or whatever.   Or maybe you have a breakdown in the hood and they don't like your candidate's plan to take away their life of idle.   Just keep it under your hat.

I agree–one needn't carry oneself as if continually compelled to inject one's political bent into everything.

1995hoo

"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.

signalman

Quote from: 1995hoo on May 02, 2015, 11:04:44 AM

I've seen this one on a few vehicles.  While I wouldn't put it (or any stickers for that matter) on my window, I think it's great.

Atomica

Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 28, 2015, 12:18:47 PM
Wasn't sticker theft an issue in Missouri, prompting the state to put the "well" for the stickers in the middle of the plate?  Always thought that was strange placement.

Yes, and now your new stickers are generally placed in the centre of the plate - with the licence plate number printed on the stickers if you attend to your registration in time.  Otherwise you get a year sticker telling you when your plate registration expires - you can get a two-year renewal after you have had the car for two years.
"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."
--- Malcolm X, 1925-1965



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