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[SEWIGuy]

I'm sometimes a bit worried about driving a car with Wisconsin plates in Chicago (although that worry is somewhat tempered by Wisconsin's concealed-carry law).

I have driven in, through, and around Chicago hundreds of times and have never had that worry.

[Flint1979]

I'm sometimes a bit worried about driving a car with Wisconsin plates in Chicago (although that worry is somewhat tempered by Wisconsin's concealed-carry law).

I have driven in, through, and around Chicago hundreds of times and have never had that worry.

Same here with Michigan plates. Are they more hostile to people from Wisconsin than Michigan though?

[Flint1979]

I'm happy Michigan changes it up. We don't have the Mackinac Bridge on all our plates and I'm happy we have a choice now between the ugly standard plate we have had since 2013 with the Pure Michigan across the top and that ugly seawave with the website on the bottom. I replaced that plate with the throwback Water Winter Wonderland one and like that plate much better.

I always thought the Pure Michigan plate was really good. Dead simple, but clearly recognizable from a distance as Michigan with the blue wave and large centered "M". Very easy to read, no BS behind the numbers. The new Water Winter Wonderland is a great plate too, maybe one of my favorites in the US up there with Oregon's Pacific Wonderland plate.

Not keen on the Mackinaw Bridge plate, the design is good but I would have picked a different time of day. The sunset/sunrise color is a tough background for either white or black numbering.

I've always thought that the Pure Michigan plate was rather ugly. The Water Winter Wonderland plate is a throwback plate that has reappeared which is nice because I think it's our nicest license plate. The Mackinac Bridge plate is ok, I like it better than I do the white and blue one but my favorite is the Water Winter Wonderland one by far. That plate actually started out in 1954 as just Water Wonderland and then went to Water Winter Wonderland from 1965-67.

[kphoger]

The Pure Michigan plates are fine.  But nothing beats the good old pre-2007 white-on-blue scheme.

[Flint1979]

The Pure Michigan plates are fine.  But nothing beats the good old pre-2007 white-on-blue scheme.

I can't stand the slogan Pure Michigan, the blue wave on the bottom makes me seasick and having a website on a license plate is stupid.

[Flint1979]

Since this is my old license plate I don't care if anybody knows the number off it. But this is how bad a Michigan license plate can look after about 8 years.

[Scott5114]

I don't get the appeal of the solid color plates so many people seem to love. There's only twenty or so unique color schemes you can do, so that means that you're going to have to have some duplicates between the states.

Something like the Sacred Rain Arrow plate Oklahoma used during the Henry and early Fallin administrations is the best sort of design, in my opinion. Something visually interesting that doesn't interfere with the numbers at all.

[kphoger]

I can't stand the slogan Pure Michigan

Agreed.  The slogan is bad.  But that doesn't mean the design is bad.

the blue wave on the bottom makes me seasick

I'm guessing not...

and having a website on a license plate is stupid.

Yeah, I think it's silly too, but at least it isn't as stupid as California's great idea to put the DMV's website on it...

I don't get the appeal of the solid color plates so many people seem to love.

It isn't just solid color plates.  I'm generally in favor of license plate designs that feature muted-to-no graphic elements with the serial number in a starkly contrasting color.  These two factors together make for an easily legible license plate, which is kind of the whole point of having them in the first place.  So, for example, the turquoise NM plate passes the first test but fails miserably at the second.  And, while I think using a close-up of the state seal was a pathetic direction to go in, Kansas' current issue passes both tests.  And that's what I like about the old blue Michigan plates:  not only are there no graphics getting in the way of legibility, but the white and blue are a great contrast.

There's only twenty or so unique color schemes you can do, so that means that you're going to have to have some duplicates between the states.

Yep, and that's totally fine.  I remember when Iowa looked like Michigan looked like Connecticut, Arizona looked like Missouri, Pennsylvania looked like (old) California, and New Hampshire looked like (old) Washington.  I couldn't always be 100% certain when license plate spotting from the other side of the Interstate on a family road trip, but so what?  No problem otherwise.

Something like the Sacred Rain Arrow plate Oklahoma used during the Henry and early Fallin administrations is the best sort of design, in my opinion. Something visually interesting that doesn't interfere with the numbers at all.

Agreed.  The sunbelt design used immediately before that one was also good—one of the best, IMHO.

[Scott5114]

There's only twenty or so unique color schemes you can do, so that means that you're going to have to have some duplicates between the states.

Yep, and that's totally fine.  I remember when Iowa looked like Michigan looked like Connecticut, Arizona looked like Missouri, Pennsylvania looked like (old) California, and New Hampshire looked like (old) Washington.  I couldn't always be 100% certain when license plate spotting from the other side of the Interstate on a family road trip, but so what?  No problem otherwise.

The problem isn't so much private citizens not being able to tell what state a plate is from—it's not a huge issue if you or I can't tell what state a car is from—as it is government officials having the same problem. I'd be pretty cheesed off if I had to pay a toll incurred by someone with the same plate number in a different state, just because both states used near-identical license plates and the toll authority couldn't figure out which state it belonged to.

Something like the Sacred Rain Arrow plate Oklahoma used during the Henry and early Fallin administrations is the best sort of design, in my opinion. Something visually interesting that doesn't interfere with the numbers at all.

Agreed.  The sunbelt design used immediately before that one was also good—one of the best, IMHO.

There was another one in between those two:

[Flint1979]

I can't stand the slogan Pure Michigan

Agreed.  The slogan is bad.  But that doesn't mean the design is bad.

the blue wave on the bottom makes me seasick

I'm guessing not...

and having a website on a license plate is stupid.

Yeah, I think it's silly too, but at least it isn't as stupid as California's great idea to put the DMV's website on it...

I don't get the appeal of the solid color plates so many people seem to love.

It isn't just solid color plates.  I'm generally in favor of license plate designs that feature muted-to-no graphic elements with the serial number in a starkly contrasting color.  These two factors together make for an easily legible license plate, which is kind of the whole point of having them in the first place.  So, for example, the turquoise NM plate passes the first test but fails miserably at the second.  And, while I think using a close-up of the state seal was a pathetic direction to go in, Kansas' current issue passes both tests.  And that's what I like about the old blue Michigan plates:  not only are there no graphics getting in the way of legibility, but the white and blue are a great contrast.

There's only twenty or so unique color schemes you can do, so that means that you're going to have to have some duplicates between the states.

Yep, and that's totally fine.  I remember when Iowa looked like Michigan looked like Connecticut, Arizona looked like Missouri, Pennsylvania looked like (old) California, and New Hampshire looked like (old) Washington.  I couldn't always be 100% certain when license plate spotting from the other side of the Interstate on a family road trip, but so what?  No problem otherwise.

Something like the Sacred Rain Arrow plate Oklahoma used during the Henry and early Fallin administrations is the best sort of design, in my opinion. Something visually interesting that doesn't interfere with the numbers at all.

Agreed.  The sunbelt design used immediately before that one was also good—one of the best, IMHO.

Water Winter Wonderland is a better slogan because that's exactly what Michigan is. Plus the color scheme is nice too. The one you like is blah IMO.

[kphoger]

There was another one in between those two:

Oh, sorry, I thought that's the one you were referring to.  Total brain fart on my part.

I dislike the sacred rain arrow plate because the huge graphic element made all six digits get smooshed together, making the serial number more difficult to parse.  And also because Oklahoma jumped on the flat plate bandwagon at that point...

[Scott5114]

I like embossed plates as much as the next guy, but I was glad when we went to a flat plate because the dies we used (as seen in the Osage shield plate) were kind of ugly. I much prefer how our plates use Series C now that they're flat plates.

I didn't really have much problem parsing the Sacred Rain Arrow plates. They were almost always in the form ###AAA (the exception was the random weirdos who paid extra to keep their number from the Osage base, which were extremely rare), so once you saw a few of them it wasn't hard to grok the pattern.

[Flint1979]

I can't stand the slogan Pure Michigan

Agreed.  The slogan is bad.  But that doesn't mean the design is bad.

the blue wave on the bottom makes me seasick

I'm guessing not...

and having a website on a license plate is stupid.

Yeah, I think it's silly too, but at least it isn't as stupid as California's great idea to put the DMV's website on it...

I don't get the appeal of the solid color plates so many people seem to love.

It isn't just solid color plates.  I'm generally in favor of license plate designs that feature muted-to-no graphic elements with the serial number in a starkly contrasting color.  These two factors together make for an easily legible license plate, which is kind of the whole point of having them in the first place.  So, for example, the turquoise NM plate passes the first test but fails miserably at the second.  And, while I think using a close-up of the state seal was a pathetic direction to go in, Kansas' current issue passes both tests.  And that's what I like about the old blue Michigan plates:  not only are there no graphics getting in the way of legibility, but the white and blue are a great contrast.

There's only twenty or so unique color schemes you can do, so that means that you're going to have to have some duplicates between the states.

Yep, and that's totally fine.  I remember when Iowa looked like Michigan looked like Connecticut, Arizona looked like Missouri, Pennsylvania looked like (old) California, and New Hampshire looked like (old) Washington.  I couldn't always be 100% certain when license plate spotting from the other side of the Interstate on a family road trip, but so what?  No problem otherwise.

Something like the Sacred Rain Arrow plate Oklahoma used during the Henry and early Fallin administrations is the best sort of design, in my opinion. Something visually interesting that doesn't interfere with the numbers at all.

Agreed.  The sunbelt design used immediately before that one was also good—one of the best, IMHO.

It might look alright to someone like yourself living quite a distance from Michigan and probably not seeing them in a regular basis it probably would look cool.

At the time we had the blue plates up till 2007 I thought they were blah but now I kind of like them too.

[J N Winkler]

. . . I think using a close-up of the state seal was a pathetic direction to go in . . .

I do not disagree!

The capitol design (previous base) took some figuring out too.

[Scott5114]

My one complaint about Kansas is that they stopped using the border that blocked out the upper right corner of the plate, thus making it Kansas-shaped. That is such an easy (and cool) graphical treatment that it's criminal that they stopped doing it.

[kphoger]

It might look alright to someone like yourself living quite a distance from Michigan and probably not seeing them in a regular basis it probably would look cool.

Michigan plates are fairly common on road trips.

[Flint1979]

It might look alright to someone like yourself living quite a distance from Michigan and probably not seeing them in a regular basis it probably would look cool.

Michigan plates are fairly common on road trips.

You actually like them? I was so happy to be able to get rid of my Pure Michigan plate when I got my new plate I hated that thing on my car.

[kphoger]

The Pure Michigan plates are fine.

...

I can't stand the slogan Pure Michigan

But that doesn't mean the design is bad.

...

You actually like them?

I think I've already established that.

[Flint1979]

I think the Pure Michigan license plates are the ugliest plates Michigan has ever had. They should have kept the blue plates they had up until 2007. We don't need the Mackinac Bridge on our license plates, I don't think the Great Lakes Splendor plates were bad though. The World's Auto Capital one's that came out in 1996 but didn't last long those were fine. Maybe if I had another state's plate on my car I might think differently but the plate I have on my car now is the Water Winter Wonderland one and I like that plate.

[BlueOutback7]

I think the Pure Michigan license plates are the ugliest plates Michigan has ever had. They should have kept the blue plates they had up until 2007. We don't need the Mackinac Bridge on our license plates, I don't think the Great Lakes Splendor plates were bad though. The World's Auto Capital one's that came out in 1996 but didn't last long those were fine. Maybe if I had another state's plate on my car I might think differently but the plate I have on my car now is the Water Winter Wonderland one and I like that plate.

I agree, I like when states do the throwback designs. Kind of reminds me of the black and gold California plates. Now California is stuck with the stupid DMV website at the bottom.

[thenetwork]

I have seen some fugiy plates in my time, but the other day here in Colorado, i happened across one of, if not *THE* ugliest plate I have ever seen:

The Tennessee Fish Plate:  https://tnclerks.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/360000801123/Arts_-_Fish_cls_3635.jpg

[kphoger]

But nothing beats the good old pre-2007 white-on-blue scheme.

The one you like is blah IMO.

They should have kept the blue plates they had up until 2007.

Are you just trolling me now?

[Flint1979]

But nothing beats the good old pre-2007 white-on-blue scheme.

The one you like is blah IMO.

They should have kept the blue plates they had up until 2007.

Are you just trolling me now?

I didn't see where you said that but yeah I like those plates too.

[Flint1979]

I think the Pure Michigan license plates are the ugliest plates Michigan has ever had. They should have kept the blue plates they had up until 2007. We don't need the Mackinac Bridge on our license plates, I don't think the Great Lakes Splendor plates were bad though. The World's Auto Capital one's that came out in 1996 but didn't last long those were fine. Maybe if I had another state's plate on my car I might think differently but the plate I have on my car now is the Water Winter Wonderland one and I like that plate.

I agree, I like when states do the throwback designs. Kind of reminds me of the black and gold California plates. Now California is stuck with the stupid DMV website at the bottom.

Yeah I don't like those DMV website plates California has. When I had my Pure Michigan plate I showed a picture of it yesterday in this thread and when I replaced that plate I had almost the entire website and some of the letters and numbers ripped right off. I think the blue and gold color scheme looks good.

[kphoger]

But nothing beats the good old pre-2007 white-on-blue scheme.

The one you like is blah IMO.

They should have kept the blue plates they had up until 2007.

Are you just trolling me now?

I didn't see where you said that but yeah I like those plates too.

Then what plate, which you claimed I like, do you think is blah?