New York

[crispy93]

Does anyone know the history behind why the exit numbers on NY 27 start at Exit 38 in Lindenhurst? Wiki shows that interchange as being at mile 35.3 so it's not exactly mile-based, and the exits continue sequentially anyway.

[dgolub]

Does anyone know the history behind why the exit numbers on NY 27 start at Exit 38 in Lindenhurst? Wiki shows that interchange as being at mile 35.3 so it's not exactly mile-based, and the exits continue sequentially anyway.

Yes, it was supposed to extend further west as an expressway, so they started the exit numbers at 37 (which is only numbered when going west) to leave room for the exits in Nassau County and possibly even beyond.  Exits 1-6 do exist on the Prospect Expressway section in Brooklyn.

[kalvado]

Just saw a new Excelsior license plate on the road for the first time....

[vdeane]

Just saw a new Excelsior license plate on the road for the first time....

Oddly enough, I too saw my first about an hour after you posted.  I wonder if it was the same one - was yours on a trailer pulled by a vehicle with an Empire Gold plate?

[kalvado]

Just saw a new Excelsior license plate on the road for the first time....

Oddly enough, I too saw my first about an hour after you posted.  I wonder if it was the same one - was yours on a trailer pulled by a vehicle with an Empire Gold plate?

No, some  SUV on I-87 without anything being special about it. Right to KDH series, though - apparently they jumped to K in sequence..

[SignBridge]

I'd forgotten all about these new plates. So let me get this straight: New York State in its infinite wisdom will now have three different designs of license plates on the road? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. What was their reason for not staying with the existing orange and blue plates?

[kalvado]

I'd forgotten all about these new plates. So let me get this straight: New York State in its infinite wisdom will now have three different designs of license plates on the road? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. What was their reason for not staying with the existing orange and blue plates?

The official reason: gold and blue doesn't work well with cameras (never heard it elsewhere - but the first iteration of Excelsior plates didn't work at all with ezpass readers, according to some news stories)
Commonly believed reason: Governor Cuomo II wanted to put a new Tappan Zee bridge on those plates - the one he named after his dad, Gov. Cuomo I. Public voted against that design
My best guess: DMV tries to establish 10-year plate replacement cycle, but cannot get PR shit together and nobody wants to pay for a new plate just-because.

PS. I still have old white-and-blue plates on my car

[vdeane]

Yeah, the plan was for anyone would plates older than 10 years (which would include all Empire Blue plates) would have a mandatory replacement.  That was scrapped due to public opposition.

[SignBridge]

The state should automatically replace all the blue and white plates for no charge. At least then we'd only have two different plates for the same state. Many years ago there was never a charge when plates  were changed to a new design. When you renewed, DMV simply issued your new plates with only the standard renewal fee.

[kalvado]

The state should automatically replace all the blue and white plates for no charge. At least then we'd only have two different plates for the same state. Many years ago there was never a charge when plates  were changed to a new design. When you renewed, DMV simply issued your new plates with only the standard renewal fee.

Why "no charge"? I do pay to have registration or  license renewed, nothing new about it. Plates have fabrication and distribution costs as well.
The only thing about the plates is that there are some unrealistic expectations about plates being good forever. No, they cannot - they are used in pretty harsh conditions. The question is only about implied guarantees.

[SignBridge]

So how did they manage years ago when they changed plates every two years back in the 1960's? Just the standard renewal charge, but every year, not two years and the new plates were included. In the off year, they gave you a renewal sticker for the existing plate. And pre-1965 there was no state sales tax either. How did they run the government back then?

[kalvado]

So how did they manage years ago when they changed plates every two years back in the 1960's? Just the standard renewal charge, but every year, not two years and the new plates were included. In the off year, they gave you a renewal sticker for the existing plate. And pre-1965 there was no state sales tax either. How did they run the government back then?

Without going into politics... It is much easier to bake the price of a simple plate which is only good for a year or two into annual fee.
I assume that upgrade to long-service plate included some fees because plates are more expensive to fabricate but much less hassle with replacement....
I don't remember how things worked with mass replacement in 2001-2002, but my impression that it was accepted as a needed step.
Fast forward to 2009, with effects of the crisis are still here, Gov. Patterson tried to launch total plate replacement as a fundraiser - which didn't go well with people. So in 2019 mass replacement hit the same wall. Covid crisis would mean neither getting free plates from struggling state nor making drivers pay for those plates is going to work.

[RobbieL2415]

I prefer the plates with Lady Liberty.

[Alps]

I prefer the plates with Lady Liberty.

You mean the original blue numerals and red Liberty, right?

[machias]

I remember having to pay $25 for new Liberty plates in 1986 when renewing my old blue on gold plates. People didn't get hysterical about the $25 then, it was approximately 13 years since the preceding design had been introduced, and New York still had location-based plate numbers. It's beyond my comprehension as to why NYSDMV can't figure out how to do license plates anymore. The last time we went back east there were way too many peeling license plates observed on the roadways, including a couple where folks had colored in their numbers with paint or a sharpie or something.

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

So, are the new NY plates as ugly in the wild as one would expect?

[kalvado]

So, are the new NY plates as ugly in the wild as one would expect?

They look as generic as it gets. Nothing really ugly about it. At least, it doesn't look like the car is attached to those bright license plates...

[steviep24]

i just renewed my registration and opted for new plates mainly because I have early generation gold plates that are peeling.

NY has a problem with bad paint with E series (the last white plates made) and F series (early generation gold plates). DMV recalled those and they did offer to replace the peeling plates for free.

The gold plates are hated by many and most people I know that have the old white plates would refuse to give them up for the gold plates no matter how bad they looked even if they were able to get new plates for free due to the recall.

[cl94]

I remember having to pay $25 for new Liberty plates in 1986 when renewing my old blue on gold plates. People didn't get hysterical about the $25 then, it was approximately 13 years since the preceding design had been introduced, and New York still had location-based plate numbers. It's beyond my comprehension as to why NYSDMV can't figure out how to do license plates anymore. The last time we went back east there were way too many peeling license plates observed on the roadways, including a couple where folks had colored in their numbers with paint or a sharpie or something.

Ontario had a problem with a recent batch of plates. Seems like a material issue.

Re: peeling plates, yeah, a lot of people are ridiculous with their hate for the Empire Gold plates.

If I end uo staying in NY after grad school, I'll probably pay for the new plates. I actually like them and, if anything, they don't make me stand out as much when leaving the state.

[SignBridge]

I was in back of a car with the brand new plates earlier today. It looks good, but I like the orange plates too. Again I say it's ridiculous for one state to have three different style plates on the road.

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

Saw my first set in the wild today while I was on a walk. Didn't get a great look at them. They're not as ugly as I expected but I'm really not a fan, and if anything I think they're less legible than the previous generation.

[webny99]

Isn't three sets of plates on the road still less than Ohio? I can never keep track of all the different plates they have going on.

[Alps]

I was in back of a car with the brand new plates earlier today. It looks good, but I like the orange plates too. Again I say it's ridiculous for one state to have three different style plates on the road.

NJ in the 1990s had old peach, blue, and new yellow.

[crispy93]

I prefer the plates with Lady Liberty.

I actually saw a lady liberty plate in the wild in Brooklyn a few weeks ago: . Not sure how this is possible but it was quite a throwback haha

[kalvado]

I prefer the plates with Lady Liberty.

I actually saw a lady liberty plate in the wild in Brooklyn a few weeks ago: Not sure how this is possible but it was quite a throwback haha

I did too, a year or two back. It was on a campus parking lot, with cops actively involved. It didn't occur to me until quite a bit later that a 25 year historic car can legally carry those plates today. Apparently, whatever the issue was, it was resolved as I saw the same car with same plates a few more times.