[pburns]

The number plates we have in Ireland really bug me - is it just me or are they really ugly? For example, there is little opportinity for people to 'personalise' their plate. In Britain and the States vanity plastes are big business. Personally I think any type of personalised plates are really naff but it would be pretty cool for people who enjoy that sort of thing.

Secondly, I don't think there is a country in the world that spells out the age of a vehicle in such an obvious way. Yes, I know in Britain (for example) you can still tell by prefix letters etc. but somehow that doesn't offend my delicate sensibilities so much...

Also - and maybe it's just me - I think they really ruin the look of an older/classic (imported) car. You know...you see a really nice '60s Merc that's been kept in time-warp condition but the effect is diluted by those damn fugly, modern plates!

The current system has also fed this dreadful Celtic Tiger malaise whereby there is pressure to be seen driving a late-plate car. We're bombarded with ads encouraging us to 'reduce waste' but if the government are really serious about introducing environmentally friendly policies they could do worse than introducing 'non-year' number plates. I've seen garages littered with completly servicable, reliable cars that just can't be shifted because they are mid/late '90s. Is it a coincidence that there seem to be far more 'older' cars on the roads in countries where the age of a car is not so apparant?

Anyway, it would be interesting to hear comments...

[maidhc]

It is a fantastic, sensible system.

I'd like if we didn't have to put plates on the front though, like in some states in america... or even smaller ones like in Italy.

[colm_mcm]

I completely disagree, we have one of the most easily understandable reg systems imaginable.

Re: older cars. when you are importing you can register the car with ZV plates, eg. ZV 12345

[ninty9er]

You can still personalise plates to an extent through the Rev Com and the UK have now adopted our year system just in case you hadn't known. They had an issue with running out of letters and already having used the mirror versions.
e.g. YK04 is the beginnig of a car registered in Yorkshire(I think) in Jan-Jun 04. I will stand corrected but I also think they seperate the year so that july to Dec are for example YK54 instead of 04

There are also letters in the UK that point out if a car has been stolen/recovered "Q" I think, which unnecessarily tarnishes the reputation of a car.

I think it's brilliant and would challenge any country to come up with such a straightforward system whereby sequences cannot be mixed up and 2 cars can't have the same plate on the front (IT glitches do happen at this scale)

BMW unsuccessfully mounted a campaign against it a few years back due to the hit their cars were taking in depreciation. The Revenue told them to go swivel. Rightly so

[Volvoboy]

Our plate system is fine, easy to understand!! it would be madness to go and change them.



-VB-

[kikel]

Very simple to understand but they are ugly. The EU logo, black on white and county make it ugly. Bring back the black and silver plates using the current numbering system

[Alun]

Originally Posted by ninty9er

e.g. YK04 is the beginnig of a car registered in Yorkshire(I think) in Jan-Jun 04. I will stand corrected but I also think they seperate the year so that july to Dec are for example YK54 instead of 04

Almost right .. The year letters don't actually run from January to December, but change in March and September each year, so an 04 car would have been registered between March and August 2004, and a 54 car between September 2004 and (this is the funny bit!) February 2005! In the old year letter system, they changed in August, I believe.

The first two letters are (now) mostly mnemonic, and Y is indeed Yorkshire. Under the old system, the second two letters of the alphabetic bit referred to the county it was registered in, but was not mnemonic at all, just two random letters.

Under the old system there was still the same boom in car sales, the only difference was that it happened in August instead of December and people were queueing up for the latest letter, and everyone knew that if you drove a 'Y' plate that it was from a certain year.

[Alun]

Originally Posted by kikel

Very simple to understand but they are ugly. The EU logo, black on white and county make it ugly. Bring back the black and silver plates using the current numbering system

They're number plates, not fashion accessories, and in that case it's function above form in my book, as it should be.

[rugbug86]

Originally Posted by ninty9er

e.g. YK04 is the beginnig of a car registered in Yorkshire(I think) in Jan-Jun 04. I will stand corrected but I also think they seperate the year so that july to Dec are for example YK54 instead of 04

how will that work in 2014? if a car is registered in august 2014, will that not be YK54 aswell? or will that be YK514

and i like the irish number plates, easy to understand, and ya know when you should avoid drivers based on where they're from

[kikel]

Originally Posted by Alun

They're number plates, not fashion accessories, and in that case it's function above form in my book, as it should be.

What function does the county name in Irish and the EU logo have?

Black lettering on white plates is functional. for people to read and roadside cameras

[Bluefoam]

Our system has been held up as an example to the rest of the world, simple to get any detail needed: year, location, country & numerical identity. The uk are following our example as are may other countries accross europe.

It is a good example of the positive lateral thinking irish people are capable of even with the social service sector.

[faceman]

I like our system of license plate numbers, serves a purpose. I hate the personalised plates in the UK and USA.

[Guy:Incognito]

Originally Posted by kikel

What function does the county name in Irish and the EU logo have?

What function does Irish on a road sign have?

[Bluefoam]

Originally Posted by kikel

What function does the county name in Irish and the EU logo have?

Black lettering on white plates is functional. for people to read and roadside cameras

Believe it or not, the EU logo helps others identify you car as being registered within the EU, which is a free market & allows freedom of travel for its citizens. It can be quite helpful when (for example) you are travelling in the EU.

Do I really need to explain the benefit of having you county identified in the national language, it seems obvious to me.

As for those poxy personalised plates - what a load of crap.

BTW licence plates aren't meant to blend in and enhance the aesthetic of your rover 214, they are a legally required identifier which must be visible, easily read & understood.

[zuutroy]

Gotta agree with everyone in disagreeing with the OP. One of the (few) things where Ireland has shown the way to the world!