Irish number plates - Ugly!

Bluefoam

kikel wrote:

People know the meaning of Eire, but on a county level a non Irish speaker wouldn't know the following

Wicklow Cill Mhantáin
Wexford Loch Garman
Waterford Port Lairge

Maybe that element is only relevant within the country. Like I said, it is necessary to display the location name in the national language.

Would you be concerned what part of the black forest a German car was from or would you prefer to know that it was from Germany?

kikel

Non Irish speakers within Ireland.

DonJose

pburns wrote:

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.

If you are so vain about the age of your car then buy a new one I personlly couldn't give a shlt about the age of my car as long as it gets me from A to B.

maidhc

kikel wrote:

Non Irish speakers within Ireland.

Try getting the French to put their place names in English for the non French speakers and just wait for the response.

Max_Damage

Just to get my 2 cents in here, for god sake, it's a reg. plate, it isn't meant to be 'fashionable' or 'pretty'.

I like the current system, and if it isn't broke, don't fix it.

Bluefoam

kikel wrote:

Non Irish speakers within Ireland.

Your arguments are all very thin. You don't need to be able to understand or know a brief history of the area, you just need to be able to identify the writing, the location is also available on the main identifier as in 'D' - 01 D 12345.

Besides I don't think your dislike of our language is reason enough to change the licensing system.

BTW what colour is your car? cos we could make the plates to match that. may not suite my car, but once you are happy...

Posy

I agree with the above posts. '99' means 1999, 'D' means Dublin or 'C' means Cork, etc. It's plain and simple. They're just number plates; not fashion accessories. :rolleyes:

greglo23

G Luxel I think the europlate has had its day, its been here since I99I.


in fact it was introduced in 1987 and a model of clarity it is too

Esel

G Luxel wrote:

...its been here since I99I. ...

...buying a new car/less than I2 month old car ...

Why didn't you just type i99i and i2 if you wanted to use the letter instead of the digit?

Hacks me off when 'I' is used instead of '1' in newspapers etc. Even worse is the old typist's trick of using lower case 'l' instead of '1'.

crosstownk

I like the current Irish system. It displays a lot of information about a vehicle. It's a standard format - black on white - used by most EU countries. The county thing is specific to Ireland, so I've no problem with it being in Irish.

Owen

I love our system, but I do wish they'd bring in Personalised Plates with alphanumeric characters, as opposed to the current 'Cherished Number' system. Think of the revenue! Some plates go for tens of thousands in the UK at auction, it could be used as a method of reducing VRT, and selling Personalised Plates at a premium. Think of all the skangers out there falling over each other to get a bid in for 'S4X0 GT1'

Guy:Incognito

I'll chip in in favour of the current system, nothing wrong with it and it's simple to use.

I like my reg too. 97 D 97. cant forget that.

md99

pburns wrote:

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...

I agree entirely.

It is nobody elses business what year your car is...

Try explaining that here though. I recall being shot down for it multiple times in my yellow reg thread!

layke

In Portugal they have the year on your reg plate but it's tucked away in a corner, below it the province where the car was registered.

Now i'm all for personal plates. E.g which is easier to read or remember?

98-D-475855
98-D-sexxxy

Front plate is needed imo, you don't always get to see the back license plate in a hit and run.

Tbh I couldn't care less if they gave us custom plates as I don't really notice them on cars. It's just the way it's always been.

mikemac

I could be totally wrong but I believe in Switzerland every driver is assigned a licence plate number and that is your number for life

peasant

Designwise I have no problem with Irish plates, they look like number plates and they're easy to read.

I don't quite see why the year of first registration has to be on it ...but that's the way it is. As i only ever buy second hand cars I'm actually in favour of this system, because it brings prices down (and personally couldn't care less what year my car is as long as it is in good condition)

I also like the fact that once the number is on the car, it stays there forever.


As somebody mentioned Germany:

There the reg is linked to the address of the current owner.
The first 1 to 3 letters denote the Lankreis(or county) of current registration, the second group of 1 to 2 letter is random, same as the following group of numbers. For a fee you can ask to get a say in what the second or third group may be, depending on availability.

So if you live in Berlin you *could* get B - MW - 525, if you're lucky.

One thing is a pain in the neck though ...whenever the owner of the car moves from one jurisdiction to the next, the car has to be re-registerd at considerable expense and hassle. So the number on a specific car will change several times during its lifetime.

Much prefer the Irish system.

peasant

micmclo wrote:

I could be totally wrong but I believe in Switzerland every driver is assigned a licence plate number and that is your number for life

not sure about that

There's one thing in Switzerland that's brilliant, though ...the interchangeable number plate.

Say you own a car for daily driving and a classic/ motorbike / something else for "special occasions"

You get one numberplate + tax + insurance for the more expensive of the two and then you can put the one numberplate on either vehicle and drive that while the other one sits at home with no number on it.

Wishbone Ash

greglo23 wrote:

G Luxel I think the europlate has had its day, its been here since I99I.


in fact it was introduced in 1987 and a model of clarity it is too

The year/county/number system was introduced in 1987 but the Euro plate didn't came in until 1991. From 1987 to 1991 it was simple black on white lettering. You can still see an occasional late 80's car with these plates.

Native Tongue

While I was over in Boston this summer I owned a car, and got my plates for it. The car died on me after about 5 months and I had to buy another, all I had to do was inform the insurance company I had a different car, and transfer the plates onto it. Would have loved to have been able to bring the plates home with me but had to give it back when I was leaving.

I like the Irish system. I think not having the front plate would be more attractive, in Florida most people either don't have a front plate or have vanity plates on the front of their car and they look much better. But this argument is definitely outweighed by the advantages of having a front plate in a situation like layke described with the hit and run. Leave the plates as they are is my vote.

WildWater

If I was the Minister I would introduce the following change. That is to put the month of purchase on the reg. So indtead of

07 D 598765 you would have 0107 D 3956

Why.
Month and Year format 0307 is in common usage and easily recognisable. This system would offer the following advantages over and above the current system.

1) It would lessen the January peak which creates knock on problems with the NCT.
2) Consumers would benefit from more evenly applied depreciation. Consumers IMO would also benefit as the dealers might have to do more to persuade someone to change for a new reg. ie the impact of the year (07) is lessened but not removed.
3) A car would not be a year old until it is actually a year old.
4) Vehicle identification would actually become easier. A witness to a hit an run would only have to remember a familiar format of 4 digits and a location id to considerably narrow the search. Consider this:
a. Garda the car was a blue or black Toyota corolla reg 0606 D and I think there was a 3 in the id number. Less than 200 cars?
b. Garda the car was a blue or black Toyota corolla reg 06 D with a 3 in the id number. Few thousand cars?
5) Overall IMO the system is fairer to consumers, especially to consumers who are not in a position to buy early in the year but still take a full years depreciation at the end of the year.

But then again I'm not the minister and it probably just makes too much sense

kikel

Bluefoam wrote:

Besides I don't think your dislike of our language is reason enough to change the licensing system.

I don't dislike the Irish language. If anything i think it's use should be promoted. Although I just don't think registration plates are the best place for it for reason outlined above.

With regard to color that was just my opinion

Beady

Stekelly wrote:

I'll chip in in favour of the current system, nothing wrong with it and it's simple to use.

I like my reg too. 97 D 97. cant forget that.

Wow a 10 year old Renault Safrane still going!;)

The current plate system is excellent. I do perhaps think that Dublin should be split. Maybe DD (Dun Laoghaire) DF (Fingal) etc. to stop 6-digit numbers which can be difficult to read.

Waiting for the fur coat and no knickers brigade to scream objections to this.
"OMG People will know how old my car is and that I live on the northside":D

cjt156

I think WildWater's post makes perfect sense, not that I have a huge issue with the current system. If it were to be changed, that's how I'd do it.

RobAMerc

I hate the current system for 2 reasons.

1: It creates plate snobbery - Thats only an 04 etc meaning cars tend to end up having a shorter useable life span, higher depriciation etc
I hate the fact you cannot hide the age of a car by buying a private plate. Think of the beautiful 13/14yo totally serviceable car you could be driving on a shoestring, but people consider it an old banger as its got a 94 plate, so they get dumped.

2: County snobbery - anyone tried selling a relatively new non D reg car in dublin recently ? Funny how an L or MO plate can scare off some dubs effectively reducing your market/value for the car.

Italy got rid of this regional id system some years ago as the northerners would not buy southern reg cars. But of course in Eire we wait to see what defo doesnt work before adopting it.

Bluefoam

RobAMerc wrote:

I hate the current system for 2 reasons.

1: It creates plate snobbery - Thats only an 04 etc meaning cars tend to end up having a shorter useable life span, higher depriciation etc
I hate the fact you cannot hide the age of a car by buying a private plate. Think of the beautiful 13/14yo totally serviceable car you could be driving on a shoestring, but people consider it an old banger as its got a 94 plate, so they get dumped.

2: County snobbery - anyone tried selling a relatively new non D reg car in dublin recently ? Funny how an L or MO plate can scare off some dubs effectively reducing your market/value for the car.

Italy got rid of this regional id system some years ago as the northerners would not buy southern reg cars. But of course in Eire we wait to see what defo doesnt work before adopting it.

Cars are bought and sold on an economic and social basis - don't try and blame the reg plates.

You want a new system, so you can hide the year of your car!!!???, I hope I never have to deal with you in any capacity, you come accross as devious. people don't want to drive cars on a shoestring, they enjoy comfort & many can afford newer cars so they buy them... older cars which are not environmentally friendly should be recycled - hence giving them a shorter lifespan.

Many city people don't like to buy country owned cars because there is a perception that the roads are in worse condition in rural areas and the cars are subjected to more abuse over their lifespan. Buyers are entitled to know where their car comes from and are entitled to choose for whatever reasons they have.

They licence plate is in no way responsible for any of your grips...

RobAMerc

Whats it to you if I dont want to wear the age of my car like a badge of honour. I dont see the deviousness or dishonesty of this. I never implied trying to sell it as anything other than what it is, and that would not even be possible anyway as doco's would state the year of first rego.

Your right their is a "perception" of the country roads being worse, thank you thats exactly my point.

Bluefoam

RobAMerc wrote:

I hate the fact you cannot hide the age of a car by buying a private plate.

.

TomMc

I'm with RobAMerc on this one.

A non-age related plate would look much better on an older mint condition car. Keeps the uninitiated guessing.

The real reasons why people in Dublin would not want a non-city reg no is not because of the cars history ... it is because they are more likely to be perceived as a culchie.

or more likely (common snobbery) because an 04D on the one hand could have been bought by the owner from new, where as a 04... whatever, makes the car actually look second hand when located well outside its regional location ... which in turn implies that they may be cheapskates and bought the cheapest example they could find (outside the city).

Guy:Incognito

RobAMerc wrote:

1: It creates plate snobbery - Thats only an 04 etc meaning cars tend to end up having a shorter useable life span, higher depriciation etc
I hate the fact you cannot hide the age of a car by buying a private plate. Think of the beautiful 13/14yo totally serviceable car you could be driving on a shoestring, but people consider it an old banger as its got a 94 plate, so they get dumped..

Unless YOUR a snob why does it bother you? If your not a snob, then happy days as it drives down the 2nd hand price of cars.
ANyone who knows about cars could pinpoint the year to within 3 or 4 anyway without looking at the reg. Plenty of other countries have the year on them, even if they are "hidden" by replacing the actual year with letter depicting a year.

wrote:

RobAMerc
Italy got rid of this regional id system some years ago as the northerners would not buy southern reg cars. But of course in Eire we wait to see what defo doesnt work before adopting it.

The system works fine. How many times has this discussion been had on a talk show or been ridiculed in the media? I cant remember it happening once. Meaning teh vast majority of people in the country across all walks of life are perfectly happy with it.

TomMc wrote:

The real reasons why people in Dublin would not want a non-city reg no is not because of the cars history ... it is because they are more likely to be perceived as a culchie.

Maybe culchie's need a new pr team.:)



As far as people from dublin having a bad view of country cars , are country people not as likely to think a dublin car has had a life of sitting in traffic and potentially have twice as much running time as miles.

Native Tongue

If you want to prevent six digits after the county in Dublin just split it into North (DN) and South (DS) like they do in Tipperary. It makes sense to everyone except snobs who wouldn't want a "Dublin North" reg on their car.