2013 number plates to be changed to avoid ‘unlucky 13’

Kenno90

What, is this a joke? :eek::eek:

Linky

THE Government is to bring in a new licence-plate system next year amid fears that a '13' registration number would hit car sales.

Cars registered between January and the end of June will have a '131' registration. Those from July 1 to the end of the year will have '132' on the plate.

The decision is based partly on fears that superstition about a '13' reg would affect sales and partly in response to the motor industry's plea to spread sales more evenly across the year.

NinjaK

jesus thats pathetic

eth0

The government should stop listening to SIMI

Kenno90

Is it a gimmick to promote car sales Kinda like when everybody wanted a 00 Car :rolleyes:

michellie

It's to promote car sales, there are so many bought in the first 4 months and then it gets really quiet.

People are VERY fussy when it comes to registrations.

Sykk

NinjaK wrote: »

jesus thats pathetic

This kinda nails it. Imagine the lads in the Dail sitting around after their extended lunch break coming up with this idea.

Cushie Butterfield

To avoid confusion & a lifeime of bad luck, I wonder will children born next year be registered as born in 20131/32 :eek:

What will happen when the real 20131 arrives - can vintage cars avoid the NCT?

mikemac1

Didn't Michael Healy Rae suggest this a few months ago

SIMI stole his idea!

Vicxas

Can we get our new licences first please....

H3llR4iser

NinjaK wrote: »

jesus thats pathetic

It is, but it's not such a dumb move - in the year 2012, people are still beyond superstitious. I know somebody that claimed her house to be ghost-infested because a couple of taps would start drawing water on their own accord (i.e. the taps are old and battered and the water pressure manages to push through).

Also, try to chek an umbrella inside and see if there isn't somebody screaming bloody murder just because it LOOKS like you're gonna open it indoors.

Last but not least, there's no car number 13 in Formula 1, reason: superstition. I can definitely see people deciding not to buy a car because they don't want the "13" on the plate.

On a funny note, registrations make of hilarious results sometimes; Years ago, in Italy, I saw a registration plate ending in "005EX" (and no, it was no vanity plate)

the groutch

and how much more money that we don't have will be wasted on this?

AeoNGriM

They should say 2012+1

:pac:

Anyway, not like anyone can afford a new car........

woof im a dog

the groutch wrote: »

and how much more money that we don't have will be wasted on this?

theyre just adding an extra number on the plate would it really cost that much money

admiralofthefleet

this is Ireland, not Japan

ncmc

I work in the motor industry and I confirm that a lot of people have said they won’t be buying a ‘13’ car. It seems crazy, but people are very superstitious about things like this. Unless there is some kind of change, it is going to depress even further a market that is totally in the gutter. Also, anything that helps prevent car sales falling off a cliff come May/June can only be a good thing.

People who give out about the SIMI need to realise how much VRT used to contribute to the government coffers, not to mention the VAT on vehicles. And it really doesn’t harm anyone to make a simple change to the licence plates. There is talk that VRT and tax are due to rise next year, this will be a further death knell in the motor industry.

JohnMarston

Just go for roman numerals, XIII

Kenno90

12A-D-1234

Problem solved

28064212

woof im a dog wrote: »

theyre just adding an extra number on the plate would it really cost that much money

Every computer system that deals with car registrations will have to be changed

While the number 13 isn't something that bothers me I am quite superstitious about certain things so I can see how some people superstitious about no.13 may decide against buying a car next year. I know it sounds a bit crazy....

SocSocPol

Marissa Bitter Gravel wrote: »

While the number 13 isn't something that bothers me I am quite superstitious about certain things so I can see how some people superstitious about no.13 may decide against buying a car next year. I know it sounds a bit crazy....

Good to see the Government putting so much effort into the real issues facing the country!:rolleyes:

bgrizzley

FFS. Next thing you know they will only be bringing in cars with a padre pio badge glued to the dash.

the groutch

ncmc wrote: »

I work in the motor industry and I confirm that a lot of people have said they won’t be buying a ‘13’ car.

and how many people won't buy a car because they don't want 12+1 or something moronic like that on their plate? quite a few I'd imagine.

ncmc

Marissa Bitter Gravel wrote: »

While the number 13 isn't something that bothers me I am quite superstitious about certain things so I can see how some people superstitious about no.13 may decide against buying a car next year. I know it sounds a bit crazy....

I think it's the combination of the number 13 attached to something that you could very easily die in!

Our garage once had a new car that had the digits 666 in the reg number. The revenue changed it without any hassle, the lady I dealt with said it's one of the very few situations in which revenue will change a reg number!

mike65

The Irish eh? Green cars have always sold poorly here as its an unlucky colour apparently.

folan

ive heard of people refusing to stay in room 13 in a hotel. Ive seen people buying house number 13 at a cut down price after the original buyers pulled out because of the number.

people are wierd and mad and daft. half of them cant even tell me why 13 is unlucky.

ncmc

SocSocPol wrote: »

Good to see the Government putting so much effort into the real issues facing the country!:rolleyes:

But it is an issue for the country if VRT and VAT falls even further than it has already. Why would anyone have a problem with a simple change that could raise VRT returns? AFAIK the cost implications are low and would be more than offset by the VAT and VRT return.

Penn

folan wrote: »

ive heard of people refusing to stay in room 13 in a hotel. Ive seen people buying house number 13 at a cut down price after the original buyers pulled out because of the number.

people are wierd and mad and daft. half of them cant even tell me why 13 is unlucky.

"My hotel doesn't have a 13th floor because of superstition, but people on the 14th floor, you know what floor you're really on!" - Mitch Hedberg

28064212

ncmc wrote: »

But it is an issue for the country if VRT and VAT falls even further than it has already. Why would anyone have a problem with a simple change that could raise VRT returns? AFAIK the cost implications are low and would be more than offset by the VAT and VRT return.

What research has been done into the cost of the change? What research has been done into the likelihood of VAT/VRT being increased? What research has been done to show people are more likely to buy 131 cars rather than 13? Anecdotes are not evidence.

A Primal Nut

As far as I know they were planning to bring this in anyway, for every year. So there will also be 141 for the first 6 months of 2014; and 142 for final six months of 2014; the same with 151 and 152 for 2015; the idea being that people will still buy cars halfway through the year, rather than now where they only buy at the start of the year. This is the first I've heard of it being anything to do with the 13 being an unlucky number - that might be a lesser reason.

On a positive note, does this mean non-superstitious people can buy cheaper cars?

doncarlos

folan wrote: »

half of them cant even tell me why 13 is unlucky.

Isn't it something to do with the number of people at the last supper?

AnonoBoy

More evidence that people are f*cking idiots.

blastman

In principle, it's a good idea in that all your sales aren't concentrated into the first couple of months of the year. That's why the Britain introduced a two-plates-a-year system a while back. People here are (or were) too obsessed with the reg plate anyway.

Regarding superstitions, a lot of buildings have no 13th floor, and there is no row 13 in most aeroplanes, so we're still a pretty superstitious bunch!

Kenno90

28064212 wrote: »

Every computer system that deals with car registrations will have to be changed

Was thinking that, most software would only accept two number i.e 12 for 2012

Most systems wouldn't even accept three digits

Jame Gumb

Yeah, 'cause 2009 to 2012 have brought the country such good luck...

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

More evidence that people are f*cking idiots.

Being superstitious doesn't make someone a idiot. You will find most people are a least a bit superstitious. Someone saying "touch wood" being a very common one.

ncmc

28064212 wrote: »

What research has been done into the cost of the change? What research has been done into the likelihood of VAT/VRT being increased? What research has been done to show people are more likely to buy 131 cars rather than 13? Anecdotes are not evidence.

It's not anecdotes, it's research by the SIMI. They have done a lot of research on this and it's something they've been advocating for some time. Also, it's not about the VRT/VAT being increased, it's about helping preventing them falling even further than they already have in the last 4 years.

Jame Gumb

Marissa Bitter Gravel wrote: »

"touching wood"

Doesn't that make you go blind?

garbanzo

This is madness. Madness that people here allegedly feel this way and madness that the Government have moved so decisively on this. Holy jumpin' jesus but there are a thousand things more important deserving the government's attention than this.

As an example. This is a country where the Government is allegedly powerless to stop schools operating vending machines selling fizzy drinks to kids. The schools say they need the money. Research is definitive that this sorta sh1te just adds to the growing difficulties we're going to have with diabetes, obesity etc.

I utterly despair. . .

28064212

ncmc wrote: »

It's not anecdotes, it's research by the SIMI. They have done a lot of research on this and it's something they've been advocating for some time. Also, it's not about the VRT/VAT being increased, it's about helping preventing them falling even further than they already have in the last 4 years.

What you posted previously was anecdotes. Do you have a link to the research by SIMI? I'd be very curious to see whether the question asked was:

• Are you less likely to buy a car next year?
• Are you more likely to buy a car next year if the plate is 131/132 instead of 13?

Kenno90

Marissa Bitter Gravel wrote: »

Being superstitious doesn't make someone a idiot. You will find most people are a least a bit superstitious. Someone "touching wood" being a very common one.

In all fairness , touching wood is a hell of a lot easier than changing the number plate system.

Also whats going to happen in 2014, will there be a 141 and 142. Or will it go back to 14 ??

VictorRomeo

AnonoBoy wrote: »

More evidence that people are f*cking idiots.

I have a sister-in-law who is properly fruitbat $hit crazy.... Not only would she not buy a car with the number 13 on it, she would not buy a car if the numbers in any way could be added up to 13. A-la Countdown. A 7 and a 6 no way. An 8 and a 5 no way.... and so on...

She even rejected delivery of a new car about 7 years ago because of this. Of course this caused mayhem but it was a time when people lined up to buy new cars so it was not really a huge issue. She lost her deposit, and the dealer refused to deal with her again....

The rest of my wife's family are pretty much normal....

ncmc

Kenno90 wrote: »

In all fairness , touching wood is a hell of a lot easier than changing the number plate system.

Also whats going to happen in 2014, will there be a 141 and 142. Or will it go back to 14 ??

I think the idea is to keep the 141 and 142, it's supposed to prevent registrations falling off in the second half of the year. Not sure the logic behind that element of it to be fair!

ArmaniJeanss

Kenno90 wrote: »

Was thinking that, most software would only accept two number i.e 12 for 2012

Most systems wouldn't even accept three digits

Nope, most system will still be set up to handle old license plates which are still valid and are in the format 838 FZJ stuff, + foreign plates which have wildly differing formats.

The license plate should be stored in a validation-free field about 15 characters long.

As a programmer I'd like to think no system designer was so stupid as to insist that license plates be entered in 'number-county-twodigityear' format.

28064212

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Nope, most system will still be set up to handle old license plates which are still valid and are in the format 838 FZJ stuff, + foreign plates which have wildly differing formats.

The license plate should be stored in a validation-free field about 15 characters long.

As a programmer I'd like to think no system designer was so stupid as to insist that license plates be entered in 'number-county-twodigityear' format.

But any system that needs to filter by year will have to parse the validation-free field to extract it and store it in another column. Which means the parsing code will have to be rewritten

inforfun

woof im a dog wrote: »

theyre just adding an extra number on the plate would it really cost that much money

Probably.

A few years ago the motorbike of a colleague was stolen.
Guarda couldnt put the, foreign, licence into their computers as it was set up for 11 XX 11111

So i imagine they will have problem to put in a 131 xx 11111 now as well unless their systems have been updated.

ncmc

28064212 wrote: »

What you posted previously was anecdotes. Do you have a link to the research by SIMI? I'd be very curious to see whether the question asked was:

• Are you less likely to buy a car next year?
• Are you more likely to buy a car next year if the plate is 131/132 instead of 13?

Research is not the same as anecdotes. I don't have a link to the SIMI research yet, as it hasn't been released to the general public yet, it will be released if/when the system is changed.

• Are you less likely to buy a car next year? No, but then I am not superstitious, but a lot of people are.
• Are you more likely to buy a car next year if the plate is 131/132 instead of 13? As above, also, I can't afford a new car

Kenno90

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Nope, most system will still be set up to handle old license plates which are still valid and are in the format 838 FZJ stuff, + foreign plates which have wildly differing formats.

The license plate should be stored in a validation-free field about 15 characters long.

As a programmer I'd like to think no system designer was so stupid as to insist that license plates be entered in 'number-county-twodigityear' format.

As another programmer, we both know some people write terrible programs with no flexibility

Kenno90

ncmc wrote: »

Research is not the same as anecdotes. I don't have a link to the SIMI research yet, as it hasn't been released to the general public yet, it will be released if/when the system is changed.

• Are you less likely to buy a car next year? No, but then I am not superstitious, but a lot of people are.
• Are you more likely to buy a car next year if the plate is 131/132 instead of 13? As above, also, I can't afford a new car

People would rather have a car with a reg of 132,

Then they know, that their car was made in 2013 and not just registered in 2013. All cars bought in the start of the year will have been made in 2012

kirving

Marissa Bitter Gravel wrote: »

AnonoBoy wrote: »

More evidence that people are f*cking idiots.

Being superstitious doesn't make someone a idiot.

But it does show that they aren't relying on logic and reasoning.

I don't walk under ladders in case the workman drops something on me, not because it's bad luck.

Kenno90

Kevin Irving wrote: »

But it does show that they aren't relying on logic and reasoning.

I don't walk under ladders in case the workman drops something on me, not because it's bad luck.

Exactly , i don't step on cracks , in case the earth opens up and swallows me whole

28064212

ncmc wrote: »

Research is not the same as anecdotes.

This:

ncmc wrote: »

I work in the motor industry and I confirm that a lot of people have said they won’t be buying a ‘13’ car

was anecdotal.

ncmc wrote: »

I don't have a link to the SIMI research yet, as it hasn't been released to the general public yet, it will be released if/when the system is changed.

What? So SIMI claim to have evidence that changing the system will be a good thing, but won't release that evidence until the changes are made? That's nonsense.

ncmc wrote: »

• Are you less likely to buy a car next year? No, but then I am not superstitious, but a lot of people are.
• Are you more likely to buy a car next year if the plate is 131/132 instead of 13? As above, also, I can't afford a new car

You missed my point. SIMI announcing "less people are going to buy next year" does not mean we should invest in changing the licence plate system, unless they've established that changing the system will actually make a difference