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https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055940817/signature-rules

I fixed Irish car registration plate formatting. Discuss.

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135

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    #62
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,621 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    Can't see the current system changing anytime soon.


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    #63
    GhostyMcGhost
    Registered Users Posts: 1,349 ✭✭✭GhostyMcGhost


    What was wrong with moving the 1 or 2 to the right?? .. Simplest way I would have thought

    132-KK-5678 -> 13-KK-25678

    201-D-9999 -> 20-D-19999

    212-LH-90822 -> 21-LH-290822


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    #64
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    GhostyMcGhost wrote: »
    What was wrong with moving the 1 or 2 to the right?? .. Simplest way I would have thought

    132-KK-5678 -> 13-KK-25678

    201-D-9999 -> 20-D-19999

    212-LH-90822 -> 21-LH-290822

    There are too many characters, the plates look too cluttered.


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    #65
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    CiniO wrote: »
    That's what I was saying on this forum for a long time.
    UK which has over 65 million population can manage with 7 charactes numberplates, and Ireland with less than 5 million popuation uses mostly 8 or 9 or even possibly 10 charactes on a plate.

    IMO country size of Ireland, could easily do with 6 characters on number plate.
    3 letters and 3 numbers give over 17.5 million combinations which is plenty for a country with just over 2 million vehicles.

    The problem with our old system as was stated earlier was that we didn't have free access to the full alphabet to give allocations to different counties, our system was part of a UK wide registration system with I and Z being allocated to the 32 counties, it was a perfect system for a time when there were only 2 cars in a town belonging to the parish priest and the doctor, in 1904 no-one ever envisaged the amount of vehicles that would require a registration number.


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    #66
    Mango Joe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,179 ✭✭✭Mango Joe


    Sparkey84 wrote: »
    i would love it if we went to the Australian system. just random numbers and letters. a car sitting in front of you could be 2 years old or 6 years old. you can only tell when a model changes.

    such a more healthy way to value a car by its condition rather than by the inky status symbol that is the reg plate. our rate of debt is high for cars and the "keeping up with the jones" mentality puts so much pressure on people.

    Yes - There's definitely something nice when you're abroad and see a well-kept car in great nick that doesn't have a big label around its neck screaming the year.


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    #67
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    Henry Ford III wrote: »
    Can't see the current system changing anytime soon.

    Unfortunately I agree with you, such a pity as there are many systems that would suit much better.


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    #68
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    Mango Joe wrote: »
    Yes - There's definitely something nice when you're abroad and see a well-kept car in great nick that doesn't have a big label around its neck screaming the year.

    Like we used to have...


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    #69
    ianobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 2,756 ✭✭✭ianobrien


    I'd be thinking of something like the German system in that it's your number, not the vehicle's number. There is no year and there's no counties on the plate, only large towns. For example, "B" is Berlin, "M" is Munich, "Fus" is Fussen, etc.

    I'd also be thinking of the French system where the department (or county) is at the end of the plate in the little blue box. The rest is a combination of letters and numbers grouped in (usually) two or three characters.

    I also like the Maltese system of Buses having "BUS" on the plate followed by a number and the same for Taxis with "TAXI"

    At the moment, we have up to 5 characters for the year any county at the start of the plate. That's what people remember as that's what they read first. We could have 11 character on the plate, when we only have a million cars at the moment on the road. That's 7 characters with a combination of letters and numbers.


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    #70
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    The uk system will obviously run into trouble in 2051 as well. We’ll be fine til 2113.
    Flip the sequence instead of AA11ABC you have ABC11AA been done several times already.


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    #71
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    CiniO wrote: »
    That's what I was saying on this forum for a long time.
    UK which has over 65 million population can manage with 7 charactes numberplates, and Ireland with less than 5 million popuation uses mostly 8 or 9 or even possibly 10 charactes on a plate.

    IMO country size of Ireland, could easily do with 6 characters on number plate.
    3 letters and 3 numbers give over 17.5 million combinations which is plenty for a country with just over 2 million vehicles.
    The Nederlands do even better, they've managed to keep the plate at 6 characters despite having a population approaching 20 million.
    The whole "year" identifier is nothing other than a ploy to move the metal faster, it really shouldn't be this way.


    Seeing a dublin car with something like 211-D-135957 just looks silly



    My choice would be to simply have a plate with a combination of letters and numbers with the county code as a prefix.


    starting with

    eg RN-A1

    all the way up to



    RN-ZZ999
    Dublin could use an extra letter if needed, such a system will last as long as vehicle registration plates are needed


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    #72
    Iguarantee
    Registered Users Posts: 323 ✭✭Iguarantee


    BailMeOut wrote: »
    How about using a letter for each month

    A=JAN
    B=FEB
    C=MAR
    D=APR
    etc..

    so Wicklow April 2021 would be

    21D-WW-1234

    Can’t wait for 2036:

    36D-D-80085


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    #73
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    ianobrien wrote: »
    I'd be thinking of something like the German system in that it's your number, not the vehicle's number. There is no year and there's no counties on the plate, only large towns. For example, "B" is Berlin, "M" is Munich, "Fus" is Fussen, etc.

    I'd also be thinking of the French system where the department (or county) is at the end of the plate in the little blue box. The rest is a combination of letters and numbers grouped in (usually) two or three characters.

    I also like the Maltese system of Buses having "BUS" on the plate followed by a number and the same for Taxis with "TAXI"

    At the moment, we have up to 5 characters for the year any county at the start of the plate. That's what people remember as that's what they read first. We could have 11 character on the plate, when we only have a million cars at the moment on the road. That's 7 characters with a combination of letters and numbers.


    I think the (current) French system is quite good, Portugal uses a similar system to Germany but with two small yellow boxes on the right with month and year in them.
    In fact few countries put the year in the registration number, UK Ireland &?? finding it hard to think of another. Cyprus tried it and decided it was a complete waste after a few years, they started with the UK system A, B ,C etc they gave up at E.


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    #74
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    One of the many weaknesses of the current format is the variable length of the number.

    202 D 1 202 d 11 202 D 1111, etc. So a digit goes missing, the number could be still valid.

    They should not allow more than two numbers to be repeated so 202 D 2334 would be OK but not 202 D 2333.

    A better format would be DD 999 XX, where DD is the county assigned letters. Only twenty letters to be used to avoid confusion like i and the number 1, or zero and the letter O. XX are just two letters that could be used to denote the year, perhaps changed every three months if that is thought useful, though I do not see the point. An alternative use would be to identify the type of vehicle. For example - TX for taxi, MB for motor bike, MP for moped, BU for bus, HG for HGV, etc.

    As an addition, EU flag on the left and county flag on the right.


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    #75
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    One of the many weaknesses of the current format is the variable length of the number.

    202 D 1 202 d 11 202 D 1111, etc. So a digit goes missing, the number could be still valid.

    They should not allow more than two numbers to be repeated so 202 D 2334 would be OK but not 202 D 2333.

    A better format would be DD 999 XX, where DD is the county assigned letters. Only twenty letters to be used to avoid confusion like i and the number 1, or zero and the letter O. XX are just two letters that could be used to denote the year, perhaps changed every three months if that is thought useful, though I do not see the point. An alternative use would be to identify the type of vehicle. For example - TX for taxi, MB for motor bike, MP for moped, BU for bus, HG for HGV, etc.

    As an addition, EU flag on the left and county flag on the right.

    No way, would be far too complicated, keep it simple anyone with half an eye can see it's a bus, motorbike etc I really don't see the point in putting the type of vehicle on the number plate.


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    #76
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    CoBo55 wrote: »
    No way, would be far too complicated, keep it simple anyone with half an eye can see it's a bus, motorbike etc I really don't see the point in putting the type of vehicle on the number plate.

    And if it is a bus or motorbike but with a fake number plate? The idea is to make a fake number plate obvious to ANPR or a Garda.

    Anyway, it does not have to be used for that, but TX for a taxi would be useful.


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    #77
    mickdw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,264 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    AndrewJRenko wrote: »
    About 10% of Irish males are red-green colour deficient. We shouldn't be relying solely on colour to convey information.

    We rely on these 2 colours to control the busiest junctions in the world and you believe its not safe enough to be used to convey some unimportant info on a licence plate.


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    #78
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    And if it is a bus or motorbike but with a fake number plate? The idea is to make a fake number plate obvious to ANPR or a Garda.

    Anyway, it does not have to be used for that, but TX for a taxi would be useful.

    Between a roof sign, door stickers and the two circular licence discs on a taxi I really don't see the point in putting letters on the number plate too.


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    #79
    Eric Cartman
    Registered Users Posts: 26,283 ✭✭✭✭Eric Cartman


    ba_barabus wrote: »
    Thank God the number 13 was never left on the plate

    Danny_Healy-Rae.jpg

    I wish it was, id buy 13 reg cars for the next 20 years just to piss off a few morons.

    Ideal format would be just drop the year.


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    #80
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,363 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    CoBo55 wrote: »
    Between a roof sign, door stickers and the two circular licence discs on a taxi I really don't see the point in putting letters on the number plate too.

    How many fake taxis are plying for business around Dublin?


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    #81
    jeoun
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭jeoun


    Below is my idea:

    A12 G21 - 12th car registered in Galway in January 2021

    D33 CW21 - 33rd car registered in Carlow in April 2021

    J1234 D21 - 1234th car registered in Dublin in October 2021

    so each month is assigned a letter A through to L (or maybe to M in order to skip I )

    People would be more likely to remember the first letter and numbers say for example after witnessing a crime. At least the first letter and numbers would only apply to 26 cars and possibly less. Even after for example 10 years after implementing this system, the first sequence would still only apply to approx 260 cars rather than the thousands of cars that the first sequence (i.e. year and county) of our current system applies to.


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    #82
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    How many fake taxis are plying for business around Dublin?

    Who knows or cares? They'll just fake the plates too if they're into starving in a fake taxi. :pac: There are easier ways to die:(


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    #83
    CoBo55
    Registered Users Posts: 8,771 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    jeoun wrote: »
    Below is my idea:

    A12 G21 - 12th car registered in Galway in January 2021

    D33 CW21 - 33rd car registered in Carlow in April 2021

    J1234 D21 - 1234th car registered in Dublin in October 2021

    so each month is assigned a letter A through to L (or maybe to M in order to skip I )

    People would be more likely to remember the first sequence say for example after witnessing a crime. At least each sequence would only apply to 26 cars and possibly less. Even after for example 10 years after implementing this system, the first sequence would still only apply to approx 260 cars rather than the thousands of cars that the first sequence (i.e. year and county) of our current system applies to.

    Ridiculously complicated system makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.


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    #84
    jeoun
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭jeoun


    CoBo55 wrote: »
    Ridiculously complicated system makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

    How is it complicated?

    First letter = month of registration
    Number = same as our current system

    County Identifier
    Year


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    #85
    TaurenDruid
    Registered Users Posts: 4,018 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    CoBo55 wrote: »
    Ridiculously complicated system makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

    If you think that's "ridiculously complicated", maybe you shouldn't be driving. Literally all it is, is adding a letter for the month.


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    #86
    mickdw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,264 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    jeoun wrote: »
    Below is my idea:

    A12 G21 - 12th car registered in Galway in January 2021

    D33 CW21 - 33rd car registered in Carlow in April 2021

    J1234 D21 - 1234th car registered in Dublin in October 2021

    so each month is assigned a letter A through to L (or maybe to M in order to skip I )

    People would be more likely to remember the first letter and numbers say for example after witnessing a crime. At least the first letter and numbers would only apply to 26 cars and possibly less. Even after for example 10 years after implementing this system, the first sequence would still only apply to approx 260 cars rather than the thousands of cars that the first sequence (i.e. year and county) of our current system applies to.

    Not a bad idea but the first letter and numbers would apply to more cars than you think as it xould relate to any county and any year if someone only picked up the start of the plate


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    #87
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    jeoun wrote: »
    How is it complicated?

    First letter = month of registration
    Number = same as our current system

    County Identifier
    Year
    Why the obsession of the date of registration?
    Ito should be like a serial number, not a proof of age identifier!


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    #88
    mickdw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,264 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    Why the obsession of the date of registration?
    Ito should be like a serial number, not a proof of age identifier!

    Because we are dreaming if we think simi would ever agree to removing the year from plate.


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    #89
    jeoun
    Registered Users Posts: 213 ✭✭jeoun


    mickdw wrote: »
    Not a bad idea but the first letter and numbers would apply to more cars than you think as it xould relate to any county and any year if someone only picked up the start of the plate

    It would only apply to 26 cars each year. Yes you would have D33 D21, D33 LM21 etc etc. My point is that most people only remember the year and county of our current system “the thieves drove off in a 211-D car”. That applies to thousands of cars. If someone said “the thieves drove off in a D33 car” there is a lot less number of cars it will apply to even after a number of years.


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    #90
    mickdw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,264 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    jeoun wrote: »
    Below is my idea:

    A12 G21 - 12th car registered in Galway in January 2021

    D33 CW21 - 33rd car registered in Carlow in April 2021

    J1234 D21 - 1234th car registered in Dublin in October 2021

    so each month is assigned a letter A through to L (or maybe to M in order to skip I )

    People would be more likely to remember the first letter and numbers say for example after witnessing a crime. At least the first letter and numbers would only apply to 26 cars and possibly less. Even after for example 10 years after implementing this system, the first sequence would still only apply to approx 260 cars rather than the thousands of cars that the first sequence (i.e. year and county) of our current system applies to.

    Using your own example J1234 D21
    Someone remembering J12 is useless. That only narrows it down to 100 cars - everything from J1201 to J1299 in that first part sequence. Thats a possible 100 cars in every county and ever year if they only remembered J12. If that sequence went to a 5th digit, its only narrowing to 1000 cars per county per year.


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    #91
    TaurenDruid
    Registered Users Posts: 4,018 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Why the obsession of the date of registration?
    Ito should be like a serial number, not a proof of age identifier!

    I remember second-hand car ads from before '87, and people having to buy an actual guide to the age of cars so they could tell how old one was. Ok, things are different now and there'd be an app and/or website... which'd mean relying on a company commissioned by the Department of Transport or something, so it'd take 5 years and €30 million...


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