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

Kenno90 · 24-08-2012 09:57AM #1

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 · 24-08-2012 10:01AM

jesus thats pathetic

eth0 · 24-08-2012 10:02AM

The government should stop listening to SIMI

Kenno90 · 24-08-2012 10:04AM

Is it a gimmick to promote car sales

Kinda like when everybody wanted a 00 Car :rolleyes:

michellie · 24-08-2012 10:10AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:10AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:14AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:19AM

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

SIMI stole his idea!

Vicxas · 24-08-2012 10:22AM

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

H3llR4iser · 24-08-2012 10:24AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:24AM

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

AeoNGriM · 24-08-2012 10:25AM

They should say 2012+1

:pac:

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

woof im a dog · 24-08-2012 10:27AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:27AM

this is Ireland, not Japan

ncmc · 24-08-2012 10:27AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:31AM

Just go for roman numerals, XIII

Kenno90 · 24-08-2012 10:32AM

12A-D-1234

Problem solved

24-08-2012 10:33AM

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

24-08-2012 10:36AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:38AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:38AM

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

the groutch · 24-08-2012 10:38AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:38AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:40AM

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

folan · 24-08-2012 10:40AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:40AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:42AM

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

24-08-2012 10:44AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:44AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:44AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:44AM

More evidence that people are f*cking idiots.

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

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