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

blastman · 24-08-2012 10:45AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:45AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:46AM

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

24-08-2012 10:48AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:50AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:51AM

Marissa Bitter Gravel wrote: »

"touching wood"

Doesn't that make you go blind?

garbanzo · 24-08-2012 10:52AM

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. . .

24-08-2012 10:53AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:53AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:53AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:54AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:54AM

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.

24-08-2012 10:56AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:57AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:58AM

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 · 24-08-2012 10:58AM

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 · 24-08-2012 11:01AM

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 · 24-08-2012 11:01AM

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 · 24-08-2012 11:02AM

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

24-08-2012 11:03AM

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

mickrock · 24-08-2012 11:04AM

Why is it seen as a bad thing that less cars might be sold in 2013?

So what if the government gets less tax. Boo hoo!

ArmaniJeanss · 24-08-2012 11:04AM

28064212 wrote: »

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

Struggling to see why any system would ever need to filter/sort by the year part of the registration to be honest.

I'm sure theres many date other fields on the database for each car record (date of import, date of registration, date of sale, date of tax paid) which would be more likely used for filtering purposes.

24-08-2012 11:09AM

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Struggling to see why any system would ever need to filter/sort by the year part of the registration to be honest.

I'm sure theres many date other fields on the database for each car record (date of import, date of registration, date of sale, date of tax paid) which would be more likely used for filtering purposes.

Any car-sales website for a start. There are lots of systems where the only input is the registration number. Unless it's solely used for unique key queries, parsing of some kind will happen

Grayson · 24-08-2012 11:13AM

Anyone who wants a new car and can afford one would buy one anyone.

For the rest of us who are hit by the recession, we wouldn't be buying one anyway.

frozenfrozen · 24-08-2012 11:14AM

There should be a choice which you would want, the 13 or 131, then just from a glance everyone will be able to tell who is a superstitious idiot

AnonoBoy · 24-08-2012 11:15AM

Marissa Bitter Gravel wrote: »

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.

Being slightly superstitious is one thing.

But if someone doesn't want to buy a car because the number 13 is on the reg plate then they're an idiot.

Archeron · 24-08-2012 11:17AM

ncmc wrote: »

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!

I remember getting a loan car, a Ford Fiesta, and the reg was **D-6666. I called it the devils Fiesta, had a nice ring to it.

Kenno90 · 24-08-2012 11:20AM

Archeron wrote: »

I remember getting a loan car, a Ford Fiesta, and the reg was **D-6666. I called it the devils Fiesta, had a nice ring to it.

See to me that's just an easy to remember reg, If it had a reg of 666 , was coloured red and was fuelled by blood THEN I'd call it the devils Fiesta

TeddyTedson · 24-08-2012 11:23AM

A slap to the face for people who consider it lucky 13.

I'm genuinely surprised this is happening here in Ireland. Isn't it time to cut out superstitious bull****.

useless · 24-08-2012 11:24AM

Hang on a second, the article in the Indo says "A government spokesman confirmed that the Department of Finance was actively considering the proposed change as part of a consultation process with the motor industry"

"Actively considering" doesn't mean it's going to happen... I would hope that the DoF and the DoEnvt between them realise this is a stupid idea.

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

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