# About personalized license plates **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914 "2010-06-20T22:11:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/1 "2010-06-20T22:11:32Z")
I was in Ohio recently and recall seeing an awful lot of personalized license plates while I was out there. I wasn’t sure if this was because Ohio has a ton of them, or if I was just paying more attention to the license plates there because they were generally unfamiliar to me. So here’s kind of a general poll about personalized license plates. How do you feel about them? Do you have one? Would you? Please feel free to comment, and if you do post, please tell us what state you’re in. Thanks! Please come back and respond to the poll in case it isn’t up before you post, please. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/2 "2010-06-20T22:18:53Z")
I don’t have one because I’m too cheap and there isn’t anything I’d really care about putting on a plate. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/3 "2010-06-20T22:21:20Z")
I have one. I’ve had different personalized plates in the past, in both Alaska and California. My Alaska plate read WOMBAT. My previous California plate read ZYMUR G. My current plate makes reference to my place of employment and what I coach (although the security people initially thought it was a statement of my love of copulating with people not of this country.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/4 "2010-06-20T22:26:12Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > i have one. I’ve had different personalized plates in the past, in both alaska and california. My alaska plate read wombat. My previous california plate read zymur g. My current plate makes reference to my place of employment and what i coach (although the security people initially thought it was a statement of my love of copulating with people not of this country.) :d You have ALIEN SX? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/5 "2010-06-20T22:28:02Z")
We used to have one: don’t have one right now, but are planning to get one back. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/6 "2010-06-20T22:31:56Z")
I don’t have one. I don’t think they’re annoying or stupid (usually), but I just don’t care enough to bother. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/7 "2010-06-20T22:35:01Z")
**Platypus** sums up my feelings on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/8 "2010-06-20T22:43:08Z")
I don’t have a car. But even if I did, I wouldn’t have personalised number plates. I just think they’re tacky. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/9 "2010-06-20T22:49:58Z")
I try really hard to be a law-abiding, considerate, safe driver. But everyone makes mistakes, and I’d rather not have someone who knows my plate see me do something stupid! ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/10 "2010-06-20T23:21:32Z")
I’m too cheap. I’m sure I could find something amusing, but I’m not about to waste money on it. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/11 "2010-06-20T23:52:38Z")
In the 80s they were pretty big in Illinois. I knew several people who got one. I was going to get on but never got around to it. My last name is 7 letters so I could get that. But then again if I decided to hit and run someone, I’d be easy to indentify 🙂 Speaking of which CINDY X, whatever happened to you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/12 "2010-06-21T00:03:36Z")
I like to personalize everything I can, Heck, I painted my laptop gold. Thing is, I don’t have a car. Thing is, I don’t have a license. Thing is, between my tendency to freeze and panic, and my very very slow reflexes, it would probably be dangerous for me to learn to drive. So, so far, none. But I would have. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/13 "2010-06-21T00:05:27Z")
OK, based on responses so far, along with something a coworker said to me when I first got mine, how many of you would _seriously_ be concerned about getting caught doing something wrong or illegal and being easily identifiable? I mean, this just doesn’t even register on my radar. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/14 "2010-06-21T00:18:55Z")
I picked “I don’t have one for a reason you haven’t mentioned”. The reason being, they cost extra and I don’t want to pay extra. I see that’s a very popular response, and I bet their reason is the same as mine. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/15 "2010-06-21T00:24:25Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I picked “I don’t have one for a reason you haven’t mentioned”. The reason being, they cost extra and I don’t want to pay extra. I see that’s a very popular response, and I bet their reason is the same as mine. Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/16 "2010-06-21T00:31:16Z")
I’ve not had a personalized plate because I can’t decide what to put on one. I don’t want something identifying by name, and my legal first name is already taken, I saw the plate a few months ago and smiled and waved, as it’s a less common spelling. I don’t know that I love any one thing enough to put it on my license plate, though I have a few thoughts. I have to find out if it’s legal in PA to have a personalized plate that’s all numbers. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/17 "2010-06-21T00:46:41Z")
Very seldom have I seen one that was even remotely original or humerous\*. Mostly, the drivers tend to be more noticable (for those of you concerned about that) when making jackass moves. I voted annoying. - There have been a few exceptions - one I still remember on a red Dodge Viper with a Ludwig drum logo on the window: _VIPEOUT_. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/18 "2010-06-21T00:54:06Z")
> [@Not\_a\_Platypus](#): > > I don’t have one. I don’t think they’re annoying or stupid (usually), but I just don’t care enough to bother. At the risk of being one of “those” posters, me too. 😃 I enjoy the occasional clever plate, but for me, my car gets me from one place to another - I don’t view it as an extension of my personality or self or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/19 "2010-06-21T00:55:30Z")
As others have said, I don’t care enough about them to be bothered. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/20 "2010-06-21T01:45:35Z")
Strictly MHO, but I’ve always felt that personalized license plates were one of the stupidest things I can think of to blow your money on. More power to you if it really floats your boat, but I can’t think of any circumstance under which I would want so bad to send some kind of message that I would use such a medium. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914.md?page=2)