# Custom Licence Plates — Seen in the Wild **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 11, 2023, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965 "2023-11-11T02:25:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 63
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1241 "2025-04-16T17:04:52Z")
At least, that’s what he told me it means. I’m taking him at his word on that. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1242 "2025-04-16T17:11:47Z")
Seems to be a Corvette thing Here’s a google image search for [Wrap Your Ass Fiberglass](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&sca_esv=0625c367a110485f&q=Wrap+Your+Ass+in+Fiberglass&udm=2&fbs=ABzOT_CWdhQLP1FcmU5B0fn3xuWpA-dk4wpBWOGsoR7DG5zJBsxayPSIAqObp_AgjkUGqel3rTRMIJGV_ECIUB00muput9Zp8VMKUi0ZjqPs3JlrgPeFrAnFlUitTiL3WcJlFn10ZVAeuxL5fSn-ULNu9lz3DIW3cy7rkKNmgHapdAFAoBFSl5-LQE_swXRSgVvZGy87KiusPiw1DSGvVAMCLf6f2K4DEg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiF_4TAhd2MAxUNrokEHe8OEP4QtKgLegQIFRAB&biw=1756&bih=955). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1243 "2025-04-16T19:58:52Z")
Oh, yeah. Totally forgot about that one. Back in the day (1970s), eons before carbon fiber composites were invented as the new lightweight high strength performance hotness, Vette’ nuts were _inordinately_ fond of the fact their car bodies were fiberglass. Soo much better than what mere mortals have. Considering the (non-)durability of Detroit sheet metal bodies of that era, perhaps they had a point. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1244 "2025-04-16T20:30:22Z")
Just saw an SUV thing with the “endless summer” plate background and surfboards on the roof. That plate only holds 5 characters: **AJOYZ**. I’m guessing they really like their car and it complements their lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1245 "2025-04-16T21:33:36Z")
I’ve never seen that. I have, however, seen the movie, which is really good. [![](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVXq1fHirbKxPAeWkavArMQ3CNouyeh98KMnVH-XYF1qf2yETGo-KqMEybcVxh3app6rPCXw) ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRVXq1fHirbKxPAeWkavArMQ3CNouyeh98KMnVH-XYF1qf2yETGo-KqMEybcVxh3app6rPCXw) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1246 "2025-04-17T01:44:46Z")
As a beach kid in SoCal with excellent surf but a barely-OK climate when that movie came out, I loved it. Living as I do now in SoFL on a different beach on a different ocean with excellent climate but OK-minus surf, I still love it. In fact I spent 2h at the beach today. The 6" waves did not impress. The perfect air and water temp and sand and water clarity however … Here’s the site cite for the charity that plate supports: > **[Endless Summer Plate - Preserve Surfing Beaches](https://preservesurfingbeaches.org/endless-summer-plate/)** > > Support the beach lifestyle with the purchase of a specialty license plate for your car or one of our Preserve Surfing Beaches accessories. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1247 "2025-04-17T11:30:27Z")
[![](https://i.imgur.com/5Nie9G8.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/5Nie9G8.jpeg) Not at a stoplight, you’re not. This one caught my attention because a college friend of mine used Bonzo420 as one of her passwords or usernames for something or another. John Bonham, or Bonzo, for those that aren’t familiar, was Led Zeppelin’s drummer. [![](https://i.imgur.com/iANS4KI.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/iANS4KI.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1248 "2025-04-17T13:52:05Z")
There’s also the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1249 "2025-04-17T14:39:41Z")
Today I had a good haul on the way to breakfast. A Range Rover with **1818188**. I’m not sure how to decode that other than as dazzle camouflage in the spirit of this comic already posted upthread by @Ponderoid and @silenus: [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/license_plate.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/license_plate.png) A white family wagon with **AF⎵TEAM**. The driver was a plump 60ish woman. So no clue what “AF” might be. If she was USAF, it was a bunch of years ago. One of the 5-character-only plates with **ZEJAS**. Presumably a last name? This last one isn’t a custom, but rather an ordinary series plate that I thought was funny. You might think so too or you might start wondering which wires are loose in my brain. The standard plate read **38D⎵UZL**. Which for just a moment made me think of " '38 Duesenberg". Which were really cool cars in their day but 1937 was their last production year. Missed it by _that_ much. Then I thought of the pistol cartridge “.38 Special”. And figured the .38 Doozle would have to be an upgraded super-high power version. “Yeah, that .38 Doozle is a real doozie!” Anyhow, I chuckled. Hope some of you do too. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1250 "2025-04-17T17:39:07Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > This last one isn’t a custom, but rather an ordinary series plate that I thought was funny. You might think so too or you might start wondering which wires are loose in my brain. The standard plate where I live can lend itself to some interesting combinations. It’s three letters and three numbers, no space between. Sometimes I find myself studying a plate wondering if it’s supposed to mean something or if it’s just the standard plate. I blame this thread. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1251 "2025-04-17T17:45:24Z")
While driving home after making that post I saw another example of exactly what you’re talking about. I too find myself trying to decode random strings of letters & digits. Gaah! We have a much greater variety of standard patterns on our various kinds of plates, so there’s a lot of uncertainty about what _might_ be custom and what might not. This last one was **BQ0⎵0UL** which I read as “be cool”. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1252 "2025-04-18T19:06:46Z")
Two today … A Porsche 911SC with a standard FL plate with **CCC⎵⎵YA**. Presumably the driver has a stutter. And enjoys his fast car. 😉 A Tesla Model Y with **IWAMA**. The plate background was for breast cancer research charities and those plates only hold 5 characters. I’m not sure that extra clue helps much. I got nuthin’. ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1253 "2025-04-18T19:47:50Z")
One this morning on a Mercedes sedan: **WATA⎵DAD**. I’m guessing bought by the kids… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1254 "2025-04-18T23:40:11Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > A Tesla Model Y with **IWAMA**. The plate background was for breast cancer research charities and those plates only hold 5 characters. I’m not sure that extra clue helps much. I got nuthin’. Iwama is an aikido style. It might be that. It’s named after a town by that same name. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1255 "2025-04-18T23:46:59Z")
Saw one at the store last week, " Ha Ha Ha Ha" ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1256 "2025-04-19T01:25:11Z")
Not a plate but a plate frame I saw said, “my other car is the Iliad” on a Honda Odyssey. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1257 "2025-04-19T04:31:25Z")
That’s a great one! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1258 "2025-04-20T15:00:05Z")
Saw this yesterday. A Tesla Cybertruck with the specialty FL plate supporting off-roading. Which plate holds 5 characters. It said **CYBTK**. I think that covers the Captain Obvious award for the week. It _was_ hard to tell what kind of vehicle that was; they’re kinda non-descript looking. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1259 "2025-04-20T22:44:34Z")
Just when I thought my local Captain Obvious award was sewn up … Today I saw an immaculate bright red Lotus Esprit. Looking now at wiki I’m thinking this was an early 1990s version, so 30+ years old. I didn’t get a chance to ogle it, but would have liked to. The plate was a FL standard background reading **ESPRIT**. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965/1260 "2025-04-21T00:03:59Z")
Last week I saw a plate that seemed straightforward but much later I realized it was ambiguous: **MTSNOW**. “Mountain snow”, right? Well how about “Mountains now”? Todays plate is far more of a puzzler. **SRISAN**. So you’ve got the Hindi prefix for “Mr.” and the Japanese suffix for “Mr./Mrs.” Is this a Japanese person named “Sri” or an Indian guy named “San”? Or is this someone who’s a fan of the 80s band Mr. Mister? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965.md?page=62) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/custom-licence-plates-seen-in-the-wild/992965.md?page=64)