# Vain or not, do YOU have a vanity plate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2000, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916 "2000-07-26T15:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baglady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Baglady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baglady)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/1 "2000-07-26T15:35:43Z")
Jodi started a thread, [Vanity, Thy Name is License Plate](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=31945), which while interesting, didn’t really apply to me! Yes, I have a vanity plate on my car, but there’s nothing indicating MY vanity about it. The vanity plate on my tiny Ford Festiva is “TOONSPN”. It’s because I like Disneyland (Anaheim), where they have the Roger Rabbit CAR TOON SPIN ride in Toon Town. The ride has you on a small “car” that’s not all that much smaller than my Festiva, thus the plate. It tells other Disneyland afficionados of my interest, plus it’s a pun (CAR Toon Spin, get it?). Half the time when I see vanity plates, I can’t quite figure them out… So… do YOU have a vanity plate? What’s it say, and what’s it mean? ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/2 "2000-07-26T15:42:28Z")
My license plate reads 3DS MAX which stands for 3-D Studio Max, the software my husband helped develop. I have trouble figuring license plates too. I have a better time trying to figger out how they might be interpreted as dirty or insulting. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/3 "2000-07-26T15:45:19Z")
I’d love to have one, but they’re too expensive here. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/4 "2000-07-26T15:56:07Z")
Although I am quite vain, I have no vanity plate on my lovely car. I suspect that such a thing would begin to annoy me after about a year. Kinda like a tattoo. “What the hell was I thinking?” ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/5 "2000-07-26T18:11:02Z")
Yes, I have one. It is the same as my screen name, EJSGIRL. I got it because my husband’s initials are EJ, and I was his from the moment we met! Of course, when it’s on my car, he doesn’t like to drive it because people look at him funny. He just smiles and says EJ was someone he met in prison… ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/6 "2000-07-26T18:19:27Z")
Garf226 Nuff Said. ---
**Author:** ![Michi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@Michi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michi)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/7 "2000-07-26T19:33:02Z")
I saw a cute one the other day that read:NUTNZEZ I can’t afford one, but if I could, I would get one realting to my job: 911VETTEC, or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/8 "2000-07-26T20:09:24Z")
I don’t know if it could really be considered a vanity plate, but I do have the special Veteran’s plates on my truck. They look much nicer than the regular plates, and were only $10 more. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/9 "2000-07-26T20:11:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Michi \* > I can’t afford one, but if I could, I would get one realting to my job: 911VETTEC, or something like that. Do you realize how that would confuse the gearheads out there? Does she really want a Porsche or a Corvette? What’s year is a 'Vette C? _We_ know what it means, but I find it amusing to imagine my gearhead friends baffled responses! ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/10 "2000-07-26T20:30:30Z")
Like Mr. C, I’m not sure if this counts, but I have the special Chesapeake Bay plates on my car. Gives money to the Bay Foundation, and besides, they match my car better anyway. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mu\_Mu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Mu\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mu_Mu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/11 "2000-07-28T02:42:11Z")
Mine says FNEFRM. If you don’t get it, you match half my friends. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/12 "2000-07-28T03:20:48Z")
Mine’s TCNOHOR…“technowhore.” Because I am. ---
**Author:** ![Baglady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Baglady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baglady)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/13 "2000-07-28T05:27:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balance \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Michi \* > > I can’t afford one, but if I could, I would get one realting to my job: 911VETTEC, or something like that. > > Do you realize how that would confuse the gearheads out there? Does she really want a Porsche or a Corvette? What’s year is a 'Vette C? > _We_ know what it means, but I find it amusing to imagine my gearhead friends baffled responses! \*\* WHAT??? No way! I read “911VETTEC” to mean: Emergency Veterinary Technician. Hey, makes sense, right? …so WHICH STATE LETS YOU HAVE _NINE_ LETTERS ON YOUR PLATE??? The two plates I _REALLY REALLY_ wanted here in California were already taken: YMMV, and RTFM. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/14 "2000-07-28T06:42:40Z")
We have “Save the Manatee” plates on 2 cars here. I also saw an interesting one the other day… It had a picture of a bear on it, and below it said “Conserve Wildlife”. You people are going through 3 or 4 endangered gopher tortoises a day! This has to stop! You people need to cut down on your wildlife consumption! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/15 "2000-07-28T06:46:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CrankyAsAnOldMan \* > \*\*My license plate reads 3DS MAX which stands for 3-D Studio Max, the software my husband helped develop. > > I have trouble figuring license plates too. I have a better time trying to figger out how they might be interpreted as dirty or insulting. \*\* Woah! Your husband worked on MAX? Thats pretty cool. How about a free copy? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheThill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheThill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheThill)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/16 "2000-07-28T11:16:32Z")
No car, no plates. ---
**Author:** ![Tally-Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@Tally-Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tally-Ho)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/17 "2000-07-28T12:04:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mu Mu \* > \*\*Mine says FNEFRM. If you don’t get it, you match half my friends. \*\* Funny Farm, right? I don’t have a vanity plate and I don’t really know what I’d put on one. I am envious of the one I saw recently though. It was my favorite quote from _The King and I_: ETC ETC. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/18 "2000-07-28T13:08:19Z")
Not a vanity plate, but I do have two vanity bumper stickers. One says “Lorelei” and the other says “overclocked”. Lorelei is my car’s name, and the name of the computer that’s in it. Plus it’s a sporty little ford probe, thus the “overclocked”. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/19 "2000-07-28T14:05:00Z")
\ Woo-hoo! Recognition! But sorry occ, he has several copies, but no spare hardward locks. It’s useless without it. 🙂 And since he still gets some residuals…c’mon, go ahead and SPRING for a copy yourself! They’re what, $2500? Something like that? A BARGAIN! And FWIW, he isn’t one of the original seven cool guys who started it from ground zero. He was hired a few years later. But before they were sold, when they were STILL just a handful of geeks doing it. \ ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2000, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916/20 "2000-07-29T08:35:27Z")
As I posted in the other thread, my plate says RDNKWCH. It fits me very well–although for some reason, no one around here can ever figure it out! Just sound it out! (Hint–it’s three words.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vain-or-not-do-you-have-a-vanity-plate/26916.md?page=2)