|
Thing is, DVLA are usually very good.
The online car tax system is an absolute joy to use - it's been set up to be simple. Whenever we've needed to switch my wife's private plate from one car to another when she changes cars the drop onto retention has been instant, and the applying the plate to the new car equally fast.
On the rare occasion I've needed to speak to them on the phone they've been helpful, competent, and got it right.
|
|
are these the same people who sell car registration details to parking enforcement companies? No joy in that!
|
are these the same people who sell car registration details to parking enforcement companies? No joy in that!
I cannot see what, in principle, is wrong with providing keeper details for the purpose of parking enforcement. If somebody is leaving their car on my land without my permission, or outside conditions on which permission was given, then the tort of trespass is in play.
If DVLA, in fulfilling its statutory duty, provides keepership information then as cost shouldn't fall on taxpayer they should charge. Shouldn't be a making a massive profit and I doubt it is.
If there's a problem it's in the regulation of those parking providers authorised to use the service.
|
|
|
|
(Of course, some people think nationalisation makes things run better.)
And some people think privatisation makes things run better..neither is right...it depends on how each is run.
|
|
|
|
A wonderful anti-establishment answer, brought a smile to my face anyway.
Cheers.
|
|
I have to agree that most of the motoring stuff you CAN do online is really, really good.
Disappointing to hear of a licensing-related issue that still requires the attention of dirty-faced, horny-handed men in flat caps and hobnail boots.
|
|
Surely the real question is "what is the point of private plates'?
|
|
I do hope someone answers that! I've been wondering for years - I'd genuinely like to know.
|
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence. Desire to stand out, be different; draw attention to oneself; arouse envy in others. Vulgarity. Eccentricity.
|
|
Thanks FP, I was thinking that and very, very occasionally - amuse. Besides they all read the same to me i. e ARS3
|
|
To each his own.
If someone wants to spend money on that, ok.
I have just bought a 200+ piece bone china dinner service and six crystal wine glasses, (vintage) to go with it. I like good food at home. Others like to eat out. I like lots of shortbreak holidays, others like once in a lifetime trips.
Happily we are all different.
|
To each his own.
If someone wants to spend money on that, ok.
I have just bought a 200+ piece bone china dinner service and six crystal wine glasses, (vintage) to go with it. I like good food at home. Others like to eat out. I like lots of shortbreak holidays, others like once in a lifetime trips.
To quote myself.
Perhaps it means something to someone with a special number plate, Good for them.
My bone china set was as a (fond ) memory of a girl I met (and fell in love with) (not reciprocated) during the revolution in Portugal in 1974., (we still write!) it means something to me, and youngrovergirl accepts that there was once somebody i cared for a long time before we met. The wine glasses, which are large ball shaped lead crystal are also in memory of a very kind old great aunt who was kind and generous to me many years ago.However someone remembers with something is their affair, and Bon Chance as we say.
Edited by oldroverboy. on 12/06/2018 at 17:04
|
|
|
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence. Desire to stand out, be different; draw attention to oneself; arouse envy in others. Vulgarity. Eccentricity.
You could say the same about virtually any car brand - whether Dacia or Ferrari, every single brand says something about the person driving it.
Or at least, if you think it does, then it does. Though you are making assumptions about people who have private plates. And I can tell you for certain, in the case of my wife's plate, almost none of the reasons you give are correct.
Maybe we should all be forced to drive government-issued and approved identical Trabants ?
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence. Desire to stand out, be different; draw attention to oneself; arouse envy in others. Vulgarity. Eccentricity.
You could say the same about virtually any car brand -
And you could say the same about the some people who buy a new car every 2-3 years when the existing one has plenty of life in it - many seem to enjoy having the latest plate. I used to feel slightly self-conscious with an obviously new car and would really rather not have an '18'.
However my car (bought when the old one no longer meets my needs) has my cherished (not private or personal) number on it and nobody seems to notice when I've changed the car.
Neither of the two I have has my name or initals on it but I don't disparage anyone who likes that. Both are 'ageless'. Neither has messed up spacing which I do consider slightly prattish, because it's illegal. One has the curious (to me) property, conferred by all the characters having a vertical line of symmetry, of reading perfectly (but wrongly as it is not a palindrome) backwards, which amuses me but nobody else has noticed or if they have they haven't commented on it..
So which kind of pratt am I?
Why do I have them? Because I can.
Think what you like.
When I snuff it, the kids can have them if they want. They might like a link to to the old boy, if not they can sell them and pocket the proceeds.
Does that answer your question Avant? I doubt it!
|
|
|
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence. Desire to stand out, be different; draw attention to oneself; arouse envy in others. Vulgarity. Eccentricity.
Before I retired one of my team bought a vanity plate to go on her (rented) Lookatme-Wagen - to each their own, but she was always vociferous about being unable to afford to buy property of her own. She explained that the whole point of the ‘personalised’ plate was that it was ‘unique’ and even five or six years on probably hasn’t grasped that’s the whole point of number plates.
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence. Desire to stand out, be different; draw attention to oneself; arouse envy in others. Vulgarity. Eccentricity.
Two more reasons - to disguise age of car (possibly included under 'vanity') and to add value to the car on resale, which is what I hope my plate, W12 AYE, bought from the DVLA for a modest sum, will eventually do. It means nothing to anyone except Scottish petrolheads.
|
|
|
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence.....
Quite a few people want to 'personalise' their car, possibly because there are so many on the road, and so many which look the same. A private plate is one (relatively cheap) way to do that, tho I don't see much point myself. The makers cottoned onto that urge some years ago, and you can order add-on kits for many models to have an odd colour scheme if you wish.
|
|
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence. Desire to stand out, be different; draw attention to oneself; arouse envy in others. Vulgarity. Eccentricity.
We inherited one with three letters an number 21. It was originally allocated in 1951 and was on a motorbike given to my Mother out law on occasion of her 21st birthday. Her Father was in motor trade and acquired several similarly distinctive registrations.
It's possible that an employee of Birmingham Corporation got a bottle of something for his trouble......
|
|
I'm not an ostentatious fellow, but I've had my eye on a private plate for a while. Its not a particulary expensive one, just a few hundred. But it has in it letters and numbers that relate to my name and my former profession.
I'd quite like to have it on my car. My kids might like to inherit it in partial memory of me when I turn up my toes. It'll probably be sold whilst I dither about whether to buy it.
A 20 thousand pound car with all the bells and whistles that make people gawp as I pass by would not be regarded as a purchase fuelled by vanity or self indulgence, but a 500 quid private plate would make me an exhibitionist.
Strange old world.
Edited by argybargy on 12/06/2018 at 10:58
|
|
This is a fair argument to make against those who for some reason hate anyone with a private reg. It really is just an extra bit of customisation available for your vehicle, nothing wrong with that.
It's weird how people would still think it's more "vain" to have a private reg than if you drove a BMW with hot pink alloys and a horn which screams "Look at me I'm the best!!" when you beep it.
|
|
|
I'm not an ostentatious fellow, but I've had my eye on a private plate for a while. Its not a particulary expensive one, just a few hundred. But it has in it letters and numbers that relate to my name and my former profession.
The medical profession seem to be regular suckers for this kind of behaviour. Local hospitals have cars parked in the 'staff' slots with JAB for the anaesthetists, TOE for the chiropodists, TUM for the stomach surgeons, ....
|
|
|
|
|
Chap I worked with many years ago had "personalised" pleated fitted to his car. When we went out it was the same reg, it just had his name where the delaers name would normally be.
What a W4NKR.
|
Sociologically quite interesting. If you have a "normal" plate no one will have any opinion about it, if you have a "private" plate they might. Often more negative than positive.
I couldn't care less what people do, up to them if it pleases them. I wouldn't waste my money.
It sort of reminds me of the sort of people who wear football shirts as casual wear, somehow identifying themselves in a way they feel "proud" of when in fact it has negative connotations to some observers.
Harmless enough pastime though I suppose.
|
|
|
|
My post was of course tongue-in-cheek, though I like to think there was a grain of truth in it. My own opinion about personalised plates is "whatever". I usually fail to see what they mean and I can't see the point of them. I would never fork out good money for them.
If people want to do it, it's up to them, but it always seems a bit like trying too hard to me.
Edited by FP on 12/06/2018 at 13:08
|
|
|
|
|
The father of an acquaintance of ours obtained RSG 1 when first issued, by dint of knowing someone in the issuing office who suggested that it was coming up soon and they might like it. It has been in the family ever since - probably an appreciating asset.
As a 205 fetishist myself I would quite like to own 205 with my three initials, but that would either be unavailable or stupidly expensive. So I stick with bog-standard reg.plates.
|
|
|
|
Vanity. Exhibitionism. Self-indulgence. Desire to stand out, be different; draw attention to oneself; arouse envy in others. Vulgarity. Eccentricity.
The private plates on my car are a memorial to a friend who died young. They were his plates and his parents asked if I'd like them as a permanent reminder. So your smart a*** assumption isn't always correct.
|
|
One disadvantage of personal plates is that your friends, family and workmates will probaby rmember it if they see your car some where you aren't supposed to be. Tis could have consequences, so I'm happy to have a normal, not memorable plate on my unspectacular car.
|
I think it's a bit like having a prominent tattoo. It may well represent something significant to the wearer, and may, or indeed may not be intended to send a message to the observer, But while the significance to its owner is presumably a given, the message it sends to the observer is quite likely not to be the one the owner intended, and could very possibly be the polar opposite.
But, as I said before, they harm no one, and if they give the owner pleasure then that's fine by me.
|
|
|
One disadvantage of personal plates is that your friends, family and workmates will probaby rmember it if they see your car some where you aren't supposed to be. Tis could have consequences, so I'm happy to have a normal, not memorable plate on my unspectacular car.
True, but all numbers are unique and some stand out more than others.
In the 1980s I had a company car with C777 CUB on it; that car was spotted everywhere, and it did get me into a minor scrape when it was spotted in a company car park. I was a rep at the time, and I was doing business in someone else's territory...
More recently I had a car with S991 RRH on it. Two different people asked me if it was a "private plate" because they thought it was trying to spell something and they couldn't work out what.
These days it isn't a problem - I don't rob post offices, kerb crawl or indulge in illicit affairs;)
|
|
|
|
|
|
I do hope someone answers that! I've been wondering for years - I'd genuinely like to know.
It is a money making exercise of course. The same as flogging off registered keeper details to god knows who. They don't do anything because they are nice people, they do it all for money.
There is probably some reason, valid or not, why the system is set up as it is. Unfortunately asking a 'jobsworth' with a script or strict computer protocol is not the way to get an answer.
Cheers Concrete
|
|
I love the ones where people have to use bolts to try and make the plate spell something it doesn't really spell.
The ones where you need a committee to decide what its trying to say are even better.
But they think they are being "cool" no doubt but I do wish the Police/DVLA would take action and confiscate the plates
No issue with simple old plates on a new car, had some in the past I wish I still had. 432 KO was on one car I sold for about £100 back in the 70's.434 KO is currently for sale at £4245.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
