Personal plate opinion

2445 Views 19 Replies 11 Participants Last post by gaminicool, Jan 28, 2005

gaminicool

Discussion Starter · Jan 26, 2005

Okay...even though I do not have my Mini yet, I went to the state DMV and pre-ordered a personal plate - COOLCAB. I'll get it in 90 days or so.

Here's the question: Will most people know what that means? (in the states) A friend said he thought it meant taxicab

I know that cab is short for Cabriolet. I think the plate is cool

Eight weeks to go

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

coolbluecooper

· #2 · Jan 26, 2005

I think it makes sense. I am getting BOLLIX on my plates, which is a british slang word, I know it is spelled the Irish way though. So, I guess it only matters if you like it and understand it. just my 2 cents

gaminicool

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 26, 2005 (Edited)

Very Cool

miniboyblue

· #4 · Jan 26, 2005

COOLBLUECOOPER

we all get that one this side of the pond, shame it did'nt have "the" infront of it !!

Also COOLCAB nice one, just wish we could have plates like that in the UK

gaminicool

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 26, 2005

Why can't u get custom plates in the UK?

arbee

· #6 · Jan 26, 2005

I think that plate is very well... cool! and bollix, lol class, anyway...

gaminicool said:
Why can't u get custom plates in the UK?

copied from another thread I replied to...

for all you 'mericans-
In the UK a number or registration plate is not a 'licence' plate. it is a means purely of identifying the vehicle and will normally give an indication of the cars age depending on letters/numbers used in different parts of the plate. there is no tax or fee associated with them. Numberplates normally stay with the vehicle for its entire life and are usually issued by the DVLA (gov agency) at the same time the new vehicle is put on the road. The buyer normally has no (or very little) choice as to the numberplate issued to that car. All new vehicles are subject to a one off £400ish new vehicle registration fee (tax) and an additional annual £150ish road tax dispayed by means of a small circular paper disc in the windscreen(windshield)- known as a tax disc. The DVLA hold back many sets of numberplates that can be purchased directly from them for an addittional £250 upwards (known as personalised/cherished plates). You can compose your number plates where letters and numbers follow a set format subject to that combination a) not being already in use, b) not being in any way offensive, and c) so as not to make your car look younger than it actually is. Consequently the choice for words/names etc is very limited. Addittionally any numberplate, once in circulation can be transferred to a new car/owner for aprox £80 - providing again it does not make the car look younger than it is!

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Frosty_Boy

· #7 · Jan 26, 2005

I like the plate and I say go for it. At the end of the day it's your happiness that's important rather than whether othersknow what it means.

I get my MCSC in April. I've purchased the plate "NODDDY" (not sure if Americans know NODDY but he was a childrens story character who drove around in a little convertible> Invariably some of my friends will tease me saying the MINI is a "NODDY" car so I thought I'd get the jump on them!

Cheers

Frosty

indimini

· #8 · Jan 27, 2005

arbee,

Thanks for the informative post. As a clueless Yankee, I never quite understood all the posts of '51 reg' , '54 reg' etc.

gaminicool,

I think people are pretty familiar with the term cabriolet, as it is pretty common among European manufacturers. The plate is great.

grinner

· #9 · Jan 27, 2005

A cab' is a 'cab is a cab'

gaminicool said:
Okay...even though I do not have my Mini yet, I went to the state DMV and pre-ordered a personal plate - COOLCAB. I'll get it in 90 days or so.

Here's the question: Will most people know what that means? (in the states) A friend said he thought it meant taxicab

I know that cab is short for Cabriolet. I think the plate is cool

FWIW: The 'cab' in taxicab is also short for 'cabriolet'.

The first vehicles fitted with a 'taximeter' (a meter to meter the fee or tax for the journey) were Cabriolets (open-top horse-drawn carriages with a collapsible half-roof at the back like a pram/baby carriage has).

Inevitably. 'Taximieter Cabriolet' was shortened to 'taxicab' and the name stuck, even when the vehicles were no longer cabiolets.

So just put an explanation like this on a bumber sticker and everone will understand your personal plate.
Plus you'll have the world's largest bumper sticker

I think your plate is cool too.

grinner

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Petey

· #10 · Jan 27, 2005

Noddy is mostly unknown in the states...as is the term Cabriolet ("isn't a Cabriolet a Volkswagen??")

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Frosty_Boy

· #11 · Jan 27, 2005

Noddy has in recent times come in for quite a bit of criticism - very politically incorrect, but just the same I like my plate and it will be certain to gain a few smiles.

Peter Crowl

· #12 · Jan 27, 2005 (Edited)

Here's the question: Will most people know what that means? (in the states) A friend said he thought it meant taxicab

I know that cab is short for Cabriolet. I think the plate is cool

I get it

Peter..and Benny the Yellow Cab..in Denver

Petey

· #13 · Jan 27, 2005

I don't. What could little Noddy have possibly done? Does he fancy boys or sumthin?

Frosty_Boy

· #14 · Jan 27, 2005

Noddy has been accused of the following

1. that he was a middle class snob
2. no respect for the law as he often ran over policeman plod's foot
3. rascist - he would often hit the gollywog (which itself isn't pc)
4. picks on people's physical differences - such as the reference to his friend as big ears

Noddy was written over 50 years ago, so times do change. I understand though that sales of the books are still in the order of 4 million per year, although apparently in the current publications they've been modified to be more politically correct

gaminicool

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 27, 2005

indimini said:
gaminicool,

I think people are pretty familiar with the term cabriolet, as it is pretty common among European manufacturers. The plate is great.

Thanks Indimini. That's what i thought too

gaminicool

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 27, 2005

grinner said:
FWIW: The 'cab' in taxicab is also short for 'cabriolet'.

The first vehicles fitted with a 'taximeter' (a meter to meter the fee or tax for the journey) were Cabriolets (open-top horse-drawn carriages with a collapsible half-roof at the back like a pram/baby carriage has).

Inevitably. 'Taximieter Cabriolet' was shortened to 'taxicab' and the name stuck, even when the vehicles were no longer cabiolets.

So just put an explanation like this on a bumber sticker and everone will understand your personal plate.
Plus you'll have the world's largest bumper sticker

I think your plate is cool too.

grinner

Grinner, thanks for the lesson. Learned something new today

FYI, I think you name would also make a great plate

grinner

· #17 · Jan 28, 2005

gaminicool said:
Grinner, thanks for the lesson. Learned something new today FYI, I think you name would also make a great plate

It probably would, except that where I live in Melbourne, Australia our plates can only be up to six characters :-( so it would need to be GRINNR, which would still work I guess...

Grinner

TheJester_MH

· #18 · Jan 28, 2005

Hey you lucky guys, even you in Britain can do something creative with your licence plates, eventhough it might be a bit more expensive in the UK

In Germany it's even worse. The only thing you can choose, but again only if you're lucky and it is free, is a combination of max. of two letters and four numbers (e.g. M-IN 74). The first letter is the borough you the car is registered in, in this case M for Munich. I decided to at least get initials and by year of birth into it

Enjoy the great winter weather!

You MINI-maniac, TheJester

AmRov

· #19 · Jan 28, 2005

Are you thinking anyone is going to be able to stay close enough to read your plate anyway?

I think it works. And who cares if some people don't get it? Good weed-out factor.

gaminicool

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 28, 2005

Hey Amrov, good points!

They can eat my dust as they try to figure out what the plate means

I guess this was more meant to be a poll to see if those in the USA know what cab is short for. More curious than anything else. Outside the states, it appears to difficult and costly to get the special plates now

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