# What does your state/provence/country say on it's license plate?



## Peak and Pine (Sep 12, 2007)

Since eons before I was born mine has had the same one-word phrase: _Vacationland._
Now really, if you had to name the top 200 spots where you'd like to vacation, would* Maine* be among them?​
"Not since we found out you live there" is not a valid response​​


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## harvey_birdman (Mar 10, 2008)

PA used to be the Keystone state, and you used to "have a friend in Pennsylvania" but now it's the awful website address "www.state.pa.us". Seriously, as if somebody couldn't figure that out after a minute and a half on the internet.

Also, our colour scheme now blows. These new plates are just massive disappointments. I honestly think they did it to make them as ugly as possible to force people into paying extra for customized license plates that don't look quite as dreadful.


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## Coleman (Mar 18, 2009)

Ours used to say "Ski Utah!" and then concluded at the bottom with "GREATEST SNOW ON EARTH."

I preferred it to the current plate which says across the top "Life Elevated." It concludes the same. This one still attempts to be overtly about sporting, depicting a skier, but I'm certain it is also meant to imply sentiment of our state's religious majority. 

In between we had a centennial plate depicting Delicate Arch of Arches National Park and a 2002 Olympic plate, the Delicate Arch plate being the better of the two.


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

NJ just says "The Garden State" - the State's official nickname since the 1950's. We were told in school it was a reference to the large number of vegetable "truck farms" in the southern part of the state. Many people who are only familiar with the congested cities of the northeast quarter of the state and MTV's "Jersey Shore" are unaware of how rural and agricultural the southern half of the state is. Campbell's Soup had, or maybe still has, vast tomato farms in NJ.


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## Peak and Pine (Sep 12, 2007)

harvey_birdman said:


> PA used to be the *Keystone state*, and you used to "have a friend in Pennsylvania" but now it's the awful website address "www.state.pa.us". Seriously, as if somebody couldn't figure that out after a minute and a half on the internet.


Could never figure out that "keystone" thing though. It's meaning?

The most prevalent out-of-state plate here in Maine in the summertime is Quebec. They have a three-word phrase en Francais, which I've never understood (and refuse to Google). Am hoping some Quebecois here will enlighten. (And will stop the littering come June.)​


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## KenR (Jun 22, 2005)

Empire State


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## DPC3 (Jun 15, 2009)

The Minnesota License Plate used to say "Land of 10,000 Lakes." Now it just says "10,000 Lakes."
-DPC3


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## cecil47 (Oct 25, 2009)

New Mexico USA
Land of Enchantment


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## Mad Hatter (Jul 13, 2008)

Peak and Pine said:


> The most prevalent out-of-state plate here in Maine in the summertime is Quebec. They have a three-word phrase en Francais, which I've never understood (and refuse to Google). Am hoping some Quebecois here will enlighten. (And will stop the littering come June.)


"Je me Souviens" is the motto, "I'll Remember" is roughly what it means, if my miniscule knowledge of French hasn't fully lapsed.

Texas; I think it's still got "Lone Star State" on the plates. They just recently changed to a new, multi-colored plate, and I haven't looked at one closely.


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## Acacian (Jul 10, 2007)

Up until sometime in the mid 1970s, I think, Vermont's plate said, "See Vermont". Unfortunately, too many people took it literally and moved there from other states.

In the late 70s, they changed it to "Green Mountains" and then "Green Mountain State", but it was too late. The damage was done.

However, now I sport the often hated "Empire State".


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Peak and Pine said:


> Now really, if you had to name the top 200 spots where you'd like to vacation, would* Maine* be among them?​​


Funnily enough, yes. Maine has for a long time been the first place I'd want to visit partly because I have old friends in Bath. Haven't seen them since 96. And partly because New England in general appeals to me.


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## Peak and Pine (Sep 12, 2007)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Funnily enough, yes. Maine has for a long time been the first place I'd want to visit...


Naw. Maine is the home of the incredibly self satisfied. When you enter the state, and there is essentially only one way that you can, Maine being the only state in the lower 48 that's touched by just one other state, when you cross the Piscataqua River, the river that sings You're No Longer In New Hamshire, there is (and honest-to-god this is true) an enormous sign that says "Welcome To Maine, The Way Life Should Be, a sign which I feel should more truthfully read "Maine, Home To An Inordinate Number Of ******". I have (unsucessfully) lobbied to have the license plate changed from _Vacationland_ to _Go Figure_. That said, I'm a Maine native and lovin' every back-assward moment of it.
​


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Peak and Pine said:


> That said, I'm a Maine native and lovin' every back-assward moment of it.
> ​


:icon_smile_big: :aportnoy: :icon_smile_big:


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## welldressedfellow (May 28, 2008)

First in Flight. Ohio eat your hearts out.


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## Dingo McPhee (Aug 13, 2009)

An image of the Smoky Mountains. "The Volunteer State" really small, usually hidden by a license plate frame.


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## DavidLeoThomas (Jan 18, 2010)

"Great Lakes", presumably because our lakes are great.


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

Show Me State


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## harvey_birdman (Mar 10, 2008)

Peak and Pine said:


> Could never figure out that "keystone" thing though. It's meaning?​


​ An over-enthusiasm for its own importance. Pennsylvania thought itself the "keystone" state in the Union, in that it was the most important state that held everything together and without which the rest would surely crumble. This coming from the time of the Declaration of Independence.


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## sko (Jul 1, 2009)

welldressedfellow said:


> First in Flight. Ohio eat your hearts out.


North Carolina was just lucky enough to have good wind and soft soil. :icon_smile_wink:Ohio is where it all began.

Ohio
Birthplace of Aviation


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## Wizard (Feb 29, 2008)

Illinois:

Land of Lincoln


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## turban1 (May 29, 2008)

*from Kabul*

Mine says: "Afghanistan: Live Free or Die."


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## Peak and Pine (Sep 12, 2007)

You're actually in Afghanistan? Wow. What precisely do they have there that a license plate can be attached to?​


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

Peak and Pine said:


> Since eons before I was born mine has had the same one-word phrase: _Vacationland._
> Now really, if you had to name the top 200 spots where you'd like to vacation, would* Maine* be among them?​
> "Not since we found out you live there" is not a valid response​​


Actually, we drove through Maine as a family when I was a kid. I really would enjoy spending a week or two there sometime. I like quiet, restful vacations and Maine would be a beautiful setting. Inexpensive lobsters aren't all bad either.


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## freewilliee (Mar 15, 2010)

autoworld


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## turban1 (May 29, 2008)

*um...*



Peak and Pine said:


> You're actually in Afghanistan? Wow. What precisely do they have there that a license plate can be attached to?​


Um, cars, buses, vans, lorries, motorcycles. did you expect that we affix them to goats? traffic in kabul is mercilessly busy.

actually, live free or die is borrowed from new hampshire. i was only kidding.


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## WarrenB (Apr 15, 2009)

Unbridled Spirit.....


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

It has the ring of golden European stars on a blue background and a white S below that for Sweden. Like this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...late.jpg/300px-Swedish_euro_license_plate.jpg


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## Apatheticviews (Mar 21, 2010)

VA has like 900~ plate variations. It's just got plain stupid here.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

harvey_birdman said:


> [/INDENT] ...Pennsylvania thought itself the "keystone" state in the Union, in that it was the most important state that held everything together and without which the rest would surely crumble. This coming from the time of the Declaration of Independence.


LOL(!)...and indeed, it was at one time. But then, I left Lock Haven and University Park, PA, to travel the world and am now serving as the raison detre for the continued claims of Indiana, as the "Crossroads of America!" Indeed, are we not all the centers of each of our own little worldscrazy? I just never realized that the "Crossroads of America" could be so flat and covered in so many acres of corn! ROFALOL.


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## JerseyJohn (Oct 26, 2007)

Some of us lobbied for "New Jersey! ... you gotta pro'lem wi' dat?", or for our tourist slogan, "New Jersey ... bring your body here" (a little double-meaning ...), but the suggestions never went anywhere.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Apatheticviews said:


> It's just got plain stupid here.


That one I like!!


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## Dingo McPhee (Aug 13, 2009)

eagle2250 said:


> ...Indiana, as the "Crossroads of America!"


I always thought that was a strange thing to brag about. "A lot of people drive through here on their way to somewhere else."


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
LOL...nor can I explain it. H*ll, I'm still trying to figure out what a Hoosier is?


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## David J. Cooper (Apr 26, 2010)

Mine says "Beautiful British Columbia". It seems to be a title from a different generation. At one time that's about all we had going for us. Now we seem to be all grown up but still drive around with that on our license plates Sort of like the Paris Hilton of Provinces.

Other possibilities.

Home of BC Hydro (the weed)
We're for Sale.
Thank God we Sent Seth Rogan to LA.
Home of Buble and Nickleback.


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## recoveringchef (Nov 17, 2009)

"First in Flight" in North Carolina for as long as I remember. A few years ago someone in Ohio thought it was smart to put "Birthplace of Aviation" on their plates. The only problem: that's incorrect. Boo Ohio.


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## recoveringchef (Nov 17, 2009)

David J. Cooper said:


> Mine says "Beautiful British Columbia". It seems to be a title from a different generation. At one time that's about all we had going for us. Now we seem to be all grown up but still drive around with that on our license plates Sort of like the Paris Hilton of Provinces.
> 
> Other possibilities.
> 
> ...


We always referred to it as "BC bud," or "B-sters."


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

Evergreen state. That's it..


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## ecox (Oct 25, 2009)

Washington, D.C. 

Taxation Without Representation.

(Yup, I'm serious.)


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## Thurnau (Apr 14, 2010)

Louisiana is usually "Sportsman's Paradise" for its hunting and fishing.
I think another variation was "Louisiana Purchase" with a compass.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

On a related note, Swedish number plates are 3 letters - space - then 3 numbers, for example. STV 796. 
Now a few months ago Sweden banned all the 3-letter combinations on number plates that could cause offence and that weren't already banned by previous legislation, for example: GOD, GUD (God in Swedish), JEW, SEX, KUK (P***ck), ASS and similar were already banned. But this new move now bans things like WTF, TIT, FYI, LOL, FKU, FUK, FUC, DIK, COK, ARS, PEN, CUN, KUN and other text speak & shorthand combinations that divert drivers' attention from the road and/or could cause offence. 

(police/trade secret: Unlike the UK were the first two letter indicate the geographical area of registration/first sale of a car, letters on Swedish plates have no relevance) 

Several were banned because of what they can combine to make with the 3 numbers, for exmaple, the famous PEN 15 in Sweden would be PEN 155, and others banned were SUK 177 ("suck it" using stylized 7s), CUN 775, and KUN 775 (again with the stylized 7s for the double T)
What a bunch of killjoys, they're making it harder for me (and my sons of course) to play number plate phrase games when out on long drives


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## VictorRomeo (Sep 11, 2009)

I don't think I'll ever understand the UK system! 

The Irish method is a cinch....

Year/county initial/number - with Blue EU strip on left. County name "as Gaeilge" to top. There are 26 counties in Ireland so it's hard to mess up.


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)

It says it's a Mazda from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province.










浙 = Zhejiang province.
C = Wenzhou.

浙A - Hangzhou
浙B - Ningbo
浙C - Wenzhou
浙D - Shaoxing
浙E - Huzhou
浙F - Jiaxing
浙G - Jinhua
浙H - Quzhou
浙J - Taizhou
浙K - Lishui
浙L - Zhoushan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China

Pop quiz: which province and cities do these two registration plates represent?



















Here is another one.










Which country is this registration plate from? 
It's on a double-decker bus, white plate at front, yellow plate at rear, same as UK.


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## chamjoe (Oct 26, 2009)

I'm the sunshine state but you can pay an extra $5 or so and get it to say "in god we trust" instead. 

My favorite state slogan is "Virginia is for lovers" though I don't think they affix it to a license plate.


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## realbrineshrimp (Jun 28, 2010)

chamjoe said:


> I'm the sunshine state but you can pay an extra $5 or so and get it to say "in god we trust" instead.
> 
> My favorite state slogan is "Virginia is for lovers" though I don't think they affix it to a license plate.


vs

What I really dislike about Florida plates is that website advertisement


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## Pirendeus (Jul 17, 2009)

Our SC plates used to say "Smiling faces, beautiful places" with a picture of a palmetto tree. Now they have a sunset and say "Travel SC.com"


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## Ed Reynolds (Apr 13, 2010)

Connecticut used to have Flag Blue plates that said Constitution State. Bold, easy to read, in place since 1957. And then some dummy in the DMV decided that wasn't good enough and went to some white, blue combination that looks like a lot of other places. 

There are no plates issued that begin wiith the letter Q or O.


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## Peak and Pine (Sep 12, 2007)

No one has chimed in from New Hampshire, so being next door to that little slice of American pie, I'll speak for them. You've heard it before probably and, no, they didn't get it from a Chuck Norris movie. It's the immortal_ Live free or die_.


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## Centaur (Feb 2, 2010)

Since 2000 the licence-plate system in the UK has involved two letters representing the licensing area, followed by two digits representing the six-month period of registration, followed by three letters chosen (I believe) at random. Apparently it is possible, at a cost, to specify combinations of digits and letters of one's choice. I have seen a few well-chosen selections (these usually rely upon a certain resemblance of digits to letters, e.g. 5 = S etc), the best of which was probably BU52HEL.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

VictorRomeo said:


> I don't think I'll ever understand the UK system!
> 
> The Irish method is a cinch....
> 
> Year/county initial/number - with Blue EU strip on left. County name "as Gaeilge" to top. There are 26 counties in Ireland so it's hard to mess up.


As Centaur pointed out, UK plates have now become Europeanised and have the same format as the Irish, Romanian, French and some other EU plates

BD11 SRD 
BD = area code
51 = period of registration (6 monthly) 
SRD = random letters

The old UK system was:

F255 SLD

F = year of registration (in this case F = 1989)
255 = unique number, not random as it has to be unique among all the other F and SLD plates. And as part numbers are searchable on certain police systems and the DVLA
SLD = where the first 2 letters were the area code (in this case SL = northwest London)

I can tell you that this kind of knowledge, plus other tips picked up on the autocrimes course was very handy for a copper doing traffic stops, for example, the dating system on glass using dots above and below letters , the dating system on cables & so on, even tyre serial numbers all helped towards detecting ringers and stolen motors.

It was very easy to catch dodgy drivers teling porkies, for example, when driving a nicked car in London claiming it was registered it in London with a registration like this HSP 245W or F341 KSL because all cars with that middle S were, under the old system, Scottish registered.


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