Driving down the street the other day, I noticed the license plate on the car in front of me. You know the kind, a vanity plate that someone came up with.
C U L8R
Now, this was a pretty easy one to figure out, but how many times have you gotten behind someone, and just couldn't figure out what they were trying to say? Have you seen funny ones? Lewd plates, even though they aren't supposed to be?
Posts: 1412 | Location: Buffalo, NY, United States
quote:Originally posted by C J Strolin: One of my favorites is "_1ST1_" which you won't get unless you share a particular characteristic with the person referred to in the plate.
(Heh, heh, heh...)
No one's even guessed at this one so I'll give you all another hint: This license plate is particularly appropriate for this site seeing as how we deal with the world of language (and languages) here.
Possibly the way that plate appeared threw you off. Those horizontal lines on either side were a somehow failed attempt to make the plate boldfaced as in:
1ST1.
There, that's better. Number one, letter S, letter T, number one. What could be easier?
In the UK it's not possible to specify a particular combination of letters and numbers on a plate. However, that has not stopped those to whom such things are important from acquiring plates whose letter and number combinations are appropriate and there is a massive trade in such fortunate combinations.
Amngst the best I've seen are NO 5 (House of Chanel); RR 1 (A major Rolls-Royce dealer).
Some people try, by the judicious use of strategically-placed bolts or uneven spacing to make their plates look even more appropriate. However, this practice, while common, is officially frowned upon since the police claim, with some justification, that such plates are not always readily understandable.
Having said which, there are moves afoot to include bar codes on number plates which will be readable by roadside cameras and this may eventually make the whole discussion academic.
Richard English
Posts: 8038 | Location: Partridge Green, West Sussex, UK
There's an entire book of these entitled "GR8 PL8TS" that lists some 2,000 or so examples of this peculiar literary art.
Just seen today: TMAN 96, a red Chevy Monte Carlo. Just how many cars do you own, Tinman??
One last hint on my 1ST1 and then I'll give the answer since no one's even guessing at it. If you spoke the language of the genius referred to in the plate, this would be a snap.
quote: One last hint on my 1ST1 and then I'll give the answer since no one's even guessing at it. If you spoke the language of the genius referred to in the plate, this would be a snap.
Sorry, CJ! I just assumed it was First One, as in maybe the first car they owned? Or maybe the first wife!
Posts: 1412 | Location: Buffalo, NY, United States
Congrats to Asa Lovejoy for figuring out that "1ST1" translates into "Einstein" (Ein [German for "one"] ST-ein [German for one again])
True, he mentioned Einstein in a different thread in a different context and his posting predated my license plate challenge but even as such he came the closest to hitting the bull's-eye on this one.
Semi-related sidenote: I have directed and performed in the improvisational theatre group "The Einstein Design," a theatrical endeavor which achieved various levels of success (such is the nature of improv) in the 90's. The group is presently on hiatus but I still think it's a great name.
My mother had a vanity plate with the words "DOWN 1" on it. One day, she was pulled over by two policemen. They told her the reason they stopped her was because they wanted to know what her license plate meant. Anyone care to guess what she said?
LadyBeth, that reminds me of my brother's escapade with the police. His license plate reads, "Oh I 4 got". He got stopped for speeding, and the police officer said, "Did you forget the speed limit?"
quote:Originally posted by C J Strolin: My guess is that she said, while pulling out a gun, that the plate explained what she intended to do if ever she was pulled over by two cops.
(I'm hoping my guess is wrong.)
Yes, CJ, your guess was wrong. I have to admit when I read it, I burst out laughing. I just cannot imagine my mother handling a gun, much less pulling it on two cops. Besides, if that were true, wouldn't it be better if her plate said "1 DOWN" or maybe "1 DOWN 1 2 GO"?
quote:Originally posted by LadyBeth: My mother had a vanity plate with the words "DOWN 1" on it. One day, she was pulled over by two policemen. They told her the reason they stopped her was because they wanted to know what her license plate meant. Anyone care to guess what she said?
Ok, since no one but CJ has guessed, I will give the answer. It is a bridge (card game) term. I don't know much about bridge so I can't tell you what the term means but there you have it.
In Bridge the partners contract to get a certain number of tricks above six. Thus "four hearts" is a an attempt to win ten (6+4) tricks with hearts as trumps. If the partnership gained only nine tricks they would be "down one".
A Poker enthusiast, maybe? "Queen, King, Ace for me."
(...hmmm. don't suppose that's overly likely...)
The acronym generator spits out "Qualified 401KAdministrator" but that doesn't sound any better.
Next time you see that car, run him into a ditch and then, while you're exchanging insurance information with the driver, maybe you can bring it up in conversation.
quote:Originally posted by Morgan: I was surprised DMV (Dept. of Motor Vehicles), let someone get away with this one!
_68N1_
Why did that surprise you? The "68" was a reference to the year 1968 and the "N1" stood for the word "none" (N + one) and, overall, the license plate simply referred to the number of children that car's owners had at that time.
Of course, unless they expanded their repertoire to activities beyond just that reflected by the plate, I assume they are still childless.
quote:Originally posted by Richard English: Having said which, there are moves afoot to include bar codes on number plates which will be readable by roadside cameras and this may eventually make the whole discussion academic.
Richard English
Ah, constable, I was hit by thick line, thin line, medium-to-thick line, thin line, wider space ...
quote:Originally posted by Kalleh: Welcome to our forum, bear!
How exciting having someone from Amsterdam! Thank you Paul for the recommendation!
Thank you for the exuberance of your welcome and for appreciating the exoticalness of Amsterdam Actually I'm an expatriate Briton, so I'm not that exciting.
The idea is to include bar codes, not to use them as an alternative to numbers (rather like other bar-coded items, in fact, which contain both codes and numbers)
Richard English
Posts: 8038 | Location: Partridge Green, West Sussex, UK
quote: Did you perhaps misread it? Could it be QKE 4 ME?
No, I'm sure it was QKA 4 ME, but what are you thinking in regards to the QKE 4 ME? I don't get that either.
Another thought on this one, I remember there being several signs in the back window for colleges. I don't know greek letters, but could this be a fraternity or sorority? Just a thought! I'm still stumped, but did like the Queen King Ace answer above!
Posts: 1412 | Location: Buffalo, NY, United States
quote:Originally posted by arnie: The "League of Friends" are better known to the world as Quakers...
According to my town's official history, Quakers are known as the "Society of Friends". But, since I live in a town (just south of Buffalo) that is known as an original Quaker settlement, it is entirely possible that the QKA has something to do with Quakers, since I saw it on a license plate in Orchard Park.
Posts: 1412 | Location: Buffalo, NY, United States
If you're from this area, it's not difficult to devine that this person is proud of being a graduate from Saint Louis University (SLU grad) but I wonder how many times he or she has been asked why they are apparently proclaiming themselves to be a sluggard?
And this was at least the third person to commit this faux pax. Not a reflection on the quality of the school, I assume.
