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?

Morgan,
2 of my favorites are EX WIFE and 1st WIFE. The former, of course, was on a Mercedes.

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...)

Seen a police officers personal vehicle: ICUFFM

I saw a good one just today:
Why 101

quote:

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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...)

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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?

One of the lewdest I ever saw:

68N1

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

Mr Waters of Waters and Robson soft drinks in Morpeth has

H2 EAU

Good one!
I saw a perfect one for this site yesterday: Tinman. The plates were from IL, or I would have wondered if it was our own Tinman!

Spotted in a church parking lot:

GODSNEWS

Husband's car: EZ come
Wife's car: EZ go

I wonder if anyone has: IM EZ

Spotted on the highway today:

ESSIEX

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.

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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.

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Sorry, CJ! I just assumed it was First One, as in maybe the first car they owned? Or maybe the first wife!

quote:

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Originally posted by Morgan:

Sorry, CJ! I just assumed it was First One, as in maybe the first car they owned? Or maybe the first wife!

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Morgan, do realize what you just said? "Or maybe the first wife [they owned]." Shame, shame!

Tinman

Hey Tinman?

Click here

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?

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.)

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:

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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.)

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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:

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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?

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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".

Seen in Reno, Nevada:

WAWAZAT

and on a VW bug that was darting rapidly albeit politely from one freeway lane to another in San Francisco:

XCUZME

Saw outside a "snowmobile bar"...

PLEZSNOW

Now, there is one I couldn't agree more with!

Seen around town this week

B16 GVY

and, on a signwriter's van

S19N ME

Vescere bracis meis.

Read all about my travels around the world here.

Saw a cute one today:

CN BY VWL

Must be a fan of "Wheel of Fortune"?

Sorry, I don't get that one.

Arnie, one of the favorite lines on "Wheel of Fortune" is...

"Can I Buy a Vowel?"

I say a license plate frame today that said,

Fishermen don't die
They just smell that way

Tinman

Seen on a taxi-cab: PA S UGO

I don't get this one...can someone help me?


QKA 4 ME

quote:

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Originally posted by Morgan:

_QKA 4 ME_

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A Poker enthusiast, maybe? "Queen, King, Ace for me."

(...hmmm. don't suppose that's overly likely...)


The acronym generator spits out "Qualified 401K Administrator" 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.

Great idea, CJ.

I saw a good one today:

http WWW

I should have invited him to our site!

I was surprised DMV (Dept. of Motor Vehicles), let someone get away with this one!

68N1

quote:

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Originally posted by Morgan:
I was surprised DMV (Dept. of Motor Vehicles), let someone get away with this one!

_68N1_

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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:

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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

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Ah, constable, I was hit by thick line, thin line, medium-to-thick line, thin line, wider space ...

I don't think so, somehow.

Stephen.

quote:

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Originally posted by Morgan:
I don't get this one...can someone help me?


QKA 4 ME

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A member of the League of Friends?

Stephen.

Welcome to our forum, bear!

How exciting having someone from Amsterdam! Thank you Paul for the recommendation!

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
Welcome to our forum, bear!

How exciting having someone from Amsterdam! Thank you Paul for the recommendation!

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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.

Stephen.

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

quote:

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Originally posted by Morgan:
I don't get this one...can someone help me?


QKA 4 ME

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Did you perhaps misread it? Could it be QKE 4 ME?

Tinman

quote:

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Did you perhaps misread it? Could it be QKE 4 ME?

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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!

I think the "League of Friends" hypothesis has a reasonable chance of being accurate!

quote:

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Originally posted by haberdasher:
I think the "League of Friends" hypothesis has a reasonable chance of being accurate!

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I'm not familiar with the "League of Friends". What would QKA4ME have to do with that organization?

The "League of Friends" are better known to the world as Quakers...

quote:

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Originally posted by arnie:
The "League of Friends" are better known to the world as Quakers...

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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.

Saw the license plate SLUGRD 3 yesterday.

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.

I used to live just up the road from the owner of PEN 15

Could never figure out why anyone would WANT such a plate!

Ros