Alabama License Plate Rant | FerrariChat

Alabama License Plate Rant

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Futureman, Jun 2, 2009.

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  1. Futureman

    Futureman Formula 3

    May 16, 2007
    2,024
    OK, so I've had my personalized license plate from the state of Alabama since I bought the car two years ago: RACE RED. I even managed to get a space in between the words even though technically you're only supposed to have 7 letters including spaces. The letters are in a dark red color that blends well with the car. The plate is the standard stamped plate most states have always used. It looks great! NOW, the state has changed to cheaply made embossed plates. No more raised letters. They look absolutely awful! Plus, the new plate, which is about as thick as an aluminum can, doesn't have the space in between the words AND the letters are a grayish blue which is off-center of the plate (who needs quality control?). I was given the registration stickers to put on the new plate when it arrived by mail. The plate came last week....and promptly went in the trash. I put the stickers on the old plate. The state can put on some knee pads and suck it! If I get ticketed for it, fine, I'll pay it....and keep right on using my old plate. That's what a friend and I call "f***you money", which is where you have the money to just say "I got the money, so f***you!" Some people have f***you money for $20,000 service bills, or a $2000 car wash (detail...potato-potahto)...mine is paying a license plate fine.

    Rant over, thanks for playin'.
     
  2. 308328LOVER

    308328LOVER Formula Junior

    Sep 11, 2005
    316
    Lenoir City, TN
    Full Name:
    Thomas Geer
    Question . . .

    Did the new plate look exactly like your old plate ?
    (same style, color and state logo or seal)

    If not, . . . you might be screwed and in big trouble.

    Tom
     
  3. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jan 26, 2005
    22,350
    Indian Wells, California
    Full Name:
    Jon
    If you have valid registration stickers, would they really care? Seems like a waste of tax money to keep pumping out new plates for cars that already have them.
     
  4. UroTrash

    UroTrash Three Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Jan 20, 2004
    38,860
    Purgatory
    Full Name:
    Clifford Gunboat
    we need pics.
     
  5. DannyR

    DannyR Karting

    Apr 6, 2005
    129
    Alabama
    Full Name:
    Danny Roberts
    I agree!!!!!!!!
    We have gone from Jimmy Buffett 'Stars Fell On Alabama' to 'Alabama The Beautiful'.
    Alabama may well be beautiful but the new plates are horrible!!!
     
  6. JP365

    JP365 Formula 3

    Mar 8, 2007
    1,340
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    John F
    In Illinois it is a $50 ticket and a glorified parking ticket for using "old plates" the first time. After that it is equal to a moving violation. I got a warning the first time and didn't feel like pushing it.
     
  7. Futureman

    Futureman Formula 3

    May 16, 2007
    2,024
    I actually already put the stickers on the old plate before my wife informed me that I'm getting a new plate. So when the new plate arrived and it was such Mickey Mouse crap, I got really pissed. I'm paying a premium for a personalized plate that looked like it cost 20 cents to make. My wife fished it out of the trash. Fine. I'll keep it, but it's not going on my car until the penalty exceeds my f***you money limit. I think most people, including cops, would agree that the new plates are a joke.
     
  8. JSBMD

    JSBMD Formula Junior

    Mar 17, 2007
    437
    The OC
    Full Name:
    John
    Keep the aluminum can plate in the trunk. If a cop pulls you over, show him the stickers, the new (not installed) plate; he may let you off, considering you are all paid up and legal. Worst that could happen is the same as if you kept the new plate at home.

    John
     
  9. ddemuro

    ddemuro Formula 3

    Nov 16, 2006
    2,129
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Doug
    While I completely understand your rant, you should understand that by the end of 2009, all of Alabama is supposed to have the new "Sweet Home" plates on cars and all "Stars Fell On" plates should be gone. Thus, come 2010, your plate will be among the only "Stars Fell On" plates on the road, and you will be a moving target for law enforcement. I'd dig the new one out of the trash. :)
     
  10. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
    28,633
    Phoenix
    Full Name:
    AG
    Easier solution, move to Georgia or Mississippi.
     
  11. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2003
    13,965
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Gabe V.
  12. Futureman

    Futureman Formula 3

    May 16, 2007
    2,024
    #12 Futureman, Jun 3, 2009
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2009
    If I was going to move out of Alabama, I'd leave the Southeast all together. Those are just different shades of the same turd.

    I'd move back home to Texas if it weren't for the fact that my parents live there.
     
  13. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 2, 2004
    68,817
    Cloud-9
    Full Name:
    Jason
  14. rbf41000

    rbf41000 Formula Junior

    Nov 21, 2005
    676
    Charlotte NC
    Full Name:
    Russell
    I just got one of thes flat plates in NC they said the digital printing was cheaper than the embossing.

    Are licence plates still made by convicts? If so how can labor costs be a factor?

    Also they gave me an old style plate while waiting for my personal one (two weeks) so the cost was much higher for them, what do I know though I only run a business.

    Russell
     
  15. ducowti

    ducowti Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 27, 2008
    1,553
    NY/SC
    Full Name:
    David
    Holy craw, thanks for making me spit out a pc of my hamburger! I love the subject of this rant and your reaction to the change :D

    Kind of like what I experienced when SC similarly suck-changed their tag this year :( Messin my shmidt all up.
     
  16. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
    28,633
    Phoenix
    Full Name:
    AG
    I voted for the "My Texas" version, it's just the the one we have now.

    The Trad. Texas one looks good too. The one that got most voted looked like kids took a crayon and drew those "scribbles"
     
  17. ddemuro

    ddemuro Formula 3

    Nov 16, 2006
    2,129
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Doug
    #17 ddemuro, Jun 3, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Though Mississippi doesn't have generally-issue flat plates, their vanity plates are flat and, in my view, even worse than Alabama's. The regular design is a gorgeous one, but when they put a personalized number on it, it obscures the design in the middle and makes the vanity plate unreadable. Very stupid.

    Photos attached of the old Alabama plate, the new Alabama plate, and the awful Mississippi vanity plate courtesy of plateshack.com/y2k.
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  18. Rickenbach

    Rickenbach F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 20, 2005
    10,608
    West
    Full Name:
    Rickenhoser
    All three of those plates look very feminine to me.
     
  19. rsqrd308

    rsqrd308 Formula Junior

    Oct 27, 2007
    357
    Phoenix AZ
    Full Name:
    Rick Roth
    I dunno. I was sitting in my garage the other day, and with 7 cars with 6 vanity plates (@ $25 a year) I asked myself whay I was doing this.

    Why does AZ have to charge me $25 a YEAR for this. I can understand the first payment cause it costs something to make a single plate (although ours are not stamped anymore either) but why every year. I suddenly felt a little snobish but still...

    So, I cancelled them ... one by one

    oh well.
     
  20. norcal2

    norcal2 F1 Veteran

    And also realize the reflective coating on the plates has little or no safety value, CA did not have it for years, until some 3m lobby got ahold of a politician and we all pay more for it...the prisoners still bang them out though..
     
  21. REMIX

    REMIX Two Time F1 World Champ

    #21 REMIX, Jun 4, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    That ain't so bad.

    When I was growing up in Indiana, we had these fruity looking things and the word "WANDER" printed on them. Whatever the F that meant. Still no clue 20 years later.
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  22. ddemuro

    ddemuro Formula 3

    Nov 16, 2006
    2,129
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Doug
    #22 ddemuro, Jun 4, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Nothing will ever be as bad as the current Indiana design... I can't believe residents aren't up in arms over what has to be the ugliest license plate ever created.
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  23. REMIX

    REMIX Two Time F1 World Champ

    That's ugly but it still isn't as bad as the gay rainbow flag colors Indiana used.

    RMX
     
  24. UroTrash

    UroTrash Three Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Jan 20, 2004
    38,860
    Purgatory
    Full Name:
    Clifford Gunboat
    Sayyyyyy...that bar code is really the mutt's nuts! Perty snazzy.
     
  25. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
    28,633
    Phoenix
    Full Name:
    AG
    #25 agup48, Jun 4, 2009
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2009
    Probably the town or county name.

    I like the Texas registration spot, not on the license plate, but on the windshield.
     

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