Personalized License Plates
What is with people’s fascination with getting personalized license plates? It’s almost as if personalized license plates are like bumper stickers. In some states, such as North Carolina, personalize license plates are really popular. Perhaps the reason for the high number of personalized plates in North Carolina is because the state only requires one license plate to be affixed to the rear of each vehicle. Is it cheaper? Is that the reason why personalized license plates are so popular?
What Does It Cost & Where Does it Go?
In North Carolina, for example, the fee for creating a personalized license plate is an additional $30. Part of this money goes towards the North Carolina Parks and Recreation while the other portion goes towards other things. This may or may not be the case for other states. There are also other types of “specialized” plates that you can purchase, which (in North Carolina) costs $10 additional.
A Personalized Touch
Perhaps people get personalized license plates as a way of expressing their individuality while on the roadway. It’s a claim to fame and demonstrates ownership, which is what Americans love. If you choose to personalize your license plate, there are some things you should be aware of. For example, personalizing your license plate with “I love NY” may make you a target for people who don’t like New York. As a result, your car may be vandalized. The same thing applies for those people who personalize their license plates with their favorite sports teams. Be careful how you personalize your license plate as it may come back to haunt you.
I would love to get an personlized plate. And i dont belive that if someone would just damage your car if he doesn´t like NY.
I always thought it would be fun to have a personalized plate, but have never had one.
It would certainly make it easier to remember what my plate number is.
[...] Personalized license plates have really swept the state of North Carolina. It seems like everywhere you turn, people are driving around with license plates that have their names on it or some other inside joke, names of their kids or various other expressions. So, what’s the deal? Why are we obsessed (at least in North Carolina, it would seem) with personalized plates? One idea is that having a personalized license plate is a way of claiming ownership over something; in this case, that something would be your vehicle. There is no other explanation as to why people would want to have a personalized plate. If you think about it, to get such a plate usually costs more money and usually takes longer to order. On the negative side, having a personalized license plate (in some instances) can make you the target of crime. For instance, if you really liked the Yankees but someone else didn’t, when you parked your car at night, that person might come and vandalize your car. It happens all the time. [...]
[...] Personalized license plates are all the craze everywhere you go, it seems. They serve a dual function in that they are not only creative, but they also provide a source of entertainment for other drivers who may be driving down the road or who may be on a long distance drive. But still, what is the obsession that a growing number of Americans seem to have with getting these personalized plates? One suggestion is that it comes down to an issue of ownership. People have this need to feel some sense of ownership over something. To be able to claim something as your own is a great feeling for many people, especially if that something is a house, car, boat or some other expensive item. There seems to be little other reason since personalized license plates cost more money than regular license plates and take longer to order. [...]