Projo Politics Blog

R U VAIN?

Rhode Islanders apparently are not, at not least when it comes to their license plates.

The state known for big egos and bad drivers ranks a modest 21st on a nationwide list of percentage of cars sporting vanity plates, according to a national study by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

Leading the pack is Virginia, followed closely by New Hampshire, according to a survey by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Massachusetts falls 46th on the list while Texas is dead last.

Just 3 percent of the more than 800,000 vehicles on the road in the Ocean State have personalized plates.

But Division of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Gina Zinni says vanity plates have been on the rise in Rhode Island since the DMV began allowing drivers to try out combinations and purchase plates online.

“Before, you had to walk into the DMV to see if [the name or phrase] you wanted was taken or not,” Zinni said.

Now you can create your dream plate in your pajamas. The system will even show you a preview of what your plate would look like.

Just don’t get too cute. Inappropriate vanity plate ideas are met with a “tsk tsk” admonishment from the computer system.

Comments

Stefan Lonce said:

I am the author of the forthcoming book, "LCNS2ROM – LICENSE TO ROAM: VANITY LICENSE PLATES AND THE STORIES THEY TELL." I worked with AAMVA to survey the DMVs to learn, for the first time, that there are 9.3 million "vanitized" motor vehicles in the United States, and 440,000 vanitized vehicles in Canada. ["Vanitize" is a new word used in "LCNS2ROM," which I define as, "to embellish a motor vehicle with vanity license plates."]

RI DMV reported 30,341 vanitized vehicles, which represents 3.67% of registered motor vehicles. Go Ocean Staters!

I invite readers to visit my web site (www.LCNS2ROM.com) and tell me about your vanity plates and your vanitized vehicles.

SNCRLY,
Stefan Lonce
stefanlonce@lcns2rom.com

Link | January 14, 2008 9:21 AM
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