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Drab California License Plates Won't Be Updated Anytime Soon

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 January 2006, 12:00 CST

By Gary Richards, San Jose Mercury News, Calif., San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Jan. 3--Q Having been raised in California, I might be a bit biased in saying it's one of the most beautiful places in the country or world. Why, then, do we have the most drab license plates? So many states have much more beautiful plates and seem to change their designs more frequently. In California, even our special-interest plates are pretty drab (i.e. Tahoe, Yosemite, Whale) and we have to pay quite a bit extra for them. Does 100 percent of that additional fee go to the organization intended? It's been almost 18 years since we've had a significant redesign (changing a font isn't significant) of our plates. Any plans for new ones on the radar? Doug Grude San Jose A And . . . Q I've noticed all the old license plates, ones whose paint is barely visible, don't have much reflective capability any more. It would be almost impossible to read in a hit-and-run, etc. Any car plate that starts with a "2" (Golden State base, etc.) is pushing 20-plus years old. Blue plates can be even older. Other states have done plate replacement programs, and the cost is passed on to the owner. Isn't it about time we replaced those Nixon-, Ford-, Carter- and Reagan-era plates? Jerry Sauter Elk Grove A The Department of Motor Vehicles has been asked several times to evaluate the costs and benefits of a wholesale reissue of all state license plates. It's not encouraging. The cost could run up to $170 million and the program would not be as simple as it appears. There are hundreds of thousands of people who collect specialty plates, with high values placed on original-issue vintage plates. Other states have had mixed results and some serious problems with their reissue efforts, and none has the population remotely comparable to ours -- 63 million new plates might be needed. Additionally, there is a finite number of possible seven-character plate configurations, and having to create an eight-character field in tens of millions of vehicle registration records would be a massive undertaking. Owners of faded or damaged plates are required to apply and pay for replacement plates, which, although shiny, new and eminently readable, would be issued from the current blue-on-white series. Part of the extra fee for special plates goes to the Motor Vehicle Account ($2.1 million) to offset DMV costs. Part of the fee for the Environmental License Plate Fund pays for environmental projects around the state ($3.7 million). Special plates generate about $15.2 million a year, with $9.4 million of it going to the sponsors of the 10 special-interest plate programs. Q Who is responsible for regulating decorative license plate frames? I see so many that cover so much of the plate that, especially on out-of-state cars, you cannot read the name of the state printed on the plate. Others tend to cover the bottom of the letters and digits so that you can't tell an "E" from an "F" or an "I" from a "T," etc. I see this even on frames issued by a dealer, so they have to know that their advertisement is covering up vital information. Mike Kelly Cupertino A No state agency regulates license plate frames. It would be up to a cop to ticket a driver. Only the registration tag on the rear plate can be covered with a clear protective cover. Q Are gas stations allowed to charge for air and water? I noticed at two stations that free pumps have been replaced with coin-operated ones charging 50 cents. Bill Yee Cupertino A Paying customers get free air and water, but you can be charged if not buying some octane. The complaint line is (800) 356-7057. Station owners can be fined $250 if they do not provide free water and air to paying customers. Q Roadshow actually was born in 1981 and not 1991, but I had to kill it about a year later because I couldn't find anybody in the newsroom willing to do it. Then it took nine more years before you raised your hand. Bob Ingle Former Merc-Editor-Man A And I am so glad I did. Have a gripe, minor annoyance or major problem with transportation? Contact Gary Richards at mrroadshow@mercury news.com or (408) 920-5335. The fax number is (408) 288-8060. Please leave a daytime phone number.

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Copyright (c) 2006, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

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Source: San Jose Mercury News

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