Future of Victorian number plates

jamesson1980 · 08-12-2010, 03:09 PM

Reading an article today regarding the new Liberal Government in Victoria wanting to put their mark on things. Namely our number plates. For almost a decade it's been Victoria - The Place To Be. What's next, I'm not sure, they're asking for submissions.

But this made me wonder what Victoria is gonna do when they reach the end of their number series.. does anyone know? It's likely to happen within the next two years. We've been using 3-letters - 3 numbers this whole time starting with G in the 60's and have since used up H, I, J, K, L then between 1978 and 1995 they've used A, B, C, D, E, F. Then from 1995, started at N all the way up to the current Y series (eg: YDS-032). With M reserved for government cars/cops etc and V reserved for heritage plates it leaves only a handful of Y's and Z's left. Anyone know what's next?? We chew through them so fast.

Also, while we're speculating anyone got a suggestion either serious or otherwise for the new Baillieu slogan??

Paxton · 08-12-2010, 03:12 PM

Weren't you guys the Garden State at one stage?

Worst case scenario, you follow NSW's 'lead'. Our Standard plates couldn't be any uglier if they tried:

FPV8U · 08-12-2010, 03:14 PM

Victoria - On the move, again..

Bud Bud · 08-12-2010, 03:16 PM

How about a caption like "Aim safety cameras here" Or "Smile someone is watching"!

Bud Bud

RedHotGT · 08-12-2010, 03:18 PM

I'm no mathemetitian... But if you work out from our current format of AAA-000 to ZZZ-999... there is a possible 17 MILLION combinations...

Now - I know as OP said there are some combos reserved... but between what is left, what is no longer in service, and personalised plates... me thinks that there should be PLENTY enough for some time still...

Why can't they re-issue plates that aren't used any more anyways??
They don't have to go in order/sequence... at the end of the day - its just a reference number for VicRoads...

(now that I read your post again - what the OP says is that all 26 letters at the start have been used)...

Good Question... I guess we'll find out early in the new year...

fmc351 · 08-12-2010, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paxton

Weren't you guys the Garden State at one stage?

Worst case scenario, you follow NSW's 'lead'. Our Standard plates couldn't be any uglier if they tried:

I prefer that. The stupid slogans are just ...stupid.

Victoria: same **** different stink

Victoria: 4 hours behind NZ

Vic could:
Reverse the letters and numbers like Qld. ie: numbers first.
Add a number so its 3 and 4.
Use mixes instead of 3 and 3.

jamesson1980 · 08-12-2010, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paxton

Weren't you guys the Garden State at one stage?

Worst case scenario, you follow NSW's 'lead'. Our Standard plates couldn't be any uglier if they tried:

Yes the garden state was 1977 thru 1994 on the white / green plates. I quite like the current look and I agree some of the combinations from interstate are a little odd looking

Here's an example from the wagon:

Ordered black duplicates of the FG reg plate:

I like em

fmc351 · 08-12-2010, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftie

Why can't they re-issue plates that aren't used any more anyways??
They don't have to go in order/sequence... at the end of the day - its just a reference number for VicRoads...

I believe that the number plate beginning letter tells police at a glance how long since the car has had a RWC, plus plates are allocated in sequential batches to each DOT/RTA office so maybe Police can use that info too.

Ford_The_Win · 08-12-2010, 03:29 PM

I'm with Jamesson1980, I don't think there's anything wrong with the current plates. They're not hard on the eyes like canary yellow NSW plates and the slogan is good.

jamesson1980 · 08-12-2010, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

I believe that the number plate beginning letter tells police at a glance how long since the car has had a RWC..

I never thought of that. And I'd like it if they went back to the start and kept them the same but I'd imagine they can only re-issue plates that they've received back off cars so they don't issue a plate and potentially have a duplicate number in some bogan's boot waiting to be slapped on a car for a fuel drive off

AWD Chaser · 08-12-2010, 03:32 PM

I know in Canberra a few years ago that we had the slogan "Feel the Power" or something like that.

The slogan caused so much uproar, that they stopped issuing plates with that slogan...

I thought in NSW, that the letters represented which RTA office issues the plates.

I lived in eden for a while and all the number plates had near identical first 2 or 3 letters.

ThaFlash · 08-12-2010, 03:38 PM

we should replace number plate letters and numbers with a bar code, that's the way we are heading down here....

Bobman · 08-12-2010, 03:55 PM

Plenty of plates get re-issued without RWC.

Have heard that an additional letter will be added to Victorian plates, but cannot confirm this.

e.g. VABC-123

BFZ Wagon · 08-12-2010, 04:00 PM

Victoria could go the other way like QLD with 3 numbers and 3 letters. The current colour scheme is ok and they should keep that one. The nicest looking and nicest coloured plates in Australia (in my opinion) are Tasmania's. However, they've recently changed theirs to an odd combination which is a shame.

The worst coloured plates by far are QLD's. They've had those horrible brown (they're supposed to be maroon) plates since late 2001. I miss the old green ones. They were nicer. But QLD still has 2 slogan versions on the plates. The main one is the classic old 'The Sunshine State' but the other one which is on all Govt/police cars etc is 'The Smart State'. A lot of people hate that one. They originally tried to force it onto us but then finally gave us the choice between the 2.

But getting back to Victorian plates. They should leave the slogan alone or just have the word Victoria on them.

Bobman · 08-12-2010, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFZ Wagon

But getting back to Victorian plates. They should leave the slogan alone or just have the word Victoria on them.

It was just 'Victoria' for a short while between 2000 and 2002 or so. In the 1990s there were a few other slogans but I believe they might have been just for a specific year or similar. Don't see them anymore and hardly any of the old "Garden State" ones.

jamesson1980 · 08-12-2010, 04:11 PM

Many of the 'garden state' plates were defective in the mid 80's due to the makers of said plates ****ing in the paint. This was said to have caused the white background to turn black and flake off making this batch unreadable in many cases. And generally the slogan changes when government changes. eg: in the 90's with the Kennett government it was 'on the move', then when Labour got in, it was simply 'victoria' for a few months til they worked out their own slogan which turned out to be 'the place to be'. Liberal is back in now and I'd guarantee 100% the new Premier will not leave Steve Bracks's slogan out there and he'll wanna make 'his' little mark asap.

aussie muscle · 08-12-2010, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWD Chaser

I know in Canberra a few years ago that we had the slogan "Feel the Power" or something like that.
The slogan caused so much uproar, that they stopped issuing plates with that slogan...

I thought in NSW, that the letters represented which RTA office issues the plates.
I lived in eden for a while and all the number plates had near identical first 2 or 3 letters.

nsw rta get them in batches of sequential numbers, but i don't think there is any allocation or system to it.

as for Canberra i saw one yesterday it was "Celebrating a Century"

yes, this year canberra is celebrating 100 years since 1910....

aussie muscle · 08-12-2010, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

I prefer that. The stupid slogans are just ...stupid.

would you prefer decor plates like the states?

Road_Warrior · 08-12-2010, 04:20 PM

You could end up with 7 digit plates like in Wait Awhile...

ie 1ABC 123

hardlynormal · 08-12-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftie

Why can't they re-issue plates that aren't used any more anyways??
They don't have to go in order/sequence... at the end of the day - its just a reference number for VicRoads...

I imagine the manufacturers would hate this, simply stamping them in sequence is a simple manufacturing flow.

Having to skip certain combos because they're still in use would be a night mare.

Future allocations have to consider what people have been able to get as custom plates aswell.

7 numbers/leters seems to be the best option, Vicroads will likely score some $$ from personalised plates too if they go the 7 option.

Geez Louise · 08-12-2010, 04:34 PM

I agree. They should allow additional numbers/letters. Trying to come up with a personalised plate that is only a 6 letters and numbers combination is a pain!

FG50T · 08-12-2010, 05:01 PM

I heard place to be is changing to...

"Victoria: Speed camera ahead"

TheInterceptor · 08-12-2010, 05:04 PM

Victoria: The Nanny state

V8 Man · 08-12-2010, 05:10 PM

Victoria: Bitter state

morak001 · 08-12-2010, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobman

Plenty of plates get re-issued without RWC.

Have heard that an additional letter will be added to Victorian plates, but cannot confirm this.

e.g. VABC-123

Would make sense, our standard plates are now S123 ABC in SA replacing ABC 123

jamesson1980 · 08-12-2010, 05:41 PM

If the M and V series are removed, but all other combinations are added together, (26x26x24x1000) this makes a total of 16,224,000 plates between 1966 and 2012. This is an average of 352,695 registrations per year plus all the thousands of personal combo plates. Doesn't that seem excessive? How do other states stack up?

FNQracing · 08-12-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paxton

Weren't you guys the Garden State at one stage?

Worst case scenario, you follow NSW's 'lead'. Our Standard plates couldn't be any uglier if they tried:

They are genius!

Make the standard plates butt ugly, and the sheep will be falling over themselves paying for "premium" plates.

Working perfectly!

Bearman · 08-12-2010, 05:51 PM

Maybe go with AAA-00A as they do in the ACT??

Or maybe they can start again at GAA-000. I'm sure VicRoads could very quickly establish which plates are still in use from 1958 or so. They could simply re-do plates that are no longer recorded as in use.

I'd rather stick with 6 characters, 7 just doesn't look right.

Danny · 08-12-2010, 05:54 PM

I was thinking that they may just do the whole AA-00-AA like NSW does now

Ive been waiting for the Europlates to start with a V-AA-12A set up to look more ****y and euro but was dissappointed to realise that they kept on with just the normal 3letter 3 number thing!

Bobman · 08-12-2010, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardlynormal

Having to skip certain combos because they're still in use would be a night mare

Wouldn't be too different from where many people were getting future general issue plates allocated to them. Example: XFG plates on the early FG mules at a time when 'U' was the latest letter in use.