Vanity Served On a Plate

This Mercedes owner appears to already have the whole kit.

I doubt if Californians are any more vain than people in other states, but I certainly see a lot more vanity plates here than I did in Florida, and they do provide entertainment on the road.

Today, at the Safeway, I saw this plate: "DHHH888," and I had to think a minute before I deciphered the word "Date." Is the car owned by someone who runs a dating service, I wonder, or just someone who wants a "DHHH888"?

Nearby, at the Walgreen's, there was one of the tiny new Smart Cars, with a plate that read "MBZLite." I'm thinking it is one of the Smart Cars with the Mercedes Benz 3-cyl, 0.7 litre, 61 HP engine (some have engines by Mitsubishi). Facing it in the lot was another Smart Car with a plate that read "MRS♥Mr," a sentiment general enough to survive as long as there is one Mr. or another around. It is certainly safer than the sentiment expressed on a plate I saw earlier in the week, which read: "Pam♥Jim." That's not as permanent as a tattoo, but it does make one ponder the additional challenge in case of a breakup.

Who do you suppose owns this car? A plastic surgeon? A man with commitment phobia? The truth may be more mundane: that 4Runner doesn't need 'em in the winter in Tahoe.

Then there was the plate on the back of a Chrysler Crossfire that read "Seyaaaa," something that has a new meaning the owner didn't anticipate now that Chrysler is going into bankruptcy. See Ya, Crossfire.

When this Ms. sells her Honda FIT, she'll have to get a new plate.

Earlier, I saw a creative plate on the vehicle of what must have been an intellectual couple who excelled in French class, while the rest of us struggled along with our conjugations. Their plate read: "Huix 2," pronounced, if one were in Provence, for example, "We Two." Merci to huix.

There is always a cynic in the crowd.

The plate that read "Gdgt Gal" made me think the car was owned by a repair woman until I saw the surfboard carrier on the car's roof. And I've already mentioned in a previous blog the truck I saw with the plate that read "Moo Haul." And that's no load of fertilizer.

On a Mini Cooper I saw the plate "MyGoK♥." On a Cadillac I was greeted with "Kauai Hi." On a classic Mercedes SL (beautifully maintained ones are pretty common out here) there was the plate that read "BudZSL". I could only say, well good for you, Bud!

My favorite of the week comes from a neighbor with a BMW who parks out back in an open carport. I don't know the owner, but I think he must be a comrade under the skin: a former or current television reporter. Why? His plate reads:"Back2Yu."

Send Robin your favorite vanity plates and if you can, attach a picture. We will try to make this a regular feature. Please photo-shop out the registration on the tag before you send.

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