Low-def license plates

What do y’all think of those flat, fakey, counterfeit-looking S.C. license plates — not that I’m trying to influence your decision or anything.

The first few times I saw one, I thought, "Wait a minute…" and went out of my way to pass the cars bearing them, so as to look at them from the side and confirm the fact that the things are completely two-dimensional, and do indeed look like something somebody ran off on a $29.95 inkjet printer — you know, one of those they sell you because the replacement cartridges cost more than the machine itself.

Out of sheer self-respect, a convict might ask the parole board NOT to release him if he thought people out on the street might think he had anything to do with producing anything so sorry-looking.

Or maybe I’m overreacting. What do you think?

4 thoughts on “Low-def license plates

  1. The 7-10: Anthony Palmer

    I personally don’t like the new plates. They are harder to read because when light hits them, the glare obscures the numbers. That could be a very big deal when you need to report a vehicle.
    Also, I can’t help but notice that all of the new plates, at least around Columbia, start with the letter X. I thought the DMV assigned license plate numbers randomly, but I guess not.
    In light of South Carolina’s budget problems, I would be interested in knowing how much these new plates cost compared to the previous traditional ones. If it turns out that taxpayers are shelling out more money for an inferior product, someone should be held accountable.

  2. Randy E

    Brad, I’m glad you cleared this up. I saw one and figured it was Doug Ross, the anarchist, trying to circumvent the government yet again. I figured he wasn’t smart enough to do this so he got his teenage son to print one.
    Seriously, I think they are cheesy.

  3. Chris

    I think they’re great! I collect plates as my hobby and the color graphics are much clearer that the prior edition fully embossed tags. I am already waiting for the first collision casualty to make its way to the junkyard. I want to update my collection with one.
    The cost in producing flat plates must be lower. First of all the gauge of the metal is considerably thinner. Second, the printing of the plate comes off in adhesive sheets with the numbers already printed as opposed to two stages, stamping the plate and lettering the numbers before.

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