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PrintSpecial Report: License to laugh (lcnse2laff)
They're everywhere on the road, they're 'Car-azy,' and 'Rock-en.' Some are 'Succulent,' even 'Spicy;' maybe too spicy, like this one: PMPN Is it pimping? Or something else?
And what about this: IAMAQT? John Harrison says it means "I am a cutie."
And some seem to make no sense at all RETSEHC, read it backwards and 'Chester' appears.
Some are acronyms; people who instant message know this one 'ROTFL' - Rolling on the floor laughing.
So when you're stuck in traffic, you might see a plate that might not mean a thing, but in fact, it could be funny and sometimes, down-right offensive.
Take the plate on this Purple Harley: IDGAF.
"What would that mean?- I don't give a @#$%," says Jillann Morris, the plate’s creator.
At the time it was issued to her, the Registry almost said no because it might indicate profanity.
"I told him I didn't know what he was talking about, that says 'I do good after 5,' he just laughed at me and said, OK, you can have it then," Morris said.
That was two years ago, and even today the Registrar gives it a green light.
"I'm not going out of my way to restrict the creativity of others, unless it's blatantly offensive. I would not consider this blatantly offensive," says Massachusetts RMV Registrar, Anne Collins.
7News found several license plates on Massachusetts roads that have shadow meanings, including KMRIA, which means Kiss My Royal Irish, well, you get the idea.
There's RTFM; read the "blank" manual
Amanda Phillips, a vanity plate owner, agrees with the sentiment. "Every time you call tech support, they'll say, RTFM."
Here's another: LAGNAF; One meaning is let's all get naked and, well, you get the idea.
We showed our list to the Registrar, and she says, these plates are OK with her, as long as their creators keep paying the $50 annual fee.
Registrar Collins says, "if you're looking to be offended, you're always going to be offended."
And there's no question what this means: YNKSSK
"It says, Yanks Suck," Kevin O'Callaghan, the person who created the plate says.
Registrar Collins says, "I don't think in this city, or in Massachusetts, you're not going to find a lot of people who are offended by that."
Which is fine by those who pay to express themselves in public, by the public.
Amanda Phillips, who drives a car with ANARCH on the plate, says"if we have to have license plates on our cars, at least give us freedom of speech on our license plate."
Spoken like a true Anarch, which is short for Anarchist. So when you're in traffic and can't figure out what a license plate means, you might not want to.
The Registry is always updating it's guidelines on what's appropriate for vanity plates. And the Registrar points out that she reserves the right to revoke any plate at any time, because all license plates are state property.
(Copyright (c) 2006 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)