I like vanity plates. They're ridiculously self-indulgent, but when you've got a cool vehicle they can be sweet. I used to have one that said "WILD1", and I've seen others that I like too, like "SMOKIN" and my personal favourite, "YERSLO".But wow: in Ontario all those plates might be rejected. No, really -- the Ontario Ministry of Transpo is a bunch of wimps! Look at some of the vanity plate applications they rejected last year:
ALMIGHTY
DRTYGRRL
FOODGASM
GETSTUFD
HELZBELZ
HYOFFICR
OUTLAWD
PUPLHAZE
RDWARROR
TOO.EVIL
ZUUUUUM
Huh? It looks like anything to do with speed, alcohol, drugs, religion, sex, EEEEvil or just plain being Bad will be rejected by the dainty doilies at the Ministry of Transport. I suppose it all originated with over-protective parents freaked out at the thought of Their Delicate Progeny viewing these plates and instantly turning into drug-and-booze-addled, bloodshot-eyed speed demons, tearing up the midnight highways and riding through the mansions of glory in suicide machines.
As if even targeted advertising is that effective: people can be pounded for months on end by advertising attacking from all directions in all media, and still not be convinced to buy the product. Surely momentary exposure to a vanity plate that says "OUTLAWD" won't catapult any innocent child into a life of crime, substance abuse and illicit sex. There's not much point in having vanity plates if they're restricted to saying things like "MEDIOCRE".
As if even targeted advertising is that effective: people can be pounded for months on end by advertising attacking from all directions in all media, and still not be convinced to buy the product. Surely momentary exposure to a vanity plate that says "OUTLAWD" won't catapult any innocent child into a life of crime, substance abuse and illicit sex. There's not much point in having vanity plates if they're restricted to saying things like "MEDIOCRE".
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