America's Low Licence Number Fad

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22777, 10 July 1937, Page 14 (Supplement)

America's Low Licence Number Fad

TN 1936, somo 2,400,000 people registered their cars in the State of Now York, where it is considered something of a social distinction to have a low licence number. It is a triumph of organisation and a challenge to the science of mathematics that about 38,000 people were sent away happy, with licence numbers technically below 100. The idea is that among low-licence-number enthusiasts, only the final number counts. It does not matter if this number is preceded by a single letter, two letters, or a digit and a letter—thus A 99 is below 100, and 60 are AA99 and 9A99. 38,000 is not by any means the greatest possible number of these plates, but it is enough to satisfy the fashionable motorists of New York State. A famous newspaper

columnist has WWII, a millionaire is happy with VAI, 2, 3, 11, 12, and 14; no 13, you notice. Apparently a number of well-known people dislike registering their cars in their own names, because tho licence numbers are a matter of public record, and the numbers might become known and attract autograph hunters and souvenir seekers. Another very cogent reason is that if a man who is very prominent or very wealthy becomes involved in an accident, ho is almost certain to be sued for a largo sum. There is a company in New York which specialises in selling lists of car owners—owners of cars of a certain make or price, car owners living in certain neighbourhoods and so on—to car salesmen and other interested parties.