Buzzfeed.com – Audrey Engvalson
I haven’t been feeling particularly creative of late, but my OCD brain couldn’t allow the month to pass without writing a blog post. I landed on a topic that periodically crosses my mind – only to be promptly forgotten until the next time it pops up – so I thought I’d put it into words before it had a chance to slip away again.
I’m talking about vanity plates. Yeah, you read that right. I actually do spend precious time pondering those cryptic little blurbs affixed to vehicles I find myself sitting behind at stop lights. Sometimes they’re pretty easy to decipher, like, “BYBYGAS” on a Tesla, but other times they’re little puzzles that seem impossible to solve, like “NDCI4BL.” I’m embarrassed to admit that, for me, that’s pretty much what it stands for …“Indecipherable.”
Either way, I find them entertaining. A deep dive online provided all kinds of nifty examples, so I thought I’d share some below…along with my unsolicited commentary. (If you can’t figure out what they mean, feel free to scroll to the end for the answers):
And it’s duct tape for the win!
If you weren’t old enough to pay attention to the news in the ‘90s, this may soar right over your head.
Literally.
I do hope this is simply a TV fan and not someone continuing to carry the torch.
What are the odds that this guy’s an introvert?
In your best Meryl Streep Aussie voice, read the whole thing…plate holder and all.
The driver’s name is Buzz. His other car is a spaceship.
Mr. Obvious at his finest.
Now this is something I can really sink my teeth into.
Anyone who has ever taken a kid on a car ride will need zero help solving this one.
While most vanity plates make their way onto the streets without issue, there are many that get rejected. I intended to share some of those as well, but the ones I kept coming across were pretty potty-mouthed, and I try to keep this blog G-rated. If you’re curious, just Google “rejected vanity plates.” And if you’re anything like me, you’ll find many of them sound an awful lot like the raunchy musings of a 14-year-old boy.
Getting back to less risqué ideas, I used to think it might be cool to have a vanity plate myself. I considered “INTRVRT,” “BOOKWRM,” and “WRITER,” but I’m sure they’ve all been taken.
Honestly, though, the only one that would reflect who I truly am inside would be this: “PRDMAMA.”
Odds are, that’s been taken, too. And that’s okay. I don’t think my girls need me to advertise how I feel. If I’ve been doing my job right, they already know.
ANSWERS
EPIC FAI **: Without that ‘L,’ it’s an epic fail.
NOT OJ ***: The person who owns this vehicle is letting everyone know he is not OJ Simpson. (After being charged with the murder of his ex-wife and her friend in July 1994, Simpson rode as a passenger in a white Bronco that was slowly being chased by police. The low-speed chase was broadcast live on TV and went on for about two hours.)
ASKEW ***: This plate was deliberately installed crooked.
D3XT3R ***: “Dexter” was a TV series about a serial killer. A really bloody serial killer. (This ranks as one of my favorite shows of all time. Don’t judge.)
PPL SUCK ***: People suck. (My personal assessment is that this car owner may have an attitude. And not a good one.)
DINGO 8 ***: Using the words on the plate holder as well as the plate itself, it reads, “A Dingo Ate My Baby” which is a rather macabre paraphrase of Meryl Streep’s character yelling, “A dingo’s got my baby!” It’s from the 1988 movie, A Cry in the Dark.
NBEYOND ***: The car is an Infiniti, and this relates to Buzz Lightyear saying, “To infinity and beyond!” in the Toy Story movies.
IM A CAR ***: I don’t think this needs an explanation.
VLAD THE **: Including the name of the car model, Impala, it represents “Vlad the Impaler,” a 15th-century ruler whose name inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
PB4WEGO *: Pee before we go. (As a parent, this may be my favorite.)
Photo Credits:
* Today.com – Article by Kerry Breen
** Ranker.com – Article by Samantha Dillinger
*** Buzzfeed.com – Article by Audrey Engvalson
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Love you, mom!