Plate
10 jul 06
I used to think Tennessee changed license plate designs a ridiculous amount, but upon further research I realized it was only about every five years, at least more recently. It’s possibly because I’m still nostalgic for the one celebrating Tennessee’s bicentennial (the bicenTENNial), which was in circulation when I first got a car.
When they announced the new plate, the green “rolling hills” if you will, I recoiled in disgust. I’m guessing it’s mostly because I’m adverse to change, because the plate design isn’t all that bad. I don’t even know why I’m attached to the old one, because it’s honestly a bit cartoonish.
Left: old plate; right: new plate
I came up with plans to avoid the new green design, including bribing the registration people to give me stickers instead of a new plate, shelling out extra for a specialty plate (Titans!), or, as a final measure, moving to a new state. The thing is, though, now that it’s July, more than half of the drivers on the road have the new plate, and I’m feeling a little left out and dated with my sunshine over Tennessee design. Sad.
Speaking of moving to new states, if you want a great-looking license plate, Rhode Island is where to go.
tamara / 11 jul 2006 / 1:12 a.m.
I was like that when Virginia changed its plates once I moved here. It was the basic of basic with simply “Virginia” on them. Now, to celebrate Jamestown 2007, there’s all this Jamestown junk on it. I spent an extra $10 to get a simple design (it has autumn leaves on it).
As for moving to another state, you could always move to North Carolina. The plates haven’t changed in at least 20 years.
Aubrey / 11 jul 2006 / 7:44 a.m.
I’m not big on our Indiana plates. What’s funny about Indiana is the first two numbers on all the regular plates correspond to what county you live in, so I always know where someone’s from when I look at their plates. Yes, I’m dorky enough to know a lot of counties just by looking at the numbers.
I’ve always liked RI’s plates. I liked MA’s plates too; nice and simple.
Denise / 11 jul 2006 / 9:40 a.m.
i don’t know if i like the NJ license plates. it’s a yellow to white gradient and it says new jersey on the top and garden state on the bottom. pretty boring.
i like florida’s plates just because the orange looks like an “O” at times and you can make fun of people who unintentionally have funny plate numbers… like “a55 rgy”
Jenn / 11 jul 2006 / 10:29 a.m.
I’m still deciding whether everything that would go into getting a Tennessee license plate is worth it. I’ve got a Florida one right now that doesn’t expire for awhile. I know it’s bad, but I hate going to the DMV. :(
Anyway, though, I much prefer the newer license plate. If/When I get one, it will look much nicer on my dark grey car than that bright green and yellow.
Eric / 11 jul 2006 / 7:58 p.m.
I just had to renew mine, and it was time for a new plate. Paid extra for a UM one :)
Kelvin / 11 jul 2006 / 9:23 p.m.
I used to live in Illinois and I was super psyched to one day drive a car with a “Land of Lincoln” license plates (or car-tag in GA, sometimes simply “tag”) circa late 80’s and the better part of the 90’s I think. But then I moved to GA, and I earned my peach tag. What always got me was that in IL you had to have two plates, but in GA you have just the rear. Can anybody explain that to me?
danae / 17 jul 2006 / 6:30 a.m.
Apart from that horrible font used for “Tennessee” at the top, the new one isn’t too bad — although i’m with you, my heart lies with BicenTENNial as it was my first plate as well :-)
Emma / 10 jul 2006 / 11:15 p.m.
Oh cry me a river!