As a recent transplant to Nevada (and that’s Nev-AAH-da, rhyming with the A in “cat”; Nevadans are very touchy about this), there are a few cultural differences that have struck me as a native to the East coast. People are … nice? And polite, usually? It’s been a tough adjustment. One thing that particularly stuck out is how many personalized license plates there are. I saw my first couple, chuckled or rolled my eyes, and continued on. Then I saw more. And more. And more. Nevadans apparently love to show their ~*~pErSoNaLiTy~*~ via their VANITYPL8s. And it’s not just the numbers themselves.
The Nevada DMV offers an immense amount of license plate designs, to benefit a charity, a college, or to show your veteran status – and not just your veteran status, but which branch you served in. You can get a plate that shows you are an Eagle Scout, achieved the Girl Scout Gold Award, or that you’re an amateur radio operator. There’s a license plate for the balloon race, and for the Hoover Dam. Here in Reno, the University of Nevada (Go Pack) plate is very popular.
I’ve been writing down most of the vanity plates I’ve seen over the last three weeks or so, and will share them with you, dear Crassers. Some of my comments/judgements are included. With some exceptions, I haven’t included the ones with people’s names (I’ve seen a few with Mrs so-and-so), or ones that were just initials. There’s an “I don’t understand” category – if you have an ideas for what these vanity plates might mean, share them in the comments!
Dorky/Nerdy
HOLODEK
DR EVIL
ELENDIL
DARKELF
Inspirational/Sweet/Gross
M AMOR
THKPSTV
LVMYSON
LVNGDRM
TGI2DAY
SOLOVED – #blessed
SOULFRE
Hobby
FISHIIN
SK8STR8
TANGO
MNDNBDY
GO2MAUI – probably best not to drive there though
PUTTUR – not sure if this is a golf reference or something else
HALWEEN
SNG2HIM
HUMMA2N – seen at choir practice, fittingly
4DALABS – like the dog? Or do they work in a science lab?
SKIERZ – Reno’s unofficial motto is “Only 45 minutes from Lake Tahoe!”
DYMNDS
OSKIWOW – I couldn’t get a look at the driver but I’m pretty sure it was the Doge
HIKEZ
Identity
WLDHAIR
COIFEUR – Perhaps they can help WLDHAIR out
BOZ DAD
HEATHRR – I can only read this with a Valley Girl accent
GRK GRL
EVERL8 – I connect with this license plate on a deep level
DNCR4LF
CRZCAT
SALUT – seen at the gym. Appropriate, I guess?
FOXYLDY
HERDADS
HARPIST – I briefly met the owner and yes, she is a harpist
HCKYMMY
HARLYGL
KBULGUY
NOTSHY – maybe they’re friends with 2TOUCHU
2 GRUMPE
ZODIAC – hiding in plain sight this whole time!
SKULCAP
PARTYF5
DNTCARE – I hope they’re friends with 2 GRUMPE
DEBOSS – all of this person’s employees hate them
Weird
2B SHUR
4WEAL
ZPDYDUDA – This is probably one of those annoyingly perky/happy people
2TOUCHU – please don’t
LUCKYOG
QUAK
O HELLO
MYDONKY
JZEPEDIA – I don’t think I want to know about this one
Car coordination
TANG – orange VW Bug
STLETTO – big red pickup. I’m a fan of the juxtaposition
OURCRUZ – Chevy Cruze
MINNEY – Mini Cooper
REBL911 – Porche 911; they did not use their blinker, because they are a #rebel
ITSATOY – BMW i3. Maxi, have you been driving around Reno and didn’t tell me?
I don’t understand. Either inside jokes that I don’t get and/or I’m just not cool enough.
SO ANCHY
DOOLY
2 MIXS
QUE PEDO
SHOOKY
OOMCA
RASSTAR
SPICYHP
PWTRDG
UPDRY
TOSTIE
Patriotic
4 JULY – not on the “United We Stand” plate design though. Guess they’re not that patriotic.
As I said, Nevadans apparently love their vanity plates. Guess I’ll have a lot of company in the Bad Place!
Photo by the author. No reuse without permission.
