Text Messaging and License Plates – New Headaches for DMV
Text messaging has opened up a whole new can of problems for Department of Motor Vehicles and other city officials. Because of the limited amount of space allowed per message (about 160 characters) people have become very creative at sending abbreviated messages.
Not everybody is happy about seeing messaging shortcuts pop up outside of the computer and cell phones. Since vanity plates became available, DMV’s have tried to screen applications for "inappropriate" plate requests.
With the widespread use of text messaging and the meaning behind the new acronyms, the problem of filtering out unseemly applications is even worse. And not just for new license plates. There are plenty of news stories and videos about license plates getting cancelled months or years after they were approved.
The Detroit Free Press recently featured a story about a 60-year North Carolina woman caught in the license plate-text messaging controversy. Mary Ann Hardee instructs elementary school teachers on how to introduce computers and technology to students. But, she didn’t know what the 3-letter combination on her new license plate meant until her own grandkids started giggling and filled her in.
Turns out that her plate had a popular slang profanity combination "WTF". After Hardee found out, she was very self-conscious driving around, especially to school and church. The North Carolina DMV issued her a new license plate at no cost. And the DMV Commissioner offered to replace the other 9, 998 license plates with that letter combination at no charge.
It doesn’t stop there. A few weeks later, the DMV called back plates that start with XXX. Who would have thought?
If you’re curious about some of the text messaging acronyms, I found a big list at Netlingo. (This list is not filtered.)
TTYT 
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