TXT me a GR8 PL8

We have reported many stories about the ingenious ways in which enterprising motorists, both at home and abroad, have successfully managed to dupe the authorities and smuggle through some very cheeky registrations.

In this country, all the amusing and even potentially offensive plates, such as the infamous PEN 15 and FU 1 (both currently owned by Regtransfers.co.uk) were legitimately issued by the licensing authorities, in blissfull ignorance of the sniggers they would raise later. Since many of these issues date back to the more genteel and innocent days of the early 20th century, it is not surprising that such comic gems would sneak their way into the system.

The situation in the USA and Canada, as well as in many other countries, is a little different: Motorists can, effectively, choose their own registrations, within certain limits. Human nature being what it is, such practice is, of course, asking for trouble, as witnessed by the the latest Canadian snorkers like, IHAVE2P EATMUP and 4PLAY.

One of the more ingenious developments, with the potential to open up whole world of further possibilities, is the legendary backwards plate 3M TA3 - which will, of course, appear as 'EAT ME' in your rear view mirror.

Mark Jan Vrem, who vets licence plate applications in British Columbia says; "People are getting really creative in the ways they communicate, and we're trying our best to keep up. I'm not up on all the latest acronyms, but I do know what WTF means."

Interestingly, there seems to be a definite link between the explosion of such mobile phone text message acronyms and the rise in requests for matching plates, and many of the more contentious ones are refused.

The UK system, unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on whose side you're on, is rife with examples approved years before the mobile phone was even conceived. A quick look on the Regtransfers.co.uk search facility will reveal countless instances such as WTF, OMG, LOL, TXT, KMA, NFG and, of course, both TXT and MSG themselves, all of which are certain to raise knowing smiles among those of the younger generation au fait with the language of textspeak. At the other end of the scale, some older fans of the classic The Two Ronnies TV sketch may be delighted with the range of MNX ('Ham and Eggs') plates available.

The far less explicit nature of these devices means that they have yet to find their true potential and some splendid examples can still be obtained for less than £200. Yet another one of the limitless ways in which your number plate can really reflect something about you and your outlook in an increasingly bureaucratic and impersonal world.

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