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Queensland, Australia Drivers Set To Get Emoji Number Plates (news.com.au)

Posted by msmash on from the it's-spreading dept.

The unusual move is set to be rolled out by Personalised Plates Queensland (PPQ) from next month, allowing drivers to adorn their number plates with a touch of emotion. From a report: Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) spokeswoman Rebecca Michael said it was no different from allowing drivers to express themselves with other available themes like their favorite footy team. "For quite some time we've seen that you can support your favourite team or your favourite town with a symbol on your number plate," Dr Michael told 7News Brisbane.

"And using an emoji is no different." But before your mind goes straight to the gutter, no, you won't be able to completely replace the letters and numbers on your number plate with an eggplant or smiling poo emoji. The smartphone symbols won't be included in rego numbers and are simply decorative.

60 comments

  1. Ugh by chinton · · Score: 4, Funny

    Isn't this one of the signs of the coming Armageddon?

    1. Re:Ugh by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      If it is then the Armageddon is overdue. We've had these custom personalised plates for a while.

    2. Re:Ugh by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "Isn't this one of the signs of the coming Armageddon?"

      Too late, the truck-balls started that years ago.

    3. Re:Ugh by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      It's a sign that maybe it's about time.

      We've had a decent, albeit unspectacular, innings. Let the ants have a chance, or maybe the cephalopods.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    4. Re:Ugh by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      If it is then the Armageddon is overdue. We've had these custom personalised plates for a while.

      Who's we? Somewhere else in Oz? Here in the states, the wackiest symbols I can think of are on the California "KIDS" plates, which offer hand, heart, star or plus sign symbols, only one of which can be used only once on your plates. Many states also have specialty plates with a variety of backgrounds, or with one special image printed on the plate next to the characters.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re: Ugh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its Queensland everyone Will opt up for the Turd emoji

    6. Re:Ugh by mjwx · · Score: 1

      Isn't this one of the signs of the coming Armageddon?

      This is Queensland, they're already two sandwiches and a Maroon loss away from a situation called "Mad Max".

      Seriously though, I don't think this is going to be part of your actual number plate number, just an extra graphic. We've been able to have certain graphics for years already, things like this ancient plate with a map of Queensland on it. This is just adding new options.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    7. Re:Ugh by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Who's we?

      Look at TF Headline to answer that.

      Here in the states, the wackiest symbols I can think of are on the California "KIDS" plates

      Personally I prefer the Marvin the Martian plates introduced close to 15 years ago to the current emoji they are rolling out.

      Many states also have specialty plates [wikipedia.org] with a variety of backgrounds, or with one special image printed on the plate next to the characters.

      ... This is precisely what we're talking about. There are no symbols in the plate themselves, which includes the emoji. It is purely decorative.

  2. Footy? by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

    How dare you call it "footy". The proper name is "football".

    1. Re:Footy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Proper name for what?

      I have a feeling you don't even know to which sport they're referring.

    2. Re:Footy? by youngone · · Score: 1

      Confusingly in Queensland it's footy and might refer to Rugby League if you're a Broncos fan, or Australian Rules Football if you're a Lions fan.
      In Perth, Melbourne or Adelaide footy refers to Australian Rules Football. Nothing else really matters during the winter.

    3. Re:Footy? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure he's talking about golf.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    4. Re:Footy? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      It's proper name is footy. The game is not played with a ball.

    5. Re: Footy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's footsie, and best played with two balls, a stick, and a wet goal sack.

    6. Re:Footy? by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      I hope you're not Australian. If you are, turn in your BBQ and shrimp.

    7. Re:Footy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it's not a shrimp it's a prawn.

    8. Re:Footy? by Pseudonym · · Score: 1

      In Australia, "footy" is a proper subset of "football".

      Four different sporting codes can be called "football": Australian Rules, Rugby League, Rugby Union, and Soccer. Only Australian Rules and Rugby League can be called "footy".

      --
      sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
    9. Re:Footy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No Queenslander would ever call AFL "footy". It's the talk of southern blowins and other seasonal immigrants that roll up in winter spreading their malfeasance and grey hairs around van parks and Aldi stores.

      In QLD "footy" isn't really used in polite conversation. "Football" is often used in reference to Rugby League unless the speaker is referring of course to Association Football which is usually called "football" these days. It's the second most popular code. Rugby Union sitting at number three is always called "Rugby". Nobody really gives a shit about anything outside of those three codes.

    10. Re:Footy? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Association Football which is usually called "football" these days.

      They don't call it "wogball" anymore?

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    11. Re:Footy? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      It is proper name? WTF is that even supposed to mean?

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    12. Re:Footy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, its hockey, they just haven't yet mastered using hands AND feet at the same time.

    13. Re:Footy? by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Footy, 'eh', oh you mean Aerial pingpong http://www.koalanet.com.au/aus..., yeah the gum suckers are really big on it, personally I find the sport repulsive, over saturation and a dislike of spectator sports beyond the initial learning period, repetition kills it for me.

      Back to emoji plates, is there an emoji for gullible sucker or egoistic victim of marketing. I mean to say between $160 and $500 for having it on the number plate, you could cover your whole boot with emoji stickers for way less than that, kind of bloody silly.

      We are in desperate need of a victim of marketing emoji, really, truly are. Probably an all day sucker with eye patches over both eyes and wearing ear muffs, and dumb open mouth drooling (we can stick in on cars with emoji plates).

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    14. Re:Footy? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      You're right I apologize. Since it's "proper" it would have to capitalised. "Footy".

  3. Distracted driving cases to increase. by xack · · Score: 1

    I hope anyone getting a emoji plate also has to pay an increase in insurance.

    1. Re:Distracted driving cases to increase. by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      Don't be stupid. If drivers get that distracted that actually looking at the car in front of them causes an accident then they are a Darwin award waiting to happen.

      That and we've had absurd personalised plates for the best part of 20 years.

    2. Re: Distracted driving cases to increase. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hope anyone getting an emoji plate immediately and permanently has their license to operate a vehicle revoked.

      Driving is serious fucking business. Your car should not be an extension of your feathers to preen and show off.

      Driving is dangerous to the driver and everyone nearby.

      The real WTF here is why the government is encouraging people to view their cars with even more frivolity. They should be adding more restrictions on adornments and modifications, not encouraging all the precious snowflakes to further adorn and modify their unique (but exactly the fucking same as the rest of them) status symbol.

  4. How about....? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wink-face, heart eyes, capital O, smiley face, sunglasses

    (make of that what you will)

    I give this no more than two weeks before the province decides this is an idea right up there with one allowing the internet to select the name of a boat intended for a scientific expedition.

    1. Re:How about....? by nwaack · · Score: 1

      Boaty McBoatface is a waaaaaaay better idea than this.

    2. Re:How about....? by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      ... Except you can only choose one emoji, and it goes at the end of the plate. It's no different from the current vanity plates they offer, except the specific graphic is different.

  5. Only decorative by LostOne · · Score: 1

    "The smartphone symbols won't be included in rego numbers and are simply decorative." At least some sanity is currently prevailing, there. Though it's mostly likely due to IT systems that can almost handle ASCII correctly without exploding rather than any intelligence anywhere.

    --

    If it works in theory, try something else in practice.
    1. Re:Only decorative by scdeimos · · Score: 1

      In truth it's the ALPR software limitations. They already can't differentiate between 0 and O, 1 and I. What chance would they have with several hundred new multicolour emoji?

    2. Re:Only decorative by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      "The smartphone symbols won't be included in rego numbers and are simply decorative." At least some sanity is currently prevailing, there. Though it's mostly likely due to IT systems that can almost handle ASCII correctly without exploding rather than any intelligence anywhere.

      That or because if they didn't precisely match the allowed characters with the glyphs available in their license plate font, you could have a thousand "unique" license plates that all look like this:

      [] [] [] [] [] [] []

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  6. Mine would be the middle finger. by TigerPlish · · Score: 1

    I'm in SoFla. It'd have to be a middle finger because "vete pa'l carajo!" is too long for any plate and wouldn't get past the censors. They're kinda uppity about what can be had on plates.

    But "420 TRY" did get past them.. how odd. Saw that a few years back on a beautiful pale blue bmw 335 ti.

    But since I like to roll without advertising a single goddamned thing about myself, I just have a stock standard plate, whatever the State deemed proper for my car.

    --
    The "Civilized World" jumped the shark ca. 1973.
    1. Re:Mine would be the middle finger. by DethLok · · Score: 1

      I've seen FIGJAM driving around. and WOG BOY.

      And I own REVHED (was only allowed 6 characters on a steel plate when I got it).

      IH8PPL was on a local FB page as recently as last week.

      And in Western Australia, rego plates can have frangipani flowers on them, it's been an option for some years.

      Here's the full range of plate styles and options at the moment.

      https://www.transport.wa.gov.a...

  7. We're becoming stupider by the day. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Couldn't you make the license plates smaller if there's so much space you don't need to tag the car? Then people could use the reclaimed space to adorn their cars without making it a matter of public debate.

  8. Insurance/Accident? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Officer I think the plate of the cart that hit me was smile, smile, wink, frown, tears, cheer .

  9. Queenslanders have lazy bones by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am amazed they managed to do anything up there.

  10. Target audience? by MiniMike · · Score: 0

    My first thought on this was that anyone who wants this probably isn't old enough or mature enough to drive.
    After further reflection, that first thought is holding up quite well. As to their motive for offering this...

    Drivers who are keen for the emoji licence plates will need to fork out somewhere between $160 and $500 for the privilege, according to the 7News report.

    Oh right, of course. I'm sure many 8 year olds have an extra $500 to fork over for a personalized license plate. Great plan guys...

    1. Re:Target audience? by Red_Forman · · Score: 1

      We're in 2019. In most countries, 18 years old is enough to get a driver's license. That means anyone born in the year 2000 or less is legally allowed to drive.

      Scary thoughts.

    2. Re:Target audience? by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      You can start learning to drive at 16 in Australia.

    3. Re:Target audience? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How the fuck much? I mean, I know it's not real dollars, but that still sounds really stupid fucking expensive for putting a fucking emoji on your license plate.

      If you want an emoji on your car that badly, spend fifty cents on a fucking sticker. And the fuckers don't even have the eggplant and poop emojis.

      Fuck that noise. Get the random ones, put a fucking sticker on, and be fucking done with it.

    4. Re:Target audience? by Red_Forman · · Score: 1

      In some places it's 16, yes. But it is included in the "18+" group by definition.

    5. Re:Target audience? by DethLok · · Score: 1

      You're not allowed to deface or obscure a licence plate.

      It's an offence.

      Unless, obviously, you pay the state to do it for you...

    6. Re:Target audience? by Red_Forman · · Score: 1

      I need to stop posting before my morning coffee.

    7. Re:Target audience? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      My first thought on this was that anyone who wants this probably isn't old enough or mature enough to drive.

      You don't understand people at all. Hell one of the most popular personalised plates is the one with marvin the martian on it.

      Oh right, of course. I'm sure many 8 year olds have an extra $500 to fork over for a personalized license plate. Great plan guys...

      Your 17 year old daughter however has $160, and if you think that emojis are reserved for the under 8s then ... well see my first sentence.

  11. Yeah I gotta speeder here - by the_skywise · · Score: 1

    Plate # egg plant, water spray, o-face ...
    uh
    Never mind...

  12. Lemon Car... by foxalopex · · Score: 1

    Lots of poop emoji's. Ha...

  13. I for one by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 0

    I for one welcome our six frowny face emoji overlords!

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  14. This qualify? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's coming right around the bend.

    Hold on! I say, Hold ON!

    I see it! I see it! LOOK!

    https://regmedia.co.uk/2015/07...

    POW! Emojitsu4u!

  15. Misleading title by Red_Forman · · Score: 2

    Title: Queensland, Australia drivers set to get emoji number plates
    Reality: emojis will not replace the letters and numbers on the plate. They will only be decorative.

    1. Re:Misleading title by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      Don't let facts get in the way of a clickbait title.

    2. Re:Misleading title by the_skywise · · Score: 1

      Hey - this here be slashdot where the motto, RTFA, originated pre-2000! :)

    3. Re:Misleading title by quenda · · Score: 1

      Do Americans really need to be told where Queensland is?
      I wince every time I hear some American reporter say "Paris, France" or "Scotland, UK".

      Surely no Americans are not so dumb as to not know where Paris is (context says it ain't the small town in Texas), so why the habit of attaching county names to places not remotely obscure?

      These are fake, right?
      Jay Leno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
      CNNNN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    4. Re:Misleading title by Red_Forman · · Score: 1

      You do know about Paris, Ontario, right?

    5. Re:Misleading title by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A tiny town of 12,000. I think it's fairly obvious which settlement 99.999% of people will ever be talking about.

      There should be an automatic assumption about what settlements you're talking about. If someone says Moscow, they're not on about the one in the US. If someone says London, they're talking about the UK.

    6. Re:Misleading title by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's no place called "London" in Unified Korea.

  16. Purely decorative? by darthsilun · · Score: 1

    So anyone could have put a sticker on their number plate all along? And why would I pay AU$500 for something that's just a glorified sticker, when you can just put a sticker on it?

    Here you can get a heart, star, hand, or + on the special kids plate in California, or you can get almost any punctuation in New Hampshire, or you can get little state outlines in places of blank spaces in New York and Texas.

  17. Unicode support when? by ToTheStars · · Score: 1

    I wanna get a custom license plate with an RLM in it...backwards letters for everyone!

  18. down under by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    whats a footy? is that when your mom is giving me a footjob?

    1. Re: down under by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Football you sicko