Do you know your car's license plate number without looking it up?

[sam_gordon]

I travel frequently for work. Last Sunday, I get to the airport to catch my flight, pull up to the gate to enter parking, roll down my window to hit the button, and they've taken the button out. The gate goes up so I go to park. There was a screen where the button used to be, but it said "press the button".

The airport information desk isn't staffed at that point, so I catch my flight thinking I'll call the airport to see what's going on (are they offering free parking for a promotion or something). I forget of course, and when I return last night, I figure I'll just pull up to the exit booth and explain there was no ticket.

There's three booths. Usually one is manned, one unmanned, and the third is either or closed. This time there's two manned booths. I explain there was no ticket and they said they're changing and it's going to scan license plates. You pull up to the exit booth, enter your license plate on a screen, it finds you and tells you how much is owed.

I don't know my plate #. Fortunately the worker was there and was kind enough to pull the number for me and enter it.

I'm having a hard time seeing this can be "progress" though. A few people might know their plates, but I see this causing slow downs as people have to get out of their car to get their numbers to enter it. If it can scan at the entry, why not set it up to scan at the exit?

Surely they're still going to keep at least one manned booth, even after the bugs are worked out, so I don't think this will save a lot in employee costs.

Seems like using technology for technology's sake.

Oh, I took a picture of my plate this morning and taped it to my visor so I don't have to remember it.

 

[Psymonds]

I travel frequently for work. Last Sunday, I get to the airport to catch my flight, pull up to the gate to enter parking, roll down my window to hit the button, and they've taken the button out. The gate goes up so I go to park. There was a screen where the button used to be, but it said "press the button".

The airport information desk isn't staffed at that point, so I catch my flight thinking I'll call the airport to see what's going on (are they offering free parking for a promotion or something). I forget of course, and when I return last night, I figure I'll just pull up to the exit booth and explain there was no ticket.

There's three booths. Usually one is manned, one unmanned, and the third is either or closed. This time there's two manned booths. I explain there was no ticket and they said they're changing and it's going to scan license plates. You pull up to the exit booth, enter your license plate on a screen, it finds you and tells you how much is owed.

I don't know my plate #. Fortunately the worker was there and was kind enough to pull the number for me and enter it.

I'm having a hard time seeing this can be "progress" though. A few people might know their plates, but I see this causing slow downs as people have to get out of their car to get their numbers to enter it. If it can scan at the entry, why not set it up to scan at the exit?

Surely they're still going to keep at least one manned booth, even after the bugs are worked out, so I don't think this will save a lot in employee costs.

Seems like using technology for technology's sake.

Oh, I took a picture of my plate this morning and taped it to my visor so I don't have to remember it.

of our 3 cars, I remember 1 right now..

 

[EACarlson]

I've always known my plate number. I used to have to enter it every day when I filled out paperwork to enter a secure facility and got in the habit of knowing it.

 

[lanejudy]

I know the first few letters but never seem to remember the numbers right. Whenever I check in at a hotel I try to remember to look at it, otherwise I end up running out to look.

 

[EACarlson]

I know the first few letters but never seem to remember the numbers right. Whenever I check in at a hotel I try to remember to look at it, otherwise I end up running out to look.

Take a picture with your phone and set it as a contact. Then when you need it, you call up that contact in your phone and you have the picture.

 

[RedAngie]

Yes, I know my current car’s license plate.
No clue as to DH’s.

I know the plate of the car my father drove circa 1965-68. The first car I ever remember being in.
CKR-350

But the plates of most of the dozen+ cars I drove, even the first car I owned, are long forgotten.

 

[RedAngie]

There is a huge parking lot at the inlet at the Ocean City, MD boardwalk. You need to enter your plate number at the pay station and then the amount of time you want. You can add more time via an app or at a different pay station.

The number of people who have to return to their cars to get the plate number is amazing.

Parking enforcement rides around and scans plates to catch scofflaws.

 

[kdonnel]

In Georgia you used to get new plates every couple years but for the past 10+ years you keep the same plate forever.

It might have taken a few years but having had the same plate for a long time I have it memorized.

 

[_19disnA]

No idea what mine is. I can't recall the last time I ever needed to know what it is.

The example at the airport makes no sense to me. Sounds like whoever invented this new process didn't think through how it will actually work in the real world. IF they are converting and it is a temporary thing, I can see how you might have to manually enter the license plate # when exiting (maybe all of the cameras aren't yet installed). IF they can scan on entry and apparently store a date/time of entry, then it seems on exit they would do the same scan to calculate your fee. Scanning only when entering makes NO sense to me either, if that is how they plan to operate ongoing. Some devious person could enter the license # of some other car they just saw arriving and pay a reduced fee. Seems like a terrible way to operate ongoing. Would also cause a traffic jam as someone has to exit their vehicle to read their plate number.

Was in Vegas a few months ago and the parking garages at various hotels had similar issues. The signage was poor and there is one process if you are actually staying at the hotel overnight that is different from someone who is only there to gamble for a few hours. They need 2 sets of different instructions for parking based on whether you are staying at the hotel vs just there to gamble.

 

[sam_gordon]

I've always known my plate number. I used to have to enter it every day when I filled out paperwork to enter a secure facility and got in the habit of knowing it.

I could understand that. I don't remember the last time I needed my license plate number.

I know the first few letters but never seem to remember the numbers right. Whenever I check in at a hotel I try to remember to look at it, otherwise I end up running out to look.

I've never understood why hotels need license plate numbers. I've ran into I think two hotels in the last two years asking for it, and yes, I had to go back out to get it (rental cars). Yes, I know they want to be able to easily police vehicles in the lot, but give out parking passes and tell guests to put them on the dash in the front window.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I couldn't even tell you 1 letter or number on my plate.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I could understand that. I don't remember the last time I needed my license plate number.

I've never understood why hotels need license plate numbers. I've ran into I think two hotels in the last two years asking for it, and yes, I had to go back out to get it (rental cars). Yes, I know they want to be able to easily police vehicles in the lot, but give out parking passes and tell guests to put them on the dash in the front window.

On our last road trip, I had a picture of our plate all ready to do for hotels....and none of them asked for it. Just the make and model. Maybe the state but I can't recall.

 

[kdonnel]

I had to go back out to get it (rental cars).

I have found that for rental cars, the license plate is almost always printed on a tag attached to the key.

 

[sam_gordon]

I have found that for rental cars, the license plate is almost always printed on a tag attached to the key.

Honestly didn't even think about that. I'll have to remember that one.

 

[Meriweather]

No.....and haven't been asked to enter anywhere is years

 

[soccerdad72]

I remember mine and could probably come up with our other three cars (my wife’s and our two sons) if I thought hard about it, only because I recently renewed all our registrations.

 

[Disneylover99]

I sort of know it, but sometimes reverse the digits or numbers.

The only time we look at our plate is before we cross the border. The border guards occasionally ask us what our license plate number is. The first time they asked, we panicked and couldn’t get it right. I thought they were going to confiscate our car. lol.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I just got a new car a week or so ago and I know the license plate. The previous car that was totaled (you can't transfer plates) I also knew the license plate. Often have to give it at hotel stays etc.

 

[amcnj]

I have always known mine. Just one of the random things that for some reason always sticks with me, even though I hardly ever need to know it.

For some reason I also remember three plates from when I was young, two different ones that my father had, and even more strange, the plate of my fourth grade teacher!

 

[Kitty 34]

Yes but I'd have to think about it for a moment.