There are Vanity plates and then there are VANITY PLATES!

[WishingStar]

Originally posted by Beth76
Oh, and Dawn, why do you feel the need to "Advertise" that you live in Connecticut, in your user ID? It's the same sort of thing, if you ask me. It's just a "name" used to decribe a person. What should it matter if it says the person's occupation, location, year of birth (that's me) or anything else. It's just a word used to describe someone.

ITA

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by Beth76
Oh, and Dawn, why do you feel the need to "Advertise" that you live in Connecticut, in your user ID? It's the same sort of thing, if you ask me. It's just a "name" used to decribe a person. What should it matter if it says the person's occupation, location, year of birth (that's me) or anything else. It's just a word used to describe someone.

Perhaps for the same reason you want to advertise that you are from St. Louis. I hardly consider mentioning my state an an advertisement. Besides it's "free".

 

[caitycaity]

I actually kind of feel sorry for people who have to put their education or credentials on their license plate

hmmm... add me to your list of people to feel sorry for.

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by LisaZoe
You're making a lot of assumptions about others based solely on what they have on their license plates. I don't doubt that there are a few people in any profession who will choose a vanity plate out of vanity. However, to then jump to the conclusion that anyone who has such a vanity plate is vain makes no sense. Just because you and your DH don't choose to have vanity plates

More of an observation than an assumption; Its been my experience that those who are actually "entitled "to brag and advertise, rarely do. Those who feel less confident and skilled, often do.

 

[lapinluv]

One that irked me was on a brand new BMW and it said "LETS ROLL". This was about a year after 9/11 and Todd Beamer.

Another one on a BMW was BEAMMMR. It took me a second, but the BMW in question was an M3. Thought that was pretty clever.

 

[missyc]

Yeah, I think the bigger problem was the stupid trucker/EMT.

Here's another example. My dad is an RN. He retired a few months ago as the clinical coordinator in obstetrics at a large hospital. Certainly knows his stuff!
We were at DS's football game when a player went down. My mom and sister were upset that my dad didn't run out to help...afterall he's an RN. Anyways, it looked to be serious. The boy still wasn't moving, the coaches and refs were hollering for help, etc. 911 was called and an EMT dad went down on the field. The boy was seizing (we didn't know from the bleachers). My sister and mom were practically pushing my dad out of his seat. He said they were handling it ok, wait for the ambulance. What's he supposed to do (his words)? His reasoning was that he's an OB nurse. He can deliver a baby, but wouldn't feel confident in this situation. I agree with him. Why go running down saying you are an RN, then not be sure how to handle the situation? The coaches knew to get his equipment off (as much as possible), made sure he was breathing, and waited for the ambulance.

 

[Madi100]

I think this thread needs to be divided in two. One for the rude trucker and one for the license plates. Maybe the trucker's adrenaline (sp?) was kicking in and was under stress and that is why he acted the way he did. I think that you can remain calm during situations like that is a great thing. Being an RN you probably see things more than he does.

As far as license plates I think they're cute, but not something I'd ever spend money on except for when I bought my husban's firefighter plates. My husband was a volunteer fireman. He would drive his cars to the fire department. I THINK he had a light in his car, but it was still nice to have the plates on his car so people knew what his big rush was. And although my husband is a very modest person, I was proud of him for being able to display them. He got paid absolutely NOTHING for being on the fire department. Not a penny. So, I was glad he could show them off. And, oh by the way, not that this had ANYTHING to do with why we got the plates, but when he had them he never once got a speeding ticket. A month after he got rid of them he got a ticket.

 

[LisaZoe]

Originally posted by DawnCt1
Besides it's "free".

Oh, I get it. If it's free, you have no problem bragging (I see you felt the need to mention you are an RN and DH is an MD). Your problem is when other people spend their own money to brag. Gotcha. That makes so much more sense now.

 

[Galahad]

How you perceive it and how they intend it are often two different things. If someone struggled long and hard for their credentials they may have gotten their vanity tags as a celebratory gift, etc.

That said, I wonder about the intent sometimes as well when people do that kind of advertising in public. Dawn putting her location in her name here on the DIS isn't exactly in public. It is more or less an anonymous place. You all know that my DW is a physician, but it is still anonymous. In the real world, DW is careful not to let anybody know she is a doc unless they have a need to know. To do so opens us up to a surprising myriad of reactions. So she does not go by "Dr." outside of work, she goes by "Mrs" or "Ms" (if necessary).

My brother is a dentist. My SIL seems to have a great need to advertise that and makes sure that "Dr" is on all of their checks, envelopes, vanity plate, etc. Now if it were in context of dentistry in a conversation ("Oh, my DH is a dentist and he tells me his experience is thus and so"), it make sense. In the context of your Christmas cards it just seems a bit tacky.

So sometimes I see vanity tags that seem braggadocios and I roll my eyes and sometimes I'm in a frame of mind not to see them as anything other than simple pride. You just don't know how it was intended.

 

[Bob Slydell]

One of our IT guys has a plate that says "2SMRT4U"

 

[denisenh]

Originally posted by DawnCt1
I like vanity plates, but I am cheap. I will settle for the plate that the DMV gives me, for a fee of course. There are vanity plates that I like. I saw a plate on a VW Beetle that said, "Buglet". It was cute. I saw a vanity plate last week however that can only be classified as a VANITY PLATE. It said EMT RN. Now to make full use of this plate, one would need to be cruising the highways and back roads for that rare opportunity to come across an accident and "render assistance". I drive a lot. I have only encountered one accident where I had to stop. I was on the scene when a tractor trailer his a VW Bug. As I was getting out of my car, another trucker stopped his rig, ran to the accident scene and said, "I am an EMT, I can help". The woman was fully mobile. It was a low velocity accident but Mr. EMT proceeded to render assistance, shouting to everyone to "PROTECT THE C-SPINE" and he laid her down outside the car. I suggested that protecting the C-spine was a great idea, however since the car was on fire and leaking gasoline, moving the victim 50 ft back would be a better idea. I didn't tell him that I was a nurse , etc. etc. I would prefer to stand by, call the cops, make sure no harm is done and disappear in the crowd. Are there vanity plates that just urk you?

Isn't it something that is taught at professional rescuer CPR/AED courses?
To identify yourself as a "professional" (nurse, doc, EMT, whatever) at the scene of an accident is basic knowledge.
It is also suggested that if you do not want to help, but instead stand by and gawk, then you should just keep going.
You should be prepared to identify yourself and assist the injured if you are going to stop.
It sounds more like you are angry at yourself, Dawn, for not being able to "step up and get with the program."
There is no doubt in my mind that you are intelligent. I am sure that if you brush up on your skills as a first aider, you will feel more confident when trying to assist an injured soul at the scene of a MVA or other accident scene.

As far as the vanity plate thing, aside from trying to figure them out, which I am not that good at, (groan ate in bed?) it never occurred to me to be bothered by them.

 

[LisaZoe]

Originally posted by Galahad
So sometimes I see vanity tags that seem braggadocios and I roll my eyes and sometimes I'm in a frame of mind not to see them as anything other than simple pride. You just don't know how it was intended.

Exactly - it is the viewer's intrepretation more than the owner's that makes it seem like bragging. Unless you know, as in your SIL's case, that a person is bragging, why assume they are?

I have to say, though, that I see behavior on this board that seems like bragging but I try to not let that affect how I regard someone. Although the DIS is basically anonymous, it is still public and some people so seem to like to mention their incomes, home sizes, etc. frequently. This could be pride in having reached that point after a hard struggle or it could be bragging. I'll assume it is the former unless there is no choice but to believe the latter.

BTW - I know I brag about my DD - but I think she deserves it and I don't take credit for it.

 

[Galahad]

Originally posted by Bob Slydell
One of our IT guys has a plate that says "2SMRT4U"

Wonder if he's smart enough to translate that into Hindi?

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by LisaZoe
Oh, I get it. If it's free, you have no problem bragging (I see you felt the need to mention you are an RN and DH is an MD). Your problem is when other people spend their own money to brag. Gotcha. That makes so much more sense now.

If you don't see the difference in mention the above occupations in the context of a discussion vs. mentioning for the sake of "mentioning it", then I guess I can't help ya!

 

[Belle1962]

DGS's mom lives in her own world and operates on her own time schedule. Everyone else will just get over it and wait for her.
She was charged with hit and run one day going to school. She rear ended another car but kept driving because " I was late for school".

She was also arrested when she didn't show up for her 9:00am COURT HEARING on a criminal offense (different than the hit and run).

Her tags:


IML8RU

 

[Galahad]

Originally posted by LisaZoe
Exactly - it is the viewer's intrepretation more than the owner's that makes it seem like bragging. Unless you know, as in your SIL's case, that a person is bragging, why assume they are?

One of DW's colleagues while we were in Tampa practiced medicine under her maiden name and did everything else under here married name. Nobody ever know that Dr. Jones was also Mrs. Smith. It seemed confusing to us at first but it really made there lives much simpler.

I'm not entirely sure SIL is bragging so much as she is insecure. You'd think after 20 years she'd chill out though.

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by denisenh
It sounds more like you are angry at yourself, Dawn, for not being able to "step up and get with the program."
There is no doubt in my mind that you are intelligent. I am sure that if you brush up on your skills as a first aider, you will feel more confident when trying to assist an injured soul at the scene of a MVA or other accident scene.

You couldn't be more wrong, however I have addressed the incident in other posts in this thread and see no reason to repeat myself unless you seek further clarification.

 

[LisaZoe]

Originally posted by DawnCt1
If you don't see the difference in mention the above occupations in the context of a discussion vs. mentioning for the sake of "mentioning it", then I guess I can't help ya!

I can see the difference. I don't think you see the difference between someone having a license plate as a reminder of something accomplished over those people who feel the need to always mention they are "professionals".

Why assume the worst about someone's motives for a vanity plate if it is going to irk you?

 

[LisaZoe]

Originally posted by Galahad
One of DW's colleagues while we were in Tampa practiced medicine under her maiden name and did everything else under here married name. Nobody ever know that Dr. Jones was also Mrs. Smith. It seemed confusing to us at first but it really made there lives much simpler.

I'm not entirely sure SIL is bragging so much as she is insecure. You'd think after 20 years she'd chill out though.

I know other professionals who keep their maiden names for their work - sometimes it's a matter of finances since the license, business materials, etc. would have to be changed. I can also see the reason to do so if you are in a profession that often gets asked for free advice in a social setting.

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by missyc
Yeah, I think the bigger problem was the stupid trucker/EMT.

Here's another example. My dad is an RN. He retired a few months ago as the clinical coordinator in obstetrics at a large hospital. Certainly knows his stuff!


We were at DS's football game when a player went down. My mom and sister were upset that my dad didn't run out to help...afterall he's an RN. .

Your father is correct. I am sure he would have and could have handled the situation appropriately and sometimes there is an urge to lend a hand. Often it is better to step back and access whether the appropriate care is being delivered and allow those people, (often the coach, a professional trainer) who are also certified to lend assistance, do their jobs. The kids know them and have confidence in them. I recall a work place situation ( not where I work) where a woman ( a nurse) had the early but unindentified, signs of a stroke. There were several nurse co workers in attendance and so many opinions that obtaining appropriate transportation was not done, and as a result treatment was delayed. The consequences (a co worker chose to drive her to the hospital) were almost disasterous.