New number plate 'font'?

[Phurrball]

Has anyone else noticed that the most recently issued number plates (on cages) seem to be a different 'font'?

The letters appear to be a little more square and slightly smaller overall. (Saw 2 cars with 'D' three-letter plates in the new font on my walk back to the library)

Anyone want to shed light on this change? I assume that there's a reason, and it's more than just aesthetic?

Easier for numberplate recognition equipment? Another more benign reason perhaps...?

[ManDownUnder]

Can't say I've seen it but it begs the question - what if I made myself a plate with a different font on it...

A nice rounded italicised font in blue perhaps?

[Phurrball]

I quite like the idea of roman numerals I know not why?

[ZeroIndex]

in south africa, they've been using perspex plates for ages, which was really cool... it was black perspex, then the number plate layer, then clear perspex as the 'front'... the other cool thing is the color differences:
Green writing - Personalised plate color
Red writing - Government vehicles
Blue writing - Standard passenger/etc vehicles
Black writing - Taxi plate

[Sniper]

Black writing - Taxi plate

WRONG!!!! It was black writing with bullet holes

[limbimtimwim]

Yes, I have.

They appear to be the same 'font' as Australian plates.

Perhaps they are being made in Australia..? No idea.

I might be dreaming, but they could a few MM smaller width wise as well.

[froggyfrenchman]

Its a conspirasy i tells ya!

[ZeroIndex]

WRONG!!!! It was black writing with bullet holes

haha NICE!!! I was just suggesting the 'out-of-factory...before-fitting' color...

Have some green rep, that put a grin on... my chin

[Phurrball]

(snip)
They appear to be the same 'font' as Australian plates.

(snip)

Hmmm, right you are.

The previous status quo font was around for a long time - the change vexes me.

[madboy]

Have you not noticed that what happens in Australia with regard to traffic matters happens here sooner or later? Speed Cameras. Graphic drink drive adds. Rigid enforcement of speed limits while ignoring many other driving issues. Just wait until they introduce double demerits for xmas. Your xmas pressie might be late cos Santa will be stuck behind the granny doing 80k cos she's too scared to get near 100k in case she gets busted.

[Madness]

Green writing - Personalised plate color
Red writing - Government vehicles
Blue writing - Standard passenger/etc vehicles
Black writing - Taxi plate

That must be so the car-jackers know which ones to go for; Green ones and Blue ones. Red and black ones are probably weilding firearms.

I had to get a replacement plate for my Zed. Same "new" font as on new cars. The W's and M's look funny, all miniature like in comparison to old font.
They are probably being pressed in China, by a Boeing service company, on the side like.

[pzkpfw]

Can't say I've seen it but it begs the question - what if I made myself a plate with a different font on it...

A nice rounded italicised font in blue perhaps?

I'm sure you really know this - you can't make your own plate - even if it looks just like a "real" one.

When I worked at Motor Reg. I saw one clever idea getting kicked back.

A company was making copies of dealer plates (the yellow test-drive ones) in the magnetic peel-off sign stuff.

It was so dealers could slap the plate on any car quickly without messing with screwdrivers and stuff.

But it wasn't an "official" plate, so was illegal.

Cheers,

[ZeroIndex]

That must be so the car-jackers know which ones to go for; Green ones and Blue ones. Red and black ones are probably weilding firearms.

haha HARDLY!!! Blue mostly means I've got a firearm, Green mostly means I've got a bigger firearm cause I can afford a personalised plate. Black mostly means I've got enough subwoofers DBs to kill all 38 passengers in my toyota minibus

[Hitcher]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I saw a DF**** plate the other day and, at first glance, thought it may have been an Australian rego.

The new font is probably to aid camera recognition.

I wonder whether the font for personalised plates will change as well. It's already slightly different to the "normal" plates.

[Grizz]

I wonder whether the font for personalised plates will change as well. It's already slightly different to the "normal" plates.

Hitcher, yes it has, for bikes cars and PP's. I think the bikes changed over before the cars. Also we just got a set of PP's and the new font is on them.