Private Plates - Vulgar and Nouveau Riche!

[Spleen]

Sir Bufton Tufton is alive and well! Owns a Ferrari 400 GT, loves opera but hates private plates and writes letters to the FOC monthly mag:



'On another note, it's clear that many Club members love personal number plates (PNPs), but I am not one of them. I am certain that I am not alone in my view that PNPs are nothing more than nouveau riche vulgarity. Why anyone wants their name or initials on their car is a mystery to me. There should be plenty of readers who can tell me the effect PNPs have on themselves and the effect they are supposed to have on me.

A trip to the car parks at opera venues is revealing. Many of the attendees could easily afford PNPs but have no desire to own one. To a level of statistical significance, there are none. PNPs are readily bought; good taste is not. Viewed from the bottom of society looking up, PNPs look like a status symbol. Viewed from the top down their owners look more like social climbers trying too hard.

I have seen only one explicit explanation in writing about the appeal of PNPs: they show that the owner has 'made it'. The trouble with telling all that you've 'made it' is that you are also boasting that you come from that sector of society that enjoys a relatively short life span.

Some years ago I heard a programme about tax evasion, on Radio 4. A tax inspector was asked where one might look for probable evasion. One thing mentioned was expensive cars with PNPs...'


So much material and so little time but this was one reason why I was reluctant to join the FOC, for fear of running into plonkers like this.

Edited by Spleen on Sunday 19th February 19:47

[Spleen]

Beats me why he hangs round in car parks.

Edited by Spleen on Sunday 19th February 21:27

[Spleen]

JDH1 said:

What's not to like?

Your short life span apparently.

[Spleen]

Rumdoodle said:

I don't understand these Italian phrases you're using. But, the kind of rant quoted in the OP sounds distinctly middle class to me. The only reason I can possibly think of for the FOC printing this sort of Hyacinthe Bucket tripe is to reinforce the view that you have to be bonkers to own a 400.

Er, Italian phrases?

I think if I was the editor of the FOC I'd be rubbing my hands with lots of glee, who could possibly pass up the chance to post this old fart's fine gentleman's views on the pros and cons of a private plate and not watch the coughing and spluttering of the inevitably outraged responses? Makes good copy, don't it? Must admit, I did check to see if it was a cracking spoof or even April Fool's but looks legit so far.

Interestingly, I actually did drive last year to the opera in my Ferrari, to Verona no less, to go and see La Traviata (or is that La Chaviata?) at the annual open air opera festival and we had a grand evening.

However, you can imagine my utter horror and profound disappointment in the car park for I was the only private plated car. All the other Italians all had normal plates, not a BO55 in sight. Philistines. I expect they'll all pass away soon.