observe no plate has more than six characters on it. Memory training lessons are not necessary for officers any more.
By using the combination of letters and numerals it is possible to provide for a registration of 2,070,000 without exceeding six characters on the plate.
Under the new system, the lowest number issued by the state has three characters. The first plate is number 1A1. They run from that to 9A9–999. The series then shifts to 1B1 and go up to 9B9–999 and so on through the alphabet to 9Z9-999.
The letters I, O and Q were left out because of their resemblance to the numbers one and naught.
NUMERALS ARE LARGE
These letters and numerals purposely are big enough to fairly shriek the identity of the driver. They are three and three-quarter inches in height.
There is a reason for putting the words “Cal” and “30” in inconspicuous positions. They were made small purposely so as not to detract from the visibility of the numbers.
Actual tests made on the roads show the new numbers can be read nearly three times as far away as the old ones.
Traffic officers reported a larger number of arrests of hit and run drivers last year than ever before. Fewer mistakes were reported in the reading of numbers. Drivers naturally reckless were made more cautious by the knowledge that they could be identified more easily.
Realizing this, lawbreakers have resorted to the practice of smearing their plates with grease and mud to make them illegible. Others conceal them partly behind spare tires or bumpers. Officers of the California Highway Patrol have been ordered to watch for such violations and to arrest any person caught driving with dirty or obscure plates.
KEEP PLATES CLEAN
In this connection, the division has issued a warning calling the attention of the motorists to a section of the law requiring that plates be exhibited on the car at a point not less than 24 inches from the ground.
Plates must also be fastened to the car in horizontal position. It is not legal to display them in a vertical position or at an angle, and they must be securely fastened.
It is now illegal to drive on any public highway with 1929 plates unless the driver can show he has made application for new plates.
After January 31st. drivers who have not applied for the new plates will have to pay double. In the ease of an ordinary passenger car this means a fee of $6 instead of $3. For commercial vehicles it means much more.
Motorists who have not done so should lose no time, therefore, in applying for new plates. The renewal season now closing will exceed all previous records.
MUST PAY FEE
Another requirement for registration is that motorists must pay the $1 transfer fee if they have made the final payment on the car during the year and have become the legal owner. Signing over of the pink certificate by the finance company or dealer actually means that ownership of the car has been transferred and this must be noted in the records of the division of motor vehicles.
Besides its main office in Sacramento, the division has six branch offices located, respectively, in Oakland, San Francisco. Fresno, Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Diego. This year's run of plates has been so apportioned to these branches that it will be almost possible to tell where a motorist is from by the letter and number of his license plate. For example, a half million plates, running in numbers from 1A1 to 5F9-999 have been assigned to Sacramento for immediate delivery while numbers from 6F1 to 9F-999 have been assigned to the same office for open or later deliveries.
PLATES ASSIGNED
Numbers from 1G1 to 6H9–999 go to Oakland, while San Francisco will get numbers from 7H1 to 7K9–999. Fresno gets numbers from 8KI to 9L9–999.
Los Angeles where the counter registrations are heaviest received everything from 1M1 to 9X9–999. Long Beach received numbers from 1Y1 to 9Y9–999.
The Z numbers, that is, everything from 1Z1 to 9Z9–999. of which there are 90,000 will be distributed to San Diego motorists.
California's example in adopting license plates that can be read is being followed in many other states. Everywhere, state officials are reaching the conclusion that number plates have but one purpose—to identify the owner and driver of the vehicle.
A Chicagoan visiting Fond du Lac, Wis., had occasion to rail Appleton. Upon asking what the charge was, he was told fifty cents.
“Fifty cents. For that distance? Great Scott! In Chicago you can call hell up for fifty cents.”
“Possibly,” coolly answered the operator, “It’s in the city limits.”
