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Am I the only one that has just clocked this

254 replies

iwantavuvezela · 24/01/2022 21:08

that front numberplate on most cars are white, and the one at the back is yellow.
Just bought a car and thought perhaps the dealer had made a mistake until I noticed that all cars had this!
Am I the only one who has only just noticed this.

OP posts:
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TonTonMacoute · 24/01/2022 21:44

Some of us are old enough to remember when they switched from white on black to the white/yellow - so yes, I've always known!

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SirGawain · 24/01/2022 21:45

It has been like this since the reflective plates were introduced in 1968. They became obligatory on new vehicles from 1973.

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RaininSummer · 24/01/2022 21:45

I have never noticed that either.

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Seaweasel · 24/01/2022 21:46

OP - I had no idea and have been driving for more than 20 years. In fact, I am tempted to go out and look at my car right now. Different colour number plates, who knew??

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Staragain · 24/01/2022 21:46

I’m Irish and I knew that!
We played Yellow Reg no digs as kids. When you saw a yellow reg (rare enough in 80s Ireland, you could box your sibling and they couldn’t retaliate).
We still play it if we’re ever in a car with together.

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MrsDThomas · 24/01/2022 21:49

@UserBot999 they are the same in Wales and Scotland too.

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saraclara · 24/01/2022 21:49

@TonTonMacoute

Some of us are old enough to remember when they switched from white on black to the white/yellow - so yes, I've always known!

Ha! Exactly. I remember it well.

Yellow at the back so that the headlights of the car behind doesn't cause glare and make it unreadable.
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waterlego · 24/01/2022 21:50

I’m really quite unobservant but even I had noticed this.

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saraclara · 24/01/2022 21:50

Doesn't? Don't.

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Blankspace4 · 24/01/2022 21:54

In some US states they don’t have front number plates at all. And the brake lights and indicators are both red, which is a bit strange

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Dreamstosell · 24/01/2022 21:54

I can’t believe I’ve never noticed this 😬 and I’ve been driving almost 40 years (so never sat a theory test for the person who said it’s in the test 🤣). I want to go and check my car now but it’s at the end of the street and I’ve got Covid. First job to do when I'm finally allowed out

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DogInATent · 24/01/2022 21:55

I could understand not knowing the green stripe means it's an all-electric vehicle. But the basic white/yellow thing, is this a wind-up?

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OniferousWasp · 24/01/2022 21:59

@DontBuyANewMumCashmere

Have you also noticed we all tend to keep to the one side when we're driving? Top tip...

😂😂
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CandyCaneLane0 · 24/01/2022 22:06

😂

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DryWhiteagainW · 24/01/2022 22:07

Did you know about the arrow next to the petrol pump sign on your dashboard? It tells you which side of your car the petrol cap’s on. This was a game changer for me.......although I still check every time I have to fill up Grin

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Joystir59 · 24/01/2022 22:09

I never knew this.

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Joystir59 · 24/01/2022 22:10

@DryWhiteagainW

Did you know about the arrow next to the petrol pump sign on your dashboard? It tells you which side of your car the petrol cap’s on. This was a game changer for me.......although I still check every time I have to fill up Grin

I never knew this either, I'm going to look tomorrow
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marchingtotheend2021 · 24/01/2022 22:11

@iwantavuvezela

that front numberplate on most cars are white, and the one at the back is yellow.
Just bought a car and thought perhaps the dealer had made a mistake until I noticed that all cars had this!
Am I the only one who has only just noticed this.

This has got to be a wind up!!!! Nooo way have people not noticedBlush
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FelicityFlops · 24/01/2022 22:11

This is weird and must only be in the UK for newer cars.

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MustDust · 24/01/2022 22:11

I cannot decide if half the people on this thread are on the wind up.

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pastypirate · 24/01/2022 22:13

Wind up

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noblegiraffe · 24/01/2022 22:14

They’re not different colours, it’s just the wavelength shifts depending on whether they are travelling towards you or away from you.

The shade of the reg plate is how speed cameras tell how fast you are going.

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Littlewhiteballs · 24/01/2022 22:14

Yep, like a pp I learnt this from my 5 year old Blush

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EekThreek · 24/01/2022 22:15

@DryWhiteagainW

Did you know about the arrow next to the petrol pump sign on your dashboard? It tells you which side of your car the petrol cap’s on. This was a game changer for me.......although I still check every time I have to fill up Grin

Not all cars. Before my ford, I never had it.


The white/yellow number plates though? I worry about society sometimes, I really do.
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Snippysocks · 24/01/2022 22:16

I'd notice the tiniest scratch on my car - but never noticed this!

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