New GP numberplates from April

supersunbird said:
Since your number plate would begin with Z you only have to get a new set in 2 years and 2 months...
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Not quite - AEIOU are excluded completely and G** reserved for government, so let's make that 20 months. And on that topic...

Gnome said:
So 45697600 possible combinations for the new plates VS. 17576000 for the old plates (excluding any reserved combinations).

What IDIOT came up with this system...
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An IDIOT that could do maths:D. The old system had 8,820,000 plates (20x21x21x1000).

Similarly, the new system will have 21x21 x100 x21x21 (if they allow G* plates and these are not reserved for govt, since govt will be red) 19,448,100

So basically, we've done just slightly better than doubling the pool. On review, maybe that idiot could not do maths after all...
 
But are there honestly nearly 9m vehicles in GP alone? something tells me there isn't.
 
GreGorGy said:
An IDIOT that could do maths:D. The old system had 8,820,000 plates (20x21x21x1000).

Similarly, the new system will have 21x21 x100 x21x21 (if they allow G* plates and these are not reserved for govt, since govt will be red) 19,448,100
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The G goes at the end currently if I remember correctly as in:
PDL 542 G
Similarly diplomatic plates also look different from our standard plates.

Am I missing something here, there are 26 letters in the alphabet A-Z. Hence our current system (excluding reserved words as I pointed out) would be 26*26*26*10*10*10 = 17576000

The new system has 2 letters, 2 number then 2 letters, IE. 26*26*10*10*26*26 = 45697600

GreGorGy said:
So basically, we've done just slightly better than doubling the pool. On review, maybe that idiot could not do maths after all...
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No, please explain first. There are 26 combinations for the first position, 26 for the next, etc. repetition allowed. How did you get to 21?

My mathematics isn't flawed, at best it's my understanding of the current system and/or the new system but that still means the increase is marginal at best.

Edit: I just looked on Wikipedia to double check, the letter G and B are both allowed in our number plates, have a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_South_Africa#The_nine_provinces

Please explain your logic to me.
 
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It's not GreGorGy's logic that is wrong, but the idiots who seem to think that by adding vowels to our numbers, we will come up with too many naughty words!

Take AEIOU from the equation and you end up with 21.

G and B were both used for Government vehicles in the present system, which drops the number to 19.
 
Fazda said:
It's not GreGorGy's logic that is wrong
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Ah, I didn't say it was wrong, I just didn't get why he used 21 instead of 26. Thanks for the heads up, I don't pay much attention to those kinds of things.

Fazda said:
G and B were both used for Government vehicles in the present system, which drops the number to 19.
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Yeah but according to the Wikipedia page government plates start with G and also end with G (instead of GP), same for police ("B" for Bacon). My mom's old car was BKJ, so it's definitely not reserved in the case of B for the first letter. Still if it were just the first letter it would be:

19*21*21*10*10*10
 
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Variations of B i.e. BBB through to BZZ are all used and end with GP, so you are correct with regard to your mom's car - so I was wrong on that count, sorry....G was not used at all for private numbers, however, and they moved straight from FZZ999GP to HBB000GP.

The entire system is flawed, however,and as I said above, all the idiots had to do was have a look at the UK system and they would never have run out of numbers!
 
I doubt that the change is because of the numberspace getting thin. Probably just another excuse for a BEE deal.

I also don't think the RFID tags are an excuse to bring in new plates. The gov can't even read water meters properly, how the hell are they going to cope with RFID tech?

When one asks the dealers why the price tag on those plastic number plate holders (Current ones) are so ludicrously high they also respond with gravy train suspicions.
 
First could be any consonant except G = 20 letters; 2nd and 3rd any consonant = 21 letters. No vowels 20x21x21 x1000

Police B plates do follow the XXX 999 model but all end in B

But here's the thing: NAAMSA puts NATIONAL monthly sales figures between 28k and 40k for the past 12 years. Even assuming the best performance of 40k per month, we would have 5,760,000 vehicle sales. Nationally. Add in caravans, trailers and other plated vehicles and I still doubt we will reach even the 8+mil that have been used, which means that many of them are being swallowed by old T plates. But, jeez, how many? The mind boggles. The mind scrabbles. The mind thinks of words it can make with CC 99 CC GP...
 
Oh, and on the RFID...

Go to a mall - a big one with lots of those shoplifting RFID invisible doors. They go ape when a tag passes through them. I have been told (although not reliably) that 3G / WCDMA signals interfere with the performance of SOME RFID tags. I was told that - for this reason - the cellular providers disable these within the walls of the malls.

So, will the 3G/WCDMA signal interfere with whatever purpose the RFID tags on the plates are supposed to serve (automatic tolling I am told)?
 
You make a good point about the numbers...how the hell did we reach the 7 odd million in the first place. There is no way that old T plates would have added up to over a million...surely...?

Where are all these millions of cars? Certainly not all on the road any more!
 
and a plate validation sticker - featuring the registration number and details of the vehicle - to be attached on the rear window. The validation sticker will self-destruct when removed
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Where the heck do you put this on bikes and trailers:wtf:
 
rabbiddog said:
Where the heck do you put this on bikes and trailers:wtf:
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They used to have those self destruct licences when the T plates first came out. You have to stick them on the inside of a licence plate disc holder on a bike and a trailer...stupid system!
 
Fazda said:
They used to have those self destruct licences when the T plates first came out. You have to stick them on the inside of a licence plate disc holder on a bike and a trailer...stupid system!
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Sounds stupid to me to, and they will get wet. I wonder if that would cause them to "self-destruct" :D
 
rabbiddog said:
Sounds stupid to me to, and they will get wet. I wonder if that would cause them to "self-destruct" :D
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Silly child! :D

If they are stuck INSIDE the glass on a metal licence holder that you get for a bike or a trailer, they shouldn't get wet, otherwise they will self destruct...same as if you wipe the inside of your windscreen with a damp chamois;)!
 
Trailers and bikes always need a license plate for them to be legally operated on the public road network, the piece of paper you guys speak of must be the registration disc which cars also have?

I admit you do see people without a license plate on their boat trailers but those guys are really asking for it, police love pulling those things over!
 
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