Adieu matriculation - GroovyMucker
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7999795.stm

This was in the news while we were over in France recently.

Great shame, I think: no more being able to say "blooming Parisians" when cut up by a 75 plate ...
Adieu matriculation - pmh2
My understanding is that you can have any Dept number you like in the 'optional area' . Can forsee a big increase in 69 ;)





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Adieu matriculation - Martin Devon
My understanding is that you can have any Dept number you like in the 'optional
area' . Can forsee a big increase in 69 ;)

Like working for the Mafia eh!
Adieu matriculation - mike hannon
Haute-Vienne (87) has already handed out 'loyalty' stickers to fit in the vacant space. I still think it's a shame to lose the 'instant identity' element though.
One can't help thinking it's what was at the start a good idea but has somehow not worked out - a bit like the UK arrangements(?).
I met an old chap a few weeks ago who lives near Bordeaux and I pointed out that his Honda Accord V6 coupe (a rarity, to which he had stuck, on the back, a sticker with a suggestive picture and the words 'sex cylindres') still carried a '75' Paris plate. He said he had not bothered to re-register his car to '33' because everyone in his village drove very slowly and when he overtook them they could shout 'f--------- Parisien'!
As he explained this while feeding SWMBO and I aperitifs at 10.30am I thought it seemed a very good idea...
Adieu matriculation - L'escargot
I thought "matriculation" was the term used to describe students' formal entry into the a university, prior to which (at one time) one would to need to gain a "matriculation certificate".
Adieu matriculation - regent
I suppose it will help to hide all the hire cars with their block bookings such IIRC Eurocar all being registered in Rouen (76) - but it will make it less fun "spotting" non Var (83) cars when on holiday.
Adieu matriculation - Bilboman
It's quite a clever system, similar to the one in Italy, although it produces some curious anomalies.
From what I've read on the French websites, ALL cars registered in France will eventually have to be re-registered (once and for life) under the new system whenever they are (i) MoT-tested; (ii)sold, new or second hand. So your neighbour with a 50 year old CV will eventually have a "newer" registration than the brand new car you bought yesterday.
From my experience of living and driving in Spain for nearly 20 years, an end to regional rivalries is no bad thing. Those of us living in the Basque Country can now drive to other parts of Spain without suffering humiliating roadside checks (ETA terrorists, of course, always used false plates).
The Spanish 1234 BCD system prohibits vowels to avoid unfortunate words creeping in, although I have spotted a few cars with almost complete "Anglo Saxon" words...
Adieu matriculation - Alanovich
Bosnia similarly has avoided regional number plates, wisely. Although Serbia and Croatia persist with them.

I once hired a car in Croatia and drove it to Montenegro, where it was vandalised over night, in the shape of a well known Serbian national symbol. Thankfully I had bought top insurance cover and was not charged for resparying the bonnet of a metallic silver Fabia.

I often drive Serbian registered hire cars through Vukovar in Croatia, although I try not to leave them parked up on street and keep them in a locked compound when I arrive at my destination. No problems so far.............

I also once drove a Portuguese hire car in to Spain and had the car broken in to over night, they smashed the rear door quarterlight (Clio II) and had a good rummage around, but there was nothing to steal.

I'm all in favour of pan-European number plates, although will there be enough combinations to go around?

What I miss most on French cars is the old yellow headlights they all used to have.

Edited by Alanovich on 21/04/2009 at 14:35