Backgrounds of License Plates
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When I visited Las Vegas last month, I noticed license plates of cars have various backgrounds. I was fascinated by them because Japanese license plates have only 4 patterns and neither of them have any pictures. (See the first picture)
The first one with yellow background and black letters is for small type of cars for personal use, the one with black background and yellow letters is for small type for business. The right two are for bigger type of cars for personal use and business use respectively.
When I saw the variety of license plates in the U.S. , I thought it depends on the state.
However, I soon realized that even cars from the same state can have some different backgrounds. I saw at least two types of Nevada plate, and two types of Florida plate. (See the second and third pictures)
I wonder how many kinds of license plates in each states, and if an owner of a car can choose any of them. If I could choose a background I like for my license plate, I would be happy.
I couldn’t help looking at those plates on the roads and in the parking lots. Each plate seems to depict something that represents the state, and often have the nickname of the state. I think it’s good because it can advertize the state, encourage people to visit the state, and probably get the driver to be proud of his or her state.
I wish Japan would adopt this system some day.
The first one with yellow background and black letters is for small type of cars for personal use, the one with black background and yellow letters is for small type for business. The right two are for bigger type of cars for personal use and business use respectively.
When I saw the variety of license plates in the U.S. , I thought it depends on the state.
However, I soon realized that even cars from the same state can have some different backgrounds. I saw at least two types of Nevada plate, and two types of Florida plate. (See the second and third pictures)
I wonder how many kinds of license plates in each states, and if an owner of a car can choose any of them. If I could choose a background I like for my license plate, I would be happy.
I couldn’t help looking at those plates on the roads and in the parking lots. Each plate seems to depict something that represents the state, and often have the nickname of the state. I think it’s good because it can advertize the state, encourage people to visit the state, and probably get the driver to be proud of his or her state.
I wish Japan would adopt this system some day.
先月ラスベガスを訪れた時、私は車のナンバープレートに様々な背景が描かれているのに気づきました。 私はそれらにとても興味を持ちました。なぜなら、日本のナンバープレートは４種類しかなくて、どれもまったく絵がないのです。（最初の写真を見てください）
一番目の黄色い背景に黒い文字のものは自家用の軽自動車のもので、黒地に黄色い文字のものは営業用の軽自動車のものです。右の二つはそれぞれ、自家用の普通自動車と営業用の軽自動車のものです。
アメリカで様々なナンバープレートを見た時、私はそれは州によって決まっているのだろうと思いました。
でも、すぐに、同じ州でもいくつかの違う背景のナンバープレートがあることに気づきました。 私は少なくとも二種類のネバダ州のナンバープレート、二種類のフロリダ州のナンバープレートを見ました。（二枚目と三枚目の写真を見てください）
それぞれの州に、いったい何種類のナンバープレートがあるのでしょうか。車の持ち主はその中から好きなものを選べるのでしょうか。
私は、道路や駐車場で車のナンバープレートに注目せずにいられませんでした。それぞれのナンバープレートがは、その州を代表する何かを描いているようですし、たいてい州のニックネームも入っています。それはいいことだと思います。州の宣伝になって観光客を呼び寄せられるし、多分運転している人が自分の州への誇りを持つようにもなるでしょう。
いつか、日本でもこういうシステムが入るといいな。
一番目の黄色い背景に黒い文字のものは自家用の軽自動車のもので、黒地に黄色い文字のものは営業用の軽自動車のものです。右の二つはそれぞれ、自家用の普通自動車と営業用の軽自動車のものです。
アメリカで様々なナンバープレートを見た時、私はそれは州によって決まっているのだろうと思いました。
でも、すぐに、同じ州でもいくつかの違う背景のナンバープレートがあることに気づきました。 私は少なくとも二種類のネバダ州のナンバープレート、二種類のフロリダ州のナンバープレートを見ました。（二枚目と三枚目の写真を見てください）
それぞれの州に、いったい何種類のナンバープレートがあるのでしょうか。車の持ち主はその中から好きなものを選べるのでしょうか。
私は、道路や駐車場で車のナンバープレートに注目せずにいられませんでした。それぞれのナンバープレートがは、その州を代表する何かを描いているようですし、たいてい州のニックネームも入っています。それはいいことだと思います。州の宣伝になって観光客を呼び寄せられるし、多分運転している人が自分の州への誇りを持つようにもなるでしょう。
いつか、日本でもこういうシステムが入るといいな。
I was fascinated by them because Japanese license plates have only 4 patterns and none of them have any pictures.
The first one with yellow background and black letters is for small types of cars for personal use, the one with black background and yellow letters is for small types of cars used for business.
I saw at least two types of Nevada plates, and two types of Florida plates.
I wonder how many kinds of license plates each states have, and if the owner of the car can choose any of them.
Oh, I saw a few Texas plates in Vegas, too.
When I visited Las Vegas last month, I noticed that license plates of cars have various backgrounds.
When "notice" is followed by a phrase which could stand by itself as a complete sentence, the relative pronoun "that" is implied. It can sometimes be omitted, but in this case, I think it makes the sentence smoother.
In contrast, if there were just a noun phrase at the end of the sentence, it would be correct without "that":
"... I noticed license plates of cars with many different backgrounds."
Here "license plates of cars with many different backgrounds" is long and complicated, but it is just a noun phrase; "plates" is modified by the noun "license" and by the two prepositional phrases "of cars" and "with many different backgrounds".
I was fascinated by them because Japanese license plates have only four patterns and none of them have any pictures.
"Neither(of)" is only used in the case of two things. For more than two things, you need to use "none of".
The first one with a yellow background and black letters is for small type of cars for personal use, and the one with a black background and yellow letters is for small cars (used) for business.
I don't know exactly what types of cars are described by the phrase 「軽自動車」, but "small type" is not a natural description in English. "Cars with small frames" and "small-frame cars" are possibilities, or the description might be in terms of the maximum number of passengers the cars can seat, or the maximum weight.
The two on the right are for bigger type of cars for personal use and business use respectively.
, I thought there was one for each state.
However, I soon realized that even cars from the same state can have some different backgrounds.
I saw at least two different (types of) Nevada plates, and two different (types of) Florida plates.
Your sentence is correct; I have a mild preference for including the word "different" and possibly omitting the phrase "types of".
I wonder how many kinds of license plates there are in each states, and if a car owner can choose any of them. [We would usually say "a driver" instead of "a car owner", although "a car owner" is more accurate, since the owner is usually the person who obtains the license plate if the owner and driver are two different people.]
If I could choose any background I liked for my license plate, I would be happy.
Each plate seems to depict something that represents the state, and they often have the nickname of the state. [Alternative: "... have a nickname for the state."]
I think it’s good because it can advertise the state, encourage people to visit the state, and probably get(s) the driver to be proud of his or her state. [Alternative: I think it's good because it (probably) helps to advertise the state and encourage people to visit it, and encourages residents of the state to be proud of where they live.]
I wish Japan would adopt a similar system some day. [Alternative: I hope that Japan adopts a similar system some day.]
Many states offer the option of specialty plates or vanity plates, for which the driver usually pays a higher fee than for the standard plates. Specialty plates have pictures or designs, often representing things or locations the state is famous for. Some states have only a few specialty plates, some have a large number of different designs to choose from. Vanity plates are plates where the serial number is chosen by the driver, within certain restrictions. Most people choose abbreviated spellings of phrases. In some states, symbols such as hearts can be characters in the serial number.
1. The length is 3.40m or shorter.
2. The width is 1.48m or narrower.
3. The height is 2.00m or lower.
4. The displacement is 660cc or less.
5. The maximum number of passengers is 4 people or less.
6. The maximum-load weight is 350kg or less.
Can I describe it as "cars with small frames?"
It seems like American license plates are really interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_classification
There may not be a name which corresponds exactly to what you have described above. I'm too lazy to do all of the units conversions.
Oh, I see.
Cars are status symbols..
For me, it's just a tool. Ha Ha.
However, I remember I really cherished my first car.
I don't have that feeling any more.
I was fascinated by them because there are only 4 types of Japanese license plates have only 4 patterns and none of them have any pictures.
I wonder how many kinds of license plates in each states has, and if an owner of a car can choose any of them.
Not too long ago I saw a Hawaii license plate on the car in front of me for the first time in my life. Somehow it made me feel really special, hehe. I thought to myself, ハワイのナンバープレート見っけ！ラッキー！今日はいいことありそう！ヾ(o･ω･)ﾉ
...
特にいいことありませんでした(´・ω・｀)
I love your comment. I couldn't help laughing when I read it.
I understand how you felt!
(^o^)
When I visited Las Vegas last month, I noticed that car license plates of cars have various backgrounds.
Sounds a little more natural to me.
However, I soon realized that even cars license plates from the same state can have different backgrounds.
Or "...even cars from the same state can have license plates with different backgrounds."
I enjoyed the website you introduced.
Looking into American license plates is really interesting.
Somebody liked it and bought the number or just a coincidence.
I'm not sure, though.
Come to think of it, there are no plates with "東京" on it, while other prefectures have the names on them.