Walking under a ladder, a black cat crossing your path and breaking a mirror are all superstitions passed down through generations and accompanying this gang is the unlucky for some, number 13. So what will the year 2013 mean for new car number plates?
Will superstition take over and put fallacy over fact for new car owners?The DVLA has confirmed that next year will see a series of 13 number plates and along with it anxiety to see if superstition will slow sales. The number has no secret reputation of bad luck and dealers are beginning to question the potential effects of this suspicious number.
Over the next six months speculation will be put to the test as to whether or not the DVLA will offer drivers the chance to substitute any 13 registered number plates for a probable 62. Regardless of the notorious superstition that surrounds the number, there are no plans to halt production and the new number plates will follow conventional format.
At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference. If you live by superstitions then maybe you’ll want to wait until September for the new release of number plates, but for some it will just be down to the numbers that fit the plate.
On the other hand, 13 could be just what some motorists are looking for. James Saperia, from personalised number plate company Simply Registrations says “While some people might avoid the 13 number plates, for others the number 13 could be just what they’ve been waiting for. Lots of options are opened up with combinations such as AL13 ERT, RO13 ERT and SU13 ARU all becoming available.”
Again it comes down to the individual buyer of the car. A motorist who changes vehicle every 3 – 4 years may not be superstitious but instead may be thinking of the potential re-sale value of the car with a 13 number plate. Other budding new car owners may not take heed to the luckless number on their plate.
Whether or not people decide to shun this number and refrain from buying new cars remains to be seen. Adding to this, are the cynical views of sceptics suggesting that it may have been a calculated move to encourage motorists to buy a personalised registration – fitting in nicely with the newly reduced price of the DVLA’s affordable selection of number plates.
Combinations of 13 registration number plates will be available to buy from the 4th of December 2012. BA13LUCK might be a plate too far though!
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