Is that a letter O or a zero on your license plate?
Q
I recently discovered when I went to AAA to renew my registration that my personalized licenseplate number was incorrectly made/recorded some 20-plus years ago. When I originally got the plate, I had a 300ZX car, and the license-plate number was a play on my name and included “300.” In 2002, I got a Lexus 300 and transferred the plate to the new car. But recently at AAA, the clerk was checking something and couldn't find my plate in the database. Wouldn't you know it — originally, the person who did the paperwork typed in three letter O's and not zeros, so my plate has been incorrect all these years. How should I handle this?
A
Let it roll, Rowena.
The clerk helped you, although it would have been dandy if you were told how and why.
The Department of Motor Vehicles doesn't use zeros on personalized plates, but does allow letter O's.
You couldn't tell the difference, right?
Neither could many cops. Now, with standard license-plate numbers — the ones the Department of Motor Vehicles just issues to those who don't want to pay for a specific sequence — it is a different story.
“On personalized licenseplate configurations, the DMV only allows the letter O, the number zero is not allowed,” Ronald Ongtoaboc, a DMV spokesman, told Honk in an email. “On standard sequential plates the DMV uses both the letter O and the number zero.” Why?
Because the cop who just pulled over someone with a standard license-plate number can easily tell the difference.
On cars, for example, a standard plate sequence is number-letter-letter-letternumber-number-number.
So it wasn't exactly what you wanted to hear, Rowena, but you have a fun story to tell friends, right?
Q
Is there a restriction on teenage drivers during their first year of driving, not being allowed to have a passenger in the car? Our 16-yearold granddaughter has had her license for a month. Her training instructor, an expolice officer, said that a new driver is not allowed to have a non-family member passenger the first year of their license. But he also said that he was very impressed with her driving, and he didn't see any reason why she could not have a passenger. Is there a law and if so, what is the penalty if she is stopped with a passenger in her car? We actually would be more comfortable with her driving if she did have another person with her, as it does not seem very safe nowadays for a young girl to be driving alone.
A
Drivers under age 18 do face laws specially for them:
• They can't have a passenger under 20 with them, unless a parent, a guardian or a licensed driver at least 25 years old is also aboard.
• They aren't allowed to drive from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the first year.
• And they can't drive for pay.
There are exceptions, such as those for the hours law that include for medical, school or work reasons — but the young driver must carry a note from a particular person (info: Page 4 of the California Driver's Handbook.)
If caught, the driver could be cited along with a parent or a guardian to ensure both end up in court, said Officer Sergio Rivera, a California Highway Patrol spokesman.
Rivera, by the way, teaches a free class, “Start Smart,” out of his Santa
Ana station house, to teens and their parents. Years ago, Honk went to one with a Little Honk and was impressed with what she retained.
To attend one, call the non-emergency number at your local CHP office.
There are 411,133 environmentfriendly vehicles currently issued Clean Air Vehicle ( CAV) stickers so their solo drivers can go in carpool lanes, according to the DMV. Since January 2001, when the program kicked off, more than 1.05 million sets of decals have been issued. The entire program will end on Sept. 30, 2025, unless lawmakers step in. Those who quality for the stickers can now apply online at dmv.ca.gov (In the search bar, type in “CAV” to pull up the proper web page).