Extreme Parallel Parking
May 02, 2011 
You knew it had to come up . . . but darned if I didn’t see even one personalized plate in France. Yeah, I think that’s just not done there. Probably because the French spend all their energy learning to park in impossible places:
Why bother thinking up a creative 8-letter (or whatever it is in France) commentary about yourself when no one will be able to see the plate half the time anyway?
Actually, I’m wondering if personalized plates are an exclusively American thing. I’d love it if all of you who live in other countries would confirm or correct my opinion. (Please!)
Anywho . . . since there are more than enough creative plates here in Virginia to make up for it, I’ve decided on a compromise. Here’s how it will work:
- I will post a super fun license plate I found here, in the U.S.
- You will guess the color, make, and model of the car (like usual).
- The first person to get all three right wins a French candy bar. A Lion bar to be exact.
Good, yes? Because I have to say that I’m sacrificing a lot by sharing my limited supply of Lion bars with you. You can’t get these in the U.S., and they are SUPER yummy!
So on to the important stuff. I saw this car parked at the grocery story, and I was grinning the whole time I was there. You may laugh, but as a children’s writer, I’m trying to take lessons from my audience. We should all let something so simple make us happy.
And, the license plate du jour:
On your mark. Get set. Guess!
P.S. If you haven’t voted in the latest This vs. That, please head on over before I tally the results. 🙂
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a red Mazda?
Okay, my question: How the heck does the driver of that car get it out from between the other two?
Well all I'm seeing is Red-Zoom-Zoom, so it's got to be red. And sporty. idk, a new red Ford Focus?
Hmm. I'm going with something different. I see some slinky silver car. But I'd love it if it was a really old, beat up car. 🙂
Oh I love Lion bars! If you ever need a Lion bar supplier, I can oblige. I sound like a chocolate pimp. lol.
A red Ford Mustang Convertible.
Ha! Brilliant. Geez I can't parallel park. That looks so intimidating!! Now you have me wondering about the personalized plates in other countries…
I would have guessed mustang, but Angela stole it from me. So I'll go with red slug bug.
Red mini Cooper
Or you could just send me a Lion bar for old times sake.
Red Mazda! (weren't they the ones w/that commercial?)
And OK, my old neighbor had this on his car: L8TRDUD
yep. Dud. 😀 <3
Red rover, red rover, let a red Porsche zoom over.
(So, I'm pretty sure it's not a Porsche because Porsche drivers probably do not have personalized license plates (or is that a stereotype?), but it sounds fun to zoom around in a red Porsche, so that's my guess!)
Amy
I'd say a red mazda as well. 🙂 Just a guess.
And I saw some pretty crazy parking over in France, but craziest of all was Spain – they triple park there! It's ridiculous. Italy gets worse as well, I think.
Oh how fun! What company does zoom zoom. *elevator music while I google it*
Mazda!
Red
My family likes decoding vanity plates when we're on the freeway. Yes, we're easy to please.
Red Chevy Corvette. 🙂 I haven't heard of a Lion bar before…
I suck at this game, not even going to take a guess.
Wow. And I thought I was good at parallel parking! =)
Good news about your Lion bars, Janet–they are made by Nestle's european division and I HAVE in fact seen them in import stores in the U.S. Try your local British tea shop or Irish shop. I have purchased them in both such places here in PA.
They are the most to-die-for confection ever! I got completely hooked on them when I studied abroad in England.
for that license plate i got thinking its a red ferrari zm coupe but for sure youre not gonna see so many ferraris parked by a grocery store. so now im thinking its a red mazda zm. did you know there a red ferrarri zoom zoom pedal car thats just for kids? how cool is that!
…hugs from lenny
It's gotta be a red Mazda, you know, ZOOM ZOOM! I'm guessing a Miata, because they are my favs!
No, I don’t think they’re exclusive to Americans. It probably just started there, but custom plates are also a trend in Europe nowadays. Anyway, I find the car scene funny as well. 😀 I think it’s silly that the owner of the middle car didn’t even bother to move a bit backward, you know, even if just to delay the discovery of the damage he/she had done to the black car’s rear. LOL! Parallel parking is really a challenge, even for drivers with small cars, apparently. –>Marvis Carswell