Strangest and most distant license plates you've seen in your area

[RawLee]

Originally Posted by snowman159

I find that very hard to believe. How do you know that?
I can't imagine any circumstances in which it would actually save them any money. And rental agencies don't pay fines anyway (for violations committed by their customers). And long-term I don't even think it's possible at all.

Rental agencies do pay fines here. If the driver doesnt take the responsibility,it automatically gets transferred to the owner. So if a local company is the owner,it will be fined.


BTW,I once saw a truck from Mongolia,and of course,I see US plates every week or so,mostly while breaking the law.

[Palance]

Originally Posted by spotila

nothing but new zealand plates here in ..new zealand - ofcourse :~

When I was in NZ, I also have seen only NZ-plates. But I have also seen 1 car with the steering wheel on the left in stead of the right (in Arrowtown). I wonder why someone should have a car like that in NZ.

[pedro_auriazul]

In from mexico city...i have seen of costa rica, el salvador, alaska and ontario.

[BND]

Originally Posted by snowman159

I find that very hard to believe. How do you know that?
I can't imagine any circumstances in which it would actually save them any money. And rental agencies don't pay fines anyway (for violations committed by their customers). And long-term I don't even think it's possible at all.

It is the Eastern-European way of doing things, often hard to believe by people from the West

If you want a biiig American car here in Hungary, you have to pay an awful lot of money. The registration tax can be over 10000 EUR, the insurance is very high, other high maintenance costs. Many people drive cars with Slovakian and German plates too, also for because lower registration and maintenance costs. The customs are huntig for them though...

It is no way for the Hungarian police to trace back the owner of an US plate, for they would have to contact US authorities, and they won't respond in time. Even if they trace back, they can't do anything with an American company...

[dubart]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

Why are there so many U.S. plates in Europe, especially Slovenia?

In Croatia, because of diaspora. I know at least 30 Croat-Americans who keep a car with US plates here and drive them when on holidays. They say it's cheaper that way.

[ckm]

Originally Posted by Jonesy55

I don't understand why US and Canadian plates would be common in Hungary???

Because of immigration from Eastern Europe to North America. There are no glamourous reasons as stated before in this thread. For a retired coming back to Europe, it's cheaper to ship their American car than buying a new one in their home country (considering cars are much more expensive in Europe than in the US!)

I'd add Portugal as well to the list. It's very easy crossing cars with US and Canadian plates or cars with Portuguese plates but North-American specifications (undoubtly bought in the US then shipped to Europe at some point). Most of these cars are available as well in Europe (Corollas, Civics, Jettas), so no doubt their owners bought them thinking about a later shipping to Europe.

[Verso]

There are very few Slovenian immigrants to North America, but perhaps people with Slovenian roots come "back" to Slovenia for a while. No idea. But maybe it's for the same reason as BND said. It would explain some other exotic plates I've seen here, like UAE (Dubai), Kuwait, Cyprus, Monaco in front of my house , but I haven't seen Vanuatu.

[dubart]

Originally Posted by Verso

but I haven't seen Vanuatu.

Check this link (only in Croatian). It's an article titled Tax avoiding - Vanuatu phenomenon.

Google translated this:

Masters of "scam", which according to current national legislation is subject to the customs violation, with a "heavenly" country Vanuatu have a solution for this. And that it had never been nor seen. Indeed, many do not know its whereabouts or does it even exist. And why and when would they do it is not necessary. Specifically, resourceful state Vanuatu its customers enables registration of cars, even over the Internet. Fill out the form, pay the required U.S. $ 950 and within a week, two plates coming to you registering your car. Furthermore, the annual renewal of registration is only $ 250. To make things even more interesting, all the cars, registered Fiat 500 or Aston Martin Vanquish, subject to the above-mentioned fixed costs of registration. It sounds incredible, but the proof for that are just cars that can be seen in Croatia, and for whose control, of course, sat Croats.

[Escher]

Here in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) I remember I've saw: USA, Mexico, France, Germany, Czech Republic (a motorhome) and UK. Mercosul countries are quite common (Argentina Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile). Others from South America rather than Mercosul are rare but I already spotted from Peru and Venezuela.

[Verso]

Originally Posted by Escher

Here in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) I remember I've saw: France

French Guiana?

@dubart, do you know a good spot in Croatia (Zagreb), where I can sit for a few hours, so I can say I've seen a Vanuatu plate?

[dubart]

Originally Posted by Verso

@dubart, do you know a good spot in Croatia (Zagreb), where I can sit for a few hours, so I can say I've seen a Vanuatu plate?

Sorry, but I live in Zadar. Anyway, I think that police is trying to exterminate such cases because it's a fraud, so you should hurry. The last one I saw was a Hummer H3 around last Christmas.

[staff]

I saw a large truck with Iraqi plates a couple of months ago on the Autostradan highway between Malmö and Lund, Sweden.

[Escher]

Originally Posted by Verso

French Guiana?

Hehehehe you really like French Guiana Verso! But was not, it had numbers from continental France (2 numbers). French Guiana I think have 3 numbers (973).

[dubart]

London taxi in Zadar.

[dubart]

Some hillbilly from California. Paljuv is a remote village in Dalmatia.

[Verso]

[Timon91]

Is that just a souvenir sign? Normally US plates have some kind of date on it.

[dubart]

No, the rear plate was Californian as well.
Here you go:



Look at this CRO sticker - we use HR, he must have bought it in California

[Timon91]

Thanks. A USA sticker

[Chibcha2k]

Here in Colombia i saw once a Swiss van, guess they were on a tour in South America.

It's quite common to see Venezuelan or Ecuadorian cars, although once I spotted a Bolivian car in Bogotá's centre.