No OR6ASM on our highways: The number plates rejected by NZTA in 2017

Saturday, 27 January 2018

Car enthusiasts at the Hibiscus Rodders Beach Festival in Auckland make a call on whether plates are offensive.

WARNING: Contains profanity

Imagine cruising down State Highway 1 and slamming on the brakes as one of your children asks 'Mummy, what does OR6ASM mean?' Well, luckily you won't have to.

OR6ASM, FK8R and 4UHOES were among some personalised number plate applications that were rejected by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) in 2017.

Applications are rejected if letter combinations are offensive, derogatory, obscene or profane - and if they promote violence, discrimination or bias.

The NZTA said it had worked hard to protect the sensibilities of Kiwis who might object to imagery of a profane nature brought by the attention-seeking of those who are good with letters and numbers.

* New Zealand emergency operators fielded a number of bizarre 111 calls in 2017

* Number plate theft on the rise nationwide**

But do New Zealanders require such protection?

For some attendees at Auckland Anniversary Weekend's annual three-day Rodders Beach Festival in Orewa, it all seemed a bit unnecessary.

Natalie Millerchen said she wasn't offended by the 'OR6ASM' plate.

'I guess that works for an old car, if it's fast.'

'DUMBRS' was also rejected by the NZTA for being disrespectful or profane.

'Disrespectful? Nah,' Millerchen said.

'If they're calling themselves dumb a….s, that's all right.'

Emblazoned across the boot of Ian Neary's 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner is a scantily woman with the word 'Orgazm' beneath.

ORGAZM features on the number plate too and on detail inside the car.

ORGAZM isn't the legal plate, but a 'fun plate', Neary said.

He didn't apply for the word as it was never going to pass, but it had been on his car for the 15 years he had owned it.

'I've been stopped many a time by officers, and the question of the plate has never been raised, so I am quite happy.'

Neary said most of the words rejected by NZTA were confusing and a couple were derogatory.

He said he didn't like any, as he preferred a plate that could be easily read.

General plate combinations of certain acronyms such as KKK, KUM and KGB were also rejected by the NZTA.

Plates were held back if they were offensive, derogatory, obscene or profane.

They were also held back if they promoted violence, discrimination or bias against race, age, religious or ethical belief, ancestry, place of origin, disability, sexual origin and family or marital status.

Previous years have seen FUC, FUK and FUQ skipped, but when FTP, also an anti-police slogan, came around, it was allowed.

A police spokeswoman refused to comment on whether the NZTA had discussed whether it was appropriate to release the letter combination.

Rejected Personalised Number Plates 2017:

4UHOES - Derogatory

OR6ASM - Inappropriate

XXXXXK- Confusing

CROWN - For Government use only

FUBUFU - Inappropriate

DUMBRS - Disrespecful/Profane

4GASM - Inappropriate

FK8R - Inappropriate

I1IIIM - Confusing