Ostentatious displays of wealth

[John Ponting]

Steve Parrish (Stavros), former British Motorcycle Champion, multi British , Superbike Champion, multi British Truck Racing Champion and multi Euoropean Truck Racing Champion used to drive around in a series of cars with PEN 1 S. You didn't need too much class to race motorbikes in the early '70s.

 

[Mr Celine]

The curious thing is that the type of 'motorist' who has TO55ERS number plates is generally the type that moans endlessly about taxes on hard pressed motorists.

 

[SamNichols]

Did anyone see Dragons' Den last night? The guy with a portable gold plater was a really good example of the ostentatious display of wealth. All items, such as the gold-plated iPod were hideous, but to certain groups of people would be seen as 'classy'. In fact, as the iPod in itself is an ostentatious show of wealth, then a goldplated one must have double impact.

 

[arranandy]

I can think of plenty of people who would suit the reg plate -

W4NKA

 

[girofan]

It's all about money for the DVLA. You have to tax a car to obtain registration; then they want to charge you again to have one personal to yourself.
All our masters think of is: MONEY, MONEY,MONEY.

 

[ufkacbln]

Known colloquially here as "Prat plates"..

I have two colleagues who use them as it means that the year of their car is less easy to tell!

Personally I love them - makes the number so much easier to remember and if they are altered then a complaint of "What concerns me most Officer, is that the lettering has been altered and I found the plate hard to read"

There is a local guy who spent a fortune on his plates, but they are nonsense now the numbers are spaced properly!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Confession time ... for a little while (about a week, because it broke down) I had a Porsche 924 with the reg "SXI 4122". It was given to me by my dad, who bought it with that plate already on, but I still felt like a bit of an arse driving it around.

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Personalised number plates ? I'd have one if I could afford it, not that I really need it.

Same as I would buy a huge detached 5 bed / 3 recep / 3 bath double fronted, double drive house if I could afford it, Waste of money as their is only two of us at home, but what the heck, it's my bloody money.

 

[ChrisKH]

This thread should be in Soapbox.

You're absolutely right, you can spend your money on what you like. But you will be judged accordingly. Red light jumper. WVM. Personalised plate. In the scheme of things it hardly matters but on a point of principle I wouldn't buy one. When I see a big tasteful house, the Aston Martin in the garage downstairs, the Bianchi in the shop I think 'nice'. Add Lions to the entrance gate and water features, the wrong bling on the bike, the personalised plate to the car and people's judgment alters. With money comes responsibility.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

Those sunglasses with the really broad arms with Armani or Chanel or Chloe or some such outward display of tawdry monetray boastmanship.

 

[got-to-get-fit]

I also saw a Ferrari on my high street the other day with the boot cut-away and a piece of glass in its place so you can see the engine......if that is'nt a display of look how big my wallet and my dick is then i dont know what is.

 

[pw2389]

It's all about money for the DVLA. You have to tax a car to obtain registration; then they want to charge you again to have one personal to yourself.
All our masters think of is: MONEY, MONEY,MONEY.

And why not? If people are prepared to pay it then why not use it as an easy source of public funds? It's letting capitalism do some of the dirty work of raising public funds.

 

[pw2389]

And why not? If people are prepared to pay it then why not use it as an easy source of public funds? It's letting capitalism do some of the dirty work of raising public funds.

Should have added that it's a bit like the tax on sex in Carry On Henry

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I also saw a Ferrari on my high street the other day with the boot cut-away and a piece of glass in its place so you can see the engine......if that is'nt a display of look how big my wallet and my dick is then i dont know what is.

I rather like that. A Ferrari engine is a work of art and I for one woud happily gawp at one for minutes on end.

 

[John Ponting]

I also saw a Ferrari on my high street the other day with the boot cut-away and a piece of glass in its place so you can see the engine......if that is'nt a display of look how big my wallet and my dick is then i dont know what is.

Riding a full carbon professional replica through a town centre in full team lycra is a far bigger display of 'how big my dick is' than any car could ever be.