Beachcombing

I recently learned at www.thedrive.com that California is about to run out of license plate numbers by the end of 2025.

The current system for non-commercial vehicles was rolled out in 1980 and the DMV expects this sequence to run its course before the year is out. But this isn’t as alarming as it might sound: California officials have already announced the next sequence.

In June 2024, The Sacramento Bee wrote that the California DMV was sitting on about 18 months’ worth of license plate numbers, pegging the final current-style plate for the end of the year. The system, which started with 1AAA000, will be replaced with its reverse. The new system will consist of three numbers, three letters and one number, so the first one could be something like 000AAA1 or 001AAA1 or 100AAA1 depending on whether or how they exactly implement the existing “no leading zeroes” rule.

Eventually, someone will drive around with a car wearing registration number 9ZZZ999. Regardless of when the current system ends, an unsuspecting motorist will also be assigned to the first registration number in the new system.

California’s current registration system has appeared on several types of plates. In 1980, the state issued blue plates with gold letters. The emblematic “Golden State” plates became available in 1982, and the current style has been the norm since 1993, though it has gone through several small evolutions since. Will a new look accompany the new registration system? We won’t have to wait long to find out.

Speaking of numbers, California has 41 area codes, the most of any U.S. state. Eleven states only have one area code: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.

Online Nextdoor posts provide hours of interesting comments and funny stuff. For example, Laurann Wakefield reported last week that she saw a sign on a TESLA: “I bought it before we knew Elon was crazy.”

David T. of Bluff Park·wrote: In case anyone is near the pier and thinking “ I really need to use the bathroom, but don’t want to drive all the way to The Beverly Hills Hotel.” You don’t have to! Use the new automated toilets at the pier. They have the same wallpaper!

• Carl Porter: Very impressed. I hope it stays there but understand it is only there for a few months. One thing to know is you need to have a cell phone to scan or text in order to enter.
• Susynoid responded: I’m guessing the process of using your phone for access is intended to instill a sense of accountability.
• Mococoa: There is a 10-minute time limit. The door opens after 10 minutes. A local security person or police officer is called to the scene if the person remains in there (at 15 minutes). Repeated violators of the time limit are banned from using any bathroom run by the company.
• A Crazy Hooligan: Why doesn’t the city just maintain the bathrooms that already exist? The decision confuses me. These are subject to the same issues the bathrooms were, so I don’t understand what this solves.
• Sparics: Used it the other day, there aren’t any other public restrooms around Belmont Brewing Company until you get to Rosie’s so it’s a nice option in a pinch. Honestly, except for a sort of porta potty smell the inside was clean and nice. It looks like the company designed it to open from the back too so it can be pressure washed. Curious to see how often the city services them because that’s what will keep it accessible to everyone including the unhoused.

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