While we’re thankful we didn’t get stuck with something like Kentucky’s Teletubby-esque acid trip known as “Mr. Smiley Face,” the new 6-by-12-inch piece of “automotive jewelry” that will be dangling from the back of our vehicles starting next year leaves much to be desired. In fact, it’s downright ugly.
And USC fans may be more than a little ticked that this thing looks like a less-than-subtle tribute to Clemson.
The Greenville News has more on this monstrosity:
The new design by Matthew Kamann of Mount Pleasant, features a dark blue palmetto tree and crescent moon, with a silhouette of the mountains against a sunset.
The plate slogan, developed by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, invites visitors with a new tourism Web address at www.travel2SC.com.
The new plate received more that 102,000 votes during a public voting contest among three designs held over the summer. [Greenville News]
First, “the people” didn’t choose this design; they just picked the top three and some panel chose the winner.
Second, the 102,000 people that did vote for this thing should have their voting privileges revoked.
And third, nobody wants to see a “silhouette of the mountains against a sunset.” We want to see some Carolina Blue over a white background anchored by a defiant palmetto tree. And if they’re going to put the crescent moon in there, they could at least not make it look like it fell onto the tree.
The tags we’ve had since 1998 are great and, as the old adage goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Plus, don’t we have more important transportation-related things to be worrying about like, say, DOT reform?
(h/t South Carolina blog)
Sphere: Related ContentThis entry was posted on Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 at 10:31 am and is filed under Around the state. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
This Clem Tech plate sux and will never see the light of day on any automobile of mine.
What Bull****!
Where is the picture of BOZO the clown?
I think I’ll stick with the “In God We Trust” plate I have now, thanks…
…yikes…
The USuC coots in Columbia are up in arms…errr…feathers over this one. Add the so called Clemson license plate to their ever growing list of conjured up conspiracies…this one will fit nicely between spots three and four on their list - black helicopters and the Sorenson plan to put an end to football.
I would have voted for it too. Go Tigers (1990).
[...] … and WE are going to be FORCED to pay for this ugly piece of crap! Read more at Palmetto Scoop. [...]
its an effin plate. get over it.
[...] made it well known that we dislike the new Clemson-colored license plates being issued to all South Carolinians [...]
Nevermind that it’s not a CRESCENT MOON, but a SILVER CRESCENT…..harumph…
How long ‘ere the legislature blames Governor Sanford?
Yeah, I grok the history of the Silver Crescent, but that looks too much like the Islamic crescent for my comfort.
Those plates are cheery. Lighten up, you guys.
the tag is fine but the slogan is really bad! Why does SC have to copy all the other states that have websites on their tags?
Wait until they try to put pop-up ads on your car too.
I don’t think the plate is horrible. Personally I’d like to see a Navy specialty plate. As a former sailor I’d like to have a plate to show my pride the same way there’s a hundred college pride plates in SC. Florida has Navy/Marine/Army/Air Force/Coast Guard plates, given the amount of military bases in South Carolina I’d like to have to option for one too.
fugly go tigers
I like the new license plate. I think the plate represents the history of our state with our signature Palmetto tree and crescent. Everyone in the state had an opportunity to design the new license plate. If you can design a better looking plate I would love to see it. Why make this into a Clemson vs. USC issue. I believe that Clemson colors are purple and orange, not dark blue and orange. It is just a sunrise/sunset design dont make it anymore than that. Also, it is obvious that those are not mountains at the bottom. It looks like a silhouette of a tree line in the background. Be happy you live in a state that gives you an opportunity to design and vote in the plate design process. There should be no excuses, everyone had their chance.
Waste of money. I like the current plate with “Smiling Faces…” with blue mountains and a green palmetto tree with “intaglio” (impressed) letters and numbers. This new one the SCDMV say it’s “digital” and I think it’s flat and ugly. The font is very ugly and the website name is ugly and looks “spammy” with”two” spelled as a number “2″. Very UNPROFESSIONAL plate. Waste of my tax money! I feel I paid all these state vehicle propertty taxes almost $500 !!! for one car and SC did not even ask me whether I wanted a new plate or not!
I don’t understand why you Gamecocks are so upset. With your miserable-at-best representation in the ownage that is the Clemson/USC rivalry, nothing in this state will ever bear the colors of garnet and black.
Even if we leave the sole design rights up to you Gamecocks, you’ll find a way to blow it down the stretch… Just like football.
It’s NOT a Clemson vs. Carolina…..it’s just a UGLY tag!! I hate it. We need to write our gov. to re-enstate the palmetto tag. Who were these 200,000 people who chose it? I never heard anything abt it until it started showing up on cars this month.
The 200,000 people were undocumented aliens, who landed here on a spaceship from the planet, MEKHICHO. Its right next to Pluto which doesn’t exist as a planet no mo’, comprehende por favor!
…………so , that’s what ‘it’ is….the new SC tag . I thought we were being over-run by out-of-state vehicles from some South Western state . How are dark and somber colors supposed to support our tourism image as a ‘light’ and fun, bed-and-breakfasty , BRIGHT sunshiny beach and Emerald Green mountains and Bright White Dixianna Sandish sandhills regions , positive Piedmont region , etc ….and as the website that is impossible to read without rear-ending the vehicle in front ….and mostly half-covered by vanity plate brackets …………as a ‘FUN’ place to visit …. supposed to go? Seems dark and eerie to me…maybe I should vacation in Florida , the sunshine state , rather than SC the dark blight state ? When did our lush green mountains become so ‘dark’ and omnious?
IIF ITS THAT BAD.. WHICH IT REALLY IS.. JUST GET A CUSTOM PLATE..THAT WAY U CAN HAVE WHAT U WANT ON THERE..WORKS FOR ME!
I see the ‘gentleman’ or ‘lady’ that authored the above tirade on the new license plate left their name off the article. I can’t blame them, if I was that narrow minded and critical, I’d use an AKA. I see nothing wrong with the new plate, at least it isn’t as hooo—hummm as the one we have now.
First, Mr. or Mrs. “original author”, those are trees NOT mountains that are at the bottom…next you want “Carolina Blue”, NEWS flash…This is South Carolina NOT North Carolina. You want Carolina Blue move to Raleigh. My blood runs orange and I saw(see) no relation between Clemson and the new tag.
I’m thinking “Mr. or Mrs. original arthur” is just another whiney gamecock fan that would have been elated with a garnet and black license plate.
Anyway…it get’s my vote.