Americana: Licentious Plates

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There are no BUMS, CADS or DUDS on the road in Iowa, not even APES, HAGS or HAMS. These prefixes were all banned from the state's automobile license plates on grounds of taste by the Iowa Department of Transportation. But since new plates were issued last month, 130 irate motorists in Scott County have returned the plates because they bore the prefix GAY. One woman wrote: "I cannot be a single teacher and sport those plates." A traveling salesman complained that while he was in Chicago, his car doors were kicked in because of the plates.

State officials blame the foul-up on their decision to use California's list of three-letter, three-digit combinations rather than prepare their own. The officials tried to eliminate prefixes that might be offensive to Iowans but overlooked GAY. Says Scott County Treasurer William Cusack: "Out in California I'm sure there is a waiting line for GAY plates. But not in Iowa." He is offering to exchange the GAY plates—1,000 were issued —on payment of a $4 fee.