h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's done to confuse foreigners, as far as I know.

Well, it confuses one of the Englishmen here at work too.. But then again, he is a foreigner up here, isn't he?

Well, you could look at it that way, but they do the same thing in England, so he must be very easily confused.

That is of course true.. Right now, I don't have much faith in his abilities anyways, so it wouldn't be much different anyways.

But seriously, is there a logical reason for the plates to be coloured differently?? To see which way it's facing when you meet a car in the dark or something???

Seems a logical enough reason... I can't think of a better answer! Have you tried posting it in "Ask h2g2"?

Surely it is to do with the headlights being white and break lights being red?

actually forget that idea - it is pants!

Haven't tried the "Ask H2G2" forum, EV. I was kinda planning on the accumulated brain power of this forum to suffice..
But I guess it's an idea to put it to that forum...

Please elaborate that theory of yours, Abi.. I liked the start of it..

*thinks about making some kind of joke about pants being white at the front and yellow at the back, but very wisely decides not to*

Well the white headlamps hit the yellow reg plate - if it was white the glare would prevent you from seeing it clearly?

Hmmm, you could be on to something there... but what about cars coming towards you?

Well one would hope that they were on the opposite side of teh road rather then driving straight at you!

Sounds as if it could be an idea to further pursue. BUt as EV said, What if it's a car that's coming at you? On smaller roads, the option of being on "the other side of the road" may not be a valid one.
But then again since the other car is heading towards you, you've got the light from his headlights rendering it impossible to see the licence plate, no matter what colour it would be.

Exaclty and on teh smaller roads you are less likely to meet other cars.

But why not make them yellow on both ends?

That would be stupid. The car wouldn't know which way it was facing.

I don't know I was only floating a theory!!!!!

Maybe the yellow ones are too expensive to have them on both ends.

Thus, the quest for the answer continues....
Maybe it's the same reason they had the square steering wheel in the Austin Allegra???