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The story
A thread on the 5ch message board blew up as users listed car traits that make them laugh whenever they spot them — things like “a kei car with a white license plate,” “a Suiyoubi Doushou (TV show) sticker,” “Baby in Car” signs, and “basically any Mazda.” Posters kept piling on with real-life “I know that type” sightings, from white fur draped over the dashboard to telltale patterns in custom license plate numbers. As the discussion grew, opinions split over why some kei car owners deliberately switch to white plates, and over the etiquette of using wheelchair-marked parking spaces.
What people said
"Itasha (anime-wrapped cars)"
"A ton of stuffed animals"
Otaku ratio is 150%
Going over 100% means there's a 50% chance there's an otaku in the passenger seat too
But it's telling that it never seems to hit 300% or 400%
Probably has a pacemaker
Internal organ conditions aren't visible from the outside — think dialysis patients
Get it? Because it's 'fur' (dajare pun)
They can drive just fine but still get 50% off JR train fares
Some people drive to the station, then buy the half-price ticket to travel by train from there
It's honestly a broken system
Just a fun fact
People checking for 'a kei car with a white plate'
People checking for a 'Suiyoubi Doushou sticker' or 'Baby in Car' sign
People checking whether it's a 'Mazda'
A sticker on the back that looks like Ayumi Hamasaki's icon
Fluffy white fur and a thick steering wheel cover on the dashboard
'Drive Gently, Tokyo'
571
5861
6019
6120
6437
6627
8195
If it's a custom plate with numbers like these, there's a high chance the owner is 'that' type
If you can just walk around normally, you shouldn't park there
Internal conditions aren't the issue — if walking itself is painful, you shouldn't be driving in the first place
Those spots exist purely to secure enough space for wheelchair users to get in and out
It just makes the tax higher, right?
I actually asked someone who did it directly — apparently the yellow plate clashes with their car's color
I almost blurted out, 'You don't care about wearing shoes that clash with your outfit, but you care about that?'
They should just be honest and say they're embarrassed about driving a kei car and want it to look more like a regular one
Wait, seriously? I thought it was just a one-time fee of about 1,000 yen
I bought a white N-BOX as a business expense and went with white plates so it wouldn't stand out
The Honda dealer never mentioned any of that
The format started with things like '88 Shinagawa ka'
Background and Key Points of the Discussion
Kei car license plates are officially required to have a yellow background, but through procedures like the preferred-number system, owners can pay an extra fee to get a white plate instead — and a certain number of owners choose to do so. Meanwhile, parking spaces marked with the wheelchair symbol aren’t reserved exclusively for people with mobility impairments; the permit system also covers people with “internal disabilities” — such as heart or kidney conditions — that aren’t visible from the outside, so judging eligibility by appearance alone is easy to get wrong. In the thread, opinions were split over why kei car owners switch to white plates and over who’s actually eligible to use those parking spots, while the conversation also branched into “I know that type” banter about guessing what kind of car owner someone is based on their stickers and plate numbers.
*This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Hello!Project board) thread “4 Cars That Make You Laugh When You Spot Them: “Kei Car with White Plates,” “Suiyoubi Doushou Sticker,” “Baby in Car,” “Any Mazda”.”
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