• Sweden edition
Society

Agency rejects Swede's FCKU2 licence plate bid

Published: 27 May 11 16:27 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/34036/20110527/

Having FCKU2 on your licence plate is not acceptable, according to The Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), who recently turned down a 31-year-old man from western Sweden.

“I am disappointed, especially since the plate was a birthday present from my brother, “Stefan Waerner from Hällingsjö in western Sweden told Sveriges Radio (SR).

Waerner and his brother have competed in the motorcycle sport motocross for many years and FCKU2 was their team name, according to daily Dagens Nyheter (DN).

But the rules say that a licence can’t be approved if it is possible that it will “cause offence or inconvenience to anyone”.

“We have made the judgement that this could cause offence. The reason is that it’s a clear allusion to a swearword, an American swearword,” Mikael Aronsson of the Traffic Registry Department (Trafikregistret) at the Agency, told SR.

According to Aronsson, the registry has to view these matters through a more general perspective and consider the whole population when they make their decision.

“In Sweden we have 9 million inhabitants and there will be just as many opinions on what should be allowed. We know that whatever we decide there will be some people who think that we have made the wrong decision,” he said to SR.

But Stefan Waerner doesn’t think that his choice of licence plate would cause offence to anyone.

“It isn’t really the swearword said straight out, it s just an abbreviation. It was just a bit of a ‘diss’. Just for a laugh, “ Waerner said to SR.

According to SR, it is not possible to appeal the decision, but Waerner will make another attempt with a different letter combination.

“I don’t know yet which one to go for, “ he said to SR.

Other recentlybanned combinations are NETBABE, L84WORK, BAD ASS and JERK R, according to SR.

Rebecca Martin (news@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6513)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

17:13 May 27, 2011 by RationalG.
Comment removed by The Local for breach of our terms.
17:15 May 27, 2011 by Syftfel
While rather infantile on part of the 31-year old from western Sweden, one wonders why stop at English? I could think of few things in Czech that wouldn't mean diddely squat to a Swede, but that would make heads spin to Czechs. Where does one draw the line?
17:25 May 27, 2011 by Swedesmith
Well, qqqq then.
19:20 May 27, 2011 by Tanskalainen
My favorite licence plate is 2CU4U.
00:16 May 28, 2011 by DAVID T
I've seen lots of number plates that have WOG in them which is really offensive
00:56 May 28, 2011 by johnny1939
I would never use a vanity plate because it is so easily recognizable.
03:00 May 28, 2011 by Stickeroo
I would use one, WVW VVW....try and remember that in Swedish

"So, do you remember what the plate was on the car that did the hit and run"

"Sorry officer, I remember it had a V and a W in it!"
05:58 May 28, 2011 by foordranata
Well OK then, it seems someone in Sweden also wants to pay for that, and someone even dumber wants to ban it.

What a work must this guy at the ban-office have, the dumbest job on planet.
11:46 May 28, 2011 by johnny1939
Maybe it is a matter of safe driving. Can u imagine spending time and attention trying to figure out what kind of message the car in front of you is trying to give you? REM2?
21:00 May 31, 2011 by wenddiver
Where I live you can get anything on a Liscence plate there are plates honoring your favorite race car driver, willd turkey, peventing abortion, adopting Dogs, Honoring the Sons of Confederate Veterans, saying God Bless the USA, honoring teachers, Nurses, your favorite college, line men, policemen, Firemen, the different Military branches, Bass Fishing, Deer Hunting, Gambling Casinos, Alcoholics Anoymous, Your favorite Medal you earned during the war, disabled veterans, Ballet, hunting dogs, Scuba Diving, Skeet Shooting, etc, etc. You can put just about anything you want on them as to letters. Auto stickers can be even worse, I have a bumper sticker with the Confederate Battle Flag on it and the phrase "I believe in Final Victory", on my other vehicle I have a sticker with the US Army crest that says "The world sleeps peacefully, because tough American men do Violence on her behalf" .

Well , the sky hasn't fallen in yet, nobody has died of heart attack, everything looks pretty normal, so I would say free speech works.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Three shot in jewellery heist on busy street

Three shot in jewellery heist on busy street

Three people were wounded during an armed robbery on a jewellery store in Ängelholm, southern Sweden on Saturday, with the robbers escaping on a yellow moped. READ () »

County council admits to buying out 'bomb man'

County council admits to buying out 'bomb man'

The Sörmland County Council in central Sweden 'accidentally' hired a convicted criminal who had served a long prison sentence for threatening to blow up oil storage tanks and had to pay 1million kronor in severance pay to get rid of him. READ () »

Man wounded in schoolyard shooting

Panic broke out at a Gothenburg school on Friday evening as one man was wounded in a shooting which could be linked to a violent robbery that took place in the area on the same day. READ () »

Teen girl admits to Instagram 'slut-shaming'

Teen girl admits to Instagram 'slut-shaming'

A 15-year-old girl has admitted to setting up the Instagram account that caused hundreds of teenagers to riot in Gothenburg last year, but her 16-year-old friend has denied involvement. READ () »

Hockey World Championships
Fierce hockey rivals go head to head

Fierce hockey rivals go head to head

Ice hockey World Championships co-hosts Sweden and Finland continue their long-standing rivalry on Saturday with a place in the gold medal match at stake. READ () »

Scandal ousts Stockholm economics school head

Scandal ousts Stockholm economics school head

The president of the Stockholm School of Economics, one of Sweden's most prestigious universities, has been forced out in response to a scandal over his hiring of a high-ranking official who'd been convicted of insider trading. READ () »

'Sweden next in line for housing market crash'

'Sweden next in line for housing market crash'

Sweden tops a list of countries that risk suffering a housing market crash, Germany's Commerzbank has warned, citing the slackening off of Swedish property prices as a harbinger of a potential downswing. READ () »

Sweden's drug testing industry plummets

Sweden's drug testing industry plummets

Sweden's once flourishing pharmaceutical testing industry has been decimated in recent years, suffering an 85-percent drop according to new figures that industry experts describe as "deeply troubling". READ () »

More Society

 

RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER AND ALERTS
 

 

Highlights
Paul Hansen/World Press Photo
SOCIETY »
Award-winning Swedish photographer cleared of manipulation
DoToday
LIFESTYLE »
What's On:The Local's guide to upcoming attractions and events in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö
Scanpix
NATIONAL »
A Congolese-Swedish pastor explains the roots to recent cases of parents exorcising demons from their children in Sweden
File photo: AP
NATIONAL »
H&M backs Bangladesh building safety accord
Scanpix
GALLERY »
Eurovision: second semi-final entries
Finest.se
GALLERY »
People-watching: Scenes from the Arctic Council meeting, Eurovision demonstrations, and Stockholm nightlife
Screenshot: American Apparel
SOCIETY »
Swedes slam American Apparel over 'sexist' ads
Hasse Holmberg/Scanpix (File)
BUSINESS & MONEY »
Housing crunch forces more young Swedes to live with mum and dad
Janerik Henriksson/Scanpix
LIFESTYLE »
Eurovision - Centre State: 'It won't be easy to win again': Robin Stjernberg
Asif Akbar/sxc.hu (File)
OPINION »
'Not all discrimination in Sweden is racism'
Lana Wimmer
GALLERY »
Hidden Stockholm Gems: Ulriksdal's Palace
Sex in Sweden: condoms optional - study
SOCIETY »
Sex in Sweden: condoms optional - study
AP (File)
POLITICS »
Russia 'lacks capacity' to attack Sweden: Reinfeldt
AP
SCIENCE & TECH »
Swedish friction experts unravel curling mystery
fastighetsbyrån.se
GALLERY »
Property of the Week: This week, we're looking inside a home from the 1700s just west of Stockholm. Complete with two cannons.
Scanpix (File)
OPINION »
JobTalk: Top ten tips for earning a higher salary in Sweden
Juanma Perez Rabasco
SOCIETY »
Swedish kids start daycare earlier: report
Finest.se scanpix.se
GALLERY »
People-watching: Check out some snaps from Stockholm's bustling nightlife, and scenes from the Squvalp water carnival
Screenshot: Robinson's
SOCIETY »
Iron Maiden beer stopped over skull label concerns
David Shankbone/WikiCommons
NATIONAL »
US comedy star Amy Poehler to make Swedish TV series with her brother
WikiCommons
LIFESTYLE »
The Local Quiz: It's elementary: Water, water, all around
Facebook
SOCIETY »
'Sex scandal' minister bathes in viral toilet puppy love
Photo: Private
OPINION »
Swede of the Week Catta Neuding: 'Politics has no place on my theatre stage'
Flikr
SOCIETY »
Love columnist Emilia Millicent wonders if cyber stalking has become socially acceptable, because it's just too easy to do
Scanpix
NATIONAL »
Illegal apartment rentals thrive in Stockholm flat crunch
Ben Grey/Flickr
SCIENCE & TECH »
Sweden 'second best' place to become a mum
YouTube
LIFESTYLE »
Video: Watch The Local's Oliver Gee get the Swedes to sing Abba music
Scanpix
GALLERY »
Abba museum opening ceremonies
fastighetsbyrån.se
GALLERY »
Property of the Week: This week, we're heading to Stockholm's Lidingö to see inside a four-bedroom home
Eddie Gee
LIFESTYLE »
Check out the back catalogue of all The Local's Swedes of the Week
Photo: The Local
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Stockholm International School - what’s in IT for students?
Dixie Thomas Hughes
SPONSORED ARTICLE
US expat David V. Hughes on determination and discovery by design

 

Latest news from The Local in Germany

More news from Germany at thelocal.de

Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »


Blog Update: Brits Mean Business

16 May 08:32

Be British, be sincere and be bold »

"Sweden is a veritable smorgåsbord for UK business. I see our work as a bit like a kind of dragon’s den for both for larger and smaller British companies. It is about matching the UK companies, not with cash, but with Swedish market opportunities." READ »

Trade binary options
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Therapy in English
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE
Holiday Luxury Villa in Portugal
Casa Birgitta in Algarve, Portugal. Reduced price in best location. Private estate on white sand beach. All amenities included. Book here today! edward_george1@hotmail.com
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Counseling in English
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now