The I’s Don’t Have It on California Auto License Plates

Dear Street Smart:

This question may not qualify as strictly traffic or roadway related, but it has been puzzling me for a long time. I would welcome your assistance in determining the answer.

As you know, regular non-commercial California license plates consist of a number followed by three letters and three numbers.

My question is, why do none of the plates begin with the letter I ?

As a daily 65-mile commuter of Southland roads, I have noticed that plates skip from 3HZZ999 immediately to 3JAA000, with all the “3I” plates omitted.

I look forward to your answer!

Sharie Lieberg, Oxnard

Dear Reader:

Your observation is absolutely correct.

There was a time when some California license plates began with the letter I , says Dorothy Hunter, division chief for headquarters operations for the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

But it was often confused for the number 1. So the state stopped printing I plates, and now skips from H to J .

The letters O and Q are also taboo on standard-issue plates, because of their resemblance to the digit 0 . All three letters are allowed on vanity plates, Hunter says.

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Dear Street Smart:

I am happy to see something is finally being done about the inadequate access ramps to the Ventura Freeway at Carmen Drive in Camarillo.

It is unfortunate that the ramps have to be shut down in order to be widened, but if that’s what it takes, OK.

The thing I’d like to know is, when are these ramps going to be done? I think we’re all anxious to see them reopened in their new and improved version.

Eugene Glispey, Camarillo

Dear Reader:

The ramp-widening project at Carmen Drive and the Ventura Freeway is scheduled for completion in February, project engineer Sonny Murillo says.

The nearly $4-million project includes widening all four ramps, building a new freeway overpass with four instead of two lanes, and installing four new traffic signals, Murillo says.