LONDON: Nearly a third of Automobile Association (AA) members in Britain will think twice about buying new cars with the 13 number plate that comes into effect in March – not because they dread a mishap, but because they fear trying to sell them on, according to a survey by the motoring body.
Earlier this year, Britain's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency considered offering triskaidekaphobic (fear of the number 13) new car buyers continued access to the previous 62 plates (for cars registered new between Sept 1, 2012 and Feb 28, 2013) but then dropped the idea.
The AA survey found that, while a superstitious one in 10 strongly or somewhat believe that buying a new car with an ‘unlucky’ 13 next March is best avoided, a devil-may-care 66% wouldn’t shy away from having plates like MY13 HEX and SP13 OOK.
Those most nervous about driving around on a 13 plate are likely to be older drivers (10%-11%) and blue collar workers.
The biggest hang-up over the 13 plate comes with trying to sell on the car - 4% of the 20,029 survey respondents firmly believe and 25% somewhat believe that this is where the 13-plate hoodoo is most likely to strike.
The concern rises to 33% (4% strongly and 29% somewhat) among AA members aged 65 or more, although only 20% (2% strongly and 18% somewhat) of younger drivers, aged 18-24, see it as a problem.
Short of paying for a personalised registration, there is not much that new car owners can do to avoid the number 13.
Superstitious drivers are advised to have adequate insurance cover, drive more carefully and hope for the best, as a lucky rabbit's foot is not scientifically proven to reduce risk.
The survey polled 20,029 adults aged 18+ in an online panel between July 19 and July 26.