Remember those carefree days when we hit the open road? We savoured the thrill of freedom and the excitement of exploring new places.
However, as we journey through life, we learn that our cherished freedoms come with responsibilities. Road rules may seem like a hassle at times, but they are essential for our safety and the safety of others around us.
A recent incident powerfully reminds us that even the smallest choices on the road can have significant consequences. In Australia, where road rules are clear and number plates are generally straightforward, one driver’s desire to stand out ended in an unexpected twist.
What started as an effort to express individuality turned into a cautionary tale about the importance of making thoughtful decisions while driving.
The driver’s vehicle was adorned with a customised number plate that boldly declared ‘PRIVATE’, with the smaller text ‘Special Trust Security’ beneath it. This peculiar choice not only turned heads but also raised eyebrows—and it could cost the driver a hefty $933 fine.
The unusual plates caught the eye of a local who snapped a photo and shared it online, sparking questions and comments.
‘What the F are these? Surely [they’re] not legal?’ the post read, inviting a wave of speculation and concern from fellow Australians.
The online community didn’t hold back, with one commenter predicting a swift response from the South Australia Police (SAPOL). Another suggested that the plates might be linked to the ‘sovereign citizen’ movement—a group of fringe conspiracists who reject government authority and believe they can opt out of laws at will.
SAPOL confirmed the community’s suspicions that the plates were indeed illegal.
‘These plates appear fake and are not plates that have been issued by SA Department for Infrastructure and Transport,’ their spokesperson explained, highlighting the potential for an on-the-spot fine of $933.
The driver’s decision to openly flout the law was met with criticism and mockery online.
‘It’s the best way to show off your dreadful understanding [of the law] to an already disinterested person,’ one person said.
‘You found a sovereign citizen in the wild,’ one commented while another joked, ‘Those are the “please pull me over plates”, otherwise known as sovereign citizen plates.’
This isn’t the first instance of such a scenario on Australian roads. In Queensland, a Holden was spotted with a plate that read ‘Private Property Non-Commercial, Living Woman, Terra Australia Incognito,’ and included a false claim of a $50,000 fine for plate removal. Despite the outlandish text, the plate featured a legitimate registration number in minuscule print.
The ‘sovereign citizen’ movement has been tagged as having some violations of the law here and abroad. In the United States, a tragic incident in 2010 saw two police officers murdered by adherents of the movement.
Closer to home, a NSW police officer had to take drastic measures when a ‘sovereign citizen’ refused to comply during a traffic stop.
Dr Ben Rich, co-director of Curtin University’s Curtin Extremism Research Network, expressed concern over the movement’s growth in Australia.
‘The injection of increasingly extremist American ideas reflecting that country’s own internal dysfunctions has caused the overall movement to take a darker turn over the past decade,’ he said.
‘The COVID-19 lockdowns were a real catalyst for Sov-Cit (sovereign citizen) political mobilisation in Australia, and we saw many of them turning out in anti-lockdown and anti-government protests in unprecedented numbers with their distinctive iconography.’
Have you ever encountered a number plate that made you do a double-take? If you were to customise your licence plate, what would you write? Share your stories and ideas with us in the comments below.
Also read: One wrong move near a speed sign cost this Queensland driver $322
