Q: Hello Honk: I thought I had read in one of your articles that we could get a third license plate from the Department of Motor Vehicles. I’ve tried to find the story with my digital Orange County Register archive but can’t. I recently purchased a bicycle hitch that when the bikes are loaded, the license plate is blocked from view. The hitch does have a space where you can exhibit a license plate. I can, each time I load the rack on the car, switch locations of the plate and then switch again when I take the rack off. Having a third plate would be so nice. I did go onto the DMV website and talked to a live agent who said the DMV only issues two plates. So did I really see an article of yours where you can get one, or not?
– Michael Bare, Fountain Valley
A: Ol’ Honk has a memory that would have rivaled that of the late, great The Amazing Kreskin, and he doesn’t recall answering such a question and couldn’t fish it out of his database, either.
The DMV won’t give you a third plate with the same license-plate number.
Ronald Ongtoaboc, a DMV spokesman, says that is because of a state law that says vehicles will be issued only two plates at most for a vehicle.
It’s unclear why lawmakers didn’t want to make exceptions for those with bicycle or wheelchair hitches when they passed the law.
Q: Honk: Are there any plans to widen the southbound 57 Freeway from Lambert Road to the 91 Freeway? The northbound lanes were widened a handful of years ago. Us North County folks are suffering with the trucks going in and out of the ports that are on the 57 in the morning.
– Robert Ruenzel, Brea
A: No, there aren’t, Robert.
Sheilah Fortenberry, a Caltrans spokeswoman, checked and the agency has no such project on tap.
HONKIN’ FACT No. 1: As of Dec. 1, according to the DMV, 18.4 million people have the Real ID on their California driver’s license or California-issued ID. Beginning May 7, adults flying within the United States will need a federally accepted ID, such as the Real ID.
HONKIN’ FACT No. 2: The 405 Express Lanes, in their first year in operation, had more than 16 million trips, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority, which operates the tollway that stretches 16 miles between Costa Mesa and the Los Angeles County line. Joel Zlotnik, a spokesman for the agency, said the tollway is exceeding financial forecasts.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. To see him on the social media platform X: @OCRegisterHonk