Tesla fans often have their own sense of tongue-in-cheek attitude, and a new court case over a license plate is showing that particular brand of attitude to the world.
On Sunday, it was announced that, with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ALCU), the owner of a Tesla Model 3 was victorious in the preliminary injunction of a Rhode Island court case against the DMV. The DMV tried to revoke the plates, which read “FKGAS,” while Carroll worked with the ACLU to preserve his license plates, ultimately winning for now, according to CNet.
While the DMV tried to argue that the plates were profane, using the f-word, the owner, Sean Carroll, argued that the plates stood for “fake gas,” rather than any expletives.
The judge acknowledged the need to preserve Carroll’s “personal expression” through the plates, allowing him to keep them on for now.
At @USDC_RI, Judge Mary S. McElroy quotes Hunter S. Thompson in a lawsuit against the #RIRMV by a man who wants to keep his #RI license plate: "FKGAS" for his @Tesla – https://t.co/vtcNf10fpq
— Steve Klamkin (@NewsProvidence) October 5, 2020
Carroll told reporters, “I am thrilled with McElroy’s decision on my First Amendment right allowing me to express my views through my vanity plate.” He continued, “The only thing better is to be able to continue to see all the smiles, laughter, thumbs up and fist bumps in the rearview mirror as people continue to read and get the humor in my message.”
At the very least, Carroll wasn’t napping on the road or doing anything overtly harmful to others, and it seems only fair for him to retain his plates.
Whether the plates are intended to mean “fake” or another f-word, the DMV will be hard-pressed to win this one – the US has fought for free speech time and time again through its constituents, and it isn’t likely to back down now.
