Suggestions for remembering Canadian Licence plates

[Witan]

Suggestions for memorizing Canadian licence plates on cars? The format is Letter/Letter/Letter Number/Number/Number

[elitely (Mamunur Rashid)]

Use an “Alphabet PAO system” for letters and “Major System” for numbers! An “Alphabet PAO system” ,like the one I described in the link below,can be used for any type of random letters:

Software Documentation (Javascript)

Hi, I believe,we need a ‘PAO system’ for Alphabet’ like we have “PAO system” for numbers. It is both strange and irritating that the mnemonist community of our time is obsessed with ‘numbers’ only. But we need a system for ‘texts’,too! Because text is everywhere!!! Anyway,I use “Alphabet PAO system” to convert ‘texts into images’. Let’s say, I want to memorize the line “Object.DefineProperty(obj,name,descr)” I will convert the word “Object” into images by using the Alphabet PAO system(see t…

[RMBittner]

I’d recommend first looking at some of the specific resources here, so you have a foundation for understanding some of the answers you’re likely to receive. Especially check out:

Learn_the_Art_of_Memory.pdf

One of the core features of any memory technique is to associate what you want to learn with something you already know. And to create associations that are highly imaginative.

So: For those first three letters, my personal approach is to come up with puns that create some kind of creative image. For the three numbers, I would recommend using a technique called the Major system, which associates consonants with numbers and makes it possible to turn numbers into words and, then, images. I know that sounds complicated, but the PDF should clarify things.

For example, let’s say your three letters are “DZX.” You could picture a giant “X” spinning so much that it gets dizzy. So this would be a “Dizzy X.” If the three numbers are “854,” that might translate to “flower” or “flour” using the Major system. So, to put it all together, maybe your “dizzy X” spins around so much that it falls to into a giant pile of “flour,” sending up clouds of white powder. If you know the Major system, then you can easily recall “flour” as 854. And, for me, that would be a memorable image.

Bob

[tarnation]

As it happens, I am Canadian and am reasonably good at memorizing car license plate numbers quickly:

I created my own alphabet mnemonics with 2 colourful characters and 1 action verb. Something like the following:
A=Alladin Arrests Archie
B=Big Bird Burns Billy the Kid
C=Caspar Chases Cleopatra

In addition, I use the Major System for my numbers. I already have a PAO for 2 digit numbers, and I have a lot of 3 digit numbers that come quickly to me.

So, for example, if you gave me a license plate like:
ABC 123 I might come up with an image like the following:

Alladin burns Cleopatra’s DeNiM blue jeans. (My Major System mnemonic for 123 is DeNiM).

[tarnation]

Just a warning, though, in case you haven’t already found this out for yourself. Making a hobby of memorizing license plate numbers can make you seem rather weird to others. I often get excited about license plates that I think are interesting. Many times I have blurted out something about some cool license plates numbers that I spotted, but the dull normals around me invariably react as though I am a weirdo. Bottom line, I try to keep my crazy little hobby to myself.

[tarnation]

Also, I recommend you don’t mention to your coworkers or other acquaintances that you happen to have memorized their license numbers. As cool as that should be, some of them will become convinced you are stalking them. It’s like they had never heard of Jason Bourne.

[Witan]

I see what you did there! Brilliant I do use a basic “A-Apple, B-Bird, etc” I hadn’t thought to apply that to licence plates, and combine that with a single word for the numbers via the Major System, and voila, 4 objects, use the link method and Bob’s your uncle!

Thank you Mamunur Rashid

[elitely (Mamunur Rashid)]

Yeap!

I however use a ‘character’ with objects. Because using characters with objects, I can create interesting and memorable stories! A character is doing something with an object!!!

[ericam]

With so little to encode I suggest to not use a system and just let my creativity run wild

So I instead simply stack whatever comes to mind up a place it wherever I am at the moment.

zfr 484

A zebra feeding a baguette(fr = french) to a big breasted woman(8) doing the split over two one leg stading flamingos(4)

I would sometimes have to move it to my “random info” palace, but its rare…

[SimonLuisi]

In Ontario, it is more common to have 4 Letter-letter-letter-letter then the 3 digits. You must be from Quebec.

The 3 digits means you rehearse your 1000 digit system. With the letters, just think creatively, adding letters to form a word or something.
For me, it is no longer about trying to remember the plate # as much as as coming up with a fun idea asap given a set of meaningless letters . That is a fine neuron exercise in my opinion.