Goshen man finally gets his "ATHE1ST" license plate after the ACLU intervenes.

Right here in Indiana.

Goshen man receives "ATHE1ST" license plate after appealing BMV's denial, by Ben Quiggle (Elkhart Truth)

After garnering statewide attention to his plight, Chris Bontrager finally has what he wanted all along: a personalized license plate on his car that reads "ATHE1ST."

The Goshen resident had his initial personalized plate request denied by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles in February and even now he has no idea why it was initially denied. The BMV turned down the request in a letter that does not cite the specific reasoning for the denial.

After getting the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana involved, Bontrager said the appeal process moved rapidly, culminating in receiving his new license plate in the mail on Monday. Bontrager said he had filed an appeals request with the state, but that the ACLU was able to prod the state along faster than expected and that he never had to testify before an appeals panel.

Welcome to unlicensed pass-through dump truck city, J. Gahan, serial non-participant.

Iamhoosier forwarded this photo and text a while back, and I've been forgetting to post. Last night came a reminder. We walking westbound on Market Street at around 9:15 p.m., and were greeted with a convoy of 1, 2, 3, 4 ... 5 ... Padgett behemoths headed east. At night. Through a residential neighborhood.

It reminded me of that time back in '87 in Communist-era Budapest after the Genesis show at the soccer stadium. I was walking home close to midnight via a major avenue on the Pest side of the Danube, when suddenly the other walkers melted away. There was a rumbling. Soon the source of the noise appeared: A Soviet tank unit headed to or from its base outside the city. Maybe the Russians periodically ran tank columns through town as a reminder of who really was in charge.

Which is the impression I got from the Padgett display last night.

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This dump truck pulled out of the construction site for the new CVS onto Green Valley road and then left onto State headed south. I noticed that the truck basically has no mud flaps, just a half on the left and none on the right. Something else seemed to be missing. 

Finally it hit me--there is no license plate. I kept hoping that we would come to red light with a turn lane so that I could pull up
alongside and see the company name. Unfortunately that didn't happen until we got the intersection of State and Spring. The light is turning red and the truck stays to the left to continue south on State. I pull into the right hand turn lane--and the truck runs the red light.

I didn't notice until I got to work and loaded the picture that there was the over-sized load semi on the left of the picture. Looks like plenty of room for two big trucks to pass safely on this 2 way street, doesn't it?

Praise the Lord and pass on the left.

Classic letter to the editor in today's LEO.

Hoosier Driver?

I have an observation I would like to share with your readers — or maybe a challenge. The next time some bonehead cuts you off in traffic, take a second and eye their license plate. If it is from Indiana, note if it is an “In God We Trust” plate. In the past two years, I have found a nearly 1:1 correlation between bad Indiana drivers and those license plates. Now, I realize correlations do not denote causation. However, when I see a Hoosier on the road sporting this telltale insignia, I tend to anticipate them doing something really stupid. Maybe they should let their co-pilot drive.

Michael R. Coburn, Speed, Ind.

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At the (perhaps) reviving New Albany Bicycle Coalition blog, Debbie's been approaching this story from a different, two-wheeled angle. She explains it here: Should Bicyclists Trust God? An Experiment. Browse her more recent posts to see how the experiment is ... er, progressing.

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We'd best leave ROCK's latest grandstanding out of it: ROCK sues Kentucky, legislators over license plate denial.

Small wonder that the group's chosen dictator is a lawyer, eh?

Indiana COA "rules on ‘In God We Trust’ plate suit."

A little more than a month ago, we glanced at the license plate on that Hummer speeding down Spring Street and speculated aloud:

I wonder if Major Moves is paying the difference?

The Indiana Court of Appeals travels to Greencastle Oct. 14 to hear arguments in a case involving Indiana’s “In God We Trust” license plates.

As a follow-up, and again courtesy of Indiana Lawyer and M, here's the court ruling:

COA rules on ‘In God We Trust’ plate suit.

Not charging an administrative fee for Indiana’s “In Got We Trust” license plates doesn’t violate the state constitution, affirmed the Indiana Court of Appeals today in an unpublished decision.

Speaking personally, I'd still rather drivers turn off their cell phones, keep two sets of hands and eyes on the wheel and road, and not apply eyeliner while in motion rather than trust in God.

Then again, I'm just an atheist on a bicycle.

I wonder if Major Moves is paying the difference?

Anyone for a brief church/state diversion? The hearing described below occurred yesterday, but there is no word yet on outcomes, if any. Speaking for myself, if one must pay to tout the physical environment on a license plate, then surely an equal tithe should be made to make a mockery of church-state separation.

From the Indiana Lawyer website, courtesy of M.

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Court of Appeals to hear license plate arguments in Greencastle
Mon. October 13 - 2008 ... IL Staff

The Indiana Court of Appeals travels to Greencastle Oct. 14 to hear arguments in a case involving Indiana’s “In God We Trust” license plates.

Judges Michael Barnes, Terry Crone, and Margret Robb will hear arguments in Mark Studler v. Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Ronald Stiver, in his official capacity as Commissioner, No. 49A02-0804-CV-385. Mark Studler filed a suit against the Bureau of Motor Vehicles challenging Indiana Code Section 9-18-24.5-1, which authorizes the specialty “In God We Trust” license plate at no additional charge. He contends offering the plate at no fee violates Article I, Section 23 of the Indiana Constitution. Studler had to pay a $40 administrative fee to get his environmental specialty plate.

Studler is appealing the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the BMV. Arguments begin at 10 a.m. at the Walden Inn and Conference Center on the campus of DePauw University, 2 W. Seminary St., Greencastle.