In a chef’s kiss case of a joke writing itself, someone filed an official complaint about a personalised number plate that read: “KAREN”.
Karen Wilson’s husband gifted her the custom plate for Christmas in 2006. That same day, her daughter got engaged so every time she sees the back or front of her car, she’s reminded of that and smiles.
However, 18 years after the plate was made, someone had the exact opposite reaction. Waka Kotahi NZTA received an official complaint about the number plate.
“KAREN is offensive,” the complaint said, according to Fair Go. “I can’t believe this is allowed.”
We don’t know the complainer's name, but we can all make a pretty good guess.
Karen, the number plate owner, is baffled about the ordeal.
“It's my name!” she said. “Why complain in the first place? I hope they're happy.”
She actually had to google how ‘Karen’ is offensive as she’d never heard it in a context other than someone’s name.
“Please don't call me a Karen 'cause I'm not at all a Karen. It's just a name! It's my name for what, seventy-odd years. I can't change that.”
She’s had to explain the intention of the number plate to the Personalised Plate Review Group who will then decide if it’s okay to keep the plate on the road. It may take three months for the decision to be made, which Karen hates.
"I think the process is ridiculous. How does it take two or three months to sort it for heaven's sake? I'm not willing to wait that long because it's upsetting me."
I’m with ya Karen, it is a bit of a joke. We will probably never know the name of the complainer, but I will die believing that this is a Karen-on-Karen crime.
