No. 13 and the Bottom Line (Pt. 2)

Triskaidekaphobia seems to have an economic impact that reaches beyond the travel, tourism, and hotel industries. In Ireland, Michael Healy-Rae (a member of the Teachta Dala, or Irish parliament) has proposed the changing that country's entire automobile registration system before 2013. He fears that superstitious buyers might put off new-car purchases for 12 full months to avoid getting stuck with the number 13 on their license plates.

Healy-Rae raised the possibility after hearing from car dealers who've already started to worry about next year's sales. Apparently, the Society for the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) supports his idea. A slumping economy has devastated auto sales, which have dropped from 180,000 units per year to about 75,000. "Even if it was 5 percent of the people [who opted against buying a 2013 car], in a market of 75,000 [new cars per year] that would be a real problem," a SIMI spokesman told a leading Irish newspaper.

In this case, personal superstitions might drive not only economic demand, but also public policy.