Except that (especially when crowded by a number of random characters on each side) "b" can look a LOT like "lo". Even more so with certain typeface selections.
True. I forgot that random letters have a magnetic quality that pulls the two halves of the letter b (but not d) apart, making it confusing like this. And the research probably shows that 1 and l dont have this problern, loecause they are all one piece. Good call