Illegal Registration Plates

[Trevrev]

Comes up nice with a bit of tee-cut!!

 

[ufkacbln]

IIRC, if three people complain about the number plate displayed on a vehicle, there is a risk that the plate will be taken away from the owner.

When was the last time anyone here complained about the size or spacings of a number plate? Or would real action be too much to expect, when it is so much easier to just whine about it on the internet?

About 6 months ago - bad left hook and reported it to the Police, the car had an italicised plate with a black bolt to make the C look like an E

Part of my complaint was that even with the camera to review the plate it was difficult to read, and impossible to read in normal road conditions. POlice agreed and the guy was served with a rectification notice.

A week later the vehicle passed (widely) on the same road with a standardised plate.

The regulations are specific:

For cars registered after Sept 1st 2001 Your plate must have specific font, size, spacing and bear the name of the plate maker and the BS standard of the plate. There are also restrictions on the symbol

For full info see (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001

In fact not only are the plates "illegal" but as they would not pass the MOT, they also render the vehicle illegal and in many cases invalidate the insurance for this reason.

 

[Trevrev]

Now that was a job I wish I had never started, it was perfectly alright being pink, the wife decided if it wasn't tidied up it could no longer live on the drive way. The hours I spent polishing with T-Cut was unbelievable, virtual destroyed my elbow in the process.

Well if you completed that job, well done you!!

 

[400bhp]

In fact not only are the plates "illegal" but as they would not pass the MOT, they also render the vehicle illegal and in many cases invalidate the insurance for this reason.

How do you work that out?

 

[BSRU]

How do you work that out?

Isn't your insurance only valid if you vehicle is taxed and road worthy, i.e. would pass an on the spot MOT.

Many people assume their MOT means their car is road worthy all year between MOT tests.

 

[400bhp]

Isn't your insurance only valid if you vehicle is taxed and road worthy, i.e. would pass an on the spot MOT.

Your car needs to be in a roadworthy condition.

Not necessarily passing an MOT-number plate spacing being a good example of when a car is roadworthy condition but falls foul of the MOT rules.

 

[Norm]

Isn't your insurance only valid if you vehicle is taxed and road worthy, i.e. would pass an on the spot MOT.

That one swings around but I think that the insurance is only invalid if the specific defect is the cause of or contributory towards an accident. So, a car with bald tyres should still be covered but if that car slides of the road in the rain, the driver will not get much from a claim.

 

[400bhp]

That one swings around but I think that the insurance is only invalid if the specific defect is the cause of or contributory towards an accident. So, a car with bald tyres should still be covered but if that car slides of the road in the rain, the driver will not get much from a claim.

Correct.

Example wording:

You or any person covered by this insurance must:

- protect your car from loss or damage
- make sure your car is roadworthy
- allow us to inspect your car at any reasonable time we ask you

If an accident happens and the condition of the vehicle caused or contributed to the accident, no cover under the policy will be provided and instead, our liability will be restricted to meeting our obligations as required by the Road Traffic Act. In those circumstances, we reserve the right to recover from you or the driver or any party responsible for the condition of the vehicle, all sums paid (including all legal costs), whether in settlement or under a judgement, of any claim arising from the accident.

Of course, policy wording will slightly differ.

 

[DrSquirrel]

"It's harmless" is the comment you will hear, usually from the same type who would see cyclists have registration plates...


I don't mind the incorrect spacing, or maybe a custom border/logo (some are tacky though). But what is properly wrong is incorrect fonts and stupid bolt placement.

http://www.stopillegalnumberplates.co.uk/


The police here have told me that they cannot do anything unless they see the car driving. I thought to be parked on the road it had to be road worthy, hence being immediately able to pass an MOT... which with these plates it cannot.

 

[Yorkie Martin]

While I have a "cherished" plate on my car (all the spacing/font/background is standard and legel), it does make me laugh when the DVLA hold back plates for auction, which will only spell a word/read as a name etc, if the spacing used is illegal.

The government sell plates which if used as they intend you to do so, result in the user getting a fine off the government too!!

For those above who have raised the issue of plates being made up, I believe that legal plates now all carry a makers number along one edge. These "dubious" plates will not have, and are typically purchased online from off shore.

 

[Chrismawa]

It is just a continuation of the general trivialization of traffic laws. Customized number plates, using fog lights, tail gaiting, lorries 40% above their speed limit, vans doing 80 when their max is 50, mobile phones, texting, 4x4s bullying small cars off the road, Artics killing cyclist in their blind spot; Who cares, get the f*ck out of my way i'm in a hurry.

This is something I really don't understand. People driving with their sidelights on as well as their foglights instead of using the dipped beam.

Do they think they get some kind of 'cool points' for this or something....?

 

[DrSquirrel]

This is something I really don't understand. People driving with their sidelights on as well as their foglights instead of using the dipped beam.

Do they think they get some kind of 'cool points' for this or something....?

Certainly.

I also find it strange why fog lights will only turn on with your side or dipped, rather than having them only turn on with dipped lights...

Fog lights are useless anyway... it's just advertising gimmick, why else would they advertise cars on tv with "alloy wheels and fog lights".

Is fog lights an important choice when buying a car? Hardly...

 

[661-Pete]

What about number plates completely obscured by dirt? Certainly I've seen a few instances recently, especially after all this bad weather, where it looks like the rear of the car has been cleaned up but no attempt made to wipe the number plate. If I can get round to the front of the car, so I can see what the reg. number is, should I report it?

 

[snailracer]

Using foglights instead of dipped beam is not just annoying, it is actually dangerous - foglights do not illuminate objects in the road as well as proper headlights - especially reflectors. Most foglights cannot even be aimed.

 

[Chrismawa]

What about number plates completely obscured by dirt? Certainly I've seen a few instances recently, especially after all this bad weather, where it looks like the rear of the car has been cleaned up but no attempt made to wipe the number plate. If I can get round to the front of the car, so I can see what the reg. number is, should I report it?

Just shows pure laziness, too lazy to either wash it or take it for a wash.