Illegal Registration Plates

[goo_mason]

I had a chat with a policeman at a Road Safety display last year about illegal plates. They had them on a chavmobile that had been confiscated & doctored and used as a 'spot the illegal parts / faults on this car' stand. The issue is that anyone can manufacture & sell these plates (you can pick them up for a few quid on the web), and the police can only take action against them if they see the car being driven on the road.

There seems to be a very large number of illegaly-spaced plates owned by fans of Hibernian around here - you lose count of the number of cars with plates that begin: H185 driving about!

 

[661-Pete]

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

Not always. I've seen cars with the whole rear end washed clean - except the number plate. After all, with all these cyclists with helmet-cams about, can't be too careful!

 

[Chrismawa]

Not always. I've seen cars with the whole rear end washed clean - except the number plate. After all, with all these cyclists with helmet-cams about, can't be too careful!

Surely the number plate can't accumulate dirt so fast that it doesn't go onto the rear bodywork!?

 

[DrSquirrel]

Or even plates that are partially obscured. After being closely tail gaited by this truck, (we were doing 50 and his max permitted speed is 40) we let it past, my wife took the following picture so as we could complain about his intimidating driving. As you can see the reg plate is hidden. I have contacted "Network Rail" by email and phone, however they appear less than interested and have made no response. Obviously their safety regime does not extend to the public highway!

I have experience with network rail, when one of their vans rammed into me... driver and his passenger were complete oafs.

Also network rail wanted me to take it through their complaints department, and it took a while for them to actually get insurance involved... which I took to court (and won without hassle).

 

[Black Sheep]

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....?

no, they just p!ss me off instead

Nearly pulled out infront of a porsche months ago because the high kerbs on the island by the roundabout (and the plants on top of the island) completely hid the black porsche's fog lights (headlights not on)

most of the 'fog lights' you see are what I'd call driving lights, aimed to give a bit more light towards the edges of the road when traveling down poorly lit narrow lanes.

 

[wesa]

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?

Some years ago I was driving along a dual carriageway in the middle of winter. The Police had closed lane 1 and were pulling blocks of 15 – 20 passing cars at a time. I was one of the ones pulled, A copper walked up to my window with a big grin on his face and told me I was the first car that morning that they would not be booking for having an obscured plate, he then stopped the traffic in lane 2 and waved me on my way.



It was pure chance that I had given the lights and plates a wipe while checking the fluids the night before. To this day I make a more concerted effort.



I have seen one other operation like this but I was not stopped that time.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I've "seen" a few cars recently on the M5 with no lights on at all. Admittedly, this was on the streetlit section between Tewkesbury and Birmingham, but even so ... idiots. Why do people do this?

 

[Chrismawa]

I've "seen" a few cars recently on the M5 with no lights on at all. Admittedly, this was on the streetlit section between Tewkesbury and Birmingham, but even so ... idiots. Why do people do this?

Now you mention it, I have seen a few cars recently driving either early morning or late at night with no lights on. One was behind me and in my mirror from only a small distance the car was invisable, a total hazard.

Shows how often they look at their speedo...