Non standard front number plate
Discussion
The TVR Chimaera that I've recently bought has a smaller than usual front number plate, looks more like a bike plate. Whats the legal situation here? The previous owner said that a traffic cop 'recommended' he replace it once while at a petrol station but he didn't. If I'm stopped and they mention it what offence would it fall under and what would happen (spot fine, points etc)? Are they likely to suggest I change it or 'do' me there and then.
I like the look of it (and perhaps it aids cooling) but I don't like it that much if I'm going to get any bother.
btw, I've had the car 4 weeks and it hasn't been mentioned yet! Perhaps I'm lucky.
I like the look of it (and perhaps it aids cooling) but I don't like it that much if I'm going to get any bother.
btw, I've had the car 4 weeks and it hasn't been mentioned yet! Perhaps I'm lucky.
There is no legistlation covering the size of the actual plate but there is lots of very specific legislation covering the size of the lettering. Upshot being that if you dont fit the standard you can be fined up to £1000.
In reality though this doesnt happen, I drove round without a front plate for 3 months didnt even get a friendly word of advice from Plod, let alone a pull.
Matt.
In reality though this doesnt happen, I drove round without a front plate for 3 months didnt even get a friendly word of advice from Plod, let alone a pull.
Matt.
quote:
There is no legistlation covering the size of the actual plate but there is lots of very specific legislation covering the size of the lettering. Upshot being that if you dont fit the standard you can be fined up to £1000.
See here for details... www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/regmarks/reg_marks.htm so as long as the letters are the right size, you should be OK, but if it's a bike plate, it's illegal AFAIK.
Thanks guys,
I'll be out with my tape measure tonight to see how big the letters are. The details on the DVLA site are very specific so I may have to change it.
Perhaps I could get a 'proper' one made up and keep it in the boot just in case
'Ah, officer I was just returning from the shop with my new plate!' 'But its 11:30pm sonny' Ooops.
I'll be out with my tape measure tonight to see how big the letters are. The details on the DVLA site are very specific so I may have to change it.
Perhaps I could get a 'proper' one made up and keep it in the boot just in case
'Ah, officer I was just returning from the shop with my new plate!' 'But its 11:30pm sonny' Ooops.I had a smaller plate on the front of my Chimaera.
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/peter.nixon/images/2spn2.jpg
I got stopped by the police and threatened with a fine, so I went back to a standard sized plate for a while.
However the cooling effect was much better with the smaller plate so eventually I decided just to risk it - I was never stopped again, kept the larger plate in the boot just in case.
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/peter.nixon/images/2spn2.jpg
I got stopped by the police and threatened with a fine, so I went back to a standard sized plate for a while.
However the cooling effect was much better with the smaller plate so eventually I decided just to risk it - I was never stopped again, kept the larger plate in the boot just in case.
My plate had smaller letters so it was definitely technically illegal.
Being a bit of a number plate anorak I actually tried various combinations of size and letter size. Even with a short (4 digit) plate if I used standard sized letters the plate either looked silly (numbers too close to the edge) or just too tall and narrow if I trimmed the edges.
Yes - I think best option is to keep a standard one in the boot and try to keep plod happy if you are unlucky enough to be stopped.
Being a bit of a number plate anorak I actually tried various combinations of size and letter size. Even with a short (4 digit) plate if I used standard sized letters the plate either looked silly (numbers too close to the edge) or just too tall and narrow if I trimmed the edges.
Yes - I think best option is to keep a standard one in the boot and try to keep plod happy if you are unlucky enough to be stopped.
Daft question, but where can I get a new front number plate made up? (Spot the former company car driver).
The front plate on my 993 has either:
a) fallen off, after my mate's 2 yr old kid took a shine to it and yanked it loose
; or
b) fallen after I ever-so-slightly "bumped" a wall in a multi-storey (I know, I know, it looked further away than it was....)
; or
c) and this is my preferred theory, was pulled off by the knuckle-scraping scroates on the building site next door to the house and who never miss an opportunity to gob on it/throw litter at it/etc
The front plate on my 993 has either:
a) fallen off, after my mate's 2 yr old kid took a shine to it and yanked it loose
; or b) fallen after I ever-so-slightly "bumped" a wall in a multi-storey (I know, I know, it looked further away than it was....)
; or c) and this is my preferred theory, was pulled off by the knuckle-scraping scroates on the building site next door to the house and who never miss an opportunity to gob on it/throw litter at it/etc
quote:
I keep a regular plate and some stickies in the boot, just in case.
I know, I know, big girl's blouse....
sod that. mines in the boot and broken (all front faceing cam round my way.
very low mount on the spliter so it looks like it got ripped off going over a speed hump.
i just rave a bout those bloody speed bumps if i get pulled and say well if you got a screw driver and a few spare self taper you can give me a hand screwing back on. and genuraly act dumb.
tha dam thing mess up the frount of a car any way
There is a general rule of thumb to follow where this is concerned. If it doesn't look like the number plate on the rep Eurobox then it is not legal.
You risk a non endorsable FPT and much more inconvenient, a Vehicle Defect Rectification Notice which requires you to have the defect fixed or repaired within 14 days and then take it to an MOT station where they will check the repair. They charge you for the privilage of doing so, stamp the Defect Rectification Notice with their embossing stamp and then you have to post it back to the relevant Fixed Penalty Office for them to release the notice on your vehicle.
Failure to comply with a defect rectification notice is one way to get a summons come winging through your door.
You risk a non endorsable FPT and much more inconvenient, a Vehicle Defect Rectification Notice which requires you to have the defect fixed or repaired within 14 days and then take it to an MOT station where they will check the repair. They charge you for the privilage of doing so, stamp the Defect Rectification Notice with their embossing stamp and then you have to post it back to the relevant Fixed Penalty Office for them to release the notice on your vehicle.
Failure to comply with a defect rectification notice is one way to get a summons come winging through your door.
However Madcop, with the emphasis on Thief Cameras, and a reduced Police presence on the street... it makes perfect sense to risk it. The chances of being stopped are a lot less than a nicking from a concealed camera.
So you get 14 days? I can see that being a big detterant. So for another 14 days they run around on dodgy plates, swap to the legal ones, get stamped up. Back to the dodgy one and look out for plod?
Or howabout no plate at all. Oh, it fell off. Can anyone prove different?
Why are we being forced to these stupid acts? because some pratt in power has decided we are incapable of driving at anything like a decent velocity.
I think most motorists are law abiding people, but the speed issue is one that is criminalising a lot of us. It isn't even working FFS ! "speed kills" is killing more people than it is saving. Wake up !
C
So you get 14 days? I can see that being a big detterant. So for another 14 days they run around on dodgy plates, swap to the legal ones, get stamped up. Back to the dodgy one and look out for plod?
Or howabout no plate at all. Oh, it fell off. Can anyone prove different?
Why are we being forced to these stupid acts? because some pratt in power has decided we are incapable of driving at anything like a decent velocity.
I think most motorists are law abiding people, but the speed issue is one that is criminalising a lot of us. It isn't even working FFS ! "speed kills" is killing more people than it is saving. Wake up !
C
quote:
However Madcop, with the emphasis on Thief Cameras, and a reduced Police presence on the street... it makes perfect sense to risk it. The chances of being stopped are a lot less than a nicking from a concealed camera.
So you get 14 days? I can see that being a big detterant. So for another 14 days they run around on dodgy plates, swap to the legal ones, get stamped up. Back to the dodgy one and look out for plod?
Or howabout no plate at all. Oh, it fell off. Can anyone prove different?
Why are we being forced to these stupid acts? because some pratt in power has decided we are incapable of driving at anything like a decent velocity.
I think most motorists are law abiding people, but the speed issue is one that is criminalising a lot of us. It isn't even working FFS ! "speed kills" is killing more people than it is saving. Wake up !
C
no mate they brout in the new stupid plate type face because Its was easy to get nuber plate reconition working with one standard type face.
thats the real reson for reson changes.
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