Do you have a mis-spaced number plate etc?

[T5R+]

For me there is difference between a

1. Number plate screw
2. Mis-spaced
3. Butchered

but they all essentially wrong and it a sliding scale of criminality .

Have belonged to category 1 for 30ish years (bought my first plate as a teenager). Like others on here own a few that are relevant. Some are really obvious to decipher ie read, whilst others understood by fewer folk but again easy to read. ANPR cameras can 100% read my car (and motorcycle) plates. For those that do not know - the recognition and linked software is pretty slick.

From memory on 4 separate occasions over the years a “proper traffic officer” has been "complimentary" on my choice of subtle modification……..eg “cheeky but nice one” attributed to the BIB on the M1 services eg "you've had that made to the limit, haven't you?" in good jest by BIB at a car meet Recently, had a "warning" letter as picked up one of the vehicle/plates via a static roadside camera and so perhaps times a changing.

Personally, find a nice 3D plate with a good surround on a clean, properly driven Mercedes by an older "geezer" has never resulted in me never being “tugged” even on the numerous occasions that happen to be around equipped traffic cars. In fact during almost 30 years have never actually been stopped for "my" plates or in fact any other traffic matter.

 

[chic0821]

I’m sorry, but I regard people who insist on committing this crime as criminals.

I take it you have never even gone 1mph over the speed limit or parked where you should not have etc, etc or you would be classed as a criminal like me. Good to see we have law abiding citizens keeping us on the straight & narrow.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Yeah but you are only committing an offence if you get caught whilst actually speeding... not say that its right ...but with a miss spaced plate you are breaking the law all the time... even when it's parked at you are not in it. I bet you lot with dodgy plates would be the first to moan about the cops or DVLA should your plate be confiscated.
The other issue is that with an iffy plate you are more likely to get stopped for doing a bit over the limit, that they might have ignored , with something else obviously illegal about the car. Even if you are not doing anything wrong the plate is all they need to tug you and have a good look at the car....a good traffic cop will find something wrong with your car if he wants to. When I was stopped in Guildford for my old plate I was even breathalysed.....I'd not been drinking but they could smell it in the car from my passengers. Why attract the attention?

 

[Spider10]

Ive had my miss spaced plate now for about 15 yrs on different vehicles and never failed an mot and never been pulled up

 

[markjay]

Ive had my miss spaced plate now for about 15 yrs on different vehicles and never failed an mot and never been pulled up

As I've said, I see lots of cars with misspaced plates on the road, and so I guess that it varies from one police force to another and from one MOT tester to another. Some will say or do something, while others will ignore it.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Well it should have....let's hope he's a bit more throughout when he checks your brake eh?

MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles - 0. Identification of the vehicle - Guidance - GOV.UK

Registration plate (number plate) and vehicle identification number rules and inspection for car and passenger vehicle MOT tests.

www.gov.uk

 

[Darrell]

Ive had my miss spaced plate now for about 15 yrs on different vehicles and never failed an mot and never been pulled up

It’s a bit like motorbikes with noisy full exhaust systems that quite clearly have ‘not for road use’ stamped on the silencer. The MOT tester turns a blind eye.

My Gixxer has a Acrapovic silencer that I swap for the original at MOT time which is something that most bikers don’t do when they’ve got a full system. It’s the same with those noisy potato potato Harley boys.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Don't get me started on noisy HD'S...

How can something with so little power make so much noise !!?

Almost as bad as the underpowered 4 stroke learner bikes that sound like full blown 450 'supermotard' bikes.

PS: I got my bike licence long before my car licences and there is a (quiet) 4 stroke 'L' plate bike in the family as well.

 

[baxlin]

Don't get me started on noisy HD'S...

How can something with so little power make so much noise !!?

Almost as bad as the underpowered 4 stroke learner bikes that sound like full blown 450 'supermotard' bikes.

PS: I got my bike licence long before my car licences and there is a (quiet) 4 stroke 'L' plate bike in the family as well.

I was very pleased that one HD owner removed the stock silencers from his Road King. I bought them for a ridiculously small amount, and they are significantly quieter on my JZR than the ones I had on it originally.

Mind you, I do have a ‘slightly too small’ front number plate which could be open to criticism…

 

[Darrell]

Don't get me started on noisy HD'S...

How can something with so little power make so much noise !!?

Almost as bad as the underpowered 4 stroke learner bikes that sound like full blown 450 'supermotard' bikes.

PS: I got my bike licence long before my car licences and there is a (quiet) 4 stroke 'L' plate bike in the family as well.

How can anything with such a huge engine make such little power??

 

[Darrell]

My friends Harley. It’s slow, noisy, heavy and embarrassing.

 

[Petrol Pete]

How can anything with such a huge engine make such little power??

Yes , how do they manage to get just 95bhp and 110ft/lbs from 1800cc (from memory) 2016 ? maybe higher nowadays. This is a car forum but HD's are more of a fashion item than a serious motorcycle. IMHO.

Yes, they are almost the oldest manufacturer in the world , but not my cup of tea.

 

[Darrell]

Yes , how do they manage to get just 95bhp and 110ft/lbs from 1800cc (from memory) 2016 ? maybe higher nowadays. This is a car forum but HD's are more of a fashion item than a serious motorcycle. IMHO.

Yes, they are almost the oldest manufacturer in the world , but not my cup of tea.

It’s a proper lifestyle thing. The bloke who owns the one in the photo doesn’t even consider himself a biker. He’s rides a Harley and he’s fallen for the image hook, line and sinker. He’s even got a HD wedding ring.

Bloke I work with has just bought one. 24 plate for £17000!! I’ll take a photo of it when he brings it in.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Yes, they are almost the oldest manufacturer in the world , but not my cup of tea.

Nope.....

• Royal Enfield (1893) Royal Enfield, the oldest motorcycle company in existence, was initially founded as a bicycle company in 1893 in Britain. ...
• Peugeot Motocycles (1898) ...
• Norton Motorcycle (1898) ...
• Indian Motorcycle (1901) ...
• Triumph (1902) ...
• Husqvarna Motorcycles (1903) ...(3 months older than HD)
• Harley Davidson (1903) ...
• Moto Guzzi (1921)

Around here its seems quite popular to have illegal black and chrome plates on nearly new Harleys too!!

 

[Petrol Pete]

It’s a proper lifestyle thing. The bloke who owns the one in the photo doesn’t even consider himself a biker. He’s rides a Harley and he’s fallen for the image hook, line and sinker. He’s even got a HD wedding ring.

Bloke I work with has just bought one. 24 plate for £17000!! I’ll take a photo of it when he brings it in.

Mate of mine went through it , bought a HD of another mate of mine , sent it to a 'custom shop' , ended up using basically just the engine . Tens of thousands of pounds and years later basically ended up with a worse bike , rode it once or twice and sold it at a massive loss.

Each to their own I suppose.

 

[Darrell]

Mate of mine went through it , bought a HD of another mate of mine , sent it to a 'custom shop' , ended up using basically just the engine . Tens of thousands of pounds and years later basically ended up with a worse bike , rode it once or twice and sold it at a massive loss.

Each to their own I suppose.

I’m surprised about the loss tbh.

Normally a Harley is the only bike that keeps or even goes up in value when it’s customised.

 

[Darrell]

Nope.....

• Royal Enfield (1893) Royal Enfield, the oldest motorcycle company in existence, was initially founded as a bicycle company in 1893 in Britain. ...
• Peugeot Motocycles (1898) ...
• Norton Motorcycle (1898) ...
• Indian Motorcycle (1901) ...
• Triumph (1902) ...
• Husqvarna Motorcycles (1903) ...(3 months older than HD)
• Harley Davidson (1903) ...
• Moto Guzzi (1921)

Around here its seems quite popular to have illegal black and chrome plates on nearly new Harleys too!!

You need to see the amount of black and silver HOG private plates at the Ace on a sunny Sunday. All with his & hers matching helmets and leathers (brand new) and those silly intercom things!!

 

[baxlin]

I’m surprised about the loss tbh.

Normally a Harley is the only bike that keeps or even goes up in value when it’s customised.

Suppose it depends on the quality etc of the customising…

 

[Petrol Pete]

I’m surprised about the loss tbh.

Normally a Harley is the only bike that keeps or even goes up in value when it’s customised.

I don't know all the details (he is trying to forget the whole sorry incident) but the bike was passed between a few 'custom shops' before the plug was pulled .

He now Pi$$es money away on Motocross bikes ...and all the paraphernalia that goes with that . Much more fun

 

[ALFAitalia]

Apart from the serious bikers...."Hardly Movin'sons" seem to be the ultimate midlife crisis.

A friend of mine lost his license many years back....only just slightly over the limit.....but he decided to ride his bike home with no helmet as it was a hot night.....as we often did out here in the sticks....he got pulled. When his year ban was nearly up he bought a nearly new 1991 Harley Davidson FXDB Sturgis from Warrs in London....being impatient to get it in his garage but unable to legally ride it he asked me to go up on the train and collect it for him....I though why not....a big comfy tourer...should be a night little cruise back.....even if I did look a bit silly as I left the dealer in full race leathers with body armour!!
Honestly it was only about 70 miles to his house....and I was nearly crippled....even worse the next day. Big comfy seat...sure.....but next to no suspension and a really upright riding position meant every big bump was hammered up through you spine........never again. And people thing sports bikes are uncomfortable. Well I used to ride mine from the Sussex coast to Donnington park non stop several times a year non stop with no issue!!!

This is the exact model of torture I delivered!!!