Number Plate Spacing

[merckdan]

I can confirm that I won't be involved in a hit and run anytime soon

 

[Spider10]

Its like this 1 ,we know what it says
But what is the real reg ?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

 

[Trickythemerc]

Well it would appear that RC 09 CLK passed the MOT today with no advisories ? The newly fitted light units did need a tweak to bring the beam alignment up to spec with the HID projector upgrade. So I have been spared a trip to the cell block for dodgy plates and head lights.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

View attachment 107535

Brilliant

 

[Wolfie1]

Neither of them is meant to be a name; like 'cherished numbers', the owners just like them. Nothing wrong with that at all, or with plates that do not indicate the age of the car, or with plates like Jimmy Tarbuck's COM 1C or Paul Daniels' MAG 1C (which I liked, but not a lot...), though I'd not pay extra for them. I'd like to have a 'cherished number' - 9100 R, because it was on the first quick car I had, for the SLK, which will likely be the last - but I'd not pay anything like what it would fetch in a DVLA auction to get it.

It's the tits who pay extra for 'oh look it spells my name' or 'oh look it says E55 AMG' (for example) plates, which clearly do not unless numbers are read as letters or vice versa, extra mounting screws are added, or the spacings are played with, that grip my sh1t. It's probably me being an old fart too...




Bad luck; you found an MoT tester who doesn't believe in grey areas. If I were an MoT tester, I'd use a bit of common sense on things like that that.



I think a casual observer wouldn't even notice it.

Thing is, the tester can get into trouble and their testing licence can get taken away from them for not doing their job right

 

[Wolfie1]

But its true though about it depends on the copper, as on my rx7 its a jap import so has smaller plates/characters, had the plates on for years without an issue then 1 day gets stopped and the copper gets his tape measure out and measures the characters and slaps me with a £100 fine as the letters were believe it or not 2mm smaller than they were supposed to be, the thing is they were proper supplied plates!

 

[zipdip]

Well we get a number of posters who bang on about the plates being illegal,for me what is a plate for,well it is for the police to be able to trace the owner,and in these days ANPR to be able to read the plate,now nearly all of the illegal plates do just that,it is about time that we got over this minor problem and allow these plates with the exception of those that have black tape changing the plate to a point where it cannot be read.
We have in certain areas of this country as many as 20% of cars running around without insurance or mot far better for the police crack down on those serious problems,and just maybe they are ,because being stopped while driving with a plate that has illegal spacing is very very rare.

 

[Dickster]

Cheers for the advice guys. It's definitely been an interesting read! By the sounds of what I'm reading here and elsewhere its purely pot luck. Some have been pulled after having their plate 2 weeks, whilst others have never been pulled. As much as I like the plate I don't think I want to have the anxiety of am I going to get pulled over every time I see the police in my rear-view mirror. I have seen another plate DAN 7**R which actually says DAN but the following 3 numbers and letter are meaningless so think I may go for that instead

Do what you want, it’s your car, plate and your choice.

 

[Darrell]

Thing is, the tester can get into trouble and their testing licence can get taken away from them for not doing their job right

I can’t see a problem with that.

 

[jotter22]

But its true though about it depends on the copper, as on my rx7 its a jap import so has smaller plates/characters, had the plates on for years without an issue then 1 day gets stopped and the copper gets his tape measure out and measures the characters and slaps me with a £100 fine as the letters were believe it or not 2mm smaller than they were supposed to be, the thing is they were proper supplied plates!

I had a similar issue with a Jap import Prelude i changed the square front plate to letterbox style at reduced size got a tug and changed back to the smaller square plate but fitted a plate tilter which i think looked better anyway!.
Tony.

 

[BTB 500]

Well we get a number of posters who bang on about the plates being illegal,for me what is a plate for,well it is for the police to be able to trace the owner,and in these days ANPR to be able to read the plate,now nearly all of the illegal plates do just that,it is about time that we got over this minor problem and allow these plates with the exception of those that have black tape changing the plate to a point where it cannot be read.

The point about obviously illegal plates though is there's no guarantee the reg. number on them even belongs to that car. Road-legal plates from a registered supplier (which must meet all the regs.) are checked against the vehicle's V5 and your own proof of ID and address - they are legally obliged to retain these verified details and supply them to the Police / DVLA / Trading Standards on request. None of this applies to 'show plates' (not legal for road use) from unregistered suppliers, so the fact that ANPR / witnesses / etc. can still read them may be a bit academic!

 

[Deleted member 150136]

The point about obviously illegal plates though is there's no guarantee the reg. number on them even belongs to that car. Road-legal plates from a registered supplier (which must meet all the regs.) are checked against the vehicle's V5 and your own proof of ID and address - they are legally obliged to retain these verified details and supply them to the Police / DVLA / Trading Standards on request. None of this applies to 'show plates' (not legal for road use) from unregistered suppliers, so the fact that ANPR / witnesses / etc. can still read them may be a bit academic!

That doesn't make sense to me in this discussion(yes in another area I agree)

You could get any standard looking 'show plate' with legal font and spacing with a standard number and put it on a stolen or non taxed, motd, or insured car.

Or you could have your legal private(or not) plate made by said above to be total legitimate, but not tax test or insure your car.

The legimate ownership of the plate isn't what we are talking about here.

If it can be read it can be read.

 

[Spider10]

I've just received my letter of entitlement and the reg is spaced like this aa 33 fac ( not the reg) so if i get pulled ill show that
Tbh ive never been stoped with any of mine

 

[BTB 500]

That doesn't make sense to me in this discussion(yes in another area I agree)

...

If it can be read it can be read.

I mentioned it as a reason why obviously illegal but still readable plates may get you pulled over (to get the details checked).

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Brilliant

I can't take any credit for that Rob, I think it was in the Jokes thread a good while ago?

 

[Bellow]

I don't believe the police wouldn't be intelligent enough to work out and check different combinations to find the suspect vehicle.

Yes the greatest gift to justice there's ever been - guesswork. 'Yes Your Honour, I guessed beyond all reasonable doubt.....'

By the time the police have - if they do - found the pisshead. He's sobered. Result!

 

[Bellow]

WTF point in ANPR if a witness can't reliably provide a number to enter into it?

What is so difficult about comprehending that one man doctoring a plate leads to another man doctoring a plate (your only defence here is doctoring plates is your own original thought and that you'd never seen it done by anyone else before) and another and another until the whole formatting system is rendered useless? Yeah It's tough - my heart bleeds that you didn't get alphabetti spaghetti as a child but that boat has sailed. Do it right and the minority who will use plates to avoid justice will stand out and can be dealt with accordingly.

 

[markjay]

On the topic of plates... what do members think of tinted/darkened/blackened plates?

E.g.:

 

[Deleted member 150136]

ANPR read my plate wrong all the time, and they are legal plates.
So in that context, does that mean a witness could read my plate incorrectly also?

And why has a thread about numberplate spacing turned into a thread about hit and run and witnesses