Stopped by police for "incorrect spacing" on platenumbers?

[rayman86]

Hi all, as the title suggests; has it ever happened to any of you guys or anyone you know where the police stopped you for not having the correct spacing of lettering on your plate number??
I.e. XX11 XXX

I ask because I've been lucky enough to have got a plate but want it arranged XX11

 

[rayman86]

Sorry about the repeat post, bloody touch screen phones!

Hi all, as the title suggests; has it ever happened to any of you guys or anyone you know where the police stopped you for not having the correct spacing of lettering on your plate number??
I.e. XX11 XXX

I ask because I've been lucky enough to have got a plate but want it arranged XX11XX X instead.

Cheers

 

[dog68]

Unfortunately the correct spacing is required, or the anpr will not recognize the plate, if your car was stolen, thieves would have a better chance of not being caught.

 

[MOCAŠ]

My understanding is that (depending on he specific software used) ANPR systems will generally be able to read misspaced plates. However, they will therefore also be able to detect that they are misspaced, so that increases the chances that you'll be stopped. Even moreso if a plate is misspaced in such a way that it resembles a different registration (eg: making 5 OAA look like 50 AA).

There's at least one member on this forum who used to have his numberplate misspaced to resemble his name, and was of the opinion that it was worth the odd fixed penalty he used to have to pay for the satisfaction it gave him. However, even he has now seen the light and had the plates changed.

The DVLA say that repeat offenders stand to lose their right to the plate altogether, although this has rarely happened and there are those who believe it could be challenged.

However, the best advice is just to keep to the legal font and spacing. Besides, misspaced plates look everso tacky...

 

[10EDD]

One of our company vans got stopped last week for this as we had a slight alteration to the plate for a bit of 'clever' marketing. They really don't like it and demanded an immediate change within the day and that we re-present the vehicle to a local station along with all documents just in case they could turn it into a revenue opportunity I suppose. They were quite clear that this wasn't allowed and were typically pedantic on the subject.
Edd

 

[MOCAŠ]

...we had a slight alteration to the plate for a bit of 'clever' marketing.

...just in case they could turn it into a revenue opportunity I suppose.

Sounds like a case of making the punishment fit the crime...

 

[Wilsonuk]

Hi all, as the title suggests; has it ever happened to any of you guys or anyone you know where the police stopped you for not having the correct spacing of lettering on your plate number??
I.e. XX11 XXX

I ask because I've been lucky enough to have got a plate but want it arranged XX11

My sister in law has got HI50 NYA (Hi Sonya) and has been stopped a few times - never been fined or penalised but always warned and she has now changed the spacing back to normal.

 

[gchild]

Leads to mot failure but I've never been stopped. ( yet)

 

[A210AMG]

As above

I got away with wrong spacing for several years and about 5 cars but once stopped near home I'm now legal. I think they are clamping down on it to be honest. Mine was easy to read etc but I knew it was illegal... and if I didn't change it the next time I would not be let off..

Hands up and change it, If its a name or something people who know you will know what its meant to be. Alternativley just buy one that needs no spacing.

the way your goint to space it its too obvious anyway and athough anoying you still spot cars with really odd text / spacing their day will come.

 

[Aswall]

I had my plate misspaced for several years, though it involved only pushing the two groups together to remove the central space , so maybe not as obvious as you're suggesting, and was never stopped. A neighbour was a traffic cop at the time and his attitude was that they wouldn't bother stopping someone just for that, but would add it to the list if there was another reason to pull you. However, any insertion of bolts or non standard fonts, or any other way to make any character look like a different one was stopped and fined. Obviously this is down to the individual officer though. Nowadays I can't be bothered, it's obvious what it reads even as it is.

Just to confirm, contrary to some of the suggestions, it will definitely be read by ANPR cameras, they are not affected by spacing.

 

[SilverSaloon]

if you want to mis-space the plate then you have to accept the risks involved and accept the punishment if/when it comes.

we have a personalised plate that would be better with no spacing but we leave it at legal spacing as we cannot be bothered with the hassle.

 

[MicB]

I have three cars all with mis-spaced lettering/numbers even though the space itself is the requisite size:

3M A.........8yrs.
1 3M X.......14yrs.
3M BG.......9yrs.

Never had a problem but they are only mis-spaced to satisfy my sentimental ego.....they are not mis-spaced in such a way that there could be misinterpretation of the car's registration/identity.
ANPR cameras can read these plates.

Mic

 

[jaymanek]

Mis Spacing doesnt cause any issues with ANPR as the systems automatically remove any spaces.
I wouldnt worry too much, just have to travel through places like Leicester or Central London and you will soon realise the police arent too worried about mis spacing - if thats all it is.

Its the altering of letters or incorrect style of Font that will get you stopped IMO.

 

[Mr E]

They do seem to have the occasional focus on this - over the last 2 or 3 years all the people I know who have mis-spaced plates have been stopped and warned, and they've all changed to normal plates.

It can also cause unnecessary attention - why bother?

 

[Mercy1]

Fitting an obscure personal number plate makes you look like a prat - mis-spacing it confirms it!! (IMHO!)

 

[A210AMG]

^ That was my plan.

Yes I got away with it for XX years.... but being stopped once was enough, I Knew it was wrong.


Its now correct and legal and all happy


They will get you its just when... It could be a reason why you are spotted and they check other things...

 

[markjay]

Mis Spacing doesnt cause any issues with ANPR as the systems automatically remove any spaces.
I wouldnt worry too much, just have to travel through places like Leicester or Central London and you will soon realise the police arent too worried about mis spacing - if thats all it is.

Its the altering of letters or incorrect style of Font that will get you stopped IMO.

I agree...

Judging from the vast number of mis-spaced or deliberately misleading (using bolts etc) plates seen around London - it would seem that the police are not generally bothered and your chances of being stopped are probably very low (I somehow doubt that all these mis-spaced plate owners are happy to pay the fine... repeatedly).

Having said that, it is an offence, and as others said, people do get stopped, albeit not very frequently and at any rate more to do with the priorities of your local police force.

But, as has been mentioned in another thread, in my opinion a hard-working plate intended to resemble something it isn't, simply says that you could not get the real thing... so why would you want to advertise that you came in 2nd place?

 

[corned]

...

 

[corned]

A graphic illustration of the folly of this pointless pursuit must be the following ebay auction, for a number plate so tortured and contrived that I still don't fully get what they are really aiming for, even after it has been explained. And to think it is for sale by an organisation I once had a lot of sympathy for! (And no, this auction is not the reason for my waning interest.)

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

 

[The Boss]

yes, been pulled over in Bristol a few times .

one of my plates is X2 @VX

so i rearranged it as X 2@V X


They were not happy.

My wifes plate is: P12 @NA

rearranged as P12@NA and the 2 having a slight pitch to the lower left side to look like an R, and they did not like that obviously.

i have BO55 @XX

I rearranged it as BO55@ XX

no one has complained so far