WARNING Pressed Metal Plates

[Photographer14]

It probably is a very odd first post, i love reading the posts in this forum and i have found it to be very helpful. But it is heart breaking when innocent motorists who abide by the law are being fined £60 a shot for non compliant plates when in fact they are legal.
By all means if motorists abuse the number plate system yes i have no mercy for them they have clearly broken the law then they should be reprimanded for it. bot not motorists who are compliant

 

[E270 Owner]

I know its an old thread but......................


Surely though all would have been avoided if he used Trade Plates on a customers car delivering it back ?

All garages are supposed to have Trade Plates to cover themselves.

That's why I have two sets of them on the firm for collecting and delivering cars,
sometimes its an overnight trip so we need two sets, we have a spare at the workshop,
and a set out on the road, better safe than sorry.

 

[BlackC55]

I don't have a set of trade plates and very rarely have a need for them. If a car is not legal I just don't drive it.

 

[Sp!ke]

Aren't trade plates embossed metal?

 

[gazz]

The set of trade plates I have are indeed of pressed metal construction. The newer ones are Perspex or similar plastic, as my neighbour has a set of that type. They are not actually my property, I am simply permitted to use them by the powers that be. I'm sure if they were no longer allowed they would have contacted me and arranged for an updated set to be issued, wouldn't they.........?

 

[flango]

No need for trade plates in my case my policy covered customer cars, old trade plates used to be embossed metal new ones are not. And as in support of my original posts embossed metal plates are very much illegal if they dont conform to BS as confirmed by motoring lawyers and VOSA AFAIK there are no metal plate suppliers that conform to BS otherwise the ticket would have been challenged.

 

[markjay]

For those of you who drive customer's cars...

I suggest that you check your policy to see that it covers you even if the customer's car is uninsured? Most policies will only cover you if the car you are driving has valid UK insurance.

Otherwise, you mind find yourself unwittingly driving without insurance cover, e.g. if the customer did not renew his/her policy, either intentionally or through error - or if the insurer insists the policy is void because of undeclared modification etc etc.

In short, I expect garage owners will know very little about the customers' cars insurance status, and theretofore a policy that covers them unconditionally will be a good idea...

 

[Deleted member 37751]

In short, I expect garage owners will know very little about the customers' cars insurance status, and theretofore a policy that covers them unconditionally will be a good idea...

Any Traders/mechanics insurance policy worth it's salt covers you to drive a car whether it's insured with someone else or not.

 

[gazz]

Any Traders/mechanics insurance policy worth it's salt covers you to drive a car whether it's insured with someone else or not.

Correct. Mine does, but it certainly isn't cheap.

 

[flango]

Correct. Mine does, but it certainly isn't cheap.

Neither is mine as it covers cars up to £1,000,000 write off value

 

[gazz]

Oh, don't let it degenerate into another willy waving thread.

My public liability is considerably higher than that.

 

[flango]

Oh, don't let it degenerate into another willy waving thread.

My public liability is considerably higher than that.

I'm not talking PLI I'm talking car value but I'm justifying why I don't need trade plates as some seem to think I do and it would be better than the policy I have.

 

[gazz]

I have the trade plates as it means i can drive untaxed cars mainly.

 

[redcalibra]

Thanks for heads up.

 

[sidewaze samm]

to go back to the OP content... I thought this may be of interest to some.

The legality of pressed metal plates is something the police themselves are totally unclear on, given the comments in a couple of police forums you can see on the following links...

Pressed metal number plates. UK compliant? - Page 2 - Law: England & Wales - PoliceSpecials.com Forum

£60 Penalty for pressed numberplates + "illegal" wheels - Page 2 - Roads Policing - UKPOLICEONLINE Discussion Forum

...It seems to me that such plates are legal providing they meet the relevant BS requirements, as outlined in the DVLA document at:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_067666.pdf

I found these links when trying to find someone who makes plates with an acrylic front, but an aluminium back. They can be bent and stay bent - I had a set some years ago and want some now so that the front plate can be gently bent to fit neatly on my CLK. They also don't expand much in strong sunlight so don't get that unsightly bow. So far I can only find a place in Ireland that states they meet the BS standard, but don't show their UK post code on the plate (not in the UK!) and don't ask for eligibility proof to have the plates made up...

Anyone know of a DVLA registered supplier of such plates?

cheers

 

[flango]

to go back to the OP content... I thought this may be of interest to some.

The legality of pressed metal plates is something the police themselves are totally unclear on, given the comments in a couple of police forums you can see on the following links...

Pressed metal number plates. UK compliant? - Page 2 - Law: England & Wales - PoliceSpecials.com Forum

£60 Penalty for pressed numberplates + "illegal" wheels - Page 2 - Roads Policing - UKPOLICEONLINE Discussion Forum

...It seems to me that such plates are legal providing they meet the relevant BS requirements, as outlined in the DVLA document at:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...n/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_067666.pdf

I found these links when trying to find someone who makes plates with an acrylic front, but an aluminium back. They can be bent and stay bent - I had a set some years ago and want some now so that the front plate can be gently bent to fit neatly on my CLK. They also don't expand much in strong sunlight so don't get that unsightly bow. So far I can only find a place in Ireland that states they meet the BS standard, but don't show their UK post code on the plate (not in the UK!) and don't ask for eligibility proof to have the plates made up...

Anyone know of a DVLA registered supplier of such plates?

cheers

I know the exact problem you mean and I have the same plates but mine come from "that place in Ireland" totally legal reflective surfaces and font but no BS number or EU equivalent.

 

[Chalpkin]

They're not the ones that matter.

If the police made the effort to tackle real crime, then fine go after people with out of date tax discs and badly spaced number plates, but they are too lazy.

How's your car insurance lately, gone up at all? If It has it's probably because of the claims by drivers of cars who have been hit by an uninsured car, I speak from experience! Also an uninsured driver will probably not have a valid MOT so it could possibly be unroadworthy. I welcome the anpr camera's as they separate legal from the illegal car owners.
Regards,
Chalpkin.

 

[martyp87]

That's a shame, I was thinking of getting one for the front - not worth the hassle though...

 

[sidewaze samm]

Decided to get a front place from the Irish website (which dispatches them from Leeds). Looks really good - I don't think I'm taking too much of a chance by not having the post code...

 

[IanS320]

I saw an audi in Manchester which had a uk plate spaced, fonted, coloured and pressed to look like a German plate. There's a van near me who has stuck aftermarket e-class type row LEDs under his plate making it unreadable.

I'm not a massive AR53 HOL but I stick to the MoT rules and don't like it when others don't seem to.