"Clipped" plates

Mon 20 May 2013 17:20

"Clipped" plates - greenhey

Over the weekend, I had the unusual- for me-experience of being a passenger for 6 hours or so.

Looking at other vehicles on the motorways,I saw the usual selection of indexplates with non-standard spacing, scripts, badges,playing around which screwheads, etc..in passing, I noticed what might even been a type of "law"- that is, if you have a prominent GB or St Gorge's cross on your plate, presumably to announce your patriotism, it is almeost always attached to a car which could not possibly have been manufactured in the UK...

However I also noticed some people who had ( as far as I could tell) correct spacing and typeface, but the "spare" plate area to the left and right of the characters had been clipped off the plate, so it is narrower than the standard.

Does anyone know if it's legal?

Edited by greenhey on 20/05/2013 at 17:21

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Mon 20 May 2013 17:33

"Clipped" plates - RT

My understanding is that number plates should be of the prescribed size - as well as the correct font and spacing.

The GB identifier is instead of an international country plate which by law relates to where the car is registered, not where it was built.

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Mon 20 May 2013 17:46

"Clipped" plates - HandCart

I don't think it is legal, though I could be wrong.

More often than not, such plates seem to be attached to 'suspicious', 'blingy' -looking cars that suggest the owner is a top man in some dodgy "biznizz" that's a front to facilitate money-laundering..

Have you also noticed a frequent number of bods from lower down the heirarchy of the same business (usually in an Impreza or lowered Honda or Toyota) whose front or rear numberplate is entirley missing from the bumper? It's always lying face-up on the dashboard or parcel shelf; funnily-enough no doubt harder for any registration-mark-spotting device to spot or decipher.

I've no doubt a police officer would be told "Yeh, I just come back to me car an it was 'angin off -someone's tried to nick it it- so I took it off to make sure I dint lose it, innit".

These types clearly think they're always above the law and are deliberately flaunting it and goading the police - who ought to impound the cars for thorough searching.

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Tue 21 May 2013 15:55

"Clipped" plates - focussed

I don't think it is legal, though I could be wrong.

More often than not, such plates seem to be attached to 'suspicious', 'blingy' -looking cars that suggest the owner is a top man in some dodgy "biznizz" that's a front to facilitate money-laundering..

Have you also noticed a frequent number of bods from lower down the heirarchy of the same business (usually in an Impreza or lowered Honda or Toyota) whose front or rear numberplate is entirley missing from the bumper? It's always lying face-up on the dashboard or parcel shelf; funnily-enough no doubt harder for any registration-mark-spotting device to spot or decipher.

I've no doubt a police officer would be told "Yeh, I just come back to me car an it was 'angin off -someone's tried to nick it it- so I took it off to make sure I dint lose it, innit".

These types clearly think they're always above the law and are deliberately flaunting it and goading the police - who ought to impound the cars for thorough searching.

This sort of behaviour is only to be expected when law-enforcement has degenerated to the current low-level of camera based enforcement for blatant financial gain by the authorities.

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Tue 21 May 2013 21:26

"Clipped" plates - alastairq

This sort of behaviour is only to be expected when law-enforcement has degenerated to the current low-level of camera based enforcement for blatant financial gain by the authorities.

''Camera-based'' law enforcement solves the age-old problem associated with diminishing numbers of law enforcement officers. It also free's-up those remaining officers to pursue such elements as drunk-drivers, or those who fail to apply due care & attention? Or would you prefer those offcers to enforce speed limits personally, allowing other , apparently more serious offenders to escape justice in the process? Does it really matter how the fines garnered are actually viewed? [unless to observe, they aren't anywhere near high enough to deter?} The biggest problem for those drivers who consider themselves free to flout the Law of the LAnd is...a camera catches all....whereas a traffic officer only cathches some? CAmeras increase the likelyhood of being caught, and fined. SO what?

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Wed 22 May 2013 00:10

"Clipped" plates - focussed

So what?

So that's the result - too many cameras, drivers look for ways to stay out of their way.

And don't start with that old chestnut "it frees up officers to deal with other offences" myth.

That record has been played so many times it's worn out.

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Wed 22 May 2013 13:38

"Clipped" plates - NARU

However I also noticed some people who had ( as far as I could tell) correct spacing and typeface, but the "spare" plate area to the left and right of the characters had been clipped off the plate, so it is narrower than the standard.

Does anyone know if it's legal?

I believe so.

There are rules for the size and font of the letters, and for the spacing between them, and for the spacing around the edges. These effectively set the 'standard' plate size.

However, the plate can be cut down as long as the spacing, margin etc are retained. I had a registration including two '1's which had quite a bit of spare space.

www.newreg.co.uk/services/dvla_number_plates/acryl...s

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Wed 22 May 2013 15:50

"Clipped" plates - Dwight Van Driver

Check it out:-

http//www.tinyurl.com/m7v5

dvd

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