I have recently noticed a trend that quite recent cars are being driven with black and white plates. (I have seen several X5s and a few MINIs)
You would have thought that the suppliers of such plates would have warned the purchaser that they were illegal.
And what about MOT time? Do they swop them for the test?
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As far as i knew, these plates are sold by supplies as "show plates" and are only for use off road. Which means that the suppliers have done their job, and warned consumers.
At MOT time, i assume they would just swap them for the originals.
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I've seen some of these plates on taxis as well. I thought tests on taxi's were more stringent - such as having a regular checkover by the local council and needing more than one MOT per year?
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Any car after registered after Aug 1 1973 (on an M suffixed plate)must dispaly reflective plates to a prescribed design and BS marked. Just giving the Police easy pickings on ANPR. DVD will be along with the Act and Section. Too lazy to look it up.
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You just beat me to it PU.
Here's the link: www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/regmarks/reg_marks_curren...s
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I was seven months out - such is the effects of cockatail party syndrom ! Pooh.
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With the large variety of illegal number plates, I wonder when a confidential reporting procedure will introduced?
I saw another variation today.
A large company truck with a cherished numer plate on the left almost matching the company name plus an almost identical plate on the right with the companys name.
Both were reflective and normal font.
I wonder what is the legal opinion on this as the proper plate was displayed?
A have seen other trucks with what I assume is the drivers name /nickname displayed on a number plate but often behind the wind screen.
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Again DVD will be along with the Act and Section and exact definition (Stones CD ROM currently being used as a very expensive coaster) but there is an offence of displaying something that has the appearance of an index plate where it is likely to deceive or some similar legaleze. What the poor fools don't realise that if they do wander in the path of a ANPR on a quiet day they could end up on the wrong side of a fixed penalty and lose their cherished plate back to DVLA. What's wrong with people ?
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I appreciate that ANPR can 'read' a plate but can it differentiate between reflective and non-reflective platesand be programmed to know the date from which such plates are illegal (see above)?
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My understanding of ANPR is that it works on patern recognition, so when you drive past it scanns the front of the car for a oblong box (the reg plate) and then scans that box to find the letters. So I suppose the black and silver plates won't confuse the ANPR.
I have heard that people put them on thinking a safety camera can't read them, but I would think this is just another urban myth, like the numpty's who put CD's in the front screen thinking it will stop a camera.
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May or may not confuse ANPR what they won't confuse is the MK1 eyeball of the standing by cops. Especially when they can fixed penalty for it.
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That's intresting. How sensitive are they to the oblong shape?I was just thinking of the unique rear plates fitted to Rover 75s which have a curved lower edge.
Presumably they can also spot a "stacked" square plate
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As I say, it's just my understanding of how they work, I could well be wrong. But all ANPR camera's I've seen work on the front of the car, where pretty much all plates are oblong.
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From DVLA:
If you need to buy a number plate
you will have to provide the Number
Plate Supplier with:
Current verification of personal
details, together with
Proof of entitlement to the
registration mark.
The acceptable proof of entitlement
documents are:
Registration Document [V5]
preferred (includes V5/2 ;Vehicle Licence Renewal [V11]
Suppose I wanted DOC 1 for the garage wall?
How would I get it made up?
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Get it made up as a 'show plate' by one of the companies advertising at the back of car mags.
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PU
Actually it's 1 jan '73! Check the link.
Essentialy historic vehicles = zero road tax = b & w plates.
JS
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"I have seen several X5s "
They'll be immune, then, as they already own the road...
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As well as B & W, I have seen, what I can only describe as pale pink number plates - what does it mean? Or am I too young to understand?
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The pale pink ones may be that people have not peeled off the film which often protects plates after production, which when I have seen them, are pink.
This "show plates" business is widely breached - you also get the italic plates , and some other weird fonts . I suspect some people think that aprt from them showing how COOL they are, these plates might confuse speed cameras, etc. I think all the plate producer has to do is provide the warning, having checked the customer's papers to ensure he is entiled to buy the requested plate.
This seems to be a truly UK chav thing .For example I have spent quite a lot of time in the Netherlands and never seen a vehicle with non-standard fonts or spacing. I suspect it's an issue of low self-esteem which needs to be bolstered by such trivial things
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"these plates might confuse speed cameras"
A good reason, then, as most road policing now seems to rely on automation. AFAIK, the penalty for unreadable plates doesn't involve points, even assuming they work out who you are..
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By sheer chance, I had a client call today who'd had a fixer for an illegal plate. He has now had a letter from DVLA threatning to "pull" his personal plate. He'll be paying up as he's a decent chap. He is a regular poster here..! (that'll get you guessing,as he said)
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He is a regular poster here..! (that'll get you guessing,as he said)
Adam, you naughty chap ;)
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Hugo - don't start. No its not Adam.
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PU - I told you that in confidence.
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If we guess right, would you say whether we were right?
I guess RF.
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I dunno. Dave has already felt the long arm of the law for his fog lights...
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Went to buy some plates at Halfords had log book ,insurance ,test cert, Government photo id card and was refused I needed a photo driving licence which I had left at home.Went back to the office ordred some of E bay no problem,I could have had any combination of plates the source is N Irland where the new regs do not apply.Strange old world
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When I imported my new V70 to the UK and consequently obtained a UK registration mark, the last thing I wanted on it was a pair of number plates bearing the legend "Halfords 01234 567890" or whatever.
I therefore had the plates made at a local signwriters, legal in every respect except for the fact that the maker's mark (no, not whisky!) was missing. No need to order from ebay or whatever and they were ready within the hour.
For this service I simply signed a declaration that the plates were for "show use".
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The problem is that to say they are for show use is not an excuse in law both you and the supplier are liable for a heavy fine. If caught out of course
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There's a muppet in a black Zafira GSi with illegal window tints (front side windows heavily tinted) and a B&W number plate around my way. Uses it to race into the car park of the local primary school, discharge the contents of the rear seats and tear off again. I think all that black is there to highlight the foglights that are usually lit, along with sidelights, naturally.
Can't help but think they are missing the point somewhat.....
I'd love for local plod to pull the car and issue the relevant notices but the chances of seeing a police car on patrol are remote.
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The problem is that to say they are for show use is not an excuse in law both you and the supplier are liable for a heavy fine. If caught out of course
I recall that within the current law it is perfectly legal to make your own number plates; any prosecutor would first have to prove that I didn't as I don't see why I should be expected to incriminate myself by doing the converse. Anyway, apart from the absence of maker's text the plates are 100% legal so hopefully this scenario will never arise.
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The plates do not belong to you they are owned by the DVLA even though you pay for them and have to be produced at a registered supplier.But like I said who is going to check
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I'd love to be a plod for a few days and put the fear of god into people like that. I'd stand by the bus lane at the end of my road and book 'em all. Frankly, the bus lane shouldn't be there for the 10 buses an hour that use it. However it is there, and those oiks who use it slow law-abiding folk down, so they deserve to be nicked.
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