Spacing number plates? Legality?
Discussion
Spacing number plates? Legality?
A friend and I were discussing this the other day and I was just wondering why it is Illegal to space your number plate in a certain way. I.e. the registration “V1 CKY” shoved together to make “VICKY”?
Obviously I understand why you can’t mess around with screws making C look like E etc and why those stupid fonts are illegal but I’ve never understood the relevance of how the letters are spaced.
Also, am I right in thinking you get 3 points for it?
A friend and I were discussing this the other day and I was just wondering why it is Illegal to space your number plate in a certain way. I.e. the registration “V1 CKY” shoved together to make “VICKY”?
Obviously I understand why you can’t mess around with screws making C look like E etc and why those stupid fonts are illegal but I’ve never understood the relevance of how the letters are spaced.
Also, am I right in thinking you get 3 points for it?
lambo_xx said:
Spacing number plates? Legality?
A friend and I were discussing this the other day and I was just wondering why it is Illegal to space your number plate in a certain way. I.e. the registration “V1 CKY” shoved together to make “VICKY”?
Obviously I understand why you can’t mess around with screws making C look like E etc and why those stupid fonts are illegal but I’ve never understood the relevance of how the letters are spaced.
Because the legislators have deemed a standard format necessary for plod to be able to read them easily using their Mk1 eyeballs. The requirement long predates ANPR which is now trotted out as the reason for the latest version which can be found here. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/conten...A friend and I were discussing this the other day and I was just wondering why it is Illegal to space your number plate in a certain way. I.e. the registration “V1 CKY” shoved together to make “VICKY”?
Obviously I understand why you can’t mess around with screws making C look like E etc and why those stupid fonts are illegal but I’ve never understood the relevance of how the letters are spaced.
lambo_xx said:
Also, am I right in thinking you get 3 points for it?
They haven't gone that far yet. Non endorsable. £60 FPN.Red Devil said:
lambo_xx said:
Spacing number plates? Legality?
A friend and I were discussing this the other day and I was just wondering why it is Illegal to space your number plate in a certain way. I.e. the registration “V1 CKY” shoved together to make “VICKY”?
Obviously I understand why you can’t mess around with screws making C look like E etc and why those stupid fonts are illegal but I’ve never understood the relevance of how the letters are spaced.
Because the legislators have deemed a standard format necessary for plod to be able to read them easily using their Mk1 eyeballs. The requirement long predates ANPR which is now trotted out as the reason for the latest version which can be found here. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/conten...A friend and I were discussing this the other day and I was just wondering why it is Illegal to space your number plate in a certain way. I.e. the registration “V1 CKY” shoved together to make “VICKY”?
Obviously I understand why you can’t mess around with screws making C look like E etc and why those stupid fonts are illegal but I’ve never understood the relevance of how the letters are spaced.
Streaky
The thing is - if you mis-space the plate you can be reported to the DVLA who in turn can take the plate off you.
So imagine you've got a "really great" plate that cost a fair amount and suddenly it is taken away from you.
In addition your car could then be issued with a Q plate - which can make it more difficult to insure.
This is all things that "could" happen - but is it really worth it?
You can be pulled at any time for a £60 fine.
There is rumour it might become endorseable.
The "best" plates don't need re-spacing.
I personally think a lot of the re-spaced plates just look very meh.
So imagine you've got a "really great" plate that cost a fair amount and suddenly it is taken away from you.
In addition your car could then be issued with a Q plate - which can make it more difficult to insure.
This is all things that "could" happen - but is it really worth it?
You can be pulled at any time for a £60 fine.
There is rumour it might become endorseable.
The "best" plates don't need re-spacing.
I personally think a lot of the re-spaced plates just look very meh.
streaky said:
The technology should have no difficulty in reading plates with non-standard spacing.
Streaky
Oui mon ami, you know that and I know that, but we musn't interfere with the state propaganda machine eh?Streaky
The separation requirements for letters and numbers existed when estate cars looked like this.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thum...
djt100 said:
If i remember rightly the spacing is the minimum space between , so your V1 CKY places coule be spaced V 1 C K Y and be legal.
Years ago i used to pass a BMW that had had A 13 C D E as a plate.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/PersonalisedRegAndNumberPlates/DG_181503Years ago i used to pass a BMW that had had A 13 C D E as a plate.
Your number plate should show the correct:
•character height - 79 millimetres
•character width - 50 millimetres (except the figure 1 or letter I)
•character stroke - 14 millimetres
•space between characters - 11 millimetres
•space between groups - 33 millimetres
•top, bottom and side margins - minimum 11 millimetres
•space between vertical lines - 19 millimetres
Tiggsy said:
If your plate is V1cky then your car better be over £60k otherwise the ratio of plate cost to car cost makes you look like a tool. One also assumes you have you name stuck on your house in an equally dumb manner!
I don't think this plate makes the owner look like a tool. Seems to me that they don't need to impress the neighbours with the latest model of car. 
Red Devil said:
Oui mon ami, you know that and I know that, but we musn't interfere with the state propaganda machine eh?
The separation requirements for letters and numbers existed when estate cars looked like this.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thum...
does that car have minge written on the back of it?The separation requirements for letters and numbers existed when estate cars looked like this.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thum...
The hypocracy is that the DVLA will sell you a plate which makes into a name then, when you display it as a name, it will result in your getting a FPN and, maybe, loosing the plate.
When you lose the plate, presumably DVLA can then sell it to someone else and get a second source of income from it.
When you lose the plate, presumably DVLA can then sell it to someone else and get a second source of income from it.
Cooperman said:
The hypocracy is that the DVLA will sell you a plate which makes into a name then, when you display it as a name, it will result in your getting a FPN and, maybe, loosing the plate.
When you lose the plate, presumably DVLA can then sell it to someone else and get a second source of income from it.
Not if you take the time to actually learn the laws of the land prior to buying the vanity plate.When you lose the plate, presumably DVLA can then sell it to someone else and get a second source of income from it.
Cooperman said:
The hypocracy is that the DVLA will sell you a plate which makes into a name then, when you display it as a name, it will result in your getting a FPN and, maybe, loosing the plate.
When you lose the plate, presumably DVLA can then sell it to someone else and get a second source of income from it.
Do they mis-space it in their advertising ?When you lose the plate, presumably DVLA can then sell it to someone else and get a second source of income from it.
Robb F said:
does that car have minge written on the back of it?
I learned to drive in a Series II Moggie.
A much earlier vintage than the one in the picture. It was my mum's shopping trolley. A tad over 60mph flat out downhill. My father had a succession of Jaguars ending up with a 2.4 Mk2. Comparatively few cars on the road back then and no NSL.
HowMuchLonger said:
I don't think this plate makes the owner look like a tool. Seems to me that they don't need to impress the neighbours with the latest model of car.
that plate doesnt have the legal 33mm centre spacingA1___ABC type number plates often have larger than legal 33mm gap
Milky Joe said:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/PersonalisedRegAndNumberPlates/DG_181503
Your number plate should show the correct:
•character height - 79 millimetres
•character width - 50 millimetres (except the figure 1 or letter I)
•character stroke - 14 millimetres
•space between characters - 11 millimetres
•space between groups - 33 millimetres
•top, bottom and side margins - minimum 11 millimetres
•space between vertical lines - 19 millimetres
True enough but misses this update for Nissan Figaros and other non type approved importsYour number plate should show the correct:
•character height - 79 millimetres
•character width - 50 millimetres (except the figure 1 or letter I)
•character stroke - 14 millimetres
•space between characters - 11 millimetres
•space between groups - 33 millimetres
•top, bottom and side margins - minimum 11 millimetres
•space between vertical lines - 19 millimetres
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2687/body/...
•character height - 64 millimetres
•character width - 44 millimetres (except the figure 1 or letter I)
•character stroke - 10 millimetres
•space between characters - 10 millimetres
•space between groups - 5 millimetres
(It's for a square number plate where the groups are one above the other)
Rules for the ANPR machine or because rules can be made
saaby93 said:
True enough but misses this update for Nissan Figaros and other non type approved imports
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2687/body/...
•character height - 64 millimetres
•character width - 44 millimetres (except the figure 1 or letter I)
•character stroke - 10 millimetres
•space between characters - 10 millimetres
•space between groups - 5 millimetres
(It's for a square number plate where the groups are one above the other)
Rules for the ANPR machine or because rules can be made
Indeed. However there is a second requirement which must also be satisfied together with not having EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval.http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2687/body/...
•character height - 64 millimetres
•character width - 44 millimetres (except the figure 1 or letter I)
•character stroke - 10 millimetres
•space between characters - 10 millimetres
•space between groups - 5 millimetres
(It's for a square number plate where the groups are one above the other)
Rules for the ANPR machine or because rules can be made
14A(1)(a)........and
14A(1)(b)
is so constructed that the area available for the fixing of the registration plate precludes the display on the plate of a registration mark in conformity with the requirements of regulation 14.
ANPR hadn't been invented when the original regulations came in. They have just been added to/modified over the years. The government mantra is pure
. Provided the font hasn't been messed around with, the characters can be read. The only possible drawback is if the intention is to totally remove human beings from the process. Justice by machine. Very Eric Blair. I have been driving Jap imports for several years. I had to shove a copy of the above mentioned Amendment S.I. in front of a disbelieving cop who tried to do me for undersize characters on my plates. He looked so annoyed and red in the face I feared he might burst a blood vessel.
Has anyone else seen the displays they have in some fuel service stations wher there is a screen above the cashiers tills that shows what the forecourt cameras see & lists the reg no of the vehicles as read by their system, it is often wrong even on clean legally displayed plates, confusing 5s & Ss etc. Next time I am in one I will try to take a pic to post or would that infringe DPA?
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