(Illegal) number plates

[Major Bloodnok]

You don't have to drive far to see a technically illegal number plate, and normally these don't particularly exercise me, but today I saw one that was seriously misleading. It had no spacing at all between the groups, and appeared to start N00, which I thought was odd, since I couldn't imagine 00 being a legitimate digit group. It was only when I pulled up behind it that I could see the very thin "1" between the N and the 00. Basically, from more than about 10-15 yards away, the 1 merged with the N.

I was just wondering approximately how long the driver might be able to drive around before being pulled. Do the BiB even bother with illegally made number plates these days (including the ones with strategically placed black screw heads).

[vonhosen]

Major Bloodnok said:

You don't have to drive far to see a technically illegal number plate, and normally these don't particularly exercise me, but today I saw one that was seriously misleading. It had no spacing at all between the groups, and appeared to start N00, which I thought was odd, since I couldn't imagine 00 being a legitimate digit group. It was only when I pulled up behind it that I could see the very thin "1" between the N and the 00. Basically, from more than about 10-15 yards away, the 1 merged with the N.

I was just wondering approximately how long the driver might be able to drive around before being pulled. Do the BiB even bother with illegally made number plates these days (including the ones with strategically placed black screw heads).

I used to deal with the outrageous

[rich 36]

Ther was a very interesting thread on here
relating I think to a Times article
where some 'prestige' vehicles sported utterly made up plates
to avoid congestion charges,
the idea being that plod was statistically less likely to hassle such cars

where as a chavved up corsa wit the odd miss placed screw head
would warrant a pull if seen

speaking from experience my plates are alpha/numerically corrrect
but the spacing is clearly wrong and No-ones said a dickybird to me in
Two years

[gently bentley]

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

[not applicable]

Ohh GB, I feel most insulted now! Yes, altered number plates are an offence but most officers I know (including Road Policing) only deal with the most outrageous. Having been on the receiving end of a hit and run collision I want to be able to clearly read a number without having to guess.

[marty g]

One of my friends bought a number plate to spell out his name (normal font) but within 6 months of putting it on the car he had been told to alter the spacing so it read correctly and if he got stopped a third time the number would be confiscated by the DVLA

However, i have seen other cars around the city with italicised number plates so that you couldn't actually read them unless you were stopped behind it for a few seconds. Have seen the same car with the same number plate for over a year now and so i guess he hasn't been stopped.

Seems to depend on the opinion of the officer in my experience.

[Wacky Racer]

gently bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

Sorry, GB, disagree, as always the middle ground would be the best option...

Number plates are there for a reason, for instance say a car was involved in a hit and run, and the only witness had fairly poor eyesight and the car could not be indentified because the number had been obscured or messed about with...

No, these childish people need to grow up, a formal written warning initally, (with no penalty )and then if the offence re-occurs six points on their licence might make them think twice.

Also, this should result in an MOT failure..

In Malta, anybody caught with illegal number plates has their car impounded and crushed......

[Major Bloodnok]

Like I said, I don't normally get fussed over plates that are technically wrong but still readable, but should I, as a (mostly) law-abiding MOP, grass up the seriously wrong 'uns? And, if so, who? DVLA? BiB? The one I saw yesterday was unreadable (correctly) from more than a few yards away.

[freedman]

On this subject I saw Mclaren Mercedes SLR in mayfair last week, on black and silver plates....

[not applicable]

Only vehicles registered prior to 01/01/1973 can display black and silver number plates on a public road.

[mr_annie_vxr]

gently bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

You don't like the rain or bright coloured jackets?

[kenp]

not applicable said:

Only vehicles registered prior to 01/01/1973 can display black and silver number plates on a public road.

Unless registered in the Channel Isles.

[not applicable]

Never been to the Channel Islands so I bow to your superior knowledge!

[julianhj]

I issue Vehicle Defect Rectification Notices (VDRS) to those which are blatantly
incorrect, including black and silver plates (always seems to be new Range Rovers). This allows the driver to get it fixed, get the form stamped by an MOT station and sent back to our process unit within 14 days. I've not issed a £30 FPN yet, but would do so immediately if a dodgy font was in use or for those which are illegible.

[marcel.micallef]

gently bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

Doesnt it just. Its just gos to show the difference between uniform and CID

[vonhosen]

marcel.micallef said:

gently bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

Doesnt it just. Its just gos to show the difference between uniform and CID

Of course there is a difference between CID & traffic, they have different primary roles.
Can't imagine GB has reported too many people for careless driving, illegal tyres, defective brakes, tacho offences or indeed any other traffic process offences.

[marcel.micallef]

vonhosen said:

marcel.micallef said:

gently bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

Doesnt it just. Its just gos to show the difference between uniform and CID

Of course there is a difference between CID & traffic, they have different primary roles.
Can't imagine GB has reported too many people for careless driving, illegal tyres, defective brakes, tacho offences or indeed any other traffic process offences.

Your point ?

[vonhosen]

marcel.micallef said:

vonhosen said:

marcel.micallef said:

gently bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

Doesnt it just. Its just gos to show the difference between uniform and CID

Of course there is a difference between CID & traffic, they have different primary roles.
Can't imagine GB has reported too many people for careless driving, illegal tyres, defective brakes, tacho offences or indeed any other traffic process offences.

Your point ?

I'd have thought that was obvious.
Different departments, different priorities, but both have important jobs to do.


And your point ?

Edited by vonhosen on Monday 19th February 10:12

[marcel.micallef]

vonhosen said:

marcel.micallef said:

vonhosen said:

marcel.micallef said:

gently Bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

Doesnt it just. Its just gos to show the difference between uniform and CID

Of course there is a difference between CID & traffic, they have different primary roles.
Can't imagine GB has reported too many people for careless driving, illegal tyres, defective brakes, tacho offences or indeed any other traffic process offences.

Your point ?

I'd have thought that was obvious.
Different departments, different priorities, but both have important jobs to do.


And your point ?

Edited by vonhosen on Monday 19th February 10:12

You are trying to cloud the issue. What has careless driving, illegal tyres, defective brakes, tacho offenses, got to do with Spacing of a number plate ? All could be dangerous. You are not trying to tell me, that a incorrectly spaced number plate is in the same league. Are you?

My point is.
gently Bentley makes a good point that those that end up in CID or elsewhere are those that find such silliness as anal as the rest of the general public.

Those that end up in such arrears of police work. seem very well suited too such work. The Big question is what personality traits makes some so suited to that type of work.

Edited by marcel.micallef on Monday 19th February 10:34

[vonhosen]

marcel.micallef said:

vonhosen said:

marcel.micallef said:

vonhosen said:

marcel.micallef said:

gently Bentley said:

I never stopped them. It was a waste of time and effort. They were usually silly wee boys or girls that wanted to try and be cool and make a name out of their plate.

One of the guys used to stop them all and take the plates as evidence then refuse to let them drive without plates on and impound the car.

I just thought he was a tosser who was afriad of chinning criminals and trying to solve real crimes.

I went to the CID he is now in the traffic. It tells a story.

Doesnt it just. Its just gos to show the difference between uniform and CID

Of course there is a difference between CID & traffic, they have different primary roles.
Can't imagine GB has reported too many people for careless driving, illegal tyres, defective brakes, tacho offences or indeed any other traffic process offences.

Your point ?

I'd have thought that was obvious.
Different departments, different priorities, but both have important jobs to do.


And your point ?

Edited by vonhosen on Monday 19th February 10:12

You trying to cloud the issue. What has careless driving, illegal tyres, defective brakes, tacho offenses, got to do with Spacing of a number plate ? All could be dangerous. You are not trying to tell me, that a incorrectly spaced number plate is in the same league. Are you?

My point is.
gently Bentley makes a good point that those that end up in CID or elsewhere are those that find such silliness as anal as the rest of the general public.

Those that end up in such arrears of police work. seem very well suited too such work. The Big question is what personality traits makes some so suited to that type of work.

Edited by marcel.micallef on Monday 19th February 10:33

In giving you the other offences, they are offences that GB probably doesn't deal with, but it doesn't mean they aren't important & can't be judged as so just because he doesn't.

However when investigating the offences he does, he may find it frustrating & even damaging to the case, if his witness couldn't read the number plate of the car those commiting the offence made off in, because of illegal alterations made to it. The standards imposed are so that people can easily & reliably read them.

Edited by vonhosen on Monday 19th February 10:43