Number Plate Question

[peterguk]

To improve air flow i'm thinking of moving the rear number plate off the grill of my Noble and "insetting" it into the large tail of the rear clam.

It will certainly fit height wise, and by fabricating a piece in GRP i can mould it into the lower upswept surface of the tail.

It will be vertical, internally lit etc, and have a clear lexan/perspex cover which follows the shape of the tail.

Any one know if there will be any legal issues??

[Dwight VanDriver]

Road Vehicles Display of Registration Marks 2002

Fixing of rear registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date

Reg 5. - (1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the 1st Octopber 1938

A registration plate must be fixed on the rear of -

(a) the vehicle,

(3) Where a vehicle (or, in a case where the plate is required to be fixed on a trailer, that trailer) has been constructed so as to satisfy the requirements of the relevant type-approval directive, whether or not it is required by law to satisfy them, the plate may be fixed in the space provided in accordance with those requirements but if it is not so fixed it must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).

(4) Except as provided in paragraph (3) the plate must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).

(5) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed -

(a) vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable, and

(b) in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (6).

(6) The diagonal length of the relevant area is -

(a) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is at least 57 millimetres, 22 metres,

(b) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,

(c) in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.

Definitions:
"diagonal length", in relation to a relevant area, means the length of a line drawn diagonally across the square enclosing the area (so that the extent of the relevant area is thereby delimited);
"relevant area", in relation to a registration plate, means the area contained in a square described on the ground -
(a) in front of the vehicle in the case of a plate fixed on the front of the vehicle, and

(b) behind the vehicle in the case of a plate fixed on the rear of the vehicle,

where one corner of the square is immediately below the middle of the plate and the diagonal of the square from that corner is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle

.......and don't forget the requirement to have the plate illuminated.

dvd

[bryan35]

don't you just love legal speak. :-)

[peterguk]

Thaks DVD - that's excellent!

I seem to have digested 90% of it - i can see the latter part is trying to define an area behind the vehicle from which the plate must be visible.

However, i'm stuck on "and the diagonal of the square from that corner is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle"

Can anyone make that clearer for me? If the longitudinal axis of the car is the car's centreline, then i can't understand the rectangle bit anymore since it says the diagonal of the rectangular area has to be parallel to the longitudinal axis..

[bluepolarbear]

Imagine a diamond or kite drawn on the floor behind the car. The Tip of the diamond / kite is below the middle of the number plate. The length of the kite is the distance given in the regs based font size.

The regs state that you have to be able to read the plate from anywhere from within the diamond/kite. The regulation effectively stops you recessing the numberplate so that it can only be seen if you are directly behind it.

I'm not sure what the back of the Noble looks like but if you need to be carefull if "insetting" it. If it restricts the viewability of the plate from a side angle it will be illegal.

If you stand behind the plate walk back 11m and then turn left or right and walk 11m you should be standing to oneside of the car and 15m from the plate - if you can read it - you're legal.

Edited by bluepolarbear on Thursday 21st February 20:50

[Hooli]

if your only recessing it an inch or two you should be fine, didnt the M100 elan have the plate like that anyway?

[peterguk]

Thanks guys.

Now i understand!