Number Plates - Did you Know?

[tonyrec]

TVR Owners.....under the 'new' rules Honeycombed Plates are no longer 'allowed'.

This is all covered by Schedule 3 of the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001.

>>> Edited by tonyrec on Wednesday 7th April 10:58

[tonyrec]

Wonder how many Trafpols would enforce this one though?

[Plotloss]

Does it carry a fine of some sort?

If so, most of them probably...

[jeremyc]

But presumably if we fitted non honeycombed plates then we'd be done for not having an illuminated rear plate.

Devil .... deep blue sea.

[tonyrec]

It would be a £30 fine......but to be honest, i cant see it being enforced on something like a TVR which requires this type of plate to be fitted.

Lets look at this in a common sense way.

1) Is the plate easily readable? Yes
2) Is it better to have the rear plate readable at night? Yes.

In my opinion it has passed the test with flying clours.

[PetrolTed]

Surely it's illegal in the same way that black plates are illegal on new cars. If they were fitted at time of manufacture surely they're not illegal now?

[KITT]

tonyrec said:

It would be a £30 fine......but to be honest, i cant see it being enforced on something like a TVR which requires this type of plate to be fitted.

Forgive my ignorance, but why does a TVR have to have a honeycombe plate?

Also does anyone know the penalty for not displaying a front plate?

cheers

[pdV6]

Although plate manufactures (i.e. signwriters/Halfords etc) are not supposed to make up plates with honeycomb backgrounds now, I think this is only enforcable on reg numbers issued since the rule change (otherwise 1000's of people would need new plates). Therefore, if you need a new plate you just find a friendly shop to make you one up and if there's a problem, who's to prove that it doesn't date from before the rules changed?

Or have I missed the point entirely?...

[tonyrec]

There must be some 'lawful' exemption somewhere but if theres not and you did get a ticket then it would definately be a case of going Not Guilty.

I was just reading the Legislation which has been put into an evidential format (for operational work purposes).

[fish]

Interestingly if you have a car post 1973 with the yellow and white plates the new plates must be the perspex type meeting the new regs. So in theory no more aluminium pressed plates or raised plastic letter plates.

You will note the brand new looking aluminium plates on my 1980 landrover cleaned up very well and aren't new at all honest

[DustyC]

KITT said:

tonyrec said: It would be a £30 fine......but to be honest, i cant see it being enforced on something like a TVR which requires this type of plate to be fitted. Forgive my ignorance, but why does a TVR have to have a honeycombe plate?

Because they are back lit.

[KITT]

DustyC said:

Because they are back lit.

Cheers. Learn something new everyday

[DustyC]

and I thought KITT knew everything!

How is that HOT PURSUIT MODE?

[Plotloss]

Only the early ones are backlit though...

[zumbruk]

Plotloss said:

Only the early ones are backlit though...

Define "early". My '97 Chimaera has backlit plates.

[Plotloss]

Dont think any 98 facelift or later cars did.

My 2001 certaintly wasnt.

[KITT]

DustyC said:

and I thought KITT knew everything! How is that HOT PURSUIT MODE?

my response here

[mondeoman]

Slightly off topic, but still relevant - does anyone know the maximum size allowed for graphics along the bottom of number plates and if you're allowed to put a different graphic in the space that the GB/Euro flag would normally go?

[telecat]

I have posted about these regulations before. The DVLA site states that any PLATE FITTED after September 2001 must conform to the new standard. Plates FITTED before that date merely have to conform to the old regs. Hence BiB cannot enforce a plate change on cars registered before sept 2001. If you change them they must conform to the New regs.

www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/regmarks/reg_marks_current_requirements.htm

[g_attrill]

mondeoman said:

Slightly off topic, but still relevant - does anyone know the maximum size allowed for graphics along the bottom of number plates and if you're allowed to put a different graphic in the space that the GB/Euro flag would normally go?

Currently, only a Euro symbol is legal on the left, but the intention is to make Welsh/Scottish and English flags permissable (but nothing else). I don't think the legislation has gone through yet so it is technically illegal right now but presumably not enforced.

As for the bottom - there should be nothing except the name/address of the supplying outlet - the spacing is defined in BSAU145d but is something like 150mm x 10mm.

Gareth