Incorrect number plate on fixed penalty

[adamsmith96]

Hello all.

A few weeks ago I was pulled over for not having a front number plate on my car(was in the windscreen) and I went to pay the £100 fine today and realised that they've got the number plate wrong on the letter. *05**** when it should be *95****.

Does anyone know what the appropriate action to this would be? I was thinking of writing a letter to them saying that I don't own the car that they've issued a ticket for. If I did that, I'm assuming that I shouldn't put on the correct number plate on the letter as that would enable them to quickly send out the correct penalty.

Thanks in advance.

[RazerSauber]

If you were ready and willing to pay it, just pay it? I could understand maybe if you were going to lose your license or have something miserable happen to you but is all the potential hassle worth it?

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Why was it under the windscreen and not on the front of the car as required?

Just pay the fine.

Edited by RedWhiteMonkey on Thursday 11th July 09:25

[Rich135]

Plus you weren't actually displaying the plate correctly so it's kind of your fault anyway? Just pay it!

[matjk]

I got pulled for not displaying a tax disc , car was taxed just disc wasn’t in window . They got the wrong make, colour and reg on the ticket , it was a Red Vauxhall Astra, the ticket was for a Blue Fiesta , and the Reg had 2 incorrect digits . I complained and was told it makes no difference, it was just a basic mistake and not material to the offence . They gave me the Choice of pay it or take it to court (where I would lose as mistakes on the ticket aren’t any kind of defence) . You probably have the same options

[steveo3002]

nice how its one sided ...if he had insurance on the worng reg he would in the wrong and not brushed off as a little mistake

[adamsmith96]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Why was it under the windscreen and not on the front of the car as required?

Just pay the fine.

Edited by RedWhiteMonkey on Thursday 11th July 09:25

I appreciate your concern in regards to the number plate, I'm sure you have never done anything unlawful while driving a car.

I am a university student, so a £100 fine is a significant deal to me. Once again, I'm sure you are aware of how student loans work but if not I will happily explain my situation to you.

The number plate had fallen off a few weeks prior and I hadn't driven the car since so the battery was flat. I had bump started the car and was driving around charging up the battery when I was stopped.

Thanks to matjk for sharing your relevant personal experience.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

adamsmith96 said:

I appreciate your concern in regards to the number plate, I'm sure you have never done anything unlawful while driving a car.

I am a university student, so a £100 fine is a significant deal to me. Once again, I'm sure you are aware of how student loans work but if not I will happily explain my situation to you.

The number plate had fallen off a few weeks prior and I hadn't driven the car since so the battery was flat. I had bump started the car and was driving around charging up the battery when I was stopped.

Thanks to matjk for sharing your relevant personal experience.

Yes, I’ve been done for speeding a couple of times (once when I was university student). Never been done for anything being up with the roadworthiness of a car though. I’ve also paid off five year’s worth of student loans so know exactly want that is like.

You’ve been unlucky to have been stopped but it did happen and it was your car. Life is a learning experience and you have to take responsibility for your actions. You could try to get out of the fine but I expect that it wouldn’t take much for them to do some digging and you could end up in much bigger trouble. Obviously the reason for mistaking 95 for 05 was probably down to the plate being obscured from view by its position behind the windscreen.

By the way, double sided tape or self-taping screws are pretty cheap.

[shakotan]

adamsmith96 said:

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Why was it under the windscreen and not on the front of the car as required?

Just pay the fine.

Edited by RedWhiteMonkey on Thursday 11th July 09:25

I appreciate your concern in regards to the number plate, I'm sure you have never done anything unlawful while driving a car.

I am a university student, so a £100 fine is a significant deal to me. Once again, I'm sure you are aware of how student loans work but if not I will happily explain my situation to you.

The number plate had fallen off a few weeks prior and I hadn't driven the car since so the battery was flat. I had bump started the car and was driving around charging up the battery when I was stopped.

Thanks to matjk for sharing your relevant personal experience.

Your number plate hadn't 'fallen off', you tried to be like all the other scene idiots thinking it's cool to put their front plate (illegally) in the windscreen, and you got caught.

Number plates don't just 'fall off'.

[SonicShadow]

Perhaps the officer couldn't read the plate properly because it was in the window and not clearly visible? They should do something about that...

[EU_Foreigner]

shakotan said:

adamsmith96 said:

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Why was it under the windscreen and not on the front of the car as required?

Just pay the fine.

Edited by RedWhiteMonkey on Thursday 11th July 09:25

I appreciate your concern in regards to the number plate, I'm sure you have never done anything unlawful while driving a car.

I am a university student, so a £100 fine is a significant deal to me. Once again, I'm sure you are aware of how student loans work but if not I will happily explain my situation to you.

The number plate had fallen off a few weeks prior and I hadn't driven the car since so the battery was flat. I had bump started the car and was driving around charging up the battery when I was stopped.

Thanks to matjk for sharing your relevant personal experience.

Your number plate hadn't 'fallen off', you tried to be like all the other scene idiots thinking it's cool to put their front plate (illegally) in the windscreen, and you got caught.

Number plates don't just 'fall off'.

I agree that in the case of an old car, that is probably true. I did however lose the rear plate of my brand new car as the tape the dealer used, was not working and within a mile the plate was missing.

[can't remember]

adamsmith96 said:

I appreciate your concern in regards to the number plate, I'm sure you have never done anything unlawful while driving a car.

I am a university student, so a £100 fine is a significant deal to me. Once again, I'm sure you are aware of how student loans work but if not I will happily explain my situation to you.

The number plate had fallen off a few weeks prior and I hadn't driven the car since so the battery was flat. I had bump started the car and was driving around charging up the battery when I was stopped.

Thanks to matjk for sharing your relevant personal experience.

According to your previous thread you recently inherited £25k so don't plead poverty.

[adamsmith96]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Yes, I’ve been done for speeding a couple of times (once when I was university student). Never been done for anything being up with the roadworthiness of a car though. I’ve also paid off five year’s worth of student loans so know exactly want that is like.

You’ve been unlucky to have been stopped but it did happen and it was your car. Life is a learning experience and you have to take responsibility for your actions. You could try to get out of the fine but I expect that it wouldn’t take much for them to do some digging and you could end up in much bigger trouble. Obviously the reason for mistaking 95 for 05 was probably down to the plate being obscured from view by its position behind the windscreen.

By the way, double sided tape or self-taping screws are pretty cheap.

Thanks for the advice, as I have never had a ticket before I was curious to see what others think. You'll be happy to know that I went straight to my local DIY shop and now the plate is stuck firmly on

[adamsmith96]

shakotan said:

Your number plate hadn't 'fallen off', you tried to be like all the other scene idiots thinking it's cool to put their front plate (illegally) in the windscreen, and you got caught.

Number plates don't just 'fall off'.

Thanks for your concern, but it actually had fallen off. The car is lowered on coilovers as I use it on the track, and the plate got caught on a kerb and came off.

I'm just glad that I'm not one of the 'idiots' that wastes their life trawling through forums thinking they know everything.

[Tyre Smoke]

Not going the way Mr Smith anticipated, but going exactly the way I'd anticipated.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Tyre Smoke said:

Not going the way Mr Smith anticipated, but going exactly the way I'd anticipated.

Yes, exactly as expected.

I'm not exactly great with money but I that if I had inherited £25k I sure as hell wouldn't have had any student loans at university. I may have drank myself to death though!

[adamsmith96]

can't remember said:

According to your previous thread you recently inherited £25k so don't plead poverty.

Congratulations Inspector Clouseau.

Not that its any of your business but that £25k has gone to paying for my university fees to reduce the amount I have to pay back.

I get approx £6k from my maintenance loan to pay for all my living costs, so £100 is actually a significant sum for me.

Thanks for your concern though.

[littleredrooster]

shakotan said:

Number plates don't just 'fall off'.

Errrm...yes, they do. I've had one fall off when the sticky pads gave up the ghost after about 8 years.

[adamsmith96]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Yes, exactly as expected.

I'm not exactly great with money but I that if I had inherited £25k I sure as hell wouldn't have had any student loans at university. I may have drank myself to death though!

It has gone a long way to helping me with my loans that's for sure, but at £9250 a year just for tuition fees that £25k can't cover everything.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Then perhaps choose to contest the charge, go to court and argue it is invalid. Should that fail you can plead poverty and hope for a reduced fine.

Alternatively, accept that you made a mistake and deal with it like the adult you no doubt are.