3/4 Sized Number Plates

[RIB27]

Hello all,

Have seen a number of people on here with the smaller 3/4 sized number plates. I also quite like the black plates Burntout has on his stealth vantage.

There are lots of rumours on various threads about whether or not you can be pulled over / fined etc, but does anybody know the real facts? Also interested to hear of other peoples experiences having these plates on their cars.

Thanks! Rich

Edited by RIB27 on Monday 7th May 16:57

[AMDBSNick]

Hi Rich. As far as I'm aware it is illegal the same as mis spacing. Fine but no points. My issue is always why give them an excuse to pull you. My greatest fear is being pulled the morning after a heavy night before. You may of course be tea total

[Ice27]

The regulations can be found here...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registratio...

They specify the font and size which must be used. If you can fit your Reg No onto a 3/4 size plate without changing these specs, you remain within the law. A black and silver plate is illegal. Simple.

If you are stopped, you could be told to rectify any defective or illegal plates or you could be reported for the offence. Or, if your charm works, you could get away with some words of advice...

[RIB27]

Thanks for the speedy replies!

Nick - my concerns are similar around giving them an excuses.

Ice27 - thanks for the link, most helpful. I noted that "black and white plates are used on military vehicles so they can't be locked on to by laser guided weapons systems" ... perfect for Burntout's stealth car

Using info from the link above and some googling I've found this:

- Character height 79mm
- Character width (except the figure 1 or letter I) 50mm
- Character stroke 14mm
- Space between characters 11mm
- Space between groups 33mm
- Top, bottom and side margins (minimum) 11mm

[mikey k]

Mine is correct font just smaller
I keep an "MOT" set in the boot.
Never been stopped in 9 years with the plate on various cars.
Recently I have drive past and/or followed a fair few traffic cars with no issue.
I just wish I could get away with no plate


Remberance S day 090 by mikey k V8VR, on Flickr

[bogie]

Ive had 3/4 plates on all my sportscars for over 10 years now, driven many hundreds of thousands of miles ...with a standard font and a 5 chr plate, it looks kind of right on a small sportscar anyway

I have been stopped just once for the plate on the Vantage. Standard spot check, and young lady cop straight out of school thought shed wave me in. Her boss, the older, experienced chap in charge had a 5 min chat about the car with me, looked at the plate and smiled. He agreed it looked right with the AM grille on show, read me the rules on what it *should* look like, then sent me on my way

so there are some sensible real world coppers out there he knew he could have messed me around, given me a ticket to take the car down the station with its full plate on, and he would know full well, hours later I would have taken it off again, so its just a PITA for no reason....he carried on his day looking for real criminals

so you take your chances ...by the letter of the law a 3/4 plate is not legal, but if you pass the attitude test with a real copper then its usually not enforced

[AdamV8V]

mikey k said:

Mine is correct font just smaller
I keep an "MOT" set in the boot.
Never been stopped in 9 years with the plate on various cars.

Mikey, can I assume your plate dates back to your Honda days as S2K EK?

If so, can I therefore also deduce your real name is actually "Eggbert" and not Michael at all?

[George H]

mikey k said:

I just wish I could get away with no plate

What's the point in having a private numberplate then? A lot of cars do look better without, but since I paid a fair bit for it I'd want to at least show it off

Illegal numberplates are a pet hate of mine, especially if mis-spaced, or if they have an extra screw in them to change what it reads. The black and silver ones look a bit chavvy if you put them on a modern car too imo (sorry Burntout!)

[mikey k]

AdamV8V said:

Mikey, can I assume your plate dates back to your Honda days as S2K EK?

If so, can I therefore also deduce your real name is actually "Eggbert" and not Michael at all?

You certainly can it had a double meaning S2K for the Honda and KEK for Mrs K's initials

[mikey k]

George H said:

mikey k said:

I just wish I could get away with no plate

What's the point in having a private numberplate then? A lot of cars do look better without, but since I paid a fair bit for it I'd want to at least show it off

Illegal numberplates are a pet hate of mine, especially if mis-spaced, or if they have an extra screw in them to change what it reads. The black and silver ones look a bit chavvy if you put them on a modern car too imo (sorry Burntout!)

IMHO the plate ruins the front of the car, you never see an Aston "brochure" photo with one on
If I have to have one a small one with out attracting too much attention is a compromise.
I have a private plate mainly to lose the age of the car.

[George H]

mikey k said:

IMHO the plate ruins the front of the car, you never see an Aston "brochure" photo with one on

Oh really?


http://asp-gb.secure-zone.net/v2/index.jsp?id=285/...

Yes, I do realise this is the only one with a numberplate on too, I'm just being pedantic

[mikey k]

George H said:

Yes, I do realise this is the only one with a numberplate on too, I'm just being pedantic

[eybic]

I've had a 3/4 plate on the front of my Celica for about 5 years now and had no issues whatsoever.

[CraigV12V]

So I know this sounds daft, but what size is a 3/4 plate? A normal plate size is 20.50 X 4.50, so if its 3/4 by each dimension that makes it 15.375 X 3.375 and no such plate exists. Closest I can see is 16 X 3.5. Would that be right?

[mikey k]

CraigV12V said:

So I know this sounds daft, but what size is a 3/4 plate? A normal plate size is 20.50 X 4.50, so if its 3/4 by each dimension that makes it 15.375 X 3.375 and no such plate exists. Closest I can see is 16 X 3.5. Would that be right?

According to the place I got mine from 390mm by 84mm

[UH-Matt]

mikey k said:

I just wish I could get away with no plate

It is the exact same offence to run no plate as it is to run one with wrong sizing.

I have (and know many other ferrari/lambo owners) who do not run front plates and have never had any issue, if you get stopped 99% chance its a telling off, 1% chance of a £60 fine. No points.

[mikey k]

UH-Matt said:

It is the exact same offence to run no plate as it is to run one with wrong sizing.

I have (and know many other ferrari/lambo owners) who do not run front plates and have never had any issue, if you get stopped 99% chance its a telling off, 1% chance of a £60 fine. No points.

I know but in my mind at least having a plate that is readable is going to cause less issues

[RIB27]

Well it took 8 months, but I finally sorted out a Mikey K inspired plate. Pleased with result! Before and after ...

Edited by RIB27 on Wednesday 8th January 21:56

[jonby]

I've got fully legal font & spacing but chose a much shorter plate- that makes the main difference, especially if you have just 5 or 6 characters, even better if some of those are '1' to shorten the length. I also opted to only have the Euro sign on the rear plate which shortens the plate even more on the front

Oh and of course on a vantage, remove the plinth !

[F1 NDW]

Far too many anarchists on here!