Front Number Plate
Discussion
Sorry, another question 
I have been offered a smaller front number plate to standard by the dealer. I questioned legality and was told it was a bike sized one and no more was said on the matter.
What's the score, is this going to involve a tug by the boys in blue at some point?
Looking in the classifieds, I see nothing for sale with a smaller plate.
Should I go with it, or stick to the standard larger one and play safe?
I have been offered a smaller front number plate to standard by the dealer. I questioned legality and was told it was a bike sized one and no more was said on the matter.
What's the score, is this going to involve a tug by the boys in blue at some point?
Looking in the classifieds, I see nothing for sale with a smaller plate.
Should I go with it, or stick to the standard larger one and play safe?
Errm....bikes don't have front number plates anymore! That's why we love forward facing speed cameras 
and why there was talk of reintroducing them on bikes. When they were curved affairs fitted to the front mud guard they were referred to as 'bacon slicers' because of the effect they had on pedestrians when they ran into them. Bit before my time though even though I'm an old git.
Bikes are required to have the same sized digits and spacings on their plates as a car and so the plate you have been offered might look the 'muts nuts' but will be illegal. Having owned quite a few bikes over the years and fitted them with different sized number plates, it's not long before plod will be feeling your collar. I seem to recall that if the number plate isn't the right colour, size and spacing of digits then technically you are driving without one.
I also had one or two cars with black and silver plates a few years ago. Local plod weren't too impressed with these either!
and why there was talk of reintroducing them on bikes. When they were curved affairs fitted to the front mud guard they were referred to as 'bacon slicers' because of the effect they had on pedestrians when they ran into them. Bit before my time though even though I'm an old git. Bikes are required to have the same sized digits and spacings on their plates as a car and so the plate you have been offered might look the 'muts nuts' but will be illegal. Having owned quite a few bikes over the years and fitted them with different sized number plates, it's not long before plod will be feeling your collar. I seem to recall that if the number plate isn't the right colour, size and spacing of digits then technically you are driving without one.
I also had one or two cars with black and silver plates a few years ago. Local plod weren't too impressed with these either!
The front numberplate sits quite low anyway. If you find yours has some chamfered spacers then they might rotate with the vibration, causing the front plate to dip downwards.
This does tend to make it difficult to read by cameras high on a pole (such as specs). I must find time to fix it
This does tend to make it difficult to read by cameras high on a pole (such as specs). I must find time to fix it
grrrrr said:
Dave 500 said:
Come to think about it when you looked at my car a Fernhurst's it had the 3/4 size plate on it then
Must admit, they do look better with 3/4 size plates
I think all Fernies Cerbs have the smaller plates! Mine does too, and I've never been stopped in almost three years...
..go for it, it does look better with the smaller plate.
I have a small plate with letters conforming to the legal bike specifications. Have had it on 2 TVRs now for about 7 years. No problems yet.
I know the arguement would never stand up in court, but If the font size is deemed big enough to be clearly legible on a bike, I see no reason why a car should have to have a plate which is MORE legible!
Jon H
I know the arguement would never stand up in court, but If the font size is deemed big enough to be clearly legible on a bike, I see no reason why a car should have to have a plate which is MORE legible!
Jon H
A "mates" fell off to. Oddly, it did the same on each of the 3 Esprits he had. Ten years, no front plate and been pulled once. As it happened he simply had the plate in the boot as he "had taken it off for a photo shoot this morning officer". Plate wet back on, BiB happy and yet by odd coincidance the plate dropped off again about 20 mins later. Those pesky screws just dont hold it on well enough, terribly state of affairs, I blames the governemtn and the decline of British manufacturing...
So let me get this right,
"The reason your honour is that due to global terrorism the goverenment has restricted life so much that no male is allowed out in the street. that being the case women are now doing the manufacturing which means an increase in global warming due to the extra fumes generated by parking and the acid rain that has caused has affected the strength of the base metal so that when I hit 71 my license plate came off which then flew over the car and decapitated Red Ken..."
"The reason your honour is that due to global terrorism the goverenment has restricted life so much that no male is allowed out in the street. that being the case women are now doing the manufacturing which means an increase in global warming due to the extra fumes generated by parking and the acid rain that has caused has affected the strength of the base metal so that when I hit 71 my license plate came off which then flew over the car and decapitated Red Ken..."
Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff