Wife stopped for illegal number plate...

[RA500]

Hi all,

My wife was recently stopped by the police for an illegal number plate

The reason given was that the plate was 'cut down'

The plate is as it came from a company called fourdot, it is their ZERO plate and fully legal.
https://www.fourdotdesignerplates.co.uk/legal/lega...

If we contest it in court, do we have to attend and can we claim for costs if we win as my wife is a contractor and her day rate is more than the fine. She will obviously have to take the day off unpaid to attend court.

I can't see us not winning to be honest as the plate is 100% legal.

Thanks.

[RA500]

[RA500]

Breadvan72 said:

(1) If no oral evidence is needed, then your wife could just send a lawyer to argue about the plate. Otherwise your wife must attend. If she neither attends nor is represented she will probably be convicted.

(2) Legal costs can be awarded but only if incurred. Loss of earnings are not awarded.

So the best way to avoid it costing us money is to instruct a solicitor and go for legal costs?

Is there a way of sorting it via post before it goes to court?

[RA500]

Breadvan72 said:

That plate is dodgy. Pay up.

It's 100% legal, from an authorised supplier and made to BSAU145d

[RA500]

Strudul said:

Looks like the specific plate you had comes with a "declaration of legality" that you are recommended to keep in the car and present if you have any troubles. Did you not do this?

it was in the door pocket, but its not there anymore...

[RA500]

Breadvan72 said:

That plate looks dodgy. Pay up. Besides, having a personalised plate ought to be an imprisonable offence, so consider your wife lucky. I suppose it is an offence that carries its own punishment as a personalised plate is like a sign saying "I am a fkwit".

Edited by Breadvan72 on Saturday 13th January 15:50

You don't like them then.... I really don't care, it was passed to me just before my dad passed away, on the condition that I kept it whilst he was alive, held a lot of sentimental value to him and myself and he died in an accident before it went on my car so keep your fkwit comments to yourself

[RA500]

Pericoloso said:

I can't blow the pics up but I can't see makers name on them.

They are on there, I'll get a pic when my wife gets home.

[RA500]

paintman said:

Does your number plate comply with the dimensions given in this leaflet?
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...

If you plead not guilty unless you can satisfy the prosecutors that they are wrong you will very likely need to attend court.
I'd suggest you may also need something/someone from the company as your expert witness.
If you win you can ask for your costs.
You can ask for actual costs, not 'what I think I might have earned'
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-f...

Yes, it complies.

I think I have the original paperwork form the company stating it is legal and I'm sure they will send me somthing.

Actual costs will able to be provable, as she has a contract stating X amount per day.

[RA500]

[RA500]

they were the only place I could find that make shorter plates whilst still keeping 100% legal, £75 might be a lot for a set of plates but it uses more than that in fuel on a weekly basis

[RA500]

The reason it was held on with cable ties is that I removed the plinth and the sticky didn't keep too well with it not having much to hold to, I added the cable ties and haven't got round to sniping them off now the glue has set properly

[RA500]

Red 4 said:

OP - has your missus been stopped before re; the plates or did she fail the attitude test in spectacular fashion ?

Nope, not been stopped before, Possibly failed the attitude test knowing her

[RA500]

I'm not putting the picture up but she was stopped on the M56 Motorway for...
'Drive a vehicle when the registration mark fails to conform with regulations contrary to Contrary to section 59(1) of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 at M56 MANCHESTER on 04/01/2018 at 08.01 hrs' Sic

[RA500]

No measurements were taken at the roadside, the PC just took a picture of it and got my wife to sign somthing on a tablet

I don't have any of the officers details, like where they are based, although the GMP's traffic base is not too far away from home, I may take it there with some paperwork and see what they can do, I want it thrown out of court before it gets there if possible

[RA500]

also, having measured some other number plates, bought from various suppliers and being 'standard' plates, and also some neighbors cars, non meet the 14mm stroke required by law.

[RA500]

I like the plates, I don't like the car, neither does my wife, she preferred the C63 we had before but another baby demanded more boot space apparently and its easier to get the kids in to their seats. yes, 500bhp is a bit poor but it'll do for now..

[RA500]

johnoz said:

So out of all the links and measurements that have been put on this thread, the question I would like to ask is, do number plates not have to be of standard length ??
My son was fined for a shortened plate on his TT at the rear, also had to take it to an mot station to get approval that a standard plate had been fitted.

No, there has to be an 11mm border around the characters, and it has to have the makers details and the BS number still intact. if he cut them down, then he probably lost the BS number, making them illegal.

[RA500]

Pica-Pica said:

But will the thermometer have been calibrated?

Yes, it was calibrated in July

[RA500]

Red 4 said:

So, in summary then;

OP's wife got stopped on the M56.

OP's wife may or may not have had a bit of a kerfuffle with the officer.

FPN issued - number plate fails to conform (reason/ reasons not stated).

Number plate may or may not conform. OP may have dodgy vernier gauge.

CPS may or may not run it if N/G plea.

OP may or may not call down to the police station to prove his wifes innocence.

Porsche Cayennes have much hate directed at them.

No one likes crap cherished transfers.

No one likes illegally spaced plates.

Some people think the police are being petty.

Standard PH thread - it just needs;.

Is the Cayenne leased or bought outright ? Outright
How much did you pay for the cherished transfer ? dunno, it's about £80 to transfer the mark vehicle to vehicle, the mark has been in my family for years
Do you think you're better than everyone else 'cos you've got a Porsche and a private plate ? Nope, definitely not
Do you think the police are trustworthy/ corrupt/ useless/ just after motorists ? No comment!
Would you dominate the stairs if a gang of nutters came for your Porsche at 02.00 hours ? Nope, take it, but you're not taking the others

[RA500]

So, the tape measure was calibrated in the warmth and it says it's ok.


I've also been to the traffic officers base and had a Sergeant out to see the car, armed with a tape measure, he checked the plate after downloading the information from .gov and confirmed that the plate was legal to me and said that I should send pictures to the ticket office, with a note saying that he had checked the plates and confirmed them to be legal, and that they should cancel the FPN as it was clear that they would loose if it were to go to court.