Anyone wearing non-standard number plates - BEWARE!!

[Lig]

Hi all,

So I have had the plate L1 GVB for many many years and for ages I had it spaced as L1G VB, but in the last few years I made it so the space between the 1 and the G was closer to standard being just 4mm shorter than it should be.....

A few weeks ago a received a letter from North Yorks police saying it was not legal and I was to change it, I had to send the letter back stating who was driving at the time when it was caught on camera.. A week later I received a fine for £100 Grrrrrrrrrr!! A bit annoying as their cameras obviously picked it up (as they sent me the letter AND I received 3 points for speeding a year ago with the same plate)...

I kind of expected they would either just log it, or worst case I would have to go into a Police station to prove I had changed the plates, but not the £100 fine...

So if anyone has 'illegal' plates then I would suggest you change them to save the fine.

Just to put it into context, the image shows the 'illegal' plate (lower) and the new legal plate above, so they are keen!!

Cheers,
Lig.

[LeeRS6]

Very interesting, I had a semi friendly chat with a traffic officer the other day about my short plates, he started off the conversation with you plates look a bit dodgy, I then replied with whats dodgy about them and then asked if he actually knew what the requirements are for a Uk plate, he said no I then had to explain to him that as long as the font was correct size and type and that the spacing was correct there is no minimum size of plate, he said you seem to know what you're talking about and let me go on my merry way.

[ShaneyB]

Hi all,

So I have had the plate L1 GVB for many many years and for ages I had it spaced as L1G VB, but in the last few years I made it so the space between the 1 and the G was closer to standard being just 4mm shorter than it should be.....

A few weeks ago a received a letter from North Yorks police saying it was not legal and I was to change it, I had to send the letter back stating who was driving at the time when it was caught on camera.. A week later I received a fine for £100 Grrrrrrrrrr!! A bit annoying as their cameras obviously picked it up (as they sent me the letter AND I received 3 points for speeding a year ago with the same plate)...

I kind of expected they would either just log it, or worst case I would have to go into a Police station to prove I had changed the plates, but not the £100 fine...

So if anyone has 'illegal' plates then I would suggest you change them to save the fine.

Just to put it into context, the image shows the 'illegal' plate (lower) and the new legal plate above, so they are keen!!

Cheers,
Lig.

Blimey Lig, that's a tad harsh! Hard to tell but the spacing looks almost the same in those images. Was it more the length of the plate that was the issue?

[Lig]

Hi Shane, no, like Lee said, short plates are legal, its the character size and spacing that has to comply to regulations. In the image, the lower plate is not legal because the space between the 1 and the G is 29mm and should be 33mm....

Real bummer!!

Lig.

[don0301]

Good to see plod are dealing with the important stuff....

[mikep99]

Probs Yorkshire, they're known for being a bit picky.


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[MikeFish]

That's harsh for the 4mm difference. I've run plates previously with spaces in the wrong places but they've always been obvious what the actual plate should be. And I know the cameras have no trouble working out what the plate should be as I've received parking fines from cameras and congestion charge or dartford toll fines where I've forgotten to pay by the end of the next working day.

[Nige_RS4]

It's probably got nothing to do with spacing and more to do with the lack of bs mark and manufacturer postcode?

[Lig]

Yeah maybe.... I hadn't thought of that hmmmmmm.

But I think the BS Mark and manufacturer postcode are a fairly recent thing, so there must be older cars out there without these marks but legal plates? I can't see it becoming law and old cars having to change their plates at MOT time just for missing BS Mark and Postcode.... but I could be wrong??!!

Cheers
Lig.

[chunky79]

It's probably got nothing to do with spacing and more to do with the lack of bs mark and manufacturer postcode?

I'd say this ^^^^^^. We had to stop making plates at our dealership branch for diggers cause we didn't have the above, another depot had to pay to get the license and they all get done from there now.

[Iain]

Fooks Sake- I've been pulled a couple of times as mine is incorrectly spaced - no spaces X1XXM. Though each time it was "do you realise your plate is illegally spaced?" - Once I said yes -they say it's ok as the ANPR camera can still pick it up.

[Markp]

If they were picky, neither of your plates are legal

PS but not as bad as some of the toe curlers on here https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/top ... 3&t=814906

[Lig]

Hi Mark,

Why do you say neither are legal? I would sincerly hope my new plate (the one mounted on the car) is legal.

Fooks Sake- I've been pulled a couple of times as mine is incorrectly spaced - no spaces X1XXM. Though each time it was "do you realise your plate is illegally spaced?" - Once I said yes -they say it's ok as the ANPR camera can still pick it up.

I would get it changed if I were you Iain - it just seems like they are clamping down...

Cheers,
Lig.

[pt7550]

They will love mine then
V3 OOR
spaced as V 3OO R pressed German plates with a D rather than GB !

[onurserkan]

Here are my plates, clearly illegal but I haven’t had any electronic fines issued. Always been pulled over by traffic cops and received £100 fine. They keep telling me if they stop my again that they will put Q plates on my car for the last 3 times i’ve been stopped. However I don’t know if thats possible.