We’ve all seen them, haven’t we? Spaces in the wrong places, an oddly placed screw, squashed or distorted letters… the works. Which makes it difficult to work out what the original registration number should really be. I’ve often found myself looking at them trying to work out what the real registration should be. I know, I know…. I should find something better to do with my time!
I’ve seen many of these for sale on auction sites. The worst one I’ve seen needed seven (strategically placed!!) yellow and black screws to generate a number plate of a girl’s name. Pushing it, I’d say! As private number plates have become more popular, individual owners are pushing the boundaries.
Whilst many have taken the risk, and got away with it for some time, the various authorities are starting to crack down on illegal number plates. Even driving examiners are being encouraged to report illegal number plates on cars that are used to take tests in. Although I think Ed Vaizey (Shadow Minister for Culture) has maybe got the wrong end of the stick with his comments on illegal number plates….?
The MoT is getting tighter too, as reported in the Auto Express article MoT clampdown on reg plates. The article suggests, that in the worst case examples, fines of thousands of pounds could be imposed.
Now I know a lot of people will react strongly, suggesting that the police should find something better to do. And I’ve read comments that this is just to line the pockets of the authorities. After all, it makes it difficult for anything that relies on an ANPR (automated number plate recognition) system, right? So that’s speed cameras, road tax detection systems, etc. And we all love to hate those!
But let’s look at it another way. What if the vehicle concerned was involved in an accident? And then drove off…? Witnesses would rely on the number plate to identify the vehicle. Not much good if the registration number has been distorted with screws and squashed letters! My concern is that it’s no longer minor changes to the registration number. In some cases half the letters have been altered. So where do you draw the line?
So what exactly is a legal number plate? Here’s a summary of the DVLA rules on displaying number plates. There’s not a lot of wiggle room!
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