and of course the ones from switzerland - you can get two sizes - one is only 2" high. - fits neatly between the front grills.

 

I have the "Original" number plate like Krude

I have been "warned" 3 times by local plod that they are not legal

Shame they couldn't catch the basterds hit my car dispite me dialing 999

Phil

[Edited by phil_stephens - 11/13/2002 2:06:57 PM]

 

Italian ones changed in the past 5 years and are now similar to French. The old small front plate that the Italians used to be allowed is not permitted on new vehicles anymore. Don't know about older ones...

Funny thing is that in the US, some states still allow no front plates but the do insist that you park 'nose-in' to parking spaces so the feds can read your 'tags' as they cruise by.

I wouln't be surprised if the government allowed US-style vanity plates at some point in the future...

They can be very distinctive and that is the whole point isn't it?

Plus, they could raise millions more to **** away on things like wars etc.



[Edited by Stephen Read - 11/13/2002 2:09:24 PM]

 

Okay it is a long time since I went to France..

DW - I wasn't refering to the registered to you bit but more the unreadable plates or easily mistakable ones..

My rear plate is current obscured by two large bits of iron..
I hadn't really thought much about it until reading this thread, other than I might get stopped for it and I might get away with setting a camera off if you cannot see all the letters.. but the fact that if it gets knicked the plate cannot be read so easily is something I hadn't thought about..

Thus:


Now I know that I am not going to do any serious crimes but I suppose no one else does.. so perhaps I should take it off..

It is for my bike rack incase anyone was it has passed an MOT like it and I have been pulled with it on and it was not mentioned... perhaps this situation will now change..

JGM

PS: Is it me or is notify broken today?

 

DVLA has a bit of info

 

Heres the reply to the email i sent them! Seems like weve been misinformed!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++
Thank you for your e-mail.

please find below the information we supply for enquiries concerning
displaying GB national flag etc. I am not aware of any forthcoming change to
outlaw the use of these flags.

It is now possible to display a GB national flag, Union Jack, Welsh Dragon,
Cross of St George or Cross of St Andrew (the Saltire) on your number plate.
Whilst the law does not currently allow for the display of these flags the
Government has announced that drivers will be able to display them.
Regulations will be changed in the near future.

It is also possible to display national identifiers England- ENG,
CYMRU/CYM- Wales, SCO - Scotland or UK - United Kingdom with a GB National
flag. National Identifiers are only allowed in conjunction with national
flags; they cannot be displayed on their own.

I can confirm that number plate suppliers will as from 1/1/2003 require
proof of entitlement to the vehicle registration mark I.e V5 Registration
Document
and proof of identity I.e. passport, if you would like me to send you our
INF 130 leaflet then please supply your postal address, further guidance can
also be obtained off the website below

www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/rnps.htm

with regards to the use and construction of vehicles in the UK I would
suggest you contact.


DFT,
Vehicle Standards and Engineering 1,
Zone 2/03,
Great Minster House,
76 Marsham Street,
LONDON
SW1P 4DR.

Telephone : 0207 944 8300
Fax: 0207 676 2166

E-Mail: rvs1.detr@gtnet.gov.uk ( If contacting Marsham Street by e mail,
please give a postal address).

 

How near is near?

 

Jolly Green Monster 2: A few years back I got stopped on the M3 and fined £30 for having a bike rack on my car. It wasn't blocking the lights at all, and the number plate was clear except for the top of a letter 'K' that was blocked by the rear tyre of a bike (but still obviously a 'K'!). Since that I'm very careful about the plates on my car (well kind of) being clear. Although you won't get points for this the £30's soon mount up!

It's also one of my pet hates now seeing people with unclear/blocked/broken/modified plates on the motorway as they are blatantly flouting and getting away with it whereas I did it by accident.

I have to admit though that my current plate is 're-spaced'. The letters and number are still very clear but at a glance it reads 'TypeR' (or Tyre as my wife tells me!). Thing is though that a good friend of mine is a DI locally and he said that as far as he was concerned the plate was fine as I had removed the centre space which although technically illegal doesn't make it unreadable.

On the topic of vanity plates. It's never gonna happen. The DVLA make too much money from the sale of normal 'fancy' plates and could never make that kind of revenue from vanity plates. I mean 'K1 NG' sold for £125,000 at auction. 'KING' isn't going to go for that much is it? Also, how much would vanity plates devalue the existing market?

IMHO though: It all sucks!!!

Laurence

 

I agree that it could devalue some exisiting plates but that is not the 'direct' concern of the goverment. OK, so they risk pissing off a few (more) people and losing a few (more) votes...

I saw 2 minute snippet on BBC World about the guy who paid £75k for A5 TON for his Vantage. He was prepared to go to £100k so thinks he got a bargain

I would imagine that he would cough up more for ASTON.

Before the DVLA started selling cherished marks, the government could have introduced a compulsory, retrospective change across the board if they wanted to or been 'forced' to by Europe.

However, now that they have made millions from them, I can't see any change being retroactive as they might be oblidged to buy them back!

[Edited by Stephen Read - 11/14/2002 11:31:15 AM]