Number plates confiscated.
18 June 2003, 08:24 PM
#1
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Driving home today I passed a minor rta just as the traffic cops were pulling off in the opposite direction.
I then heard a siren and looked into my mirror to see it had turned around and was coming up behind me rapidly, lights and sirens were still on as he passed several cars on the wrong side of the road.
At the next roundabout I turned left on to a dual carraigeway, so did he, it was a short stretch as I approached the next roundabout and as he was obviously in a hurry I pulled over to the right lane even though I wanted to go straight on.
As I did this he drew level with me and shouted for me to pull over.
I obliged.
As soon as I had stopped the driver leapt from his vehicle (ML Merc)and approached me.
His first words were " I'M going to confiscate your number plates"
His mate then got out with a screwdriver and took them off.
They gave me a 7 day producer for my documents and a 14 day defect notice.
I have to put legal plates on the car and get an mot station to stamp it, then I need to send it off to an address on the form.
Ok, my plates were slightly mis-spaced, so illegal, but they've been like that for 6 years or more.
I was then left to drive home with no number plates!!
So, this much be a new tactic, you have been warned.
I then heard a siren and looked into my mirror to see it had turned around and was coming up behind me rapidly, lights and sirens were still on as he passed several cars on the wrong side of the road.
At the next roundabout I turned left on to a dual carraigeway, so did he, it was a short stretch as I approached the next roundabout and as he was obviously in a hurry I pulled over to the right lane even though I wanted to go straight on.
As I did this he drew level with me and shouted for me to pull over.
I obliged.
As soon as I had stopped the driver leapt from his vehicle (ML Merc)and approached me.
His first words were " I'M going to confiscate your number plates"
His mate then got out with a screwdriver and took them off.
They gave me a 7 day producer for my documents and a 14 day defect notice.
I have to put legal plates on the car and get an mot station to stamp it, then I need to send it off to an address on the form.
Ok, my plates were slightly mis-spaced, so illegal, but they've been like that for 6 years or more.
I was then left to drive home with no number plates!!
So, this much be a new tactic, you have been warned.
18 June 2003, 08:28 PM
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my brother got hassle about his plate so I decided to put mine back to legal spacing... it looks pants so when I get a new car the front plate will be back to the correct (not so legal ) spacing
) spacing
18 June 2003, 08:31 PM
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I can't believe that he physically removed your plate with a screw driver 
Surely this can't be leagl, if I were you I would of put up a fight, copper or not he wouldn't have touched my car I can assure you.
Surely this can't be leagl, if I were you I would of put up a fight, copper or not he wouldn't have touched my car I can assure you.
18 June 2003, 09:00 PM
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Get with the program, if the plates were not mis-represented then they wouldnt have any reason to bother with you.
Registration plates are to identify yor vehicle, not some fashion accessory.
If they want them they'll take them and no amount of moaning is going to stop that.It amazes me the amount of people who want to try and spell their name on a plate rather than leave it be.
Registration plates are to identify yor vehicle, not some fashion accessory.
If they want them they'll take them and no amount of moaning is going to stop that.It amazes me the amount of people who want to try and spell their name on a plate rather than leave it be.
18 June 2003, 09:10 PM
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Glim- Did you see me complaining?
It wasn't my name either.
Ironically, my better half has just been out and put on the new set on and they hardly look any different.
But I guess a couple of millimetres to a cop is important and with an extra few inches they'd all be real men.
It wasn't my name either.
Ironically, my better half has just been out and put on the new set on and they hardly look any different.
But I guess a couple of millimetres to a cop is important and with an extra few inches they'd all be real men.
18 June 2003, 09:27 PM
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What a daft thing to do, if the wooden tops took your plates then there is no way to identify your vehicle, surely this is another offence? or an oppurtunity to do what you like w.r.t. cameras etc
sanctioned by the plod.
GLIM lighten up matey or are you plod too?
More an more the boys in blue are alienating the generally law abiding motorists and car enthusiasts with stunts like this.
I would love to know what the average speed is on some of the spots they park their revenue camera vans, over 90% of motorists speed at these points, mainly because the road has a daft limit set, whole thing has become a lottery, nothing to do with driving safety more to do with finding a target rich enviroment to bump up the numbers.
sanctioned by the plod.
GLIM lighten up matey or are you plod too?
More an more the boys in blue are alienating the generally law abiding motorists and car enthusiasts with stunts like this.
I would love to know what the average speed is on some of the spots they park their revenue camera vans, over 90% of motorists speed at these points, mainly because the road has a daft limit set, whole thing has become a lottery, nothing to do with driving safety more to do with finding a target rich enviroment to bump up the numbers.
18 June 2003, 09:30 PM
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Im not saying your complaining, the 2nd reply was though.
And im sure it would be these lesser men you refer to, that you'd go bleating to if you had your pride and joy nicked, and nobody could tell it was your motor cos you had squashed your reg. plate so close together that nobody could make it out?
[Edited by GLIM - 6/18/2003 9:33:11 PM]
[Edited by GLIM - 6/18/2003 9:34:10 PM]
And im sure it would be these lesser men you refer to, that you'd go bleating to if you had your pride and joy nicked, and nobody could tell it was your motor cos you had squashed your reg. plate so close together that nobody could make it out?
[Edited by GLIM - 6/18/2003 9:33:11 PM]
[Edited by GLIM - 6/18/2003 9:34:10 PM]
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18 June 2003, 09:32 PM
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Im not saying your complaining, the 2nd reply was though.
And im sure it would be these lesser men you refer to, that you'd go bleating to if you had your pride and joy nicked, and nobody could tell it was your motor cos you had squashed your reg. plate so close together that nobody could make it out?
[Edited by GLIM - 6/18/2003 9:34:53 PM]
And im sure it would be these lesser men you refer to, that you'd go bleating to if you had your pride and joy nicked, and nobody could tell it was your motor cos you had squashed your reg. plate so close together that nobody could make it out?
[Edited by GLIM - 6/18/2003 9:34:53 PM]
18 June 2003, 09:37 PM
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This has been coming for a long long time.
A traffic cop pulled me over on the M6 - not for speeding - but to get a tape measure out to tell me that 1 (ONE) digit was 1.2 cms mis-spaced and that I was a naughty boy.
This was in my Legacy Turbo ... in 1996 !
This is probably why I have a problem with people (DVLA included) selling illegally spaced plates.
A traffic cop pulled me over on the M6 - not for speeding - but to get a tape measure out to tell me that 1 (ONE) digit was 1.2 cms mis-spaced and that I was a naughty boy.
This was in my Legacy Turbo ... in 1996 !
This is probably why I have a problem with people (DVLA included) selling illegally spaced plates.
18 June 2003, 09:55 PM
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same thing happened to me except they diddnt use a screwdriver they just pulled it off!!! then gave me a £30 fine and told me if i got stopped with another illigal plate they would Q plate my car!!!!!!! Ba*****s
18 June 2003, 09:59 PM
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The truth is that if you are reported 3 times for this offence then DVLA can and will withdraw the plate, and they do not refund any fee that youve paid for it.
It could be an expensive experience.
It could be an expensive experience.
18 June 2003, 10:09 PM
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i say then that the selling of private plates that make words for massive revenue should stop! You cant have it both ways!
I bought my plate for £500 and it would mean absolutely nothing unless miss spaced so i have done it. It is regulation height / width and has regulation letters and numbers except for the last letter which has a double space..
Fair enough if you have it in itallics with numbers and letters stuck together or squashed to make names - yes bang out of order as you cant read them, but as for the last letter having a double space or similar!
I bought my plate for £500 and it would mean absolutely nothing unless miss spaced so i have done it. It is regulation height / width and has regulation letters and numbers except for the last letter which has a double space..
Fair enough if you have it in itallics with numbers and letters stuck together or squashed to make names - yes bang out of order as you cant read them, but as for the last letter having a double space or similar!
18 June 2003, 10:11 PM
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LOL at batksus
GLIM - it depends on the plate. 'morally' I don't see the problem if the following conditions are met.
a) It is clear what the numbers and letters are (so 3's with the screw making a B or 8 or squashed letters is NOT on.)
b) It's in the correct font
c) Camera recognition software can recognise the plate.
I have a 'personalised' plate (came with the car) which is as follows (I've changed the last 2 letters to X's to protect the identity of my car, A Honda S2000 btw)
....S200O XX
O's and 0's are the same anyway and all's that's been done is to move the O a little to the left. the spacing between each letter is still correct.
However, this is technically illegal but 99.9% of coppers would ignore it. All cameras/ANPR systems WILL recognise it as will members of the public.
So...some plates are OK, some are not
GLIM - it depends on the plate. 'morally' I don't see the problem if the following conditions are met.
a) It is clear what the numbers and letters are (so 3's with the screw making a B or 8 or squashed letters is NOT on.)
b) It's in the correct font
c) Camera recognition software can recognise the plate.
I have a 'personalised' plate (came with the car) which is as follows (I've changed the last 2 letters to X's to protect the identity of my car, A Honda S2000 btw)
....S200O XX
O's and 0's are the same anyway and all's that's been done is to move the O a little to the left. the spacing between each letter is still correct.
However, this is technically illegal but 99.9% of coppers would ignore it. All cameras/ANPR systems WILL recognise it as will members of the public.
So...some plates are OK, some are not
18 June 2003, 10:23 PM
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Glim- It wasn't squashed together, it is 5 digits long on a full length plate, as I've said, the new plates hardly look any different.
The illegal plates have just been moved from car to car over the 6 years or so with no problem, but now it appears the law is waging a plate war.
That's ok, after all it's the law but I don't have to agree with it.
The 2 officers were, in my opinion, shíts if their attitude was to be judged.
Why do they alienate themselves before they even way up who they are talking to?
The illegal plates have just been moved from car to car over the 6 years or so with no problem, but now it appears the law is waging a plate war.
That's ok, after all it's the law but I don't have to agree with it.
The 2 officers were, in my opinion, shíts if their attitude was to be judged.
Why do they alienate themselves before they even way up who they are talking to?
18 June 2003, 10:29 PM
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could u not do them for theft ? last year when i got pulled for some dogdy plates, did make me laugh cos the copper said to me "Would you mind stepping out of the vehicle Mr.Kemp" which i thought later was very funny cos he said the way i had done my plate it wasn't readable....but yet he knew my name ?? but all he did was take a photo of the plate then give me a ticket to get stamped and present to the local police station to prove it had been changed
18 June 2003, 10:44 PM
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The only reason they are getting into a panic about all this is because they can't get computers to read illegaly spaced plates properly and therfore can't automate the speed camera fine system totaly and therefore this restricts their income!
it is only since the advent of camera's like spec's etc that they have had the fine for dirty or illegally spaced plate raised as they see another money making oppotunity slipping by it is nothing to do with catching our cars when they have been stolen most respaced number plates are readable to the human eye but not computers.
Also if they want to follow this policy to its conclusion then they should refund all the money for persoanlised plates which need respacing to make sense and stop the sale of any in the future as a way of reducing the risk of them being used like this.
it is only since the advent of camera's like spec's etc that they have had the fine for dirty or illegally spaced plate raised as they see another money making oppotunity slipping by it is nothing to do with catching our cars when they have been stolen most respaced number plates are readable to the human eye but not computers.
Also if they want to follow this policy to its conclusion then they should refund all the money for persoanlised plates which need respacing to make sense and stop the sale of any in the future as a way of reducing the risk of them being used like this.
18 June 2003, 10:55 PM
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Just to add, this plate isn't a dvlc special either, it is a "classic" cherished number, ie; 3 letters, 2 numbers.
I do have sympathy for those millions that have bought from the dvlc though only to find they are now illegal and effectively shíte, although I haven't for the blatant abusers.
Trouble is in todays society, discretion is dead.
I do have sympathy for those millions that have bought from the dvlc though only to find they are now illegal and effectively shíte, although I haven't for the blatant abusers.
Trouble is in todays society, discretion is dead.
18 June 2003, 11:04 PM
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The DVLA have made it CLEAR all along that it is illegal to misplace the letters and numbers ............ and STILL people buy and misplace 
I bought a numberplate that worked WITHOUT misplacing!! More expensive, yes, BUT if you can't afford to play with the gig boys and with big boys rules then don't bother .... after all, the whole idea is to make me look more important than your average punter!! I don't want EVERY Tom, Dick and Skinflint buying a plate and messing it about to 'try' and look like something that they can't afford!!
Pete
I bought a numberplate that worked WITHOUT misplacing!! More expensive, yes, BUT if you can't afford to play with the gig boys and with big boys rules then don't bother .... after all, the whole idea is to make me look more important than your average punter!! I don't want EVERY Tom, Dick and Skinflint buying a plate and messing it about to 'try' and look like something that they can't afford!!
Pete
18 June 2003, 11:09 PM
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My moums plate is very short due to having thre 1's for a number, therefore, even with the correct spacing, I hav managed to cut the length down by about 1 1/2 inches each end, so, it's the legal font and spacing, but a bit shorter, could this be deemed an offence?? it's been on two years, not stopped yet!
Ron.
Ron.
18 June 2003, 11:10 PM
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Adrian - that's a good point about the spacing/plate recognition thing, hadn't though of that. What pisses me off is the fact that they're burning up our taxpayers petrol, clutches and police time to chase the "suspect" for a dodgy plate. They must get bonuses on the number of crimes "solved" or something?
18 June 2003, 11:47 PM
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Ron,
I have a shortened front number plate as well.
DVLA requirements for number plates
There is no stipulation about the physical size of the plate, as long as the font is correct, the letters and numbers are the right size, the characters are correctly spaced, and that the border is the right size.
My number plate as an 11mm border all the way around, the font is legal as are the character sizes. As my number plate has 5 characters, it's shorter than the standard sized plates and according to the DVLA website, completely legal!
I have a shortened front number plate as well.
DVLA requirements for number plates
There is no stipulation about the physical size of the plate, as long as the font is correct, the letters and numbers are the right size, the characters are correctly spaced, and that the border is the right size.
My number plate as an 11mm border all the way around, the font is legal as are the character sizes. As my number plate has 5 characters, it's shorter than the standard sized plates and according to the DVLA website, completely legal!
