Greg Small

Hi Folks. I recently moved the front number plate of the Scoob from the normal position to the bottom of the bumper, on the slope below the grill. Now for some reason this has attracted the attention of the local boys in blue. They tell me that I am the biggest villain in the town more so than the muggers and dealers etc., cos. the plate’s not legal.. Weekends seem to be their favourite time for pulling me.
So far they have been very polite and more interested in the car though I am now being forced to move the thing or get a £20 fine. Easy picking or what!! Now the plate is made from normal number plate letters which are the correct height and spacing and quite legible.
Since the car is white I never bothered with the reflective backing, which is one of their moaning points. Can any one tell me if there is a specific height that the plate nust be from the ground as well as the angle it should be at in relation to the car? I am planning to mount the plate on a reflective backing (to ease my guilty contions) but I want to be sure that it`s legal cos. I reckon it will remove the paint if I get forced to move it. Any one else had any bother with this?

stv555

As we have discussed many times the plate size and lettering size is controlled by statute. The plate's reflectivity is controlled a BS status, hence only in an emergency will you get away with a piece of cardboard, for example.

As long as the plate is made up correctly the only guidelines for postioning are that if it is white it goes on the front, yellow on the back and it must be upright and visible to someone at a distance specified for the drivers eyetest. Stick on plates are open to interpretation e.g. plates made up for E-type Jags and Maxda MX-5s which tend to go on the nose of the bonnet. These are fairly visible although nearly horizontal.

The problem you face is the fact that these are fast cars indeed, attract the police and villains alike. If the police feel that the reg.mark positioned so that it is likely to be obscured or not easily seen then you will get a tug. Whatever the law says you would be brave person to start a argument with a traffic cop, since if they can't get you on this they will sure make life alittle inconvenient for you - spot checks etc.etc.which they are quite entitled to do.

The thing you have to ask yourself is do you feel lucky.....? Why become a target ? Is it worth the trouble of a number plate to have your driving pleasure destroyed ? I think not !

mike_nunan

The law says the plate must be vertical, unless you have a Jag E-type, in which case it can be stuck to the bonnet. I am absolutely serious. The examption clause was put in specifically for Jaguar, I suppose because the government saw them as the jewel in the crown of British industry! Stuck-on or angled plates are illegal on any other make and model of car.

An'nottalottapeopleknowthat...

-= mike =-