Number Plate crackdown

[SimonHarwood]

I had an email from the Neighbourhood Watch today....

Crackdown on registration number plates

Motorists with misrepresented or indistinct registration number plates
are being warned to change them or face the penalty.

Officers from Leicestershire Constabulary's Automatic Number Plate
Recognition (ANPR) Unit and Road Policing Unit are taking part in a
week-long national crackdown on registration plates from Monday January
28.

Officers will be stopping vehicles displaying number plates that are
damaged and therefore difficult to read, as well as plates that have
been deliberately altered to read something different. This includes
plates where the font has been altered, the letters moved closer
together or the screw heads re-positioned so that the plate reads
differently.

Sergeant Simon Greensmith from Leicestershire Constabulary's ANPR Unit
said: "Motorists may not realise that they are committing an offence by
deliberately altering their number plates or displaying a broken or
obscured plate. However it has a big impact not only on the ability of
officers to read their number plate, but also for other members of the
public. This could be particularly important if the vehicle is ever
stolen or if it is involved in a collision.
"Indistinct or misrepresented number plates are also being actively used
by some criminals to avoid our ANPR camera systems.

"Leicestershire Constabulary is urging any motorist with an illegal
number plate to rectify it immediately or face the penalty when they are
stopped by officers. From Monday we will be carrying out stop checks
across the city and county. Depending on the offence officers can issue
a vehicle defect rectification notice, a £30 fixed penalty notice and
apply to DVLA to have the number plate withdrawn from use. This could be
an expensive penalty for a motorist who has paid a large sum of money
for a specific registration plate.

"If a motorist is believed to be fraudulently using a registration plate
or is displaying a false plate they can go to court and face up to two
years in prison and a discretionary disqualification."

The following restrictions apply to registration plates:

All number plates from September 1, 2001 must display the new mandatory
font and comply with British standards in relation to size, font and
background.

Black number plates with silver or white numbers or letters may only be
displayed on vehicles manufactured or registered before January 1, 1973.

Self adhesive number plates are illegal (i.e. plates stuck on the bonnet
or sticker style plates.)

Number plates where screw heads are positioned to change the appearance
of a letter or number are illegal.

Single line number plates on motorcycles are illegal.

Foreign style, British number plates are illegal.

If a number plate is cracked or broken and the damage makes the number
difficult to read then an offence is committed.
For more information go to www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles

Issued on 23/01/08 at 11:31

This has been a long time coming. It was promised when the new number plate system came in.

[Evilgoat]

Big brother cant read your plates... horsepoo to the 'For the public' reasoning.

Given Genesis cant read plates in ideal conditions its almost comical.

[Yoshi]

I had an email from the Neighbourhood Watch today....

Crackdown on registration number plates

Motorists with misrepresented or indistinct registration number plates
are being warned to change them or face the penalty.

Officers from Leicestershire Constabulary's Automatic Number Plate
Recognition (ANPR) Unit and Road Policing Unit are taking part in a
week-long national crackdown on registration plates from Monday January
28.

Officers will be stopping vehicles displaying number plates that are
damaged and therefore difficult to read, as well as plates that have
been deliberately altered to read something different. This includes
plates where the font has been altered, the letters moved closer
together or the screw heads re-positioned so that the plate reads
differently.

Sergeant Simon Greensmith from Leicestershire Constabulary's ANPR Unit
said: "Motorists may not realise that they are committing an offence by
deliberately altering their number plates or displaying a broken or
obscured plate. However it has a big impact not only on the ability of
officers to read their number plate, but also for other members of the
public. This could be particularly important if the vehicle is ever
stolen or if it is involved in a collision.
"Indistinct or misrepresented number plates are also being actively used
by some criminals to avoid our ANPR camera systems.

"Leicestershire Constabulary is urging any motorist with an illegal
number plate to rectify it immediately or face the penalty when they are
stopped by officers. From Monday we will be carrying out stop checks
across the city and county. Depending on the offence officers can issue
a vehicle defect rectification notice, a £30 fixed penalty notice and
apply to DVLA to have the number plate withdrawn from use. This could be
an expensive penalty for a motorist who has paid a large sum of money
for a specific registration plate.

"If a motorist is believed to be fraudulently using a registration plate
or is displaying a false plate they can go to court and face up to two
years in prison and a discretionary disqualification."

The following restrictions apply to registration plates:

All number plates from September 1, 2001 must display the new mandatory
font and comply with British standards in relation to size, font and
background.

Black number plates with silver or white numbers or letters may only be
displayed on vehicles manufactured or registered before January 1, 1973.

Self adhesive number plates are illegal (i.e. plates stuck on the bonnet
or sticker style plates.)

Number plates where screw heads are positioned to change the appearance
of a letter or number are illegal.

Single line number plates on motorcycles are illegal.

Foreign style, British number plates are illegal.

If a number plate is cracked or broken and the damage makes the number
difficult to read then an offence is committed.
For more information go to www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles

Issued on 23/01/08 at 11:31

This has been a long time coming. It was promised when the new number plate system came in.

I wish they would get it right!!!  Its vehicles manufactured before 1st January and first registered before 13th (or somewhere round that date) January 1973.  I went through this when i tried to get black and white plates made for my old tax exempt motor.

[Range Rover Blues]

Even when you have a tax exempt logbook some places won't supply them.

Arse/elbow, they need clearly labelling.

[davidlandy]

great that they are cracking down on these no. plates

[Bob696]

Nothing I can find on the DVLA site backs up the claim that 'stick on' plates are illigal as stated in the email :-. except for the fact it dosnt meet the 'british standard' as regards the supplies name and postcode isnt displayed on it. The rigid on the rear also dosnt have it on and neither does the cracked plate I keep in the back (off the front).

The 110s number plates are also illigal in this respect. There dosnt seem to be an exception for the fact that the 110 is 24 years old and the plates look like originals.

I will be extreamly miffed if I get pulled for an otherwise easly readable plate (correct font, size, colours and spacing)

[davidlandy]

hmmm   hang on, i have got a sticker front no. plate  - its all spaced out and printed correctly with the postcode.

Does this mean Im going to prison?

[UKJeeper]

hmmm   hang on, i have got a sticker front no. plate  - its all spaced out and printed correctly with the postcode.

Does this mean Im going to prison?

See you there. I don't even HAVE a front plate...

[Disco Matt]

I do think a crackdown on these ones where they've messed around with the spacing to sort of make a recognisable word is in order. Half the time I can't even tell what it's supposed to say as the link between what's on the plate and what they think it says is so tenuous! Not impressed with the bits about needing postcodes or not allowing sticky ones though - surely any criminal is going to have their false plates made up a few hundred miles away from where they live or intend committing a crime?

I did want D1 SCO (with the proper spacing - no messing around needed!) but it seems someone has beaten me to it...

[glaggs]

Big brother is watching you - but his eye sight ain't what it could be. I live near two traffic police. They have his n hers boy racers with 'illegal' personalised plates! Can't wait 'til I get stopped for either my stick on front plate or the 'small' no. plate on my bike 

[Dave K]

Don't know about Crackdown, as I've cracked my numberplate!

Mind you the Vauxhall van it hit is in worse condition. ;)  :twisted:

[carbore]

I know of the guy with with the DISCO plate, he races a car at Castle Combe and has DISCO on something like a big bently or BM 6 Coupe, he owns a load of nightclubs and is minted (through his own hard work and smarts mind you)

[mobi]

the laws for stick on number plates only apply to vehicles reg after 2001,

All number plates from September 1, 2001 must display the new mandatory
font and comply with British standards in relation to size, font and
background.

[CaptainColourful]

I do think a crackdown on these ones where they've messed around with the spacing to sort of make a recognisable word is in order. Half the time I can't even tell what it's supposed to say as the link between what's on the plate and what they think it says is so tenuous!

  :clap:

About time they cracked down on it. Some are altered so much I often wonder what the original reg is !
I have noticed a lot of boyracers are using fonts so small they would have to leave the plate behind in a hit and run in order for anyone to read it.

While the plod are having a crackdown, will they also be checking the colour of their lights ?

  I saw a private hire taxi this week with red headlights ! How the heck did he pass any sort of licensing inspection ?

A few years ago they clamped down on truckers having tiny Christmas trees on the dashboard ( for showing colours other than white at the front of the vehicle).
Nowadays, it seems that unless you have fairy lights all over the car, you are in the minority.

Can anyone tell me what those tiny blue lights on the bonnet do, apart from get up my nose ? No you don't look like a copper and I am NOT moving over for you !

[glaggs]

Captaincolourful - live n let live - you may not like their little blue lights (I hate 'em and their boom boom music) but they in turn might hate out MT tyres or winch mounts! The main problem here is - each vehicle stopped and fined for illegal plate or whatever is a Law broken - crime solved. Makes 'em look good. But report your car stolen, house broken into or property damaged and no one seems to want to know!!!!! Time to get priorities redressed and start paying more attention to stopping the crime that realy affects us, the people who pay for their services.

[Mudlark]

Captaincolourful - live n let live - you may not like their little blue lights (I hate 'em and their boom boom music) but they in turn might hate out MT tyres or winch mounts! The main problem here is - each vehicle stopped and fined for illegal plate or whatever is a Law broken - crime solved. Makes 'em look good. But report your car stolen, house broken into or property damaged and no one seems to want to know!!!!! Time to get priorities redressed and start paying more attention to stopping the crime that realy affects us, the people who pay for their services.

Thanks for the laugh - thought the same thing yesterday when I got stopped for having my plate in the windscreen on full view and readable rather than on the front bumper buried under lengths of recovery rope and in all possibility broken.

Yep gotta be an excuse to up the conviction stats :roll: :roll:

[Disco Matt]

I know of the guy with with the DISCO plate, he races a car at Castle Combe and has DISCO on something like a big bently or BM 6 Coupe, he owns a load of nightclubs and is minted (through his own hard work and smarts mind you)

Oddly enough I thought either a mobile DJ or a nightclub owner were likely holders of the reg in question! Bet he's wondering why he keeps having to fend off Land Rover drivers who want to buy it...

I think the blue LED washer nozzles are a current fad amongst the Max Flower crowd. I just think they look daft. I also wonder how on earth some of these cars get through an MOT - ok, I have "ice white"-type bulbs in my headlights but they're fully certified and have passed two MOTs since fitting. I can't believe they really swap back to legal plates, bulbs, etc when MOT time comes?

The only blue lights that will make me move over are the flashing sort.

[Yoshi]

Captaincolourful - live n let live - you may not like their little blue lights (I hate 'em and their boom boom music) but they in turn might hate out MT tyres or winch mounts! The main problem here is - each vehicle stopped and fined for illegal plate or whatever is a Law broken - crime solved. Makes 'em look good. But report your car stolen, house broken into or property damaged and no one seems to want to know!!!!! Time to get priorities redressed and start paying more attention to stopping the crime that realy affects us, the people who pay for their services.

Thanks for the laugh - thought the same thing yesterday when I got stopped for having my plate in the windscreen on full view and readable rather than on the front bumper buried under lengths of recovery rope and in all possibility broken.

Yep gotta be an excuse to up the conviction stats :roll: :roll:

Yup, i got done for that about a month ago. 

The law states that the numberplate must be at the very front of the vehicle and not displaying it like that is breaking the law.  Its even against the law to have them on the roof rack as well   :(

[Niel]

Yup, i got done for that about a month ago. 

The law states that the numberplate must be at the very front of the vehicle and not displaying it like that is breaking the law.  Its even against the law to have them on the roof rack as well   :(

I wonder what they'll make of mine now with one on the rack and one on the bumper....

[Bob696]

Actualy the law states that it should be at the front of the vehicle not at the very front. It should be legable at 20 meters from someone standing in front (or rear for the rear number plate) of the vehicle and close to vertical as is reasonably practial.

There is no mention of hight (that I can find).

[adafish]

I've the black n silver plates on BETTY, that  i brought last year at LRW EASTNOR...I have had these fitted since June 07 and not been pulled once..(you watch now)..anyhow.., i start work at 3.30 am and drive from Atherstone in to the centre of Brum 5 days a week....That time of morning, Police a plenty, and i'm prime suspect to be pulled..But i've had the jam-sandwiches follow me on a few occassions and not a sniff..(not that i want them to)...My dad, on the other hand is a MOT tester and told me always carry ya other plates incase i do get pulled and change em there and then...i did for the first 2 months then left em at home in me shed...I think IMHO, that as long as the motor is taxed and looks in good order they leave it well be, because of the paper work....thats just my opinion... :-k

[land-def-90]

is it not about time the police had a crackdown on muggers, thiefs, anti social behavior etc why allways motorists

[dogwood]

durham plice are also starting a crackdown
my front no plate is in the cab as its always getting smashed and its spaced out slighty  ( classed as a show plate) but i'm all for pulling over the ones who bunch them clocse to spell there poxy names or change the letter font so that it appears to be somthing else
examples what should be caught id this example i saw recently s 13  ell which when doctoered spelt    S BELL

[CaptainColourful]

Saw one today P5 5ALL .... didn't mean a thing to me, but I wondered if P155 ALL would have been a better buy 

[Hightower]

is it not about time the police had a crackdown on muggers, thiefs, anti social behavior etc why allways motorists

Because it's easy.  If you have a dodgy numberplate, or are caught speeding, the evidence is tangible and readily available to use against you.  Unfortunately this is not the case with other more socially unacceptable crimes.

But having said that, if people don't break the rules, they won't get pulled up.  It all very well having a moan about it, but it's the law.  You find that the vast majority of people that don't like it when these clamp-downs happen are those people that are breaking the law in the first place :roll:

[davidlandy]

It all very well having a moan about it, but it's the law.  You find that the vast majority of people that don't like it when these clamp-downs happen are those people that are breaking the law in the first place :roll:

Or its people that have been affected by 'real'  not fluffy crime.

[glaggs]

durham plice are also starting a crackdown
my front no plate is in the cab as its always getting smashed and its spaced out slighty  ( classed as a show plate) but i'm all for pulling over the ones who bunch them clocse to spell there poxy names or change the letter font so that it appears to be somthing else
examples what should be caught id this example i saw recently s 13  ell which when doctoered spelt    S BELL

So you can break the law, but because you don't like a certain plate it should be pulled. Dual standards my friend. There are a lot of issues to considered here. The government make alot of money selling these plates, and they know that people will make then read something else in many cases if they can. Then they try ty fine people who do just that!

Yes I can see what you say land-def-90, if you break a law don't whinge when your convicted for the crime, but how long are we going to let the government keep chipping away at our real rights and freedoms. Crimes such as this are small acts of rebellion against a government systyem based on fear and repression. In 99% of cases involving so called number plate crime there was no real criminal reason for the offence, just an expression of individuallity from the offender. And lets face it, by declaring your individuality through a number plate you are also making it easy for the police to trace you.

Finaly, just because something becomes law doesn't make it moraly correct.

V

[nikmartin9]

Couple of points - DVLA ring and sent out letters offering personal numbers to people thats name matches a plate!!! That means the government encourage it but the police knick you. And regarding the public being able to identify you if you see a car carryin out a bank raid with TW4T as a plate or something similar its much easier to remember than a bunch of random meaningless letters/numbers.

Second and main point, although it may be breaking the law its the amount of time and energy put it by the police in relation to the severity of the crime thats my beef. One of my service engineers had his car broken into and £3000 worth of tools stolen while he popped into a shop. The vehicle was clearly shown on CCTV covering the car park including the reg number. The police 1. didnt turn out. 2. Said they shouldnt have been on display!! (in an estate car with the seats down and the entire rear of the car filled with kit and covered by a blanket. 3. Said they knew of other offences committed by this car but hadnt the resources to follow it up because it was reportedly from a resident camp of our travelling community "friends". Thats why I get annoyed when hear stories about crackdowns on such petty things. Fine if they happen across a vehicle wjilst out and about but to have one of those vans, probably 3 or 4 cars and motorcycles laying in wait all day just to catch a few people who have slightly misplaced numbers beggars belief in my book.

Rant over lol, Nick.

[dogwood]

durham plice are also starting a crackdown
my front no plate is in the cab as its always getting smashed and its spaced out slighty  ( classed as a show plate) but i'm all for pulling over the ones who bunch them clocse to spell there poxy names or change the letter font so that it appears to be somthing else
examples what should be caught id this example i saw recently s 13  ell which when doctoered spelt    S BELL

So you can break the law, but because you don't like a certain plate it should be pulled. Dual standards my friend. There are a lot of issues to considered here. The government make alot of money selling these plates, and they know that people will make then read something else in many cases if they can. Then they try ty fine people who do just that!

Yes I can see what you say land-def-90, if you break a law don't whinge when your convicted for the crime, but how long are we going to let the government keep chipping away at our real rights and freedoms. Crimes such as this are small acts of rebellion against a government systyem based on fear and repression. In 99% of cases involving so called number plate crime there was no real criminal reason for the offence, just an expression of individuallity from the offender. And lets face it, by declaring your individuality through a number plate you are also making it easy for the police to trace you.

Finaly, just because something becomes law doesn't make it moraly correct.

V

mines visable from the front if i get pulled for that fair comment but my reg isn't changed or loks no diff instead of L18 BWH it reads L18  BWH an extra  inch between numbers and letters

[davidlandy]

.......................................

Second and main point, although it may be breaking the law its the amount of time and energy put it by the police in relation to the severity of the crime thats my beef. One of my service engineers had his car broken into and £3000 worth of tools stolen while he popped into a shop. The vehicle was clearly shown on CCTV covering the car park including the reg number. The police 1. didnt turn out. 2. Said they shouldnt have been on display!! (in an estate car with the seats down and the entire rear of the car filled with kit and covered by a blanket. 3. Said they knew of other offences committed by this car but hadnt the resources to follow it up because it was reportedly from a resident camp of our travelling community "friends". Thats why I get annoyed when hear stories about crackdowns on such petty things. Fine if they happen across a vehicle wjilst out and about but to have one of those vans, probably 3 or 4 cars and motorcycles laying in wait all day just to catch a few people who have slightly misplaced numbers beggars belief in my book.

Rant over lol, Nick.

exactly - well put