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I have recieved a notice in the post this morning from the local constabulary. It helpfully lists the regulations for vehicle number plates in some details and then in bold typeface at the bottom informs me that they intend to visit me at my premices and check all vehicles comply with the above regulations. They also helpfuly point out there is a fine of up to £1000 for misrepresentation of a registration, which can mean any mis-spacing, incorrect font or failure to meet applicable specifications. The registration number will also be withdrawn in such circumstances.
Whats the betting everybody in the county got one of these? Exactly zero.
So, observant copper or someone stiring for me?
And also I would have thought that the car needs to be on the road to be causing an offense, else the business of "show plates" opens up some posibility for prosecution.
What an odd start to the day
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Ooooooo. Know any solicitors? I'm fortunate in that my brother is one but I'd love to have him present at such an exciting meeting.
It's a bit of a shame that "shouldn't you be catching some real criminals" just pisses the police off instead of pointing out a valid concern.
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Oh, and theres fun to be had. The Buick has motorbike digits / spacing but its allowed to because its a non-type approved import with a smaller recess than is specified blah blah so its allowed to run small plates. Bur this excemptionis not mentioned in the rules they sent me. Ditto the Olds although I think that has proper sized letters but with tighter spacing to get them in. Maybe its bike digits, I forget. The Plymouth is currently on "American Style" erm "show plates" because they are nearer and more legible than trying to squeeze all those letters in using a UK plate, plus it appears from the wording on the DVLA webby that black plates don't have to conform to quiet the same rules as reflective ones, and anyway, its 2 years since it even had an MOT. plus we could get into the "registered before vs built before" debate on that one as its a recent import and this here letter says cars have to be registered prior to 1/1/1973 to wear black plates whereas I believe the reg is actually "Built before 1/1/1973" which makes a difference to a 1968 car imported and registered in 2001... Oh, and it appears my Cortina shouldn't be on black plates as its a May '73 car. Obviously I hadn't been aware of this until this point....
Thing is, I agree completely with enforcing number plate rules. I detest those mis-spaced, twisted letter, bits added or removed from letters, etc. italic fonts onplates where they turn P453TGF into "Micheal". I just don't think they should enforce them on me.... ;D
I could also end up arguing the toss over stuff which is legal through excemption. Meh
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Last Edit: Feb 23, 2008 9:16:03 GMT by akku
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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How queer.
So the feds are gonna march into your garage (no warrant?) to bust you for 'illegal' plates? ORLY!
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I have 3 cars on the drive in plain sight. Whos to say they won't have a warrant? Theres a power of balif to enter property that the local councils have and such to deal with some situations such as illegal waste storage. No idea what the local coppers can do these days. They can of couse just stand on the pavement and wait for me to go to work in the Cortina...
I suspect the reality is "we want to frighten you into putting compliant plates on all your cars, this letter is on record as your first warning if you ever get stopped" type thing.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Get reading the legislation! The latest round of legislation adding numberplates to the MOT test is fairly new.
Imports are still allowed the bike sized plates, so there is that. Maybe a copper spotted you with one of those, and put you on the list to get a threatening letter.
"shouldn't you be catching some real criminals" pisses off the police because it carries the implication that you know the difference between "real" criminals, and people like yourself, who only break laws, not commit "crimes". They have to work on the basis that all law breaking needs to be investigated, or else they become de-facto legislators, as well as enforcers.
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Lopez
East Midlands
Posts: 867
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If the car is not on the road I fail to see how they can do anything at all. Tell them they are drive ornaments.
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I'm familiar with the concept ofnot curse word the coppers off. "Oh I'm sorry officer I didn't know... thank you for bringing that to my attention..." works mostly.
I'm wondering if its a sharp eye'd copper saw me out in the Cortina somewhere and made a note, I was followed by a police Mondeo estate thing for a few miles a couple of days back... Or if one of my nosey neighbours has gone to the local police here. Or if its one of the pseudo-bobbies (Community Support Officers) peering up my drive.
Now If I could still buy Serck reflective pressed plates there would be no problem, it would be on them already.... ;D
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Thing is, I agree completely with enforcing number plate rules. I detest those mis-spaced, twisted letter, bits added or removed from letters, etc. italic fonts onplates where they turn P453TGF into "Micheal". I just don't think they should enforce them on me.... ;D I'm with you here. I'm grown up enough to know that everyone has to abide by the same rules or they don't work. But I also know the difference between wibblepoo personal plates and a full sized yank, and see that some leeway is sometimes desirable. FFS, even the legislation reflects that to an extent.
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Well, it is a fair cop isn't it? The cortina is actually used regularly on the road, the plates are illegal, and obviously you have been spotted with them.
Like I said, Legal numberplates are part of your MOT now, so it is worth getting a set of modern plates for it, if only to avoid hassle when the time comes for your next ticket.
You could always try buying some reflective paint, and bunging that on your pressed plates. That would be interesting, and should be legal?
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now normally, leagal requirement or not - I'd have had a set of reflectives on the Cortina by now as I think they look better (if they are period ones) but the thing is the white with black trim scheme of the car kinda suits the black plates so I left them on. Not a defense in law I guess!
Looks like I'll be buying some plates for that one at least. I think I have the original reflective ones in the pile of bits the pervious owner gave me comme to think of it.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Lopez
East Midlands
Posts: 867
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My pressed metal plates are reflective. Are most of them not?
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mk14dr
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 4,472
Club RR Member Number: 85
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I wouldn't worry to much TBH. I rocked around for 2months without a front plate on the 'scort after the bodywork last year. I've yet to be pulled about my plates, and mines a '74 with unreflective black and silvers ( the front one is a stick on vinyl aswell ). If your worried about your yanks in your garden tho, just take the plates of 'em D
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Nope, the older ones are white on black, or bare aluminium on black background.
You were probably got by an ANPR camera in that mondeo that was following you! They may have been doing you a kindness by sending a letter instead of pulling you over.
Why not restore the original plates then? I think you can buy the right kind of paint.
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Christ knows why we don't have a US style plate system over here, different designs for every county maybe and tags on the plates so it's immediatly obvious that a vehicle is taxed/MOT'd/insured? I suppose then though the DVLA would have to give back the £millions to those they've fleeced for 'cherished' number plates that you then have to illegally space/faff with in order to make it say whatever
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blimey its hard enough to enforce the regs we have and your suggestionis to make it even more complicated? Gentlemen, I think we may have a member of Parliament on the forum!
Mk14dr - I think the point is I *have* been "found out". They've sent me a letter warning my they know at least one car I have has illegal plates and, oh yes, now they come to mention it that is the case. At least its a warning this time not an NIP.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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bazzateer
Posted a lot
Imping along sans Vogue
Posts: 3,653
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Feb 23, 2008 10:43:20 GMT
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AK, Have you called the author of the letter to discuss the matter? It may help to explain re the Yank Tanks? As you say, you're bang to rights on the 'Tina though.
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1968 Singer Chamois Sport 1972 Sunbeam Imp Sport 1976 Datsun 260Z 2+2 1998 Peugeot Boxer Pilote motorhome 2003 Rover 75 1.8 Club SE (daily) 2006 MG ZT 190+ (another daily) 2007 BMW 530d Touring M Sport (tow car)
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Feb 23, 2008 10:58:17 GMT
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If you know when they're coming and the cars are off the road, just take the plates off them.
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Feb 23, 2008 11:11:07 GMT
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It's an odd way to go about things... surely the plod would have pulled you over at the time? Or at least, if the letter was regarding the Cortina, mentioned it more specifically. Very strange...
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Feb 23, 2008 11:16:40 GMT
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can you find out , as they're not moving (atm) that its only an offence when they're moving yank and J tin (import) no need to comply as the plate space isnt big neuff - this is part of the plate 'law' innit but even with bike font still readable by camera attentive plod etc whats the problem with officials
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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