So called Supercars. "Why do I keep seeing blank front number plates?"

[macclad]

Keep spotting the above with what I see as blank (black number plates) just to confirm no apparent reg number showing. Thought this was illegal? What am I missing?

[coconino]

I think there is a trend or fashion to put the front number plate on the dash wedged against the windscreen.
Don’t know the logic behind this idea, perhaps it’s anti establishment or perhaps it’s because ANPR cameras have difficulty reading number plates through glass but then that doesn’t explain ANPR cameras aimed at the rear of the car.

[grumpybadger]

There is someone near me who has 2 cars, Range Rover and Audi TT and they both sport number plates that you can see are made to try and fox the cameras. The are very reflective and have diagonal stripes going through them they’ve been on the cars for at least a couple of years how they get away with not being stopped I don’t know! I’m paranoid if I don’t have the correct coloured screw cap

[exiled-viking]

Some of the so called super cars have flip plate’s,(i have one for shows only for the last 16 years on different cars) i also think any number plate infringement can be down to the police officer’s mood he’s in at the time your being pulled over……being nice can help

CEA29EB1-8E3B-4C67-9A82-AC822B1973D6_2_0_a by t200cad, on Flickr …<click on this for vid

click on this pic for video

[Paul_W1]

One type of average speed camera looks at the front plate going in, rear plate coming out. Presumably if it can’t see both it won’t register.

Truvelo fixed cameras also take the photo from the front, as do mobile van cameras.

I’ve noticed that most people who do this make sure the plate is partly hidden by the windscreen surround.

“Oh, sorry officer - it fell off only this morning and being observant I saw it and went back for it, honest….”

[Sunzoffski]

I know someone who was pulled for having their plate in side the windscreen.

He took the case to court and won.

It basically says it must be at the front of the vehicle. Is the windscreen at the front of a car? The law is not black and white.

[Roadie]

@exiled-viking

i also think any number plate infringement can be down to the police officer’s mood he’s in at the time your being pulled over……being nice can help

I have a friend who is a serving Police officer. Raised the subject of ‘not strictly legal’ plates with him. He has only once ticketed someone for an illegal plate. The person in question had been acting like a total kn*b head but broken no other laws. Said to my friend ‘I’ve not done anything wrong, you can’t touch me’. So he did him for his plate.

Moral of the story. Be nice to coppers, don’t be a kn*b.

[DaveB63]

The only car that i can think of with the screen at the front is the Isetta ‘bubble car’

[Roadie]

The plate has to be in a position where the characters can be clearly read within an area in front of the car.

Here’s a long drawn out section from legislation.gov.uk

Interpretation of Part II

4. In this Part the following expressions shall have the following meanings—

   “diagonal length”, in relation to a relevant area, means the length of a line drawn diagonally across the square enclosing the area (so that the extent of the relevant area is thereby delimited);

   “relevant area”, in relation to a registration plate, means the area contained in a square described on the ground—
   (a)

   in front of the vehicle in the case of a plate fixed on the front of the vehicle, and
   (b)

   behind the vehicle in the case of a plate fixed on the rear of the vehicle,

   where one corner of the square is immediately below the middle of the plate and the diagonal of the square from that corner is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

   “relevant type-approval directive” means—
   (a)

   in the case of a motor cycle, motor tricycle or quadricycle—
   (i)

   Council Directive 93/94/EEC(1) (as amended by Commission Directive 99/26/EC(2)) as regards the space to be provided for fixing of the rear registration plate, and
   (ii)

   Council Directive 93/92/EEC(3) as regards the rear registration plate lamp;
   (b)

   in the case of any other vehicle or a trailer—
   (i)

   Council Directive 70/222/EEC(4) as regards the space to be provided for fixing of the rear registration plate, and
   (ii)

   Council Directive 76/760/EEC(5) (as amended by Commission Directive 97/31/EC(6)) as regards the rear registration plate lamp.

Fixing of rear registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date

5.—(1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.

(2) A registration plate must be fixed on the rear of—

(a)the vehicle, or

(b)where the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer, or

(c)where the vehicle is towing more than one trailer, the rearmost trailer.

(3) Where a vehicle (or, in a case where the plate is required to be fixed on a trailer, that trailer) has been constructed so as to satisfy the requirements of the relevant type-approval directive, whether or not it is required by law to satisfy them, the plate may be fixed in the space provided in accordance with those requirements but if it is not so fixed it must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).

(4) Except as provided in paragraph (3) the plate must be fixed in the manner required by paragraph (5).

(5) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—

(a)vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable, and

(b)in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (6).

(6) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—

(a)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is at least 57 millimetres, 22 metres,

(b)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,

(c)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.
Fixing of front registration plates: vehicles registered on or after the relevant date

6.—(1) This regulation applies to vehicles, other than works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines, first registered on or after the relevant date.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (5), a registration plate must be fixed on the front of the vehicle in the manner required by paragraph (3).

(3) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed—

(a)vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable,

(b)in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (4).

(4) The diagonal length of the relevant area is—

(a)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is at least 57 millimetres, 22 metres,

(b)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,

(c)in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.

[Paul_W1]

It is! But black and yellow on the rear plate …

[mk375]

At the risk of being outspoken I believe the trend of number plate rule bending is part of a much wider slow but accelerating movement which sees individuals believing they can be different and buck the system. Anyone who has seen the young dealer’s in balaclavas on souped up pavement ridden electric bikes and scooters, front window tints you can’t possibly see through etc.
This erosion results in a society where anpr and cameras designed originally to help catch criminals are ineffective and we all ultimately suffer the consequences.
A look in our local paper shows an ever increasing number of people being prosecuted for failing to identify the driver of a vehicle that may have committed an offence.
I think a couple of years of zero tolerance would help redress the balance.

[portvalenil]

Or maybe some are trying to get the same as cyclists - a free rein to do what the hell you like without fear of prosecution.
Number plates - what are they?

[Glasgow_West]

I’ve never understood the way that some car drivers drag cyclists into every debate about law breaking. Get a sense of proportion!

[Euphonic_Phil]

I was stopped earlier this year on my way with grandson to watch some racing at Oulton Park, we’d just turned off the main road , so obviously on way to circuit.
2 motorcycle cops waiting… “hello sir we’re doing a clamp down on number plates” I knew my front plate was slightly smaller than a regular plate… my reg is L7PHA… so wanted it to look ‘neat’ on my NC… turns out the digits were 6mm shorter than regulation… “dont worry sir you won’t get any points on your licence, just a fine of £100”… “oh, if you do get pulled up again today, or any time before you replace the plate… you would get another fine of £100.”… ‘JUST’!!! Expensive lesson… but really, 6mm?
I dont live in Cheshire, I live in Greater Manchester…and there are loads of suspect plates of size and layout… and some cars with no plate at all… you never hear of clampdowns here!!
I had had the plate on my car for 8 years… never before queried all for the sake of 6mm.
New plate was installed the next day… correct digit size…

[grumpybadger]

Yeah, it’s bizzare, my son got stopped because of the spacing on his plates but the ANPR could actually read them no problem and he’d not done any of the dodgy bodges with coloured screw caps etc that you see.

[pta]

The penalties for driving without a number plate are far less then speeding.
Get photographed at 100 plus no licence if you actually get pulled over a missing plate equals minor fine.
I bet there are plenty of congestion charges not being paid too.

[macclad]

Cops on motorbikes! those were the day’s Phil. Don’t see any on foot, never mind bikes!

[Euphonic_Phil]

Money making exercise! £100 a time. Yes… i know i was in the wrong… see photo of my car above at Elvington with the miscreant number plate… im a bad terrible person!

[Euphonic_Phil]

I know… i think they were on bikes to take up less space than a couple of police cars… so they could process 2 cars at a time and still have ‘waiting room’ for more… like ‘taking candy off a baby’