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Number Plate sizes....is this jail bait????

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Old 29 May 2003 | 05:34 PM
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I just got my new custom sized front plate made by www.fancyplate.co.uk, and it's minted.... only problem, I think I have gotten it made too small, what do you think?

Will I end up in handcuffs? lol





[Edited by talizman - 6/6/2003 12:23:25 AM]

[Edited by talizman - 6/11/2003 9:25:26 PM]
Old 29 May 2003 | 05:44 PM
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Check here.
got the hang of it now


editted for a test

[Edited by Carl2 - 6/3/2003 1:25:53 PM]

[Edited by Carl2 - 6/3/2003 1:26:33 PM]
Old 29 May 2003 | 05:45 PM
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To summize......

Display of Vehicle Registration Marks on Imported Vehicles
(which have a restricted space for a standard sized number plate)
Certain imported vehicles may be permitted to display number plates with smaller characters if:

The vehicle does not have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval

AND


The vehicle's construction/design cannot accomodate standard size number plates
Specifications for smaller sized plates (for certain imported vehicles)


Character Height 64mm

Character Width 44mm

Character Stroke 10mm

Space between characters 10mm


Old 29 May 2003 | 06:09 PM
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lol

I knew when I ordered it that it was well smaller than the "legal requirements", I was just asking if any other Scoobynet members had small plates and what kind of grief they got from the long arm of the law!
Old 29 May 2003 | 06:14 PM
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Cool

Dont tell anyone but thats huge


Not that I am admitting to a tiny reg plate, honest!
Old 29 May 2003 | 08:41 PM
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My front plate is the size mentioned above i.e. smaller than stadard UK by some margin, had no problems in just over a month. Then again, I drove round with no plate on for 2 weeks and had no problem either
Old 29 May 2003 | 09:01 PM
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My front plate is 16"x3.5" and have had it on the car for about 7 months and no problem yet (touch wood)

Neil
Old 29 May 2003 | 09:23 PM
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My front plate is 33cm by 9cm had for 6 months not been stopped yet.
Old 29 May 2003 | 10:38 PM
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I should probably have said.... my plate is 28cm x 6cm. Regulation size is 52cm x 11cm!!!! So I'm about half the size!
Old 29 May 2003 | 10:44 PM
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My old bike plate was 9"x1" in totally illegal font and i never got stopped in 2 years! Funnily enough i never got done by a speed camera either
Old 29 May 2003 | 11:37 PM
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that looks same as the one i had it looked spot on past loads of police cars then i came accross mr traffic cop i had to take them off it's up to you ya might have the on a year you might only have them on a day go on put it on you know you want to
Old 30 May 2003 | 11:37 AM
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Front plate on mine is 30cm by 9cm.

Only been on a few days though, so not sure if it's goin to atrract the police.
Old 30 May 2003 | 11:52 AM
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Dont know why you guys bother with reducing the size of ya plates .......All you do is make it so as you crap yaselves everytime you see plod .... gives them the chance of stopping you and having a good look over ya car to find ya bold tyres etc etc ...

it really aint worth it i dont think. I did it, got stopped once within 2 weeks. That was enough for me
Old 30 May 2003 | 02:21 PM
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What is the benefit of a smaller plate, then? Apart from all the police attention, obviously...
Old 30 May 2003 | 04:35 PM
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sumin a m8 did, no really it was a mate i aint bothered about my big one lol. Is to keep old plate & keep it insdie then if pulled just say u bin at a track day & had forgot to put original back on Worth a try i suppose & may work..............
Si
Old 30 May 2003 | 04:42 PM
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I got pulled for it & fined £30 & threatened if caught again my car would be q plated but then I wrote the officer in charge a nice letter informing him in the change of laws with regard to JDM imports & number plate recesses...

About 2 weeks later I got a letter back saying they had dropped the offence . However my plate was standard font, with none of the borders & standard lettering - but just bloody small

Hope that helps

Now carry around a copy of the fixed penalty notice, my letter, a printout from the dval website & my letter of "apology" (in the loosest possible sense) to save the hassle next time
Old 30 May 2003 | 04:58 PM
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What is the benefit of a smaller plate, then?
Makes them feel like rally car drivers
and also adds 5bhp

Old 30 May 2003 | 06:58 PM
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Oops


Old 30 May 2003 | 08:30 PM
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TVR Gary, the point of fitting a reduced size number plate can be several things... primarily looks. There is no doubt that a small number plate looks ten times better than a full size one.
Also, for those with a front mounted intercooler, by reducing the size of the plate you are drastically increasing the possible air flow to the cooler, thus increasing power.

And personally, plod can pull me all day long as I have nothing to hide. I value my car too much to put bald (bold?) tyres on it, and everything is totally legit. The best they can do is give me a V.D.R.S. to get it sorted.... I'll take my chances.
Old 30 May 2003 | 09:23 PM
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Question

Does anyone know the legal requirement for grouping of numbers / letters on a plate. The DVLA site makes reference to spacing between groups but doesnt say whether specific grouping of letters is illegal? (or not that I can find on the site)

for example "x123 abc" spaced to become "x123ab c"

Neil
Old 30 May 2003 | 09:42 PM
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Neil, I spaced mine as X1 2ABC instead of X12 ABC and got prosecuted 3 months later. Yes it is ILLEGAL and the police in south wales at least seem to be hot to it.
Tony
Old 30 May 2003 | 10:45 PM
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mm, ok, I thought as much. How much did you get stung for?
Old 30 May 2003 | 10:52 PM
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Neil. Copied from the website.

THE LAW
The law states that,

You must not alter, rearrange or misrepresent the letters or numbers
Characters must not be moved from one group to the other (e.g. A242 ABC must not be displayed as A242A BC).
Offences may result in any or all of the following:

A fine of up to £1,000
The registration mark may be WITHDRAWN
The vehicle may FAIL the MOT test
Full details of the requirements are included in The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001
Old 30 May 2003 | 11:16 PM
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Got pulled today by the fuzz. Give him a lot of crap about imported cars and nowhere to put the plate got away with it its about the same size.
Old 31 May 2003 | 06:40 PM
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Well, I put it on!!!! :O

Here is a pic, and it doesn't look as bad as I thought it might!
(Untill I get a pull! lol)



[Edited by talizman - 6/3/2003 11:57:55 AM]

[Edited by talizman - 6/6/2003 12:24:14 AM]
Old 01 June 2003 | 12:28 PM
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Well I've had a few funny looks from police but not stopped yet...

Must remember not to tailgate T5's!!!
Old 01 June 2003 | 12:40 PM
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I kept to the full size on mine, just had a design added for something different....

Simon
Old 01 June 2003 | 02:59 PM
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I had a smaller front one on mine, about 80% of normal size using the standard font. Lasted about a week before I got stopped and was given a 21-day defect rectification thing. Lucky not to get a fine!

So I had to replace it with a plate using standard size lettering although the plate itself is still a fair bit smaller than standard which is not illegal as long as there's about 1cm gap around the letters IIRC.
Old 03 June 2003 | 11:56 AM
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Well....

I got pulled....and the party's over!
Old 03 June 2003 | 12:48 PM
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that didn't take long...



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