# The number plate police



## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

Hi all

Just got a letter from the DVLA threatening to revoke my rights to my registration plate!!

Turns out when I got a ticket last month...for my number plate spacing not being to the legal requirements although completely legible....the cop reported me to the DVLA too!

I fully understand the LAW is the LAW but FFS surely Cleveland police have more pressing matters and the ticket would have sufficed..... :evil:


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Have you got a pic of said number plate so that we can judge it?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Let me guess though:

_*SA5.1TER*_


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

Ok then- i know i'll get a grilling off the lads/lasses but here goes........










This was the plate I had when i got stopped and given a ticket (3 spaces between the V and 5)

I know there are many issues with the plate - i.e the font, no manufacturer details etc HOWEVER the cop was only concerned with the fact that the layout was wrong - it should read V5 AJV and be spaced accordingly (33mm between the 5 and A apparently!!)

The cop agreed that it was FULLY legible......that is why im annoyed - it doesnt make mine right BUT i have seen far worse plates than mine in crazy italics or with screw holes strategically placed!

Oh and i'm not anti police.....I was a cop for 5 years......and if 'I' had stopped me - I wouldnt have ticketed me etc!! :lol:


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## imster (Apr 26, 2003)

the plate looks sexy fella its a shame you have to respace it


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## Private Prozac (Jul 7, 2003)

You can't honestly sit there and think you should have got away with it, with it looking like that can you? :?

I was done for font, albeit 3D typeface, and a background. The spacing was correct. What you have there fella is a 2 finger salute to the boys in blue.


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

When I put the plates on, I knew it was only a matter of time before I got pulled (It took 4 wks  ) - and I don't think I should have got away with it - the ticket was fair enough - I just think reporting me to the DVLA was way OTT!

If he wanted to 'force' me to change the plates he should have issued me with a Vehicle defect form (VDRS) - which 'forces' me to change the plates to legal ones and get the form stamped at a recognised garage to say my car is now legal before returning the form to the police.....still costs me money, depending on how much the garage charge for stamp, so would still be getting financial penalty. At least that way the cop would KNOW I had changed the plates and he had achieved his objective!

As it stands I have put another set of plates on which I already had - with the Vs only 1 space from the 5 etc so dont look as bad.......I'll be getting some legal ones made up on the weekend tho  (like the pressed metal ones but dont know if I dare now! :lol: )

Saj


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## zedman (Jan 31, 2005)

I got stopped last week by the boys in blue, random early morning check. My spacings wrong on my plate, the policeman asked me to confirm what the plate was as they couldn't understand what the registration was, after i confirmed he said no problem have a nice day!

And a thoroughly nice gentleman too..


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

imster said:


> the plate looks sexy fella


Honestly? Personally I think they* look cheap and chavvy! Nothing screams "look at me I couldn't afford a proper personalised plate so I got this cheap one instead!" more on a car than a miss-spaced number plate with random meaningless letters/numbers scattered through it, or numbers that look nothing like the letters they are supposed to represent! :?

*I said 'they' because I don't want to single out the OP in my opinion!


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## Hannibal (Dec 1, 2003)

Let's face it, they're only doing their job....

you got caught, doubtless thousands others have got away with it. It's not like you thought it was all above board. IMO it runs in the 'it's a fair cop' territory.

Quit whining and change your plate.

H


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

The plates have had a mixed response from friends, from looking good to cheap & chavvy! I keep changing my OWN opinion on them&#8230; :lol:

I do have another plate with reads correctly without relying on numbers/spacing but that's on my A4 - tho that might change!

Just found SAJ 1 - but think I'll leave it at £60k! 

Ive attached an old VW advert which one of my mates sent me when he saw my car&#8230;think you'll agree with it KM






Saj


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

SAJSTER said:


> I fully understand the LAW is the LAW but FFS surely Cleveland police have more pressing matters and the ticket would have sufficed..... :evil:


Lets be frank.... if you was concerned about that the "Cleveland police have more pressing matters" then you wouldn't have put the plates on as your're asking to be pulled. i.e. it's you wasting police time and distracting them from other matters. They have to uphold the law and plates like that are taking the pi55 and rubbing their nose in it.

If a ticket would have sufficed then that means you'd have changed them i.e. getting the letter makes no difference.

Honestly - if you'd have got just a ticket wouldn't you have just paid the fine and kept them the same ... and hence wasted more police time on another day?

Can't see why you're flaming them to be honest. :?


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

scoTTyIf a ticket would have sufficed then that means you'd have changed them i.e. getting the letter makes no difference.[/quote said:


> Yeah, ive ordered a 'legal' set from Fancyplates.com - due any day now!


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## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

I don't think it looks chavvy at all, but its funny that you think you wouldn't get done for it lol


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

I'd better not mention who Cleveland Police should be chasing :roll:


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

Well ive put the plate up for sale on piston heads if anyone wants to buy a 'chavvy' plate!! :lol:

Just going to transfer my other one on to the TT.........


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

There's a problem with illegal number plates that makes it difficult for the police to adopt a discretionary approach. As others have said, the people who put them on their cars know very well they are illegal, they know everyone else can see them but they don't give a toss about that and put them on anyway. By their very use they are saying loud and clear that they couldn't care less about the law.

So where does that leave the police officer trying to get you to change them? He knows you're not arsed about being told off - you're not going to change them just by being asked. Yes, he can give you a VDRS - but all you're likely to do is put a set of legal plates on your car just to get it checked and then put your dodgy plates back on. Sure, it may cost you a few quid to get the form stamped (or you just get a mate to do it for free) but you've probably spent much more money getting your registration in the first place, which is of no use to you unless you mess about with it. You don't want to have wasted your money. So likewise, even giving you a ticket and a fine isn't guaranteed to make you change it.

Ultimately the only sanction guaranteed to get you to comply with the law is the threat that your registration will be taken off you if you are caught abusing it again. You then have the options of putting a legal plate on, selling the registration and recovering your outlay or taking the risk of being pulled and losing it and your money.

As others have said, if you were planning on putting a legal plate on anyway it makes not a jot of difference that it has been reported to the DVLA. If it's bothering you then that can only be because you were planning on completely ignoring whatever action was taken and keeping your illegal plate on. That you are now selling it because you can't mis-space it is fair proof of that. I'd suggest your actions are testament to the fact the police officer's judgement was spot on.


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

Mark Davies said:


> There's a problem with illegal number plates that makes it difficult for the police to adopt a discretionary approach. quote]
> 
> The officer ALWAYS has the power of discretion....although they sometimes act like they don't!
> 
> ...


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## YELLOW_TT (Feb 25, 2004)

SAJSTER said:


> Well ive put the plate up for sale on piston heads if anyone wants to buy a 'chavvy' plate!! :lol:
> 
> Just going to transfer my other one on to the TT.........


Just make sureyou get the spacing right mate :wink:


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

Hi Andy

Don't worry it'll be fully legal.... :lol:

Was your QS at Audi @Preston farm earlier this week??


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## YELLOW_TT (Feb 25, 2004)

SAJSTER said:


> Hi Andy
> 
> Don't worry it'll be fully legal.... :lol:
> 
> Was your QS at Audi @Preston farm earlier this week??


Yes mate needed a new N75 fiting under warranty [smiley=gossip.gif] still needs a lot of work to get it how I want


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

I saw it then, parked ouside the main doors...very nice! 

I was there following your advice and buying some Audi screenwash!!!


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## scoTTy (May 6, 2002)

SAJSTER said:


> the odds on me getting pulled this often in such a short space of time makes me wonder if there is more to it than JUST the plates........


You think your local plod don't like TTs ? 

What else would be attracting the attention? Other things on the car or do you look dodgy? :lol:


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

The car is bog standard.....I must just look dodgy!! :lol:


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

For me the thing you have to bear in mind is how 'readable' the plate is.

The whole point of them is that they identify the car. If the reg no. is undecipherable, then the car is effectively untraceable. Not a problem if you're a fine, upstanding member of the community (and I'm not suggesting you're not). However, what if someone with one of these plates is involved in a hit and run? The car is spotted but the witness misreads the plate and the driver can't be found and prosecuted.

So those plates that misrepresent or alter letters SHOULD be targetted. However, I do think it's pretty bad of the DVLA to sell plates like K1 NGS, and P1 LOT (and charge and amssive amount for them) because they look like KINGS and PILOT and then say you can't alter them to look like the word they sold it to you to look like. [smiley=freak.gif]

I have an unhealthy fascination with number plates and love em, but some I've had to struggle to work out what they were and if I can't do it, what chance does an average punter have?

However, there is a counter argument to that in that there are certain situations when the number plate makes the car MORE recognisable - even if it is hard to read. BUT ... then you could put 'normal' plates on and I'd be none the wiser. :?


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

I agree fully with you Kell - for ME it is about how readable the plate is!

The cops did not have an issue with reading it, just that it wasnt LEGAL!! :lol: ....and as stated before on here..The law is the law!!

Well not an issue anymore, i'm fully legal now!! 

Regards

Saj


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

SAJSTER said:


> The officer ALWAYS has the power of discretion....although they sometimes act like they don't!


You don't need to lecture me about this - I guess you've not picked it up previously, but I am a police officer.

The point I'm making is simple. There is a job to be done and I'd very much prefer to use discretion and not be required to give someone a ticket if I don't have to. However, there's no point in doing that if it simply isn't going to achieve the objective. We can argue forever about whether number plate regulations should be enforced or not but for the purposes of this debate let's assume they should. If that is the case you have to do whatever is required to effectively enforce the law otherwise there's no point in bothering at all. Sadly because of the nature of this offence just telling people off or even giving them a ticket is, in most cases, ineffective - for the reasons I explained above. _Everybody_ who gets dealt with for an illegal number plate should therefore expect the DVLA to be told about it - in many forces it is now standard procedure.



SAJSTER said:


> I have been stopped twice this week (once by the the same cop who ticketed me and once by another) and explained to them that I was waiting for the plates to be delivered (showed them email as proof) and they were ok with that - but the odds on me getting pulled this often in such a short space of time makes me wonder if there is more to it than JUST the plates


Well quite frankly you've been dealt with very leniently. It makes no difference that 'the plates are in the post' - you know very well that your car shouldn't be on the road _at all _until it has a proper set of plates on it. In the meantime every time you drive it you are committing offences again and again and quite blatantly putting two fingers up to the law abiding public and shouting, "F*ck you!"

It's no coincidence that you've been stopped again. Technically your car shouldn't ever leave your drive or even be parked on a road. The officers are looking out for you to see if you've stopped breaking the law or not. Given that you haven't I'd say it is very understanding of them to give you some breathing space until your new plates arrive. I'd probably do the same but many of my colleagues wouldn't and I'd be hard pushed to criticise them for their approach. But this officer has been more than reasonable and in your gratitude for that you come here complaining about his heavy-handed policing?

I wonder if he'd be quite so understanding if he read this thread and then pulled you tomorrow? Could you blame him if he wasn't?


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## garvin (May 7, 2002)

You 'got off' lightly. My lad got pulled about a year ago for incorrect number plates. Font - OK, spacing - OK, legibility - perfect (colour OK and reflective). He made the 'cardinal sin', in complete ignorance, of getting old fashioned pressed number plates (the type with raised lettering) made up (don't ask why - he's young!!) which is not strictly legal for the age of the car - very legal for cars of ~60's and early 70's vintage apparently. Genuine mistake and if anything deserved no more than some 'advice' from a copper this would be it. Copper does not give him a ticket or a VDRS but threatens to seize the car there and then and only allows my lad to go on his merry way after insisting that he, my lad, removes the plates there and then for the copper to take as 'evidence' as he will be reporting my lad for prosecution through the courts. Due process and a £70 fine later my lad is very bitter about the Police now. If that is not OTT then I do not know what is. Result - my lad is now of a mind set where he wouldn't even bother to piss on a policeman if he was on fire!!


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## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

The problem with the police is the few people who have a chip on the shoulder - the megalomaniacs.

I get the impression that the police around here are pretty good at using their discretion. Especially on the roads, I find they make an effort not to get in the way of normal driving habits. There is a stretch of road which is 30, but nobody does 30 (not even the cops). It's fine if you're behind a copper as they will go up it at 40. It's if they are behind you, you can't take the lead and break the limit. But the times I've had a copper behind me, they have dropped right off long way before the road so I'm out of site by the time I get there. If they were the type to want to pull people over they would have stuck right with me to see if I do.

The issue comes the day where I do get one who wants to make their mark - hope it never happens.


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## SAJ77 (Nov 16, 2008)

Mark Davies said:


> SAJSTER said:
> 
> 
> > The officer ALWAYS has the power of discretion....although they sometimes act like they don't!
> ...


Mark..I gathered you were in the police and i'm not lecturing you however I stand by MY point of you - The LAW is the LAW BUT you cannot treat every 'offender' the same!! Each case and offence should be taken on his or her merits.....eg. An 80 yr old war vet driving with his fog lights on when its not foggy - illegal, eligible for a ticket! Would you give him one??? Of course not...but he is still breaking the law so maybe you would?? Or words of advice?

Like the post made by Garvin earlier...a complete over reaction by the cop which gives ALL cops a bad name and makes an already difficult job even harder!

Maybe my rant has nothing to with the 'number plate' but my opinion on the officers policing method - obviously every cop is different - however when i was in the job - the unofficial rule of thumb for me and my colleagues was that if you pulled 'Joe Average' and he was civil and passed the attitude test then he/she would NOT get a ticket, however if you pulled a Burgling sh*tbag - you would ticket him/ report him for anything you could!! Probably not 100% professional but MORALLY it felt right! ..and I feel i fall into the Joe Average category!!

So IMHO discretion is the difference between a good officer and a sh*t one - otherwise they may as well put robots in uniform!! 

Regards Saj

PS. Oh and just for the record I left the police of my own accord :lol: - got offered a job working as an elec engineer for Shell oil - couldnt say no!!


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## Colinthecop (Jan 2, 2008)

SAJSTER said:


> the unofficial rule of thumb for me and my colleagues was that if you pulled 'Joe Average' and he was civil and passed the attitude test then he/she would NOT get a ticket,


You never met a traffic cop then....?

:roll:


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## muTTley (Mar 15, 2004)

ANPR - it's making the roads a lot safer by taking unisured/no mot vehicles off the road plus allowing police to target criminals who often use these vehicles.

it's in all our interests that this technology works and so we should all have number plates that the cameras can read and allow the cops to go after the bad guys rather than waste time on somebody's vanity.


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## Bikerz (Aug 23, 2008)

muTTley said:


> ANPR - it's making the roads a lot safer by taking unisured/no mot vehicles off the road plus allowing police to target criminals who often use these vehicles.
> 
> it's in all our interests that this technology works and so we should all have number plates that the cameras can read and allow the cops to go after the bad guys rather than waste time on somebody's vanity.


Agree totally. Hence Mine is able to be picked up by them


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