Safe Speed Forums

I have just got back from doing 3500 trouble free miles across Europe 2 up on my Triumph Sprint. Then, having just got back in to England, I got pulled on the M20 by a marked traffic car. I knew he was behind me so did everything right - indicated, didn't exceed the speed limit etc etc etc. He followed me for about 2 miles, then pulled me over.

First thing he said was 'Why are you riding an illegal bike?'. I asked him to clarify. He said, 'you have an illegal sized number plate' - WTF!! He then got his ruler out and measured it. It is the same shape as a car reg. and displays fewer characters in a line - it is a cherished number which has 5 characters in a line, with the correct spacing and size.

He gave me a FPN which reads 'Non standard registration plate' - £30 fine. He said that the police would write to the DVLA, who may seize the number. Is that likely to happen on the 1st offense??

I don't question that this plate is non standard. But, I just can't understand why the Police are so bothered - All of the numbers/letters can be read easily, it's not like I've changed the spacing or put bolts in to make letters appear different etc.

Why are the British police so bloody petty? Can't they work on solving real crimes? There was a guy who made a 999 call at the service station that I had just visited, a hit and run (car drove in to his car and then drove off at speed) - he was told that the police were too buy to attend and proceded to give him a crime reference number!!

That is a real crime isn't it, illegal plates?

You know full well what he means - don't take something so literally just in order to sound like a smart arse.

Thank you and well said!

I am just putting this in perspective -

30 minutes earlier the police were 'too busy' to resond to a 999 call. Yet they have marked units within a 20 mile radius ready to pull a ruler out and measure the size of a number plate (even though all of the characters are of correct size)!!

To my knew there are rules on size and spacing. I was unaware of any rules that say a motorcycle plate must be split into two lines.
Dvla GUIDANCE is here but it is not LAW.



The law. {Statutory Instrument 2001 No. 561
The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001}


All the " a" digrams are a single line, the "b" diagrams are two lines

Sorry mate! Guilty as hell

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

You need the "The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001- as amended. They set out the format of a plate, the size and shape (including the margins) and the font and size of the characters. The requirements vary depending on when the vehicle was registered but I guess it will be after 2001 for your bike?

PM me if you want to look into this further. I have a copy of the regs here but it does (unless there is some obscure dispensation) look like it might be a "fair cop", I'm afraid.

It is, of course, mind-numbingly petty, but as Weepej points out, it's illegal - just like teenagers stabbing each other is illegal. Obviously, the police have limited resources and it's important that they target those crimes that are most likely to cause a threat to life and limb of the good citizens of this green and pleasaent land (like people who ride around with illegally formatted number plates)!

Only a £30 FPN for potentially denying them at least £60 from ANPR-enforced offences?

HUSH - (looks around , sees no periscopes) - don't give them ideas.

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

that would be the regs I linked to under the text "The Law"

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

Ah yes! My excuse (and I'm sticking to it!) is that I didn't look 'cause I was in a rush whilst having my lunch! The only thing I would say is that they have been amended a few times since then and the problem with that site is that unless you know what the amending Statutory Instruments are, you could spend a long time looking! It's also a pain to then go back through the original making the amendments - especially if there is more than one set of amendments!

Of course they were busy.....busy writing you a ticket for a piss ant offence because anything more than that would require a working brain.

Honestly, with cretins like that wearing the uniform, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that the general public have no respect any more.

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

OK so you have a non conforming plate which I assume has been passing the MOT test each year? So why not issue a vehicle defect rectification scheme notice? You get the plate put right and do not end up feeling quite so bitter towards the boys in blue. Surey the first step on the enforcement ladder is educate and inform. Next advise and warn. Then the penalty.

Assuming that the number has been assigned to the bike for a fair while, I would be tempted to not pay the FPN and write a letter to the force who put it down that you got the plate made up when you had the plate transferred to the bike, and that it has been passing MOT without issue year on year. Confirm in your response that it has been brought up to the latest standard, but question whether it is in the public interest to pursue this any further as you had no idea that there was a problem, had never been advised thereof, and suggest that the issue of an FPN amounted to little short of victimisation.

If they go for the courts, you could then plead that it was a vexatious claim. In fact I reckon the DPP would throw it out before then.

You wouldn't say "infraction", would you? (Amerikans would.)
How about:
regulatory offence?
code violation?
infringement?
misdemeanor?
Then again, I suppose there is nothing so small, that it can't be blown out of proportion.

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The Rules for ALL ROAD USERS:
1) No one gets hurt
2) Nothing gets hit, except to protect others; see Rule#1
3) The Laws of Physics are invincible and immutable - so-called 'laws' of men are not
4) You are always immediately and ultimately responsible for your safety first, then proximately responsible for everyone's
Do not let other road users' mistakes become yours, nor yours become others
5) The rest, including laws of the land, is thoughtful observation, prescience, etiquette, decorum, and cooperation

if the only place you could get your plates from was the DVLA there would be no problem with font, spacing and size and no arguing

I could see my trailer plate costing £50 and taking six weeks to arrive though!

No, that wouldn't work - the DVLA have such hopelessly incorrect information in their database.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

good point well put

In how many other countries are number/license plates availiable in any old civilian out let?