UncleFista
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 01:20 AM |
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First pull (plod)
Was out for a blast tonight and saw the dreaded flashing blues[1] in the mirror, at first I didn't think they were wanting me but once
they'd blasted me with the siren I pulled over.
Not Trafpol, local bobbys, they couldn't have been nicer, they informed me that the main 6 lane dual carriageway out of the city is now a 30
limit, I must've been doing around 70  And I'd gone through a red light (leaving dual-carriageway on slip road), I'm pretty sure I
didn't, but won't swear to it. They told me that they'd give me the benefit of the doubt over it, cos one of the lights was out.
Also, they'd not do me for the speeding ! One of 'em was on about building "a car like that" now he has a garage and asked
a fair few questions, one of 'em being "Why hasn't it got a front licence plate" (he had to get out of the car and walk behind
mine to check the reg. no.)
I told him that vehicles under 650kgs only need a rear and he nodded as if this was the correct answer. Blagged.
Doubt it'd work on a hardened trafpol though 
Only thing is, I've now got a producer for insurance and MOT, will they hassle me for an MOT or will they realise that it was registered as a
new vehicle after SVA in September ?
[1] Had to happen sooner or later
Tony Bond / UncleFista
Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...
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silex
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 06:49 AM |
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They should not hassle you for an MOT - if in doubt, take the log book with you as proof of age, they cant say anything if you can prove date of
registration.
Also, as far as I am aware, a front number plate is not required on vehicles. Take a look at the multitude of machines around you that dont have them
- tractors, plant machinary, ferrari Enzo, etc, etc.....
You do need the rear though 
Murphy's 2 laws
1. If it can go wrong it will
2. In case of emergency - refer to rule 1.
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JoelP
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 07:35 AM |
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i got a puller for no front number plate the other day, but that was in a normal road car with a smashed up bumper, they seemed more concerned about
sharp edges! As for the mot, dont worry about it. Argue your case, and even if they dont believe you there is no penalty.
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Peteff
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 08:35 AM |
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If it needed MOT you would not have been able to tax it. Tell them to take that up with DVLA if they argue. I'd get a front number plate as they
are not all going to fall for that and it will cost you more than a number plate in the long run if you get nicked for it.
[Edited on 26/7/05 by Peteff]
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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brunocrossley
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 09:11 AM |
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Number Plates
My next door neighbour's son got pulled in his Punto turbo for an 'itallicised' (?) front plate. There was a vehicle check point
with police and VOSA officials. They not only did him for the plate, they wouldn't let him drive the car away. He had to have it taken to a
garage for the car to 'be made safe'. He had to pay the fine, a towing in fee, and buy a plate and have it fitted at the garage. Then he
had to take the bill to the local cop shop with his producer.
I think they were miffed that they couldn't find anything else wrong. Turbo waste gates not exactly Q car material.
When I taxed my Locost for the first time I had to produce an MOT at the LVLO, because the car was given an age related plate since I hadn't
used all new parts. (only one major item, such as the motor is allowed to be reconditioned to be awarded a 'new' reg)
Mark
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Richard Y
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 10:00 AM |
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i thought all cars had to have a front number plate ? how comes you can get away with it with a kit car ?
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JoelP
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 10:29 AM |
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you cant really but im not going to have a front number plate, it'll get snapped off and put in the passanger foot well! for the
cameras...
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NS Dev
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 11:14 AM |
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I'm going to go the same route on my road car I think.
Snap your old front numberplate in two, and scrape it about on the road a bit and smear some old meat over it so it looks like a fox or something hit
it, then put it in the boot/passenger footwell.
Keep a new front plate with you as well, but hidden under the carpet, use this one when driving locally to keep local plod happy.
If you get stopped with no plate, show the damaged one, say that you hit a rabbit/fox etc not 5 minutes previously and you can't fit a new one
yet, because.............of course..................DVLA now require you to take your V5 in to get new plates made, and that's in the drawer at
home!!
Don't see how they can do you for that one, what are you supposed to do, abandon the car!!!
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JoelP
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 11:23 AM |
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absolutely, its a faultless plan! I managed to avoid getting a vehicle defect notice because the dear old gal had run out of forms! I suspect that she
would've waived the fee anyway (usually its £30 and no points for failure to display front plates). But with a good excuse and a friendly
attitude, im sure it would be avoided
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silex
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 11:39 AM |
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Did you have a front number plate on when you went through the SVA test ?
Murphy's 2 laws
1. If it can go wrong it will
2. In case of emergency - refer to rule 1.
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Jon Bradbury
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 01:01 PM |
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How can you put a number plate on for your SVA? It isn't allocated until you get your MAC. And, of course, it is illegal to drive with an
invalid plate on the car (eg, the donor's plate), so you drive to/from SVA without a plate, or tax, quite legally.
Not having plates fitted means less external projections to worry about.
And it's great laughing at those other drivers who toot their horns, flash and shout "Where's yer plates mate?".
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 06:26 PM |
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Got pulled on way home from SVA , cop was friendly and interested in car ,had taken my licence ,insurance etc just in case though.
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Russ-Turner
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 07:01 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by brunocrossley
They not only did him for the plate, they wouldn't let him drive the car away. He had to have it taken to a garage for the car to 'be made
safe'. He had to pay the fine, a towing in fee, and buy a plate and have it fitted at the garage. Then he had to take the bill to the local cop
shop with his producer.
Mark
  This might very well have been red mist time for me. How f******g rediculous!
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MikeR
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| posted on 26/7/05 at 07:03 PM |
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has anyone thought of mounting the front number plate on a hinge - so when you hit speed bumps it doesn't break off..... except when you get
above cough miles per hour it sort of .... you know ...... wind resistance etc ???
you've got it, its there when they look....... etc
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silex
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 05:06 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jon Bradbury
How can you put a number plate on for your SVA? It isn't allocated until you get your MAC.
Erm, you fit a blank one, or as some else on here did, have one made up that says SVA TEST to go to and from the test with - thats how.
Because if the sva guys thought that you intended to fit a front number plate on one of these things, he would want to see it, because unless its a
sticker across the nose cone its gunna cause one hell of a hazard in the wrong place.
[Edited on 27/7/05 by silex]
Murphy's 2 laws
1. If it can go wrong it will
2. In case of emergency - refer to rule 1.
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NS Dev
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 07:07 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Russ-Turner
quote:
Originally posted by brunocrossley
They not only did him for the plate, they wouldn't let him drive the car away. He had to have it taken to a garage for the car to 'be made
safe'. He had to pay the fine, a towing in fee, and buy a plate and have it fitted at the garage. Then he had to take the bill to the local cop
shop with his producer.
Mark
This might very well have been red mist time for me. How f******g rediculous!
I think it may have been for me too! What an effing joke. I think for what my Sierra is worth, I would have been tempted to torch the *ucker in front
of them and see what they thought of that.
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Scotty
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 07:25 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
I think it may have been for me too! What an effing joke. I think for what my Sierra is worth, I would have been tempted to torch the *ucker in front
of them and see what they thought of that.
but then they would have done you for littering ........
PLEASE NOTE! All comments made by this person are to be considered "Tongue in Cheek" and are not meant to be taken seriously in any way - so there!
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MikeR
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 08:01 AM |
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i can sort of see the point the police are making.
The cat is technically illegal, if something happened from the front no one would know who you are and it means they know the problem has been fixed
without you doing another 1000 miles.....
of course the car is perfectly drivable and motorbikes don't have a front number plate so its bit of an arsey approach by them.
Whats the law on reflective number plates? I'd be tempted to leave the car where it is - in the middle of the testing area with a bit of
cardboard for a front number plate and a large sign saying,
"number plate broken, gone to get another" and walk off.
If you're not illegally parked what can they do? Ooooh, i wish i was a millionaire so i could challenge things like this in court.
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Jon Bradbury
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 08:24 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by silex
quote:
Originally posted by Jon Bradbury
How can you put a number plate on for your SVA? It isn't allocated until you get your MAC.
Erm, you fit a blank one, or as some else on here did, have one made up that says SVA TEST to go to and from the test with - thats how.
Because if the sva guys thought that you intended to fit a front number plate on one of these things, he would want to see it, because unless its a
sticker across the nose cone its gunna cause one hell of a hazard in the wrong place.
[Edited on 27/7/05 by silex]
Umm. Yes, the point is you don't have to. otherwise mine would have failed (at Southampton, where they train Vosa inspectors, about six
weeks ago.
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silex
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 12:05 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jon Bradbury
Umm. Yes, the point is you don't have to. otherwise mine would have failed (at Southampton, where they train Vosa inspectors, about six
weeks ago.
Agreed, but going right back to my original point - I am sure you do not need a front number plate at all.
The inspector checks to see if you have a rear number plate position (number plate fitted or not) and with that goes the number plate lamp. If you
needed a front number plate, the SVA tester would be asking you where its going to fit (not much room on the front) so that it can be checked for
sharp edges along with the rest of the front end.
The police don't understand it - maybe a traffic cop, but the local boy in the panda rarely knows. Hence telling the local bobby "you dont
need one on a car less than 650Kg" and he took it as read - he didnt have a clue, probably just thought everything has one. Like I said
previously take a look around there are plenty of vehicles that dont have front plates - Tractors, construction equipment, etc. If you fitted a plate
to the front of a Ferrari Enzo, you would cover one of its ducts up. Each of these have to be type approved as well - not SVA'd
If the local police hassle you, try fitting one of the adhesive ones on the top of the nose cone.
If you want
Murphy's 2 laws
1. If it can go wrong it will
2. In case of emergency - refer to rule 1.
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Peteff
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 02:28 PM |
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I am sure you do not need a front number plate at all
Carry on then, see how long you go without getting stopped.
http://www.personallyyours.co.uk/number-plates-numberplates.htm
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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MikeR
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 02:32 PM |
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isn't it law that the rear number plate has to be lit up - therefore the SVA inspector is looking for the light. When a car is driving towards
you it would be impossible to see the lit up number plate due to the headlights.
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silex
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 05:09 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Carry on then, see how long you go without getting stopped.
http://www.personallyyours.co.uk/number-plates-numberplates.htm
Yes, and I see that it says fitted at the front (with some exception).
I have been looking through the EEC directives (The SVA manual is compiled from these) and I can only find one for the rear number plate
(70/222/EEC)
This States
1.Plate dimensions can be 520 x 120 or 340 x 240mm (overall pate size - see petes link for letter size)
2. the centre of the plate must not be to the right of the longitudinal plane of the vehicle
3. the left side of the plate must not be situated to the left of the vertical plane.
4 plate shall be perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry
5. plate shall be vertical subject to 5 degree tolernce unless the body design prevents this - then 30 degrees if the panel is upward sloping and 15
degrees if downward sloping, as long as the top edge of the plate does not exceed 1.2 metres fron the ground.
6. height of the upper edge of plate should be not less than 0.3 metres but in no case exceed 2 metres
and there are some geometric requirements of visability.
The SVA guy will basically check your rear plate position by using the number plate lamp as a reference.
I am completely unable to find any reference to a front number plate, and believe me, there would be one if it was a legal requirement.
Also, if there was, why has no one been asked where the front plate goes by the SVA man when he checks the car, there is no reference point to do the
check, he cant guess, he would have to ask you.
Also, EEC type approval can be obtained with rear number plates only and no member state (of which we are one) can refuse the sale or use of the
vehicle.
Therefore, if you SVA the car without any kind of front number plate or position, that should be it, the police cant ask you to fit one afterwards or
tell you yours is missing - It never had one (EEC provision overules domestic law).
I will keep looking through the regs but as far as I can see so far thats it.
Murphy's 2 laws
1. If it can go wrong it will
2. In case of emergency - refer to rule 1.
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MikeR
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 05:32 PM |
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i don't want to discourage you cause i hope your right but ........
this is a car made in the uk, then it must be made to uk law and i'm sure uk law says "you must have a front number plate". If you
import a european car then fair enough.
Keep hunting and keep us informed (otherwise its back to the springy number plate idea - to protect it from speed humps)
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Peteff
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| posted on 27/7/05 at 06:15 PM |
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with some exception
Find out what the exceptions are and you might be on the right track, until then it's all surmise. If it's registered as a car it needs
two plates, bikes, trikes and some road registered machinery, fork lifts, dump trucks and farm implements carry exemptions where it's not
practical to fit one. As mentioned somewhere this is UK law not EEC regulations. This bloke thinks he
has to have them and until I see otherwise I think I'll leave mine on.
[Edited on 27/7/05 by Peteff]
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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