Number plate spacing?

Mercedes18

I’ve brought a new private reg and I was wondering if I will get away with this sort of spacing. I’m not going to write my reg so here I will give an example.
Let’s say the reg is ‘MU61 FJK’

And I spaced it ‘MU 61FJK’
Or even ‘MU6 1FJK’

Would I get away with this? I’ve saw so many cars on road with similar or worse number plate spacing, would police actually bother to pull you over because of this?

Also keep in mind when I get my number plate created it will be from a authorised legal plate manufacturer not a dodgy one. So the plate font and legal writing will be correct and on there.

Thanks in advance!

hollie.weimeraner

Mercedes18 wrote: »

I’ve brought a new private reg and I was wondering if I will get away with this sort of spacing. I’m not going to write my reg so here I will give an example.
Let’s say the reg is ‘MU61 FJK’

And I spaced it ‘MU 61FJK’
Or even ‘MU6 1FJK’

Would I get away with this? I’ve saw so many cars on road with similar or worse number plate spacing, would police actually bother to pull you over because of this?

Also keep in mind when I get my number plate created it will be from a authorised legal plate manufacturer not a dodgy one. So the plate font and legal writing will be correct and on there.

Thanks in advance!

Yet another pointless thread from a newbie

https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates

NBLondon

It depends on the policeperson at the time. Plenty of people do it and get away with it because it isn't checked. But if a particular officer is not busy right at that moment or their management have decided to clamp down; they might do it as a way of getting their numbers up. Or if you are stopped for another reason - it might get picked up on. Or if the ANPR flags your car because it comes up as a mis-read...

As the link Hollie provided shows - it's also an MoT fail. So you would need a correctly spaced set of plates as well to swap over - or a sloppy/dodgy tester - if the car is old enough.

Up to you if you think that risk is worth it for having the plates look like whatever you think it will look like.

Deastons

Mercedes18 wrote: »

I’ve saw so many cars on road with similar or worse number plate spacing, would police actually bother to pull you over because of this?

Me too - SO many. And I'm amazed that it's often a little old lady or someone who looks like they wouldn't be in the least bit interested in playing tricks with their number plate.

It's illegal but my opinion is you'll never get pulled over for it. Perhaps if you were pulled over for speeding or something, they might waggle their finger at you for the number plate.

My only question is... why? I've never understood the fascination in making a collection of numbers and letters try and "say" something. If you want your name on the back of your car, just go and get a vinyl cut label made and stick it on your rear bumper.

interstellaflyer

Don't do it, just like the front foglights on thing, you think it's cool, most other motorists just think you are a complete Wayne Kerr.

Deastons

NBLondon wrote: »

it's also an MoT fail.

So how do people get away with it? Like I mentioned above, I see A LOT of them and more often than not, it's someone who looks very unassuming driving the car. A mum or dad or something. Not like it's a teen boy racer.

So they go to the effort of obtaining an illegally spaced plate (every time I've bought a plate online I've had to show my V5C, so not sure how they do it), and then remove the plate and replace it with a legal one every time it's MOTd?

And for what?! Seems like such an effort for no real reason.

AndyMc.....

Deastons wrote: »

So how do people get away with it? Like I mentioned above, I see A LOT of them and more often than not, it's someone who looks very unassuming driving the car. A mum or dad or something. Not like it's a teen boy racer.

So they go to the effort of obtaining an illegally spaced plate (every time I've bought a plate online I've had to show my V5C, so not sure how they do it), and then remove the plate and replace it with a legal one every time it's MOTd?

And for what?! Seems like such an effort for no real reason.

Seems like you’ve answered your own question about the mot.

What do you do about illegal plates on the speed watch?

NBLondon

Deastons wrote: »

and then remove the plate and replace it with a legal one every time it's MOTd?

Some do. Some might be mates with a tester who doesn't check or doesn't mark it down when bought a drink afterwards.

And for what?! Seems like such an effort for no real reason.

It appeals to their vanity, I presume. In many cases - I still struggle to see what the plate is meant to read as afterwards so it isn't very effective. Doing it on a business vehicle might make it more memorable - quick test... Who knows the name of the company that has vans registered: S1 NKS, BAS 1N, DRA 1N (DRA 11N and DRA 111N too) LO 02 OLD and many more?

AndyMc..... wrote: »

What do you do about illegal plates on the speed watch?

That's a good question. You could report them up the line and see if anybody cares?

TonyMMM

An authorised plate supplier may refuse to make them up with anything other than standard(legal) spacing, and if they agree will leave their details off, which is another breach of the law.

As noted - it is an offence and you may get stopped, but it is a fine only (no points)

In police circles personalised numbers are often known as "pr**k plates"

molerat

I know someone who did get pulled purely for their plate spacing so it does happen. Theirs was spaced x F1ONA x. I know someone else who got pulled for the spacing when it wasn't actually wrong, it just looked it because of the two characters either side of the space.

oldagetraveller

"Also keep in mind when I get my number plate created it will be from a authorised legal plate manufacturer not a dodgy one."


They are prepared to supply an illegal plate though! They're obviously not an authorised AND legal manufacturer?