Number plate incorporating "GB" in a *plain* blue strip - i.e. without Union, EU or any other flag

NaughtiusMaximus

Nebulous2 said:

I have driven on the continent about 12 times in the last 20 years without a GB sticker, or an identifier on my number plate. Mostly France, but occasionally Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands, with a single day trip to Germany. I'm not convinced that all those police who have studiously left me alone until now will suddenly be on my case. 

They probably view it the same way UK police view number plates with illegal letter spacings, positioning or tints.

Highly unlikely they will ever pull you over just for that but if they stop you for another driving offence there's a very real chance it will be added to the list of charges.

Benoit87

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

I collected my new caravan a couple of weeks ago, and the dealer fitted it with a number plate with the EU badge and stars - three months after we left the EU.

I asked for the EU to be painted over before I left, and the plate was replaced by me within 24 hours.  There is no way I would ever be seen with anything bearing the EU flotsam and jetsam. 

How peculiar to be so insular but still wish to travel to other countries in the first place.

Seems rather disrespectful to me, but I guess that's just the arrogance of 'Empire' attitudes shining through . . . and we all know how empires end.

It's also at odds with the maritime tradition of actively flying the flag of the country in whose waters you are sailing.

So true. It's that "everyone is a foreigner except us Brits - even when we are abroad" and the "we're not immigrants we're expats" attitude that Brexit has fuelled. Awful. 

AdrianC

Benoit87 said:

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

I collected my new caravan a couple of weeks ago, and the dealer fitted it with a number plate with the EU badge and stars - three months after we left the EU.

I asked for the EU to be painted over before I left, and the plate was replaced by me within 24 hours.  There is no way I would ever be seen with anything bearing the EU flotsam and jetsam. 

How peculiar to be so insular but still wish to travel to other countries in the first place.

Seems rather disrespectful to me, but I guess that's just the arrogance of 'Empire' attitudes shining through . . . and we all know how empires end.

It's also at odds with the maritime tradition of actively flying the flag of the country in whose waters you are sailing.

So true. It's that "everyone is a foreigner except us Brits - even when we are abroad" and the "we're not immigrants we're expats" attitude that Brexit has fuelled. Awful. 

The exceptionalism that views the end of the four "freedoms of movement" as a good thing, despite the fact that it's only ceased to apply to the UK - which means that UK nationals and businesses have lost easy access to 30 countries, while everybody else has lost access to just one.

...then complains when they can't retire to Spain or get taxed when ordering stuff from the continent.

It's peculiar. Every other country wants easier, more open, cheaper relationships with the rest of the world. The UK is celebrating making it far harder, more closed, and more expensive.

poppasmurf_bewdley

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

I collected my new caravan a couple of weeks ago, and the dealer fitted it with a number plate with the EU badge and stars - three months after we left the EU.

I asked for the EU to be painted over before I left, and the plate was replaced by me within 24 hours.  There is no way I would ever be seen with anything bearing the EU flotsam and jetsam. 

How peculiar to be so insular but still wish to travel to other countries in the first place.

Seems rather disrespectful to me, but I guess that's just the arrogance of 'Empire' attitudes shining through . . . and we all know how empires end.

It's also at odds with the maritime tradition of actively flying the flag of the country in whose waters you are sailing.

Yes, I do disrespect the EU - not the individual countries. Just the (dis) organisation.

And for your information, when I go abroad (which I do most years) both my car and caravan sport the English and Welsh flags on their number plates (I'm half and half) so I do maintain the maritime tradition to which you refer.  Two years ago, I had a very interesting chat with a Gendarme who told me he had never seen a number plate with the Welsh Dragon on before (and no, he didn't pull me up, it was in a service aire). 

poppasmurf_bewdley

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

I collected my new caravan a couple of weeks ago, and the dealer fitted it with a number plate with the EU badge and stars - three months after we left the EU.

I asked for the EU to be painted over before I left, and the plate was replaced by me within 24 hours.  There is no way I would ever be seen with anything bearing the EU flotsam and jetsam. 

How peculiar to be so insular but still wish to travel to other countries in the first place.

Seems rather disrespectful to me, but I guess that's just the arrogance of 'Empire' attitudes shining through . . . and we all know how empires end.

It's also at odds with the maritime tradition of actively flying the flag of the country in whose waters you are sailing.

Yes, I do disrespect the EU - not the individual countries. Just the (dis) organisation.

And for your information, when I go abroad (which I do most years) both my car and caravan sport the English and Welsh flags on their number plates (I'm half and half) so I do maintain the maritime tradition to which you refer.  Two years ago, I had a very interesting chat with a Gendarme who told me he had never seen a number plate with the Welsh Dragon on before (and no, he didn't pull me up, it was in a service aire). 

 No, you misunderstand.  The maritime tradition is to fly the flag of the country you are visiting (among others).  It's a courtesy.

That's not a tradition, it's a courtesy to show you will respect the laws and sovereignty of that country. The correct flag to fly is always your own. 

AdrianC

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:
And for your information, when I go abroad (which I do most years) both my car and caravan sport the English and Welsh flags on their number plates (I'm half and half) so I do maintain the maritime tradition to which you refer.  Two years ago, I had a very interesting chat with a Gendarme who told me he had never seen a number plate with the Welsh Dragon on before (and no, he didn't pull me up, it was in a service aire). 

No, you misunderstand.  The maritime tradition is to fly the flag of the country you are visiting (among others).  It's a courtesy.

That's not a tradition, it's a courtesy to show you will respect the laws and sovereignty of that country. The correct flag to fly is always your own. 

All of which is lovely, but...

When it comes to international vehicle nationality identification, there are only two legally valid alternatives.

1. The white-on-black oval national identifier sticker, as defined under the UN Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic.
2. The blue plate strip, with EU flag and national identifier, for EU/EEA-registered vehicles within the EU/EEA.

The blue strip used to be valid for UK vehicles travelling within the rest of the EU/EEA.
As of the start of this year, it is no longer valid, and an oval GB sticker is legally required.

Anything else on the end of a plate is a political statement, with no validity.
Some of the regional identifier options have been legal within the UK under UK law, but have never carried any international validity. Whether an individual policeman chooses to let it go is up to them.

Jenni_D

https://www.marineinsight.com/guidelines/nautical-flag-etiquettes/

Benoit87

AdrianC said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:
And for your information, when I go abroad (which I do most years) both my car and caravan sport the English and Welsh flags on their number plates (I'm half and half) so I do maintain the maritime tradition to which you refer.  Two years ago, I had a very interesting chat with a Gendarme who told me he had never seen a number plate with the Welsh Dragon on before (and no, he didn't pull me up, it was in a service aire). 

No, you misunderstand.  The maritime tradition is to fly the flag of the country you are visiting (among others).  It's a courtesy.

That's not a tradition, it's a courtesy to show you will respect the laws and sovereignty of that country. The correct flag to fly is always your own. 

All of which is lovely, but...

When it comes to international vehicle nationality identification, there are only two legally valid alternatives.

1. The white-on-black oval national identifier sticker, as defined under the UN Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic.
2. The blue plate strip, with EU flag and national identifier, for EU/EEA-registered vehicles within the EU/EEA.

The blue strip used to be valid for UK vehicles travelling within the rest of the EU/EEA.
As of the start of this year, it is no longer valid, and an oval GB sticker is legally required.

Anything else on the end of a plate is a political statement, with no validity.
Some of the regional identifier options have been legal within the UK under UK law, but have never carried any international validity. Whether an individual policeman chooses to let it go is up to them.

It is now legally accepted to have the Union Jack on the blue strip if travelling outside the UK but just that. Not the Welsh or St George flag. Only the UK flag is accepted under the UN convention. 

AdrianC

Benoit87 said:

AdrianC said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:
And for your information, when I go abroad (which I do most years) both my car and caravan sport the English and Welsh flags on their number plates (I'm half and half) so I do maintain the maritime tradition to which you refer.  Two years ago, I had a very interesting chat with a Gendarme who told me he had never seen a number plate with the Welsh Dragon on before (and no, he didn't pull me up, it was in a service aire). 

No, you misunderstand.  The maritime tradition is to fly the flag of the country you are visiting (among others).  It's a courtesy.

That's not a tradition, it's a courtesy to show you will respect the laws and sovereignty of that country. The correct flag to fly is always your own. 

All of which is lovely, but...

When it comes to international vehicle nationality identification, there are only two legally valid alternatives.

1. The white-on-black oval national identifier sticker, as defined under the UN Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic.
2. The blue plate strip, with EU flag and national identifier, for EU/EEA-registered vehicles within the EU/EEA.

The blue strip used to be valid for UK vehicles travelling within the rest of the EU/EEA.
As of the start of this year, it is no longer valid, and an oval GB sticker is legally required.

Anything else on the end of a plate is a political statement, with no validity.
Some of the regional identifier options have been legal within the UK under UK law, but have never carried any international validity. Whether an individual policeman chooses to let it go is up to them.

It is now legally accepted to have the Union Jack on the blue strip if travelling outside the UK but just that. Not the Welsh or St George flag. Only the UK flag is accepted under the UN convention. 

The blue strip is an EU mutual recognition thing outside of the UN convention. I very much doubt they'll vary that for the UK at the moment...

poppasmurf_bewdley

AdrianC said:

Benoit87 said:

AdrianC said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

Mickey666 said:

poppasmurf_bewdley said:
And for your information, when I go abroad (which I do most years) both my car and caravan sport the English and Welsh flags on their number plates (I'm half and half) so I do maintain the maritime tradition to which you refer.  Two years ago, I had a very interesting chat with a Gendarme who told me he had never seen a number plate with the Welsh Dragon on before (and no, he didn't pull me up, it was in a service aire). 

No, you misunderstand.  The maritime tradition is to fly the flag of the country you are visiting (among others).  It's a courtesy.

That's not a tradition, it's a courtesy to show you will respect the laws and sovereignty of that country. The correct flag to fly is always your own. 

All of which is lovely, but...

When it comes to international vehicle nationality identification, there are only two legally valid alternatives.

1. The white-on-black oval national identifier sticker, as defined under the UN Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic.
2. The blue plate strip, with EU flag and national identifier, for EU/EEA-registered vehicles within the EU/EEA.

The blue strip used to be valid for UK vehicles travelling within the rest of the EU/EEA.
As of the start of this year, it is no longer valid, and an oval GB sticker is legally required.

Anything else on the end of a plate is a political statement, with no validity.
Some of the regional identifier options have been legal within the UK under UK law, but have never carried any international validity. Whether an individual policeman chooses to let it go is up to them.

It is now legally accepted to have the Union Jack on the blue strip if travelling outside the UK but just that. Not the Welsh or St George flag. Only the UK flag is accepted under the UN convention. 

The blue strip is an EU mutual recognition thing outside of the UN convention. I very much doubt they'll vary that for the UK at the moment...

Who cares!