Question about number plates to ask you all.....

[Lwilliams]

Long story short... is it illegal to not have your number plate attached to your bumper but in the windscreen instead?

For those of you that enjoy a bit of literature...

Today on the way home from work a police car was following me very closely then dropped back. I had noticed so was driving properly, then we came to a set of traffic lights after a long sweeping left. I seen the light change to red about two seconds before I went through and thought the officer would be able to see what actually happened especially considering it was wet and i was traveling ~60 so thought its best not to brake harshly.

He then put his lights on followed me through the traffic lights then I pulled over into an industrial estate just off the road. He asked do I know what I had done and I said yes and explained why I had done it. He didn't actually see the traffic lights changed, he thought they were red already when I went through. He didn't seem too concerned about that after I explained it to him, and he decided not to book me before having a quick look around the car.

To make a bad situation worse, the officer then noticed a bottle of Bacardi on the passenger side of the car (which was a late Christmas present for my uncle so wasn't opened) and decided to breathalyze me I hadn't been drinking, but thought this was funny.

He decided instead of the traffic light incident, he was going to give me a £100 fine for not having the number plate on the front bumper - it is in the windscreen and is clearly visible. His exact comments on the penalty notice was "no number plate fixed to front". I asked about it being in the windscreen and he said that is not allowed and that it wouldn't pass the MOT like that - something I didn't realize.

I was hoping someone could shed some light on the situation... considering appealing especially after he tried convincing me not to (even though I hadn't mentioned it) and said "remember, we seen you go through a red light".

I also thought it was only £60 fine not £100!!!!

[Niall]

Unfortunately he's in the right mate. Front plates should always be mounted on the furthest point forwards possible hence why they are always on the front bumper. Putting them in the windscreen is silly really as where most people put them, the wipers cover them and make them unreadable.

[Pompey306mark]

It does have to be on the front of the vehicle. I have been pulled over three times for it being in the window but explained my way out of trouble on all occasions.

Think the fine went up with the new traffic laws.

[Connor]

Fines/penalties vary by county, so could be £60 some places and £100 others. Tbf the copper doesnt sound like hes being that much of a dick, as if it was red 2 seconds before you went through it, it would have been yellow for another 2 seconds and as we all know, yellow means stop. Best thing to do is probably just suck it up and pay it and be glad youre not getting 3 points for jumping the lights

[Lwilliams]

Unfortunately he's in the right mate. Front plates should always be mounted on the furthest point forwards possible hence why they are always on the front bumper. Putting them in the windscreen is silly really as where most people put them, the wipers cover them and make them unreadable.

Not that I don't believe you but I am struggling to find some definitive statement on the actual law...

Just to put my mind at ease...

I didn't realize that the ticket have gone up too

[C2K]

Section 6.3.1 of the MOT manual informs you that the registration plate should be affixed to the front of the vehicle, and must be readily legible from 20 metres. Given your plate is almost certainly obscured by a wiper, as Niall infers, or by daytime glare on the windscreen then you are in violation of the written letter.

Mind at ease or not, it's a bloody stupid practice undertaken only by chavs in my experience. It takes 2 seconds to affix the registration to the front of the vehicle - sort it out.

[Piggy]

Need to easily visible and nothing to deflect light off it...some chavs spray them so they are unreadable when speed camera goes off...
So having it in the windscreen means its almost unreadable from the front.

However...just like many other regs, I dont see why we need front plates, bikes dont have them and most speed cameras and ANPRs can and could operate from behind.

[Lwilliams]

Section 6.3.1 of the MOT manual informs you that the registration plate should be affixed to the front of the vehicle, and must be readily legible from 20 metres. Given your plate is almost certainly obscured by a wiper, as Niall infers, or by daytime glare on the windscreen then you are in violation of the written letter.

Mind at ease or not, it's a bloody stupid practice undertaken only by chavs in my experience. It takes 2 seconds to affix the registration to the front of the vehicle - sort it out.

Well considering you don't know me the I think its a bit unfair labeling me a chav, as it has only been on there for a week and I do not think it looks good like the chavs do. I bought a Ph3 one and I didn't have time to spray it last weekend and I didn't want to attach it as I wanted to spray it first. Plus I did not realize it was illegal, but thank you for the information. I will get it sorted tomorrow.

And it was not obscured as it was on a suction cup in the top left...

[C2K]

Bought a P3 what? It's screwed to the bumper? :S

[Lwilliams]

Bought a P3 what? It's screwed to the bumper? :S

A phase 3 bumper and I prefer to sand back the holes and stick it on with some good double sided as then you have a clean plate with no screws in it...

[WiNgNuTz]

Bought a P3 what? It's screwed to the bumper? :S

A phase 3 bumper and I prefer to sand back the holes and stick it on with some good double sided as then you have a clean plate with no screws in it...

Tbh mate, if you're intent on keeping your plate screw free, use a holder, as otherwise its just making it easier for some pikey to come along and pinch your plate.

Something like >>THIS<<

[Lwilliams]

Bought a P3 what? It's screwed to the bumper? :S

A phase 3 bumper and I prefer to sand back the holes and stick it on with some good double sided as then you have a clean plate with no screws in it...

Tbh mate, if you're intent on keeping your plate screw free, use a holder, as otherwise its just making it easier for some pikey to come along and pinch your plate.

Something like >>THIS<<

Awh looks good mate thanks

Fines/penalties vary by county, so could be £60 some places and £100 others. Tbf the copper doesnt sound like hes being that much of a dick, as if it was red 2 seconds before you went through it, it would have been yellow for another 2 seconds and as we all know, yellow means stop. Best thing to do is probably just suck it up and pay it and be glad youre not getting 3 points for jumping the lights

Just found this and I couldn't resist connor :.....
[attachment=12300]

[sam]

Ive had my fair share of number plate fines, earlly this year it went up to £100, also I found out they get really fussy if you have 2 number plates on the fron ie one show plate on normal "apparently" if the show plate is visible you can still get a fine

[Martin306]

Ive had my fair share of number plate fines, earlly this year it went up to £100, also I found out they get really fussy if you have 2 number plates on the fron ie one show plate on normal "apparently" if the show plate is visible you can still get a fine

I got told this because it can confuse ANPR, so technically you're "evading" - which is an offence.

[Dum-Dum]

The rest of the thread is TL;DR but here is the answers.

Your number plate must be affixed securely to a vertical forward facing surface, not obscured and not obscuring any lights and iirc ahead of the front wheels too. The windscreen (being reflective) is obscuring the plate. This is a construction and use regulation but along with all other C&U regs is dealt with by ticket under the road traffic act, IIRC S41of the 1988 act but don't quote me on that.

You were brethalised as there is a power to require this from anyone who has committed a moving road traffic offence (the red light and the plate count as this) and the Christmas drink drive campaign and the bottle on your seat probably helped his decision with this too.

You should always stop for red traffic lights even if it means you have to brake sharply, there is a set on a 70mph dual carriageway just outside Watford that I have trouble with in the wet as if they turn amber at the wrong point its a genuine struggle to stop but you have to stop.

I take it you didn't get points with your fine? In London with the new priced 95% of tickets are £50 non endorsable or £100 endorsable and I'd of thought that a number plate C&U reg would be £50 but welsh police are lady gardens so who knows.

[Piggy]

Amber means to stop if safe.

An emergency stop is not safe.
And you have to ask, if the light changed to red and you put the anchors on, and the lorry behind you ploughed into you...would that have been safe?

However to be picky you shouldnt be approaching traffic lights in poor weather at full speed!

[Lwilliams]

No dum dum I didn't get any points luckily.

On the ticket he has ticked the non-endorse able box... seems like to me he just wanted more money

Yeah I understand that piggy I'm not trying to say that it wasn't my fault, or what ever I just thought he was being a little to harsh... but considering in his eyes he didn't see the amber light either its fair enough.

Think its just going to have to be a case of suck it up...