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imaleon
08-05-09, 09:30 PM
I have a personal number plate which I wish to pop on the bike, but I want to change the spacing around from 'XX XXX' to 'XXX XX'. I know it looks fairly minor but cos I will maintain the official size plate the latter part will be on the 2nd row... so it's a bit more blatant.

So am wondering if I were to do this is would the ol' bill bother telling me to change it back to the original? I have seen loads of cars with number plates with incorrect spacing, extra bolts etc etc but do they actually get told off?

I understand why it is important to keep it as the dvla says, but 'c'mon it's only spacing' :)

Dan
08-05-09, 10:29 PM
So am wondering if I were to do this is would the ol' bill bother telling me to change it back to the original?

I certainly hope so. I f***ing hate private plates.

Not particularly constructive an answer, I grant you - but why bother? Who really takes a blind bit of notice of what anyone's number plate says?

imaleon
08-05-09, 10:50 PM
I don't really mind if anyone takes any notice of it or not....as it's for me.
And I don't understand how numberplates can give someone such deep rooted hatred, funny though

ophic
08-05-09, 10:55 PM
I have a similar reaction to Dan, but i'm sure its mainly cos cars with private plates tend to drive like utter w@nkers. In my experience, anyway.

It's like anything else - small plates, loud cans, etc... they won't pass an MOT, and you take the risk of being stopped. Only you can make that decision. Might be worth finding out what the maximum penalty would be for that particular offense so you know exactly what kinda risk you're taking.

Mgaffz
08-05-09, 10:57 PM
My understanding is if you change it in any way then it is illegal and you will cop a fine if stopped by a plod with nothin better to do its easy money for them.

a bloke i was workin for had a private plate on his landrover freelander one which had (i think) 4 numbers ontop then 3 below (like a bike plate) he changed his a little to look like his name and within a fortnight he got a fine and DVLA confiscated the plate and resold it.


mick

Mgaffz
08-05-09, 10:59 PM
I believe if you tamper with a private plate in any way the DVLA can reposses it at thier discretion! so not worth the money in my opinion

imaleon
08-05-09, 11:02 PM
My understanding is if you change it in any way then it is illegal and you will cop a fine if stopped by a plod with nothin better to do its easy money for them.

a bloke i was workin for had a private plate on his landrover freelander one which had (i think) 4 numbers ontop then 3 below (like a bike plate) he changed his a little to look like his name and within a fortnight he got a fine and DVLA confiscated the plate and resold it.


mick

OUCH! That's not friendly. Although I see so many number plates (especially in London) which have been altered in a way that I'm suggesting, so I couldn't imagine that being the common practice as nobody would dare do it

Mgaffz
08-05-09, 11:07 PM
Everyone does it, its just the risk you take to have a more "personalised plate"

I think my boss got done after going through a mobile speed camera

mick

ooger
08-05-09, 11:08 PM
I certainly hope so. I f***ing hate private plates.

Not particularly constructive an answer, I grant you - but why bother? Who really takes a blind bit of notice of what anyone's number plate says?

This :winner:, is the best answer.

Just. Leave. It.

imaleon
08-05-09, 11:16 PM
Googled it and there was an article on a news website that a driver was outraged with a 30quid fine. I can handle that :) On it goes

ooger
08-05-09, 11:36 PM
Good luck. If you have a clean license and no history then go for it maybe.

The problem will come the second time youre caught.....if its for anything more than the plate - like....speeding or a risky overtake, youre gonna be had.

Its far easier to tot up, you're just attracting attention.

imaleon
08-05-09, 11:45 PM
I have a clean license and don't do many miles on my bike so I'll risk it. Obviously if I do get a telling off I'll change it back to how it should be

FlyinCustard
08-05-09, 11:56 PM
This may help, i have done a similar thing:p

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=131071

Spiderman
09-05-09, 12:33 AM
My plate is a 5x7 so technically all the letters and numbers are incorrectly sized and spaced.

Only a couple of times have cops said "i could give you a fine for that" but generally they dont bother...unless you odne something wrong and they wanna get you for everything they can.

I'm not a fan of personal plates either but not cos i hate them per se, just that if you do anything "naughty" its all too easy for someone to remember it and report you.

but maybe i'm just too naugty too often for my own good ;)

Stewart.C
09-05-09, 07:05 PM
the law in england differs from scotland but from what i got from my dad (a traffic cop in scotland) is that the plate will run on a point scale (around 11 faults on plate). meaning if you only change that one thing on the plate you may get away with it but its still ilegal.

he says that he wouldnt bother with pulling you over for only that but if you get pulled over for another reason like speeding or something like that the cop would do you for the plate as well.

as long as you are a safe rider & not silly id go for it. but if a cop pulls you over for it once id change it right away or you may get 3 points & £60 fine.

Red Herring
09-05-09, 08:19 PM
OK, if the plate is not spaced correctly then you could get a £30 no points fixed penalty notice, which as you say is not the end of the world. If the copper knows what they are doing they will also fill in a form that basically notifies the DVLA what they have done. If the DVLA received two of these forms in relation to the same plate they will consider withdrawing the number, and that is the bit that hurts. What action the DVLA takes very much depends on how bad the plate is (generally the police should attach a photo of the plate to the form), clearly some are worse than others. If your alteration is such that the plate still reads correctly (ie you haven't altered numbers/letters or added bolts to make it say something it isn't) then there is a good chance you'll get away with it, but if you're not prepared to take the risk....don't. Hope that helps.

G
09-05-09, 09:16 PM
Ha the hatred for private plates is quite amusing......didnt realise there was a hardline bunch of people out there that felt so strongly about them.

Very odd indeed......do you all have health problems like high blood pressure, heart attacks and stress? As I think you may need to calm down and lighten up a little.

Dan
10-05-09, 12:05 AM
do you all have health problems like high blood pressure, heart attacks and stress? As I think you may need to calm down and lighten up a little.

Nope, none of those problems.

I just can't see the point. It's an alphanumeric identifier of a vehicle. If it says (or is supposed to look like it says) 'STEVE' or 'ROCKO' or whatever, I just wonder what personality deficiency the driver must have to feel the need to splash their identity on the vehicle. I mean for God's sake, it's a car/bike/trike/van/moped or whatever. It's not an extension of self, just a mode of transport.

maclovin
10-05-09, 12:17 AM
I certainly hope so. I f***ing hate private plates.

Not particularly constructive an answer, I grant you - but why bother? Who really takes a blind bit of notice of what anyone's number plate says?
about a million speed cameras :D

Holdup
10-05-09, 12:40 AM
IMO not worth it i hate the people who do the blateantly obvious to their plates i saw a merc once and he had put black dots in numbers to make thm look like letters and had no spacig and it said a name, what if he did a hit a run? could prob get clean away with it, i dont know for sure but i believe coppers can take your personal plate away from you, if i were a copper and i could i would, cant use it properly cant have it.

Not agaisnt private plates infact i want one, just hate the illegal ones

yorkie_chris
10-05-09, 12:41 AM
Nope, none of those problems.

I just can't see the point. It's an alphanumeric identifier of a vehicle. If it says (or is supposed to look like it says) 'STEVE' or 'ROCKO' or whatever, I just wonder what personality deficiency the driver must have to feel the need to splash their identity on the vehicle. I mean for God's sake, it's a car/bike/trike/van/moped or whatever. It's not an extension of self, just a mode of transport.

+1

F##kin tarts. Save your dosh for beer/cigs/petrol etc.

imaleon
10-05-09, 02:08 AM
thanks for all info & opinions; amusing & educational :D

Mr_Chin
10-05-09, 03:55 AM
Lovin the views of 'the haters' So why do so many people wear designer clothes? I have a private plate D3N **, which I split. Three digits on the top line. I got tugged last month and only got a verbal from the friendly plod. Just do it 'nike'

Red Herring
10-05-09, 06:38 AM
I wonder if they feel the same way about all the riders that have tail tidies, custom paint jobs, smoked screens, etc etc... Cosmetic alterations to a bike are all about personal touches, and if they are legal what is wrong with that. Some people seriously need to lighten up.

G
10-05-09, 09:50 AM
I wonder if they feel the same way about all the riders that have tail tidies, custom paint jobs, smoked screens, etc etc... Cosmetic alterations to a bike are all about personal touches, and if they are legal what is wrong with that. Some people seriously need to lighten up.

Exactly I dont understand it myself, its all personal, mine was bought for me by my girlfriend for my 18th birthday, its just her and my initials which just happen to be the same. So its personal to me and her.

I hate adjusted/dodgly spaced plates, like yesterday I saw T74 LAU or some thing like that, it was genuinely hard to tell because of the font, but it was made to look like paula..... That is crap and I can understand the hatred towards those.

BournemouthBen
10-05-09, 10:19 AM
If you have space under your seat, stick a proper spaced plate underneath it.

then if Mr Plod stops you, give him some rubbish about how you've just been to the ''Southwest Custom and Classic'' bike show, and how you haven't had the chance to swap 'em round yet. Make sure your very apologetic, and give it the ''yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir'' treatment.

*should* be fine :)

...thats assuming the copper isn't into bikes...

yorkie_chris
10-05-09, 10:26 AM
So why do so many people wear designer clothes?

I don't!

I wonder if they feel the same way about all the riders that have tail tidies, custom paint jobs, smoked screens, etc etc...

Yup I think those are a waste of money that could be better spent too.

Makes me laugh that so many people will spend silly money on baubles while running about on standard tyres/brakes/suspension.

Red Herring
10-05-09, 09:03 PM
As I said, you need to lighten up a bit. We're all individuals, just because we have different views doesn't make one better or more right than the other. It's your money, spend it on what you want, and just appreciate that others choose to do the same.
You may well want better tyres, brakes and suspension, you may even be able to ride well enough to actually benefit from them, but some just want to look and feel different.