plate concerns

[no golf clubs at all]

I was getting new plates at the weekend and was musing over just leaving the space out too. You see such flagrant breaches of the law I had convinced myself that AB55DVL was ok rather than AB55 DVL. No significance in the number just thought it looked better.
The local strathclyde police are such efficient and lovely people with an eye for design detail that I don't think I will bother.

Just some nice legal "raised" plates I think with euro GB at the side. Spoilsports :-(
 
I also wish that we were allowed black background and silver fonts like pre 1973 cars. Could look great against the gti front.

[gulfstream11]

I had them on my MKIV,ran them for 3 years and was pulled twice..Once for an insurance hiccup.Traffic had scanned my plates,computer said no and pulled me.Turns out the insurance company made a typo on the reg number.Anyhoo,thought I,d blown it when he went to the nearside to speak to me,saw I was,nt there and walked v e r y slowly to the drivers side.Invited me into the volvo and showed me the computer read out.Then asked if i was in the Forces,I said no and set about the pre planned speech about just been to a show,originals in the boot,blah blah. They said no problem,they scanned them fine so no issues.(Sheffield J35).
2nd time I forgot to put my lights on,got pulled,again nothing said about the plates.(Doncaster)

These were the type with the german D and proper german font..I know I was lucky and others have had severe warnings etc.

My opinion,I would,nt do it now on the MKIV and dont think they suit the MKV.

Gulf

[joesgti]

not saying anything in this thred, 

plate haters!! 

[VC]

reading caz's comments it would seem that my cornish flag on the plate is not allowed.

but, have been pulled and pointed with fine for fracturing a speed limit and the lovely police officer said nothing about it

[gulfstream11]

Where abouts in Cornwall are you VC.. Anywhere near Hayle??.

I,m back down there for my mates birthday,He,s having a big bash with 6 bands could get you invited if interested.

Gulf

[matsu]

ooooh er a can of worms indeed.
ive got ones similar to caz but yellow on rear.
my plate has very simple and easy to read registration so i,m hoping i,ll get not too much attention for them but if i get pulled once then i,ll change em back. my GF wont leave it be tho lol!
she cant wait for me to get nicked so she can say "told ya so"
thanks again for the perspectives!
matsu

[Boothy]

As discussed you can't display a plate that tries to misrepresent what it should be e.g using the screws to make a letter appear different or incorrect spacing. Since 2005 all plates must conform to the regulations and must state this on the plate. Basically white on the front, yellow on the rear with reflective material. The ones that display the flags were until recently illegal however you can now display the EU flag on the far left.
 As for the WORST that could happen..........it all depends where you were pulled. Different Police forces have different practices for things like this. Some will issue you a VDRS which forces you to rectify a defect and provide proof from a registered test centre that its been done within 7 days from midnight the day you get the ticket. Some will issue a fixed penalty ticket and some will report you for summons which means court. On the other hand the police can make you park the vehicle up and remove the plates meaning you can't drive it again until you get the correct ones on at the road side. You also have to consider that most insurance comanies won't insure a vehicle that isn't road worthy and dodgy plates would, if they were being awkward constitute this. Then you can have your car seized and get reported for no insurance. That means a minimum £100 for recovery of your car, a possible 6 points and a £400 fine at court!
 Its worth noting too that in the very near future the legislation is changing with regards to plates not conforming and when it does you'll receive 3 points on your license. This is due very very soon and when it does the police will hammer it like to get the point across.
 Of course thats worse case scenario and is unlikely to happen providing you don't become a smart arse with the five'o but why risk it, especially for points!

[Golfgirl]

I'll ditto what has already been said - illegally spaced plates, modified plates (with screws etc.) look sh*te.  I'm also not a lover of German plates - I can't see the point in them, plus the fact they've been done to death by all the Mk 1 and Mk 2 owners.

I have a personal plate that is spaced correctly and has the correct lettering and I'm completely happy with it that way.  I just have my initials on mine and wouldn't have a car-related plate any day.

If you do want to modify your plate or fit illegal German style plates then go ahead at your own risk....just don't come whinging on here when you get fined

[VC]

Where abouts in Cornwall are you VC.. Anywhere near Hayle??.

I,m back down there for my mates birthday,He,s having a big bash with 6 bands could get you invited if interested.

Gulf

up the coast from me but not too far away... everything's north from where i live 

(except the stuff like lands end and st. just but they dont count...oh... but i'll let you include sennen cove )

[gulfstream11]

Where abouts in Cornwall are you VC.. Anywhere near Hayle??.

I,m back down there for my mates birthday,He,s having a big bash with 6 bands could get you invited if interested.

Gulf

up the coast from me but not too far away... everything's north from where i live 

(except the stuff like lands end and st. just but they dont count...oh... but i'll let you include sennen cove )

Renting a converted barn in St Just for a week in September..Keep an eye out for me VC..

[VC]

moschops is down here in september too..... 

[john_o]

its a balance of risk if you choose to run a non std plate.
I run a front 2/3rds plate and love it, std rear. Had one fine so far in nearly 2 yrs.
However as Boothmeister alluded to , the law is gonna change and for me the balance will have tipped to far and Ill change.
A fine I can handle , a definite 3 points (or more) is definitely not worth it.
You make a choice and take the risk as GolfGirl says 

[RedRobin]

^^^^
Agree completely

It's the chavs and also the pretentious ones who have altered fonts and spacing which have spoilt it for the rest of us

[no golf clubs at all]

I still think that a black background and silver font would look great...dont really care about the spacing.

I had German Euro plates (and font) on mine when I purchased it, needless to say my experience for the pedantry that oozes from Strathclydes finest made that my very first mod. Got some cheapos on ebay...but now I'm getting some quality marks made up from a local shop.  All legal and spaced correctly.

[RedRobin]

I still think that a black background and silver font would look great...dont really care about the spacing.
 

....Probably because I'm old enough to have had cars in the era of silver font on black metal, I think they are very dated and don't look right/appropriate on modern cars. They also devalue and disrespect the older cars imo. I don't understand adding old metal plate technology to a modern piece of engineering.

But each to their own