Legal number-plates

[Dieselman]

Who thinks there is valid reason and it is important for number plates to be in the correct font and spacing?

[Igurisu]

I think the valid reason as far as law enforcement is concerned is so that they can be read by ANPR cameras.

This means catching more people with less effort, or some may say its more efficient.

Whilst it smells of revenue raising, I think it probably ties in well with the DVLA road fund licence being on a national database now. So if it helps to keep uninsured drivers off the road then I believe its a good thing.

[MOCAŠ]

It's not just about ANPR, though - the display regulations pre-date those.

It's also important for eye witnesses to be able to report registration numbers reliably.

[renault12ts]

Some plates are unreadable...in a situation were an incident needs reporting it can be very difficult to, at a glance, get the number.

[A210AMG]

While I agree the italics and tiny font is silly. Some cars that make a word and are the correct font but closer in my mind would be easier for someone to remember if a hit and run say than a 'properly' spaced plate?


I also agree though if the police computers can read the std plates and this does keep dodgy drivers etc off the road then I'm all for that.

So I think a Set font and style but spacing should be allowed...within reason again.

I thought I heared this maybe its coming...

[MOCAŠ]

Originally Posted by A210AMG

While I agree the italics and tiny font is silly. Some cars that make a word and are the correct font but closer in my mind would be easier for someone to remember if a hit and run say than a 'properly' spaced plate?

Trouble is that that argument starts to fall down when others try to spell the same word with their plate, by adding a bolt here or an altered character there.

How many plates must there be out there that people would swear blind read something ending in SINGH, when the S may in fact be a 5, the G a 6 and the I a 7 or a J, etc. I pity the man who really owns S1 NGH (and similar combinations), as his car could be reported as having been involved in lots of incidents...

Other countries are very strict about the display of number plates - we should be too. (And yes, I know that some other countries let you buy a plate of your choice, within reason.)

[Dieselman]

Originally Posted by A210AMG

While I agree the italics and tiny font is silly. Some cars that make a word and are the correct font but closer in my mind would be easier for someone to remember if a hit and run say than a 'properly' spaced plate?


I also agree though if the police computers can read the std plates and this does keep dodgy drivers etc off the road then I'm all for that.

So I think a Set font and style but spacing should be allowed...within reason again.

If you voted, you must have voted "Yes", but this post says "No", I'm confused.

Also, who says that a word that is easy to read by one person is easy to read by another and if some variation is allowed, who dictates what is within bounds, or not?

[A210AMG]

^ True but not bolts, caps bits of tape would be aloud,

We probably all know our cars but others may just remember in an accident a red bmw with a plate that read SINGH say was the car involved.


Even if the plate was actually S71NGH or S7NGH or 51NGH surely that would not take too much to work out from the police? The SINGH bit say is more memorable? and your likely to remmeber it.

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[A210AMG]

I'm in two minds that's why I have not clicked YES or NO

I DO think we need a standard format on one hand but can see the benifit of some spacing by maybe one character 'gap'. Nothing else, no italics, bolts, anything

so L1 LLY could be L1LLY say

so I'm sitting on the fence. 50/50

[Dieselman]

Originally Posted by A210AMG

^ True but not bolts, caps bits of tape would be aloud,

We probably all know our cars but others may just remember in an accident a red bmw with a plate that read SINGH say was the car involved.


Even if the plate was actually S71NGH or S7NGH or 51NGH surely that would not take too much to work out from the police? The SINGH bit say is more memorable? and your likely to remmeber it.

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How many Singh families own a Mercedes E class in Silver?

50?
100?
1000?

[Dieselman]

Originally Posted by A210AMG

I DO think we need a standard format on one hand but can see the benifit of some spacing by maybe one character.

What benefit is that?

[Dieselman]

Originally Posted by A210AMG

so L1 LLY could be L1LLY say

But maybe L11LLY or L11LY...or all of them, all owned by someone called Lilly.

[MOCAŠ]

Originally Posted by A210AMG

^ True but not bolts, caps bits of tape would be allowed,

Thing is, they're not allowed now, but people still do it.

Having said that, markjay mentioned a while ago an article in The Telegraph stating that the DVLA would soon allow number plates to be displayed without a space.

Originally Posted by A210AMG

We probably all know our cars but others may just remember in an accident a red bmw with a plate that read SINGH say was the car involved.

Even if the plate was actually S71NGH or S7NGH or 51NGH surely that would not take too much to work out from the police? The SINGH bit say is more memorable? and your likely to remmeber it.

You'd be surprised. Often in the heat of the moment people can only remember one or two things, and even then not always reliably. The most important thing for an eye witness to rememeber in the event of a motoring incident is the number plate, so they may well concentrate just on this and not be able to provide the make or even the colour of the car.

In fact, when I'm intent on remembering a number plate for the thread on this forum I quite often find I have no recollection of what it was on and have to look it up before posting, and I'm pretty familiar with most cars out there.

[A210AMG]

The DVLA must make a furtune selling plates and regulary advertise plates that read.... a name yet with the gaps you legaly need are close but no cigar.

Then the disclaimer that you must display the plate according to the law....blah blah blah

The owners of the plate benifts by the name maybe reading better, and in case of an accident imho easier to remember.

ooh and if this was alound maybe even more plate sold. So the DLVA beifit with jobs etc...

[Dieselman]

Originally Posted by A210AMG

ooh and if this was alound maybe even more plate sold. So the DLVA beifit with jobs etc...

That should help the poor soul lying on the floor.