John K Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Mr Grumpy went in for his pre-MOT look over and I wasn't surprised that he failed on a few minor things that I can put right but then the tester said... "About your front number plate" - which is a stick on... "Yes..?" went I "It's not legal, its the spacing between the numbers and the last three letters, its too small" "But the stick on itself is OK" asked I "Oh yes, no problem with that, just you need an extra 1/4" gap..." So the whole legality debate continues to rumble on. And then the chatting started, one of the mechanics had "nearly wet himself" when he saw the old Twin 40's as he used to have them on an old Mk 1 Escort. Say what you like about modern tin tops, even the real performance ones, if you have real petrol head blood in you it's a Westie type motor with big carbs that gets folk excited..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinten Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 My MOT guy (who I shall now refer to as my friendly MOT guy) just winked and nudged when he saw the stick on. He knew it wasn't legal, I know it isn't legal, and that was that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KugaWestie Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Where did you take it John? I took mine to my normal place. I have an undersized plate (not a stick on) under the nose grill, and passed no problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Where did you take it John? I took mine to Bradleys in Shipton Under Wychwood. I have an undersized plate (not a stick on) under the nose grill, and passed no problem The local garage in Broadway, been using them for tin tops for 9 years... It's Bradleys (BTEC) who will sort out my gear box and that's where I got him rolling roaded last year. I like them... Do you think they would pass the plate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KugaWestie Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Yes, seem a decent place. Like I said, mine is undersized and I dont think he even looked at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John K Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Might get the genuine stuff done and take it for the MoT to them and leave it for them to sort out the gear box. Andy is the guy I spoke to in the past - I like him... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Gibney - Lancashire AO Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 MOT testers and mechanics are like doctors and dentists, Hard to find a decent one but when you do makes going to them less painful!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Gents, may I suggest we don't reveal the names of 'friendly' MOT places on here, as we wouldn't want to lose them! Best kept to PM's 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrops-paul Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I have a smurf front plate and MOT last month didn't mention it. I also have a full size on standby in case. On the other car I have full size but honeycomb backing from fancy plates and they warned me it was illegal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peet Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I keep a full size behind the seat just in case. Its the sorry I've been to show/meet and forgot to put it back on ploy ready for plod... I did carry a bit of white number plate for a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigals Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Hasn't happened in this thread but have to say I have a chuckle to myself when someone with a standard windscreen uses improved aerodynamics as an excuse for a small or stick-on number plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davep1 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Same as Peet - have full size one as spare... I think things will get harder with greater use of ANPR to check tax etc - but then how do they manage with bikes only having rear one? Dave. [/url]">http://http://s254.photobucket.com/user/Jenp10000/media/Westfield%20WSCC/IMG_3403_zpsh9uu3cdh.jpg.html'> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wile E. Coyote Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 A number plate isn't exactly a tricky thing to make sure is correctly presented, so why put a tester in a difficult position by presenting the car with an undersized/otherwise illegal plate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_l Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 In theory, not exactly a tricky thing, but when what is legal/illegal is subject to so much debate, trickier. My take on this is what is in the manual, 1) NO MENTION of whether the plate is stick on or not, 2) Character size and space rules are clear 3) 'fixed vertically, or as close to vertical as is reasonably practical' - this allows discretion by the tester. As far as I know testers do not have the data to support a decision as to whether a full plate mounted below the grill will hit a speed bump, so cannot make a call as to whether this is practical. We could argue that a full size stick on plate is our only way to comply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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