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Removing number plates - Why? |
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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Posted: 04 Dec 2017 at 5:19pm |
I was looking a another BMW Club on FB. There seems to be a lot of people surprised at being stopped by the Police for either removing the front number plate or even both?
If the reason is to avoid being "nicked" by speed cameras and getting points I kind of get it, although do not condone. But if they are getting 100 pounds fine and 3 point when stopped, if stopped, but are getting flashed many times I suppose its a trade off? Sadly it is this kind of behaviour that gets legitimate BMW drivers a fairly bad name? perhaps time to by a Porsche, Merc or Bentley? |
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dteagles
Moderator Group Joined: 09 May 2007 Location: UK, Bucks Status: Offline Points: 3474 |
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This practice is not limited to BMW, I have seen many Porsches with the front plate removed, I think the idea stems from the USA where in some states there is no requirement to display a front number plate and people say that "having one spoils the lines"...
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Think about what you can do for the club, not what it can do for you... |
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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Oh I see, well I never heard of that until now. However as it is a legal requirement here I have no sympathy for those caught, just nonsense.
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PROtas
Club Member Joined: 08 Dec 2015 Status: Offline Points: 18 |
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On the subject of number plates/nonsense, plenty of BMW owners (including club members) among others, have succumbed to the fad of fitting number plates with the characters illegally shifted or distorted, usually to give a barely-recognisable clue to their name or car model. Sometimes several additional capped fixing screws are needed to complete the effect.
You don't need to flick through many pages of Straight Six most months to see examples. Fining a few of these easily-traced owners is surely an easy win for our cash-strapped Exchequer? |
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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I was stopped on a Sunday Morning on the way to an event, Santa Pod. The Policeman said the spacing was incorrect on my plate. The plate was supplied and fitted by Sytner Nottingham. I got them on the mobile phone whilst he leaned over my car, they told him the number plate was made from a template used by them for all number plates including cars supplied to Nottinghamshire Police, Fire, Ambulance etc. He then said "it is only advisory and I am letting you off with a caution". He was obviously bored and had nothing else to do, I made a complaint to Northamptonshire Police and sent them a letter from Sytner saying the had checked the car plates and found them to comply.
However, I have seen lots of what you describe, so that is the risk the owners take? |
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gilescooperuk
Club Member Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Well in the kit car world it is very common.
but then when you look at my car, the number plate is as wide as the nose one so I see why people do it. Incidentally it is on brackets that allow it to move as it got too expensive getting a new plate 3 or 4 times a year due to speed bumps cracking them.... Edited by gilescooperuk - 11 Dec 2017 at 7:05pm |
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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Link does not seem to work ?
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gilescooperuk
Club Member Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Fixed it by embedding the image
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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I take you point, however this does not really apply to an BMW Model I know of, but I get the idea.
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Mike Fishwick
Forum Member Joined: 04 Aug 2006 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 2742 |
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Another allied fad is the matter of 'securing' number plates with double-sided tape, so that ego-boosting photographs fully reveal the lines of the car.
While this habit may just be legal in the UK, it is forbidden in France, where les gendarmes will require the car to be immobile until the plates are secured to their satisfaction. A flying number plate can do a lot of damage. |
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A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
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mjn77
Club Member Joined: 22 Jul 2016 Location: Herts, UK Status: Offline Points: 126 |
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And don't forget the people who have their number plates in the windscreen, because it has "just fallen off officer"
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davebrindlee36m3
Club Member Joined: 27 Apr 2011 Status: Offline Points: 665 |
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I,v seen 3 cars this morning with no front plate haha, the only time the police bother is when they are filming the traffic cops tv program...
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Mike Fishwick
Forum Member Joined: 04 Aug 2006 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 2742 |
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Many Brits have a curious fascination about number plates, aided by the DVLC desire to sell 'Cherished' plates which they know will be adapted to spell out enigmatic words. Of course, DVLC can therefore make more money, which is seen as a good performance indicator.
The UK must be the only European country to do this, as everywhere else you take what you are given and run with it. It is just another factor which makes one despair of the British . . . |
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A Z3 is not just for Christmas - it's for life!
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NickDE
Region Chair North East Chairman Joined: 14 Mar 2015 Location: Newcastle Status: Offline Points: 1124 |
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In Germany the first 1/2/3 letters are fixed by the region you live in. The rest of it you can choose yourself, or if you cant be bothered just get something random assigned.
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Darkness gone, Tronic gone, Solo gone, DBA going, go Darknes2, go Frozen, go Black Pearl, go The Vibrator
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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Same old issue, European means what? Nothing standard, lots of different car related regulations in each Country? I suppose as the UK is now supposed to be exiting Europe ( lets not debate it) it is a good job they never switched over to one Euro car plate system, bit like the Pound.
Edited by Norrie - 18 Dec 2017 at 12:57pm |
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Roger123
Club Member Joined: 03 Aug 2013 Location: Oxfordshire Status: Offline Points: 231 |
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IF we ever get to leave the EU, i.e. not thwarted by a bunch of MPs who don't believe in democracy, maybe we'll be able to lose that horrid bunch of stars on the numberplates!
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NickDE
Region Chair North East Chairman Joined: 14 Mar 2015 Location: Newcastle Status: Offline Points: 1124 |
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You always could, it's optional. |
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Darkness gone, Tronic gone, Solo gone, DBA going, go Darknes2, go Frozen, go Black Pearl, go The Vibrator
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rpennington
Club Member Joined: 22 Apr 2013 Location: Leic Status: Offline Points: 978 |
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I had the BMW roundel on the end of my number plates on my e46 for many years & never had a problem, but then I didn't alter the font size or anything illegal. I have seen cars around that are probably only 5 years old for example & they have black background with silver letters & numbers.
I saw a car today that looked like what I would call a boy racer car. Lowered on the arches,loud exhaust etc & front number plate on top of the dash on the passenger side, that clearly could not be read due to its position. Edited by rpennington - 19 Dec 2017 at 3:24am |
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1999 E46 323i se Saloon - sold
2011 E90 325d msport - sold 2014 F30 335d xdrive msport plus pack |
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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I have not got the Euro sticker on my number plates, no do I have plates which had it on when supplied. I use the old GB sticker in the back window and peel it off when I reach Dover.
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roundasapound
Club Member Joined: 02 Apr 2018 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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My front number plates are secured with double sided tape.
Trust me, they aren't coming off I have 3D gel plates with the Euro GB sign in 3D Gel. I quite like having the Euro sign. To me looks better with than without. Funny, I wouldn't dream of having the GB flag, English/Scottish/Welsh on the plate. All seems a bit too 'Little Britain' haha.. |
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Norrie
Club Member Joined: 15 Jul 2012 Status: Offline Points: 4047 |
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Well as anti PC as it is now days, I am English and was born here, so no apologies for that. However relatives Scottish and Cornish. I really don't give much for the EU so you cant stick that with treble sided tape, just too many silly anti car driving rules that are different in every EU country, point made.
I only have GB to comply otherwise would have nothing. |
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roundasapound
Club Member Joined: 02 Apr 2018 Location: London Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Same here, English born. In fact I live in the same town I was born and registered in. So do most of my family that live here. I'm British and European. Really don't feel the need to choose one over the other.
Nothing wrong with being proud of national heritage. It's just a shame that the GB and in particular the English flag are now mainly associated with small minded racists. And you're right, if there is anything that should be uniform and conform to one standard within all EU states it should be the licence plates. |
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