Can I remove the plate from below the front radiator air intake and put a "stick on" plate on the top leading edge of the nose cone ? (From a law perspective)

I think they are illrgal now, but most people still get away with it.

I believe they are illegal as are small plates, although I know a number of people with both stick on and small plates who up to now have had no problems with the local plod

My plate is 12" x 3" and touch wood no issues so far

Illegal.
See para 6.3a

i used to have a tiny one on the front, I got pulled and when i said that the full size ones re wider than the front they said to get a sticky one.
Ive passed a million cops since then and its been fine. the rear ones the important one methinks.

I don’t know for sure but isn’t it like seatbelts and some other vehicle laws that they have a date after which they are illegal and before which they are legal.

I mean can you see them going after E-Type owners, if they were illegal for these older vehicles they (the police) could have rich pickings waiting outside a classic car meet.

I’m only bringing this up because to the uninitiated the 7 type cars (even when new) look like older classic and so probably won’t attract undue interest from the police. Put one of these number-plates on a new car and you probably are more likely to be stopped, although I’m sure I’ve seen some newer Mini’s with them on.

I guess it’s about how you view the risk, most of the time you should be OK but there is always that tiny chance you will come up against an anal jobs-worth who wants to make a point

As mentioned above, illegal. The front ones are important (from plod's point of view) because newer speed cameras face the front of the car so as to get a pic of both the plate and the driver's face.

Also, as mentioned, OK for cars over a certain age (pre 73?)

[Edited on 18.01.2010 by Humbug]

what about the likes of zondas (all the millions you see going about) they have a stickery one.
up here they dont take pics of your face

IIRC the fine is like £30 so who cares?

I ran metal black & white ones on my y-reg falcon and never got pulled

Yeah i think its a rule that is lightly looked upon. If your the unlikely one to get in trouble. You will have to take it off and put a proper one on....
Dont think its a big deal and it does look cool!!!
Thanks
Ed

I have been running a half sized plate on the front of mine for the last 2 years. Loads of coppers have seen it and never said a word. (I bet I get stopped now I have said that!)

I knocked the full sized front one off several times, and still carry it with me in the back of the car.

I know they do clamp down on them every now and again.

WRT speed cameras - I run a half sized plate and wear a full helmet....

this subject pops up once or twice a year so I guess we were due for a revisit (now awaiting the aluminium chassis question ).

from what I gather stick on plates were NEVER legal.

Yes, you see every E-type Jaguar with one but they were not legal then. Back in the 60s and 70s the police spent more time catching criminals rather than making money from motorists and speed cameras.

"vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the
vertical as is reasonably practicable"

as i see it there are two issues. the positioning of the plate and the plate itself.

the stick on plates come with a disclaimer on the pack stating not legal for road use or something, maybe because they arent reflective. Ho hum. you pays your money you takes your chances.

the positioning though is a bit more tricky. could i argue that the nose cone of my car is the nearest bit of the car that is as near to vertical as i could put it, there being no bumpers etc to provide a vertical surface on which to mount it. you could i guess with my car also argue that as its a flip front any plate below would be smashed every time i opened the bonnet.

in terms of the boys in blue, its probably one of those cases where if when they stop you, you ensure that you smilke and are polite they'll let you off, but turn arsey and you wont.

[Edited on 18/1/10 by swanny]

quote:

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Originally posted by flak monkey
WRT speed cameras - I run a half sized plate and wear a full helmet....

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I had an interesting conversation with someone in the pub a couple of weeks ago and he reckoned it was legal to not display a front plate! He has an F430 without plate!

I had a 4/5ths standard size stick on plate with no probs. I think as long as you are making an effort to display a plate with the correct font etc then you will be fine. If you put a half size with italics then you are asking for trouble.

i had thought about making a vinyl sunstrip for the windscreen, with number plate printed on it... don't think that would go down too well, but i don't think there's any rules on maximum heights and stuff is there?

I think it is all down to your local police officers view, I ran with a stick on plate for 2 years, then for some reason ( think he must have done some course ) everytime they saw me they pulled me for the plate!

Strange as i've a 12"*3" plate now and they don't bat an eye lid.

ATB Dan.

I think the plates used on the front mudguard of motorbikes were seen as dangerous, from impacting on padestrians and thats why they arn't required there anymore.
I ran a Caterham and an elise for a few years with small stick on plates and never got stopped and my mate (you know who you are) runs with out a front one all the time.
Don't think you can buy em from car parts shops now, so ebays your best bet.

[Edited on 21/1/10 by Tommy P]

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