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Number Plate Light Removal

Started by herdy , Sep 16 2013 08:53 PM

Best Answer AVV IT , 17 September 2013 - 01:21 PM

There appears to be some confusion here over the term "Moving Traffic Offence". As far as I'm aware, the term refers to those offences in which a vehicle must be moving in order to be committed (i.e. Traffic Light Offences, driving without due care, speeding etc.) you cannot commit these offences whilst a vehicle is stationary. This does not mean that you have to be specifically committing one of these offences in order for the police to pull you over though. There are a whole host of other motoring offences that can be committed regardless of whether a vehicle is moving or not, (Insurance offences, Licencing, Construction and use offences, Lighting regulation Offences etc.) and the Police have the power to pull you over for any such offence. For that matter, there are also a great many non motoring offences for which the Police also have the powers to pull a driver over, under the various forms of "stop and search" legislation.

 

A rear registration plate lamp is classified as an obligatory lamp under the Road Vehicle Lighting regulations 1989. Failure to fit a rear registration plate lamp therefore constitutes a fixed penalty offence (Obligatory lighting equipment not fitted - Conviction Code LR27). If the police suspect you to have committed this offence, then they do have the power to pull you over in order to serve you with a fixed penalty notice for that offence.

 

With regard to the breathalyser issue, under Part I, Section 6, of the Road Traffic act 1988 (Power to Administer Preliminary Tests), the Police have the power to pull over and obtain a breath specimen, if they suspect any driver has consumed alcohol. But they also have the power to obtain a specimen at the scene of a Road Traffic Collision, or if a moving traffic offence has been committed, even if they do not suspect alcohol to have been consumed. So, the Police do have the power to pull a driver over for a lighting regulation offence, or any other offence for that matter. However, they would not be able to obtain a breath specimen from the driver purely because they had committed that offence, as it is not a moving traffic offence. If however, having pulled the driver over for a non moving traffic offence, the officer then suspects that alcohol has been consumed (either due to the smell of alcohol or the drivers behavior), the Police then have the power to obtain a specimen.

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28 replies to this topic

#1 herdy

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 08:53 PM

Can you tell me where I would stand legally and Mr MOT man if I were to remove my rear number plate light?

Thanks in advance,
Herdy.

#2 Midas Mk1

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 08:54 PM

This a joke?

#3 herdy

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 08:57 PM

Genuinely no, I ask because I've seen a couple of minis without them but when my Clio failed on it last year so it left me unsure

Edited by herdy, 16 September 2013 - 08:58 PM.

#4 sonikk4

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 09:00 PM

Its a fail 

http://www.transport...lsandguides.htm


#5 Ivor Badger

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 09:01 PM

Remove the number plate light and fail your MOT. While not a moving traffic offence, you require a number plate light. You cannot be stopped while driving or not having a number plate light, but it is still an offence not to have one


#6 herdy

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 09:08 PM

Cheers for that folks. Helpful as always :D
That link is getting saved, may come in very useful.

Much appreciated.
Herdy

Edited by herdy, 16 September 2013 - 09:10 PM.

#7 tiger99

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 10:11 PM

I believe that it is a Construction and Use offence, and will most definitely result in prosecution if Plod thinks that you intentionally removed it. (If it had obviously just fallen off very recently, you would probably just be warned, same as if a light bulb had blown.)

 

There really is not the slightest excuse for removing mandatory parts of a vehicle, and you would thoroughly deserve the fine.


#8 Carlos W

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Posted 16 September 2013 - 10:23 PM

http://pages.ebay.co...id=350636350309
you could look at something like this

#9 herdy

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Posted 17 September 2013 - 06:10 AM

http://pages.ebay.co...id=350636350309
you could look at something like this


Yeah I saw these a few months back and I'd completely forgotten about them.

#10 Guess-Works.com

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Posted 17 September 2013 - 06:17 AM

I think you can also get illuminated number plate surrounds... what you have to watch out is that there is no direct white light being shone backwards as that is also a fail.

 

A friend achieved a smooth boot using a strip of LED's, inset into the recess for the number plate, but had to put a 'cover' to stop them shining backwards.


#11 herdy

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Posted 17 September 2013 - 07:36 AM

I think you can also get illuminated number plate surrounds... what you have to watch out is that there is no direct white light being shone backwards as that is also a fail.
 
A friend achieved a smooth boot using a strip of LED's, inset into the recess for the number plate, but had to put a 'cover' to stop them shining backwards.


So using those LED strips with the tape on the back stuck to the underneath of the rear bumper would work also? I'm planning on repositioning my number plate underneath the bumper.

#12 mrbridger

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Posted 17 September 2013 - 08:01 AM

Remove the number plate light and fail your MOT. While not a moving traffic offence, you require a number plate light. You cannot be stopped while driving or not having a number plate light, but it is still an offence not to have one

You can be stopped by the police if you are driving on a road. 


#13 Ivor Badger

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Posted 17 September 2013 - 11:28 AM

 

Remove the number plate light and fail your MOT. While not a moving traffic offence, you require a number plate light. You cannot be stopped while driving or not having a number plate light, but it is still an offence not to have one

You can be stopped by the police if you are driving on a road. 

 

 

 

You cannot be legally stopped and breathalised for having your number plate light out as it is not a moving traffic offence.


#14 Carlos W

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Posted 17 September 2013 - 11:31 AM

Remove the number plate light and fail your MOT. While not a moving traffic offence, you require a number plate light. You cannot be stopped while driving or not having a number plate light, but it is still an offence not to have one

You can be stopped by the police if you are driving on a road.

 
 
You cannot be legally stopped and breathalised for having your number plate light out as it is not a moving traffic offence.


But if you're stopped for having a numberplate light out and stink of alcohol you'd be brethalysed! I don't think you have to be commiting any offence to be brethalysed there just has to be a suspicion

#15 Ivor Badger

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Posted 17 September 2013 - 12:48 PM

 

 

 

Remove the number plate light and fail your MOT. While not a moving traffic offence, you require a number plate light. You cannot be stopped while driving or not having a number plate light, but it is still an offence not to have one

You can be stopped by the police if you are driving on a road.

 

 
 
You cannot be legally stopped and breathalised for having your number plate light out as it is not a moving traffic offence.

 


But if you're stopped for having a numberplate light out and stink of alcohol you'd be brethalysed! I don't think you have to be commiting any offence to be brethalysed there just has to be a suspicion

 

 

 

As has already been established in court. You CANNOT be stopped purely because your number plate light is out, it is not a moving traffic offence.


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