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Car Number Plates

Mullardman

Mullardman

Moderately extreme...
My front one has a nice 'starburst' crack where it's been whacked by a pebble or somesuch. The back one has developed a sort of 'fogging' effect, which seems to be between layers of whatever... I'm sure they are still quite legal.. but I'm trying to smarten the car up a bit whilst keeping it all original..

So. I found a company online who will make me new plates, complete with the EU symbol and 'GB' to the left side.. as per original. I understand that as original fittings these will remain legal, but I'll still have to add a GB plate if travelling abroad as the 'EU/GB' bit is no longer valid. I'm also quite happy to announce my continued preference for EU membership over Brexit.

I see that all new cars from Sept., must have the left hand 'GB' section either carrying a Union Flag, or a Welsh or Scottish flag. A quick survey of cars on the street revealed that all except mine have 'plain' number plates, with no left hand 'GB' etc. section. They are all recent reg cars. I'd assume that they too will need to carry a GB sticker if travelling abroad.. and it's not clear whether 'plain' plates will be legal on new registrations from Sept.

What a bloody mess. Thoughts?
 
I imagine the best solution if you are worried would be to put a GB sticker on the car, as we were supposed to prior to the issue of EU badge number plates. I’m sure that would be sufficient for the most officious er, officer. My cars have never had either stickers or EU/GB plates, and no gendarme has ever made a fuss about it.
 
Marchbanks said:
I imagine the best solution if you are worried would be to put a GB sticker on the car, as we were supposed to prior to the issue of EU badge number plates. I’m sure that would be sufficient for the most officious er, officer. My cars have never had either stickers or EU/GB plates, and no gendarme has ever made a fuss about it.
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Lucky you. My dad had a telling off on a french roadside for just this. Those devil-may-care 50-something caravanners, they're the ones you need to watch.
 
With the characteristic UK plates, and the steering wheel on the wrong side, I doubt even the most officious gendarme or carabiniere or guardia civil would give you any trouble. And speak English slowly in a loud voice.
 
On 26th (IIRC) September the GB changes to UK so a union flag and UK at the left of both plates will be required, or a UK sticker on the rear of the car. You can do the plates with UK now but will have to also affix a GB sticker until 26 Sept - was my reading of the changes proposed.
 
P.s. you may not use a combination of UK with any of the UK countries’ national flags or the blue-with-stars EU flag, only the union flag.
 
stevec67 said:
Lucky you. My dad had a telling off on a french roadside for just this. Those devil-may-care 50-something caravanners, they're the ones you need to watch.
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Tell him to carry a few bottles of local booze in a prominent position. They are more interested in discussing that IME... even the gendarme that breathalysed me wanted to know exactly what I’d been drinking (Minervois, in fact.)
 
Mullardman said:
My front one has a nice 'starburst' crack where it's been whacked by a pebble or somesuch. The back one has developed a sort of 'fogging' effect, which seems to be between layers of whatever... I'm sure they are still quite legal.. but I'm trying to smarten the car up a bit whilst keeping it all original..

So. I found a company online who will make me new plates, complete with the EU symbol and 'GB' to the left side.. as per original. I understand that as original fittings these will remain legal, but I'll still have to add a GB plate if travelling abroad as the 'EU/GB' bit is no longer valid. I'm also quite happy to announce my continued preference for EU membership over Brexit.

I see that all new cars from Sept., must have the left hand 'GB' section either carrying a Union Flag, or a Welsh or Scottish flag. A quick survey of cars on the street revealed that all except mine have 'plain' number plates, with no left hand 'GB' etc. section. They are all recent reg cars. I'd assume that they too will need to carry a GB sticker if travelling abroad.. and it's not clear whether 'plain' plates will be legal on new registrations from Sept.

What a bloody mess. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
From September it will no longer be legal to have GB on your number plate.
Our govt has changed the international sign to UK.

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/gb-car-sticker-to-be-replaced-by-new-uk-version/
 
Marchbanks said:
if you are worried
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I'm not remotely worried.. and.. in the unlikely event that I go driving abroad in the near future, I'm happy to put a GB/UK sticker on the back, as I am from the UK/GB. I note that in those cases where an additional GB sticker is required, it is only required at the back, presumably so that Johnny Foreigner can watch us from behind as we disappear up our own brexit strategy.

mjw said:
On 26th (IIRC) September the GB changes to UK so a union flag and UK at the left of both plates will be required, or a UK sticker on the rear of the car. You can do the plates with UK now but will have to also affix a GB sticker until 26 Sept - was my reading of the changes proposed.
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mjw said:
P.s. you may not use a combination of UK with any of the UK countries’ national flags or the blue-with-stars EU flag, only the union flag.
Click to expand...

To both the above.. one is somewhat powerfully reminded of the clarity of assorted Covid Regs. ... 'You must wear a mask, except where a mask is not required.. unless you are exempt/a ****ing moron..working from home with no more than six related strangers who don't live with you unless in a bubble' etc.

This lot seem to have most options covered..;) https://www.onestopnumberplates.co.uk/
 
A sticker is required abroad.
Now we are not in the EU flags or GB/UK on number plates are irrelevant.
 
Bob McC said:
From September it will no longer be legal to have GB on your number plate.
Our govt has changed the international sign to UK.
Click to expand...

As I understood what I read last night, there is no need to replace existing legal plates as those regs apply to new registrations only. That is why I want to replace my slightly shabby plates on my 17 year old car, with like for like replacements. If required at some point in the future, I'll put on an additional temporary UK sticker whilst in enemy territory.

I have no major issue with the change from GB, to UK, because it more accurately covers the fact that (for a while at least..) UK = Great Britain and Northern Ireland, whereas GB only technically implies mainland Britain, which, for the avoidance of doubt, is what Great Britain means. It has nothing whatever to do with a description of 'British greatness', and is entirely a geographical descriptor.
 
Bob McC said:
A sticker is required abroad.
Now we are not in the EU flags or GB/UK on number plates are irrelevant.
Click to expand...

Legally, yes. but for reasons of both political preference, and cosmetic continuity.. I wish to replace my existing..legal..EU/GB plates..like for like. I see nothing in the regs preventing me from so doing.
 
From the gov.uk site:
“GB stickers and number plates
You do not need a GB sticker if your number plate includes the GB identifier on its own or with the Union flag (also known as the Union Jack).

You do not need to display a GB sticker to drive in Ireland.

You must display a GB sticker clearly on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has any of the following:

  • a Euro symbol
  • a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales
  • numbers and letters only – no flag or identifier
If you’re in Spain, Cyprus or Malta, you must display a GB sticker no matter what is on your number plate.”

The GB becomes UK on a day in September.
 
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