And if you don’t, have you ever been stopped by the police?

No, I bought one that is high enough to see reg and all the lights – unless you are a trucker tailgaiting…. (Touran with Halfords high mount rack)

Got pulled at Watford Gap services by cops for no board but they were more concerned about not seeing the number plate than the lights. Difficult to catch you on camera if they can’t see your plate

I use a Thule tow bar mounted rack, just bought the right letters for my reg and stuck them to it without buying a plate. Still mostly complete and never been pulled (yet)…

Only if lights are obscured. Number plate if that is.

Would you drive with no rear lights?

Halford Hi-mount is great on a saloon as you can angle the mount back to the same angle as the rear window and therefore the arms that the bikes rest on are angled rather than horizontal, so it would be extremely unlikely for the bikes to come off if any of the straps holding the bikes broke – the straps holding the rack to the car would have to break to lose the bikes.

A buddy who’s a policeman told me that obscuring the number plate is sure fire way to get pulled over. With all the ANPR cameras, both fixed, mobile, and in the police cars they are very hot on it.

Also having a plate that doesn’t fit the spec’s, ie wierd fonts, odd spacing, extra graphics… That’ll get you at the kerb for a bit.