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Cars withouth front number plates...getting more common??

 DrP
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[#13536189]

I've seen this a fair bit in the supercar community, because (obvs) they're better than us...

But recently i've been seeing a lot of more 'normal' cars without a front numberplate. Most of the time they're a fairly niceish spec Merc or BMW, so I get the feeling the plate hasn't just fallen off (normally accompanied by a gel 3d plate on the rear!).

I drove from Brighton to Wales and back over the weekend, and saw several along the m25 and m4.

 

Anyone else noticing this trend? Surely it's a clear cut crime for traffic police to stop and deal with, so why do they do it? (apart from being "gangstarrrr" of course)

DrP


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:39 am
 a11y
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Always been a 'thing' for some modified car owners/PCPers, but becoming more common from what I've seen too. Probably because it's only a £100 fixed penalty fine, and only IF caught and stopped - and there's such a little likelihood of that happening I guess they just risk it.

Posted by: DrP

normally accompanied by a gel 3d plate on the rear!

Nah, we're up to 4D numberplates now it seems. Someone please explain 4D to me 😀 

 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:50 am
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Posted by: DrP

Surely it's a clear cut crime for traffic police to stop and deal with

Because there is very little traffic policing so they don't think they'll get caught.


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 8:55 am
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I think most the time they probably have the number plate in the boot & will claim that it just fell off & they'll put it back on asap, officer.

As above, I suppose it's a very low-risk thing and the penalty is worth taking that risk for. Similar to those comically small number plates that a lot of motorbikes have.


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 9:01 am
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Never noticed it up here, but in Galloway a modified car generally tends towards a Land Rover with a winch rather than a supercar 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 12:06 pm
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It's not very common in my area of the North West, but on the odd occasion I see it the plate tends to be stuck on the dashboard behind the windscreen. 

I'm always amazed on Facebook how often the police publicise low level criminals are getting tugged for defects like this or driving like a ****, followed by a failed drug wipe or discovery of contraband. If I was doing something dodgy in my car, I'd be doing everything possible to be inconspicuous. 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 12:28 pm
b33k34 reacted
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Posted by: a11y

Nah, we're up to 4D numberplates now it seems. Someone please explain 4D to me 😀 

 

It's 3D but 1louder.


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 1:28 pm
a11y reacted
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Posted by: stumpy01

I think most the time they probably have the number plate in the boot & will claim that it just fell off & they'll put it back on asap, officer.

Traffic police should be equipped with a roll of double sided carpet tape and / or a nail gun. If "the plate's just fallen off guv" then it can easily and permanently be reattached, preferably at a slight angle or off centre.


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 1:40 pm
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Posted by: tthew

It's not very common in my area of the North West, but on the odd occasion I see it the plate tends to be stuck on the dashboard behind the windscreen. 

I got pulled over after mine had fallen off and I'd put it on the dash. Rusty Transit though, not a supercar 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 1:50 pm
 a11y
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Posted by: Cougar

Posted by: a11y

Nah, we're up to 4D numberplates now it seems. Someone please explain 4D to me 😀 

 

It's 3D but 1louder.

Perhaps one of these days numberplates will reach 11 D.

 


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 1:51 pm
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Posted by: DrP

Anyone else noticing this trend? Surely it's a clear cut crime for traffic police to stop and deal with, so why do they do it?

Very occasionally see reg plates with a dark film.

BITD they'd be given a form to go to an MOT testing station with the fault rectified. Get the form stamped with the embossed MOT stamp and return it, all within 14 days.

A brucey bonus was our copy to DVLA. Three strikes and you're out; registration numbers don't belong to you no matter how much you'd paid for a word.

The Blair-Brown government essentially killed traffic policing.


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 1:56 pm
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Posted by: tthew

I'm always amazed on Facebook how often the police publicise low level criminals are getting tugged for defects like this or driving like a ****, followed by a failed drug wipe or discovery of contraband. If I was doing something dodgy in my car, I'd be doing everything possible to be inconspicuous. 

I'm amazed that, given the police know this and publicise it, they're not out pulling over every slightly dodgy motor in sight. Mind you, I heard that the sensible crim's choice of vehicle for moving stuff was a slighty tatty but taxed and insured Passat estate.

Posted by: timba

The Blair-Brown government essentially killed traffic policing.

Posted by: timba

The Blair-Brown government essentially killed traffic policing.

Was it not another austerity bonus?


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 2:13 pm
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Posted by: ratherbeintobago

Was it not another austerity bonus?

Started early-2000s by "getting police out of their cars"

What we want to achieve:
• further modernisation of the police workforce to reinforce neighbourhood policing and building a more responsive, citizen-focused police service;

Continued by the introduction of Highways Agency Traffic Officers in April 2004.

A couple of name changes, but they now "police" all motorways and some trunk roads, except when they can't and have to call the Police.

Vehicles look like police cars but now carry the legend,

National Highways Traffic Officer

There are smaller police teams in powerful cars but they tend not to be called "traffic"

All augmented by cameras for speed, red lights, ANPR, etc, which is useful considering the OP!


 
Posted : 06/07/2026 3:26 pm