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Number plates

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V8MoneyPit:
The MOT manual (just reading it now) has no specific reference to number plates being vertical. However, one of the reasons for failure is:
"faded, dirty, deteriorated, or obscured, (for example by a tow bar so that it is likely to be misread or is not easily legible by a person standing approx. 20 metres to the front or rear of the vehicle)".
This is the key point, I guess. A plate on the top of the bonnet would not be readable at this distance.... unless you are 12 feet tall!!

But then the law is not necessarily the same as MOT requirements.

V8MoneyPit:
The lights thing is right. Fitment of roof lights is not illegal, but use of them on the public highway is. There is a maximum height of 1200mm to the top edge of the lamp from the ground. The trucks that use 'spot lamps' on the roof are commiting an offence. The 'marker' lights (small side lights) at the top corners are not illegal.

Another thing here is that the top of auxilliary lights must not be higher than the top of the headlights. This makes use of those bonnet mounted light pods illegal on the road.

Most A bar mounted driving lamps are also illegal (mine included!). There should be a minimum of 600mm between the inside edges of a pair of lamps. And not more than 400mm to the outside edge of the lamp from the edge of the vehicle. This is applicable to 'driving' lamps. They must also be a minimum of 500mm from the ground to the lower edge of the lamp.

Fog lamps are different, but only in the lower limit of 250mm. All other dimension are the same as driving lamps.

Thrasher:
This is interesting. The police officer I asked said :

As many roof lights as you want *as long as they come on and go off with the main beam* and are *not* independantly switched so they can come on with dipped beam.

My front spots *are* illegal - as they are triggered from my fog light switch - but are above my headlights.

V8MoneyPit:
The information is from lighting regulations provided by Wipac who we deal with though my business. I assume it is current.

I doubt many police officers would bother booking anyone for lighting infringements unless they thought you were doing something else wrong or there were some other faults with the vehicle. Or they have had a really bad day!!

Wanderer:
Mine are wired on a seperate switch that takes it's power from the main beam circuit but still won't come on unless another switch (with a light) is switched on on the dash.

His reply seemed quite extreme. Basically he said that if I flashed someone and the lights blinded anyone and caused an accident then I'd be charged with driving without due care.
So what about lorries then?
Oh they are height markers.

Problem is if you look for a hard and fast rule you usually end up with something you didn't really want.

He was a bit flummoxed when I asked about the number plate being on the winch bumper and told him brand new motors had them like that (alfa romeos)

Ed

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