# Why bother with GB plates/stickers



## pmcclure (Dec 6, 2011)

Driving between Calais and Belgium you get overtaken by lots of British registered cars. Most of them don't have a GB sticker or GB number plate.  I'm currently in Dresden, Germany and there is a British registered mercedes on a 60's plate parked up in the city centre with  no GB stickers anywhere. 

So do we need to bother with GB plates?


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Probably not!!! I posted on this very subject a few days ago and its my experience that many car drivers don't bother with GB stickers/beam benders etc. However, its very unusual to see a motorhome without all the legal bits and pieces. I suppose the failure to put the required items on, is a mixture of ignorance and "cant be bothered". Not worth taking the chance on a fine in my opinion.......

Caulkhead


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

I've noticed it too, but until the police start to pull people up and issue an on the spot fine the practice will continue.

We saw quite a few UK registered vehicles without GB stickers enroute to Poland and Czech Republic.

Oh it's also worth noting, that GB stickers (country of origin) are required in Switzerland even if you have Euro number plates.


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## pmcclure (Dec 6, 2011)

Sorry for duplicating post. Only get Internet access every few days.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

It is a legal requirement, but I suppose in the grand scheme of things the Police in whatever Country have more important things to do.
It is important to remember that if your vehicle does not comply with the requirements whilst it is abroad then technically it could be uninsured. Before anyone tries to have a go at me for that comment, Insurance is a contract where the owner undertakes to maintain the vehicle in a fully compliant condition at all times.
Gerry


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

GerryD said:


> Before anyone tries to have a go at me for that comment, Insurance is a contract where the owner undertakes to maintain the vehicle in a fully compliant condition at all times.
> Gerry


Not strictly accurate Gerry.

Insurance is a contract which details what the policy holder must do for it to remain valid. For instance keeping the vehicle roadworthy at all times, holding or being entitled to hold the correct licence to drive the vehicle etc.

If your insurance does not specifically require that you have a GB sticker then your insurer will have no interest in whether you have one or not. It may still be against the law not to have one but it won't invalidate your insurance, Alan.


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## Camdoon (Sep 21, 2012)

Anything that gives a foreign plod less excuse to stop me is alright by me.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

it was initially the "default" that registration plates had the EU flag with GB included. After alot of whinging from little englanders the issue of number plates with individual country flags were allowed, or nothing at all. Most new motorhomes sold assume that they would go abroad and have the EU/ GB addition? When I bought my new Honda car I asked for them to fit inclusive GB plate, but they forgot and issued plain plates. 

And yes, we see loads of GB cars in France without GB plates....


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The EU regulations are that "the country of origin of the vehicle must be clear"

the UK registration plates are a unique style and unique colour so the requirement for any form of country identification is unclear.

If you think about the French vehicles - white plates (or some old yellow ones) with different styles of numbers and letters and with a department code incorporated.....

or Belgium ones

or Dutch, Spanish, German, Italian etc. ones.....

The origin has to be clear - that is the key thing and few other countries have the steering wheel on the right hand side.... :lol: (except Malta I think)

I have put a selection of country's registration plates below;

I hope that makes it clearer.........

but safer is to have one IMO, "just in case" plod is having a "I didn't like Bonnie Tyler's song" day......

Dave


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Penquin said:


> The origin has to be clear - that is the key thing and few other countries have the steering wheel on the right hand side.... :lol: (except Malta I think)


..and Cyprus and Ireland, I think.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I keep a GB sticker on my French registered cars just in case when in UK the home team loses to the French and want to take it out on my car.

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Quite correct, thanks for reminding me - but I have been to neither (  ) hence the gap in my brain!

Both pictured below - the Irish ones are new for this year

the country of origin is very clear on all the plates, as it would be if we always had GB on them, but having England, Scotland, Wales or whatever is not clear as they are not EU countries, the same would go if e.g. the Spanish ones said "Basque" or similar for other countries.....

This is one case where the separatists have made life harder - maybe there will be changes in the future - the SNP would love to have Scotland recognised as a country.........

But by that time will the UK still be in the EU :?

Read this link to find the VED rates for zero emission vehicles in Ireland c/w the UK where I believe it is £0;

http://atthelights.com/news/budget-win-for-ev-drivers-losses-for-everyone-else/

OUCH !

Dave


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## Mark993 (Jul 1, 2007)

IMHO folk who "forget"/can't be bothered to obey these simple rules probably also forget to renew their insurance. It's a sign that "I read and obey the rules" if I have a GB sticker/plates so (as stated above) I'm less likely to be stopped and checked (and caught for something I HAVE forgotten to do :lol: )


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Its not a legal requirement anymore is it if you have the international plate on with the country of origin (apart from Switzerland as someone has pointed out)?

Why would you need a sticker if your plate already says GB?

I think I have them on the van because they were on when we got it and there are strangely two on the top box of the scooter. 

Im thinking of having the scooter resprayed as one big Union Flag so there will be no doubt to plod when he sees us coming as we have been pulled a couple of times at checkpoints. As soon as they realise your British they regret it and cant get rid of you fast enough.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

barryd said:


> Im thinking of having the scooter resprayed as one big Union Flag so there will be no doubt to plod when he sees us coming as we have been pulled a couple of times at checkpoints. As soon as they realise your British they regret it and cant get rid of you fast enough.


Just a word of warning before you embark on that scheme......

around here "_Les Plods_" seem to pick the Brits to check - whether it be for documents, high vis vests, spare bulbs, speed limits, alcohol content, failing to stop at solid white line, failing to follow the _priorite a droit_ rule (which no-one, not even the average French driver can explain without a gallic shrug), or even the _Douane_ for the amount of alcohol if you have driven from Spain. Les Anglais are easy to target as the registration plate is very easy to recognise..... :lol:

We had a classic demo of that last summer when a Dutch citizen and resident in our gite, was stopped, driving a UK registered car......

the police were very upset and apologetic when they found out he was Dutch - they thought they were stopping a Brit not a Dutch citizen....

but they still fined him €90 on the spot....... :evil:

so just be careful what you do and who you inflame - think back to last night, who got more votes in the ESC - the UK or France? Point made.

Dave :lol:


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Penquin said:


> barryd said:
> 
> 
> > Im thinking of having the scooter resprayed as one big Union Flag so there will be no doubt to plod when he sees us coming as we have been pulled a couple of times at checkpoints. As soon as they realise your British they regret it and cant get rid of you fast enough.
> ...


Yeah but to be fair Dave our song was rubbish but then so was France!

I bow to your superior knowledge. Ill paint the French flag on it then!


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Anyone know if it is necessary to have the GB symbol on front AND rear plates. I've only seen the stickers on the rear. How about a GB plate on the front only? Does the plate override the sticker or could I have a GB sticker and a CYM plate?

Idle curiosity maybe but people do love the definitive  especially on threads like these :lol: 

Dick


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Penquin said:


> We had a classic demo of that last summer when a Dutch citizen and resident in our gite, was stopped, driving a UK registered car......
> 
> the police were very upset and apologetic when they found out he was Dutch - they thought they were stopping a Brit not a Dutch citizen....
> 
> ...


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Penquin said:


> the UK registration plates are a unique style and unique colour so the requirement for any form of country identification is unclear.
> 
> Dave


Unless you are one of the chavs who decide to have illegal fonts on their number plate or illegal spacing which makes the plate impossible to be read easily.
Gerry


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Glandwr said:


> or could I have a GB sticker and a CYM plate?





> Within the United Kingdom, motorists with vehicles registered in Great Britain may use number plates featuring the national flag of England, Scotland and Wales, or alternatively the Union Flag, together with the code name "ENG" for England, "SCO" for Scotland, "Wales" or "CYM" for Wales, "GB" for Great Britain or "UK" for United Kingdom respectively. Although not officially recognised outside the UK, they are authorised by the nation's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agenc


No reason you can't have both, but it's up to you if you want to try convincing a foreign plod in a bad mood that the DVLA think a CYM plate is OK on it's own.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

Stanner said:


> Glandwr said:
> 
> 
> > or could I have a GB sticker and a CYM plate?
> ...


I think you have more chance of Bonnie Tyler winning the Eurovision in a vote recount than convincing foreign plod.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

But while we are talking of numberplates, how many of us carry a spare set of numberplates in case the ones on the MH get knicked.

I do.


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

Lifted form the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Convention_on_Road_Traffic :

'A distinguishing sign of the country of registration must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. This sign may either be placed separately from the registration plate or may be incorporated into the vehicle registration plate. When the distinguishing sign is incorporated into the registration plate, it must also appear on the front registration plate of the vehicle. The physical requirements for the separate sign are defined in Annex 3 of the convention, which states that it must comprise black writing on a white oval background and that it must not form part of the vehicle's registration number. In practice, the requirement to display the white oval is mutually waived between some countries, for example between the European Union countries (where the white oval may be substituted by a blue strip on the vehicle registration plate),[2] and between Canada, the United States, and Mexico (where the province or state of registration is usually embossed or surface-printed on the vehicle registration plate).'

It looks like contradicts itself about the inclusion of the national letters in the the number plate by later saying that the oval has been waived in some cases with the example being the EU.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Interesting (slightly off-) topic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

raynipper said:


> What for Dave?
> 
> Ray.


Failing to stop at the solid white line STOP sign.......

they said that he paused, all four wheels stopped but "not long enough" - provokes questions about how long is long enough and the answer is;

stop all 4 wheels, put on handbrake, take out of gear, put into gear to move off, release handbrake and then move off

unlike UK where STOP = slow down (if you really, really must)

and NO that is not a legal definition but simply what he was told......
but they wouldn't or couldn't justify it......

Dave


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Without looking it up in the (many times revised Highway Code) I am pretty certain that STOP in the UK is just that.

Come to a halt, put on the handbrake.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Penquin said:


> raynipper said:
> 
> 
> > What for Dave?
> ...


Thanks Dave.
I think I would ask for a higher definition of this as it's subjective. Having the time and just about enough French to get into trouble.

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Agree with both of those points, STOP in the UK means precisely that, but when did you last hear of someone being told off for that?

My STOP = was meant to imply that is what most motorists do, not what they SHOULD do but actual practice - based on Advanced Driving status and observation......

As regards the French fine, yes I would have liked to have asked BUT if you do not pay there and then they double the fine and you go to court where any resemblance of English is a definite NO NO (or should that be NON NON after CDG). So discretion is the better part of valour......

He spoke Dutch, German and English but little French and just accepted the fine - which is probably the most sensible thing to do, even if it did put a dent in his holiday budget (but for the family not a serious dent...... he was driving a top of the range 7 seater Range Rover with every extra gizmo possible plus a few others........... on a 12 plate (August 2012).

Dave


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