MOT Test Changes Could Lead To Number Plate Prosecutions

Friday, 13. February 2009

MOT test changes are coming. Of course this won’t affect those hugely sensible people that lease their cars from me but will affect those that still like to drive cars beyond their three year old birthday. If you are one of my clients then now would be a good time to make that cup of Earl Grey and crack open the Hob Nobs, for those that may have a car that is MOT’d the changes probably won’t affect you anyway unless you like to ‘pimp’ your motor man! As the main change affects those that like to drive cars with number plates displaying letters that look as though they have been removed from the wall of Tutankhamun’s tomb. All number plates must conform to the regulated standard in terms of font, letter size and colour of background. Surprisingly this has never been part of the test. To make matters worse for those that are attempting to avoid detection by speed cameras the drivers not only face a failure of their MOT but they also face potential prosecution. I guess it didn’t occur to the government that most number plates are only held on by double sided tape so it wouldn’t be too much of an engineering feat to swap number plates for the ‘unpimped’ versions before the MOT. And if you are still interested the other change affects tow bars, ensuring that where fitted they are safe and roadworthy and unlikely to cause the trailer to become detached. By Graham Hill