Things people are ignorant about. US politics, the cause of the GFC and the legality of number plates. You probably are not aware that many of the vehicles that come through our workshop for rego inspections and safety checks actually have number plates that do not comply with NSW law.
The rules are quite strict stating that the number plate must be horizontal, must be a certain hight from the ground, can’t have hair spray all over it and must still have the reflective background still intact.
Many workshops don’t bother with failing these plates as they make no money out of it. A failed number plate is profit straight for the RMS or service New South wales and is a right pain in the ring. You have to go to the RMS surrender your old plates, buy new ones and then return to your mechanic to have the rego pass done. This is assuming that the blokes running the e safety station are doing the job properly.
No one has ever really bothered with this in the past, after all no one makes money, its an inconvenience and who needs more problems in their life?
Mr plod, has begun cracking down on this with many drivers recently finned large amounts for non compliant number plates. Here is a list of what they are looking out for.
Dirty/ unreadable plates
Damaged and unreadable plates (usually caused by motor vehicle collisions)
Bent or cut plates to fit Japanese imports
Plates that are not Horizontal (modified ute tail gates often have funky plate mounts)
Added or perished reflective plates
Next time your up for a pink slip/ e safety check, ask your mechanic if you think your plates are compliant. He may fob it of as he is unlikely to care about such things but the consequence for this can be $443 fine.