MOT, a cautionary note

[Mallaig]

I put my car in for an MOT this week and failed. The reason for the failure was the number plate manufactures post code and the BS number were not displayed on the rear number plate. The tester admitted it was petty but on a recent inspection he was advised it should be a fail point.
Looking around the car park at work today a substantial number of car registration plates didn't have this information.
Anyone else had an obscure failure?

[Ethel]

I do not believe that is a reason for failing an MOT test - the legal requirements for the purpose of an MOT is the correct colours; font style and size; proper spacing; in good condition and secure.

[Postdog]

I agree, that's petty, but I had an even pettier one a few years back when I was only failed for having a dangly air freshener on my rear view mirror, because it "obstructed" my overall view (it didn't! - just rules).

The guy was a jobsworth, and failed me, when all he needed to do was tell me and I could have removed it. So he gives me the failure documentation, leaving me to re book another test, which was inconvenient to say the least. Fortunately, it was a free retest but all he did was just check the ait freshener had been removed and passed me. It would have taken seconds to solve in the first place!!

[Ethel]

Apologies - I am very wrong for vehicles registered after 2001
http://www.mottest.net/mot/registration-number -plates/

[Toureman]

It was a poor reason to fail for a dangly but obviously it does obscure your vision in a dangerous way that you don't know about.


It swings about quite a lot and you get used to movement in that area, the area where pedestrians could step into the road and the area where a car could pull out as your used to movement by the stupid dangly you don't see the pedestrian or car, think about it.

[colin6789]

The new requirement came in on the 1st October 2007, but was suspended on the 17th November as it had not been ratified by parliament. Af far as I know it has not been put back on as the PM has been a bit busy lately, can anybody confirm this.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

im afraid it is one of the silliest rules we have to abide by,but we do not fail them on it,we advise them to get it changed.and charge a fiver for it.

[Annlinda]

One man appeared before magistrates charged with having an incorrect number plate.......the BS number was not present......he was fined, had to pay costs and victim surcharge. Can't remember the total amount he had to pay but know it came to over �100

[gsr600]

in the link - it also says
The plates are fitted vertically
i take it they mean not tilted at an angle
mine doesn't have a postcode or maker marks not sure about bs number either?
they were bought off the net &
recently went through an mot OK ( 2005 motor)

[david1702198]

what you also have to take into consideration in regard to "jobsworths" is that when mot computerisation came into effect it gave incredible powers to vosa to allow their inspectors to anonomously wait outside an mot station until a test was finished all the while noting your actions on the mot database(the inspectors have wireless laptops to access it) then checking the car you have just tested. fair enough policy in terms of quality control and fairness but should the tester at this point be a "jobsworth" or do a favour for a punter it is his livelihood at at stake as vosa can suspend them from testing (trust me ive seen it done) so they may be doing a small favour for a punter but not really for themself.if they cant test then they cant earn. and for what to remove an air freshener!!!

[david1702198]

regarding the number plate situation i havent been testing for around 18 months so i am unsure as to whether the test conditions or criteria have changed.

[david1702198]

obscure failures that also may fail are handfree cradles and sat nav holders or even a sticker!!i i know its petty that it would fail but trust me its not worth the testers hassle to do anyone a favour, nor is he obliged to dotn forget. hes only following the rules that are put in place by the dept for transport. i.e dont shoot the messenger!!!

[fiesata]

This is petty considering on a 5 mile journey today I saw at least half a dozen number plates that were changed from the original to make a silly name or whatever,one was unrecognisable - they just change them for the test