L Plates

Azlan

Are there any rules about where to put L plates on the car???? I've been told they must be put in the top left hand corner of the windscreen and the bottom right of the back - but I can't find any info on this in the rules of the road or anywhere else. The only thing I've found is that they must be displayed front & back. Got a test coming up and don't want something so trivial to cause probs!!! Can easily move me L plates but now am just really curious as to where this rule can be found!! Thanks

TwoShedsJackson

Top left of the front windscreen and bottom right of the rear window are where they will obscure the driver's vision the least so these are the most sensible places to put them.

cazzy

Front - top left in front of passenger side (if you are inside) so as not to obscure vision
When I was learning i put my back one under the window on the boot paint
(as i had a small window and a large bit under it - fiat punto) and it was fine, Passed my test with that car and those L plates. If you drive a car like that (punto, yaris etc) Id keep it off the back window so you dont obstruct your vision. most official learner cars put it there. (under the window on the car itself)

Noelie

I was driving home the other day and saw an 07 Navy Yaris with a A4 printed L plate in the back window. the thing must have taken up 25% of the window

mikemac

The kool kids trim the white section off or stick them on the outside of the car.

Wishbone Ash

Azlan wrote:

Are there any rules about where to put L plates on the car????

Statutory Instrument 352 of 1999 Road traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999.

Section 20, Part 6

(b) Subject to paragraph (c) of this sub-article, a provisional licence shall, on coming into effect, licence the holder to drive a vehicle of any category for which the licence is granted on any occasion during the period specified in the licence provided that the following conditions are complied with—

(i) a person provisionally licensed to drive vehicles of category A1, A or M shall not carry a passenger in or on such a vehicle,

(ii) a person provisionally licensed to drive a vehicle shall not carry in the vehicle any passenger for reward,

(iii) a person provisionally licensed to drive vehicles of category B, C1, C, D1, D, EB, EC1, EC, ED1, or ED shall not drive such a vehicle unless there are displayed on the vehicle rectangular plates or signs bearing the letter “L” not less than fifteen centimetres high in red on a white ground, in clearly visible vertical positions to the front and rear of the vehicle,

(iv) a person provisionally licensed to drive vehicles of category B, C1, C, D1, D, EB, EC1, EC, ED1 or ED shall not drive such a vehicle unless he or she is accompanied by and is under the supervision of a qualified person,

(v) a person provisionally licensed to drive vehicles of category W shall not carry a passenger in or on such a vehicle unless the vehicle is constructed or adapted to carry a passenger and such passenger is a qualified person,

(vi) notwithstanding article 6 of these Regulations, a person provisionally licensed to drive vehicles of category B, C1, C, D1 or D shall not drive such a vehicle while the vehicle is drawing a trailer.

Gregor Samsa

TwoShedsJackson wrote:

Top left of the front windscreen and bottom right of the rear window are where they will obscure the driver's vision the least so these are the most sensible places to put them.

When I was learning in a Citroen Xsara, I put the back L plate on the top right of the back window (i.e. Driver's side). The way the window is constructed, you couldn't even see it through the rear view mirror. Had I placed it on the bottom right, it would have seriously obstructed an already poor rear view.

So I suppose it depends on the car as to where the best place is to put the rear one, but I can't imagine a car where top left of the front windscreen wouldn't be the best place to put that one.

As an aside, I saw someone in a Micra on Tuesday with an L plate slap bang in the middle of the back window. Obviously someone more interested in symmetry than safety. :eek:

TwoShedsJackson

Naturally it depends on the make/model of the car alright, in the Opel Astra I learnt in the bottom right of the rear windscreen is partially obscured by one of the back seat headrests anyway so it was the best spot.

angeldelight

I put mine just under the back window as it's not a huge window anyway, it's on the body work of the car not the window.

Señor Ding-Dong

micmclo wrote: »

The kool kids trim the white section off or stick them on the outside of the car.

Yeah I've seen quite a few cars with the white background cut off and just the red "L" showing, is that legal??

Wishbone Ash

Señor Ding-Dong wrote: »

Yeah I've seen quite a few cars with the white background cut off and just the red "L" showing, is that legal??

Certainly not! (See post #6 above).

Creamy Goodness

ohh and please, put them up so that the 'L' is the right way round when looking at it from the outside.

in my opinon anyone who can't get this right doesn't deserve to have a license.

mikemac

Cremo wrote: »

ohh and please, put them up so that the 'L' is the right way round when looking at it from the outside.

in my opinon anyone who can't get this right doesn't deserve to have a license.

Very true.
As a biker I'm wary of all cars and trust noone.
But when I see this kind of messing, I think if they can't get this right then I'm giving them a wide berth if possible. Makes me nervous

Señor Ding-Dong

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Certainly not! (See post #6 above).

Do you mean this this paragraph .....

(iii) a person provisionally licensed to drive vehicles of category B, C1, C, D1, D, EB, EC1, EC, ED1, or ED shall not drive such a vehicle unless there are displayed on the vehicle rectangular plates or signs bearing the letter “L” not less than fifteen centimetres high in red on a white ground, in clearly visible vertical positions to the front and rear of the vehicle



I think certain drivers still leave a tiny bit of white when cutting out the "L" so technically they aren't breaking the law, as they do have a 15cm high white ground, but the white strip is so thin that other drivers can't see it.

Wishbone Ash

Señor Ding-Dong wrote: »

I think certain drivers still leave a tiny bit of white when cutting out the "L" so technically they aren't breaking the law, as they do have a 15cm high white ground, but the white strip is so thin that other drivers can't see it.

It must be rectangular. Leaving a tiny bit of white around the red 'L' would give an 'L' shaped plate.

Señor Ding-Dong

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

It must be rectangular. Leaving a tiny bit of white around the red 'L' would give an 'L' shaped plate.

Ah right, so I wonder has anyone been pulled up over this? Or what would happen to them? If its illegal I don't see the point of it?? Sure they may aswell not even have an L plate sticker at all, they would probably get the same punishment.

Wishbone Ash

Señor Ding-Dong wrote: »

Sure they may aswell not even have an L plate sticker at all, they would probably get the same punishment.

Yup.

I wonder if many of those idiots would turn up for their driving test with those illegal plates?