Smeared Number Plates

Gloomtastic!

You see the occasional number plate that has the letters/numbers smeared over with a grey substance. I've heard that it's so the number can't be read by the toll cameras and therefore won't be charged.

Urban myth or fact?

Atlantic Dawn

Not seen it myself, any pics of examples?

mikeecho

Are you taking about the greyed out number plates, I've only really seen then on my runs up to Newry on NI plated cars.

Larbre34

Have seen all these Mythbusters type experiments online to make number plates invisible to NPR technology, but never, not once, seen a number plate on the road in Ireland that looked deliberately obscured or masked.

Plenty of illegal fonts, size and spacing, but all still easily readable.

I'm not surprised to have seen no obviously obscured plates, apart from food honest dirt, the fine is up to €5,000.

Wishbone Ash

I'm not surprised to have seen no obviously obscured plates, apart from food honest dirt, the fine is up to €5,000.

Every second motorcycle I see seems to have the tax disc positioned in such a way that it obscures part of the plate.

kirk.

What about the cars covered in muck and dust and plates can't be read

I see a few of them around . How would Gardai deal with them ?

The J Stands for Jay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786498#Comment_118786498

I remember seeing an NI plate that when a light was shone on it, the word "TURBO" appeared and obscured the actual number. Probably wouldn't work on most cameras nowadays as there usually isn't a flash.

Sir Galahad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786629#Comment_118786629

I know of one case where a traffic man gave the motorist a choice of a fine or cleaning the plate on the spot . . . . . He cleaned his plate 🤔. And he voluntarily cleaned his brake lights as well.

Larbre34

Exactly. They will stop and warn over dirty plates.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786879#Comment_118786879

They'd get away with a fair bit though

I've seen expensive cars and the muck is genuine lol. Probably site supervisors , contractor types

L1011

Not seen any smeared ones.

Huge outbreak of those naff "4D" (they're 3D....) plates that are very hard to read from an angle, though.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787160#Comment_118787160

I sometimes help out these busy people if I have a wet wipe by giving the plate a good clean so the numbers are nice and visible. If you own a car like this, you're welcome.

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118786618#Comment_118786618

It's absolutely endemic, at least for food couriers in Dublin. It's 100% intentional and it seems to me that the Gardai don't care. I guess when your riding style puts you at increase risk of hitting a cyclist in their dedicated lane or smashing a car mirror, hiding the plate is a good option.

Tazzimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787223#Comment_118787223

I assume you realise you shouldn't really be touching other peoples property, if you haven't been given permission?

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118788287#Comment_118788287

Technically, I don't touch their property. I touch the wipe and the wipe touches their property, so they can argue with the wipe if they like.

Who wouldn't want their car to be a bit cleaner?

CantCatchCovid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787223#Comment_118787223

Does telling lies on the internet make you feel like a bog man?

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789033#Comment_118789033

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787223#Comment_118787223

that's one for the file of stuff that never actually happened

Tazzimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789023#Comment_118789023

I don't like people near my car.

I especially don't like people rubbing something on my car unless I'm paying them to clean it.

Unless you're a valeter or detailer, you shouldn't be going near the cars.

Are you a guard that is trying to help people not get pulled or something?

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789186#Comment_118789186

Grand, keep your number plate readable so, and I won't be going near your car.

Why would you think that only guards want people to get pulled? Getting dangerous drivers pulled is good for all of us.

Tazzimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789271#Comment_118789271

You wouldn't be going near my car anyway chief.

So having some muck on your reg plate means you're a dangerous driver now? That's news to me.

monkeybutter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789303#Comment_118789303

the only wet wipes he goes near are the ones his mammy still uses to wipe his bum bum

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789023#Comment_118789023

'I didn't punch him, the boxing glove did.'

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789303#Comment_118789303

Having your number unreadable makes you a dangerous driver. Sounds like some people have a tactical layer of mud on their plates.

Tazzimus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789476#Comment_118789476

Driving in a dangerous manner makes you a dangerous driver. Having your number plate unreadable, usually, means you badly need to clean your car.

My reg plate is perfectly readable, despite living in an area where the road is brown most of the year due to the super awesome farmers dragging their swamp fields onto the roads and not cleaning it afterwards.

salonfire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118787223#Comment_118787223

Why do you have wet wipes with you? Oh I know it's because you're a stinkbag arriving into the office after that long arduous cycle so you need something to wipe away the layers of disgusting sweat.

Meanwhile I'm in my nice cosy air conditioned car smelling of roses.

Then to make yourself even dirtier, you're down on your knees wiping disgusting number plates giving yourself dirty knees and dirty hands.

But thanks for your service! I for one, truly appreciate what you put yourself through so there is less traffic in the road for me and for keeping my car looking sharp!

chiefwiggum

I remember seeing a new enough audi being pulled on the M50 one day..was absolutely gleaming.. the clown had cleaned everything but the plates which were caked in muck. M

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789023#Comment_118789023

Technically you'd be interfering with someones property without permission. It's one thing pick up a bicycle that's fallen over while locked to a post, but quite another to be rubbing your a$$ wipes on someones car. If I saw some lycra monkey interfering with my reg plate, he would be left howling after the massive boot i'd have given him. Sitting down on the saddle would not be an option for some time.

Also...wet wipes are really bad for the environment.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789770#Comment_118789770

I’d rather smell of sweat that be carrying all your bile and bitterness around all day.

As it happens, I generally shower after my commute cycle. Do you ever get sweaty during exercise yourself?

The times that I did do it, I got a wipe from the missus, who has this amazing ability to produce wipes, hand sanitiser, sticking plasters and more on demand. I’m fairly sure there was no knees involved either, so either bending down getting down on the hunkers, I suppose.

I’m not sure where you got the “less cars on the road” from either. I just wiped the plate. I don’t have a magic wand.

...Ghost...

"has this amazing ability to produce wipes, hand sanitiser, sticking plasters and more on demand"

That's a vending machine, not a missus

Burt Renaults

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118789186#Comment_118789186

You don't like people near your car? Does that mean you never park it in public places?