I am sure I'm right in saying that GB plates, either on the registration no plate or as a separate sticker are still a legal requirement in Europe. After disembarking at Cherbourg last week with the caravan I'm sure that we were overtaken by several cars not displaying a GB plate but with an obvious UK car and reg.no. Anyone else noticed this?
Post last edited on 11/09/2018 21:42:02
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If you have an EU plate with a GB on the left, you do not need a separate GB sticker. The EU country identifier is not mandatory in the UK so if it isn't on your plate then you need a sticker.
Most other, if not all, EU countries have their country code on the left as the norm so do not need a sticker.
Yes I am aware of that but the cars that I saw didn't have either. Changed my car recently and my local car accessories store did the caravan replacement sticker with no GB on it.
Just checked the car !! And the garage that I bought the car from didn't either. Been driving around France with no GB plate on the back.
Luckily I have some CAMC red pennant issue GB stickers with me!
Probably the ones I saw travelling down had done the same thing.
------------- Mother Nature always wins in the end.
About 6 years ago our car was broken into in Spain in a side road close to a beach. There was a row of other cars parked and I've always thought it was the GB sticker which attracted the thief - don't steal from the locals but it's ok for UK holidaymakers!!!
As it happened all they got was an empty "bum bag" but the inconvenience sorting a broken rear passenger window was a pain.
------------- Mother Nature always wins in the end.
We had our GB sticker nicked off the back of our car in France a few years ago, probably by a Brit who forgot to bring one! There is no way it fell off, it had to have been taken off! We ended up phoning my brother-in-law who put a new one in the post to us. It arrived about 3 days later but in that time, we had no choice but to drive around without one. We changed to the GB number plate as soon as we got home!
------------- Pixie
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Quote: Originally posted by Suzac on 12/9/2018
About 6 years ago our car was broken into in Spain in a side road close to a beach. There was a row of other cars parked and I've always thought it was the GB sticker which attracted the thief - don't steal from the locals but it's ok for UK holidaymakers!!!
As it happened all they got was an empty "bum bag" but the inconvenience sorting a broken rear passenger window was a pain.
The foreign number plate probably was probably just as much an attraction.UK plates stick out compared to others.
I think the situation is the gendarmes have bigger fish to fry. If they catch you trying to break the land speed record and find cocaine in your glove box and then you're lippy to them, they might do you for not having a GB sticker and a breathalyser as well as all the above and probably get out the rubber gloves as well. But if you're just a tourist driving normally they aren't going to bother. Not worth the effort.
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www.gov.uk (official website) says, in bold, "you'll still need a GB sticker when travelling in Europe if you display one of these national flags & identifiers", referring to the flags and identifiers (saltire & SCO, for example) on the LHS of the number plate.
It then says "if you display the Euro symbol and GB national identifier on your number plate, then you don't need a separate GB sticker when travelling within the European Union". It then specifies the dimensions of the EU symbol.
Maybe the EU police have other more important concerns than checking what's stuck on the rear of the car or caravan, unless they have other reasons to stop you.
What it says and the reality are two completely different things.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
You must display a GB sticker but if you don't it would have to be very picky of the French police to stop you for it.
However picking up on Suzac's point many many years ago when the kids were young we had a caravan which had a Scottish flag on the back, not a problem for us we are Scottish. The van was broken into in the Cotswolds only can we well. Then when we stopped in Carlisle it was actually attacked by a stag do on the way home.
I guess tourists are always targets
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Topic: GB Plates
