Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
As a keen cyclist using country lanes, I sometimes have a problem with agricultural vehicles (AVs) approaching me.
Either they do not slow down or they do not give way and in some cases the driver might be using a mobile phone.
I have a video camera mounted to my handlebars and in some cases I would like to report the incident.
(Yes, I know, but I'd prefer not to have one on my helmet AND to have to turn my head round )
However, reporting is impossible as the majority of the AVs do not display registration plates on the front of the vehicle.
(All of them do display a rear plate).
To get registration details, I would need a second camera.
The same problem would apply to a car with a dashcam trying to record.
A short trip on major roads also shows that the majority of AVs do not have front number plates, so it is not just that owners think they are exempt because of short road use.
If the law requires the display at the front, there is clearly a misconception by tractor owners and dealers.
This article in Farmer's Weekly from 2013 covers my point
https://www.fwi.co.uk/machinery/5-point ... -machinery
As you will see, it states that,
'How many licence plates do you need on a tractor?
According to the small print in the regs, you need to have one on both sides at the front of the tractor, as well as at the back of the cab.
However, almost all tractors just have a rear one, which suggests that there is something of gap out there between theory and practice.'
However, the law as written seems unclear:
The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, Section 8
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/20010561_en.pdf
Section 8 (2) uses the word OR between (a) and (b) and seems to imply that only a rear plate is needed.
(2) A registration plate must be fixed on the vehicle in a vertical position or, where that is
not possible, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable—
(a) on both sides of the vehicles, so that the characters of the mark are easily
distinguishable from both sides of the vehicle, or
(b) on the rear of the vehicle, so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable
from behind the vehicle, or
(c) where the vehicle is towing a trailer or trailers and the plate is not fixed on the sides
of the vehicle, on the trailer or the rearmost trailer (as the case may be) so that the
characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from behind the trailer
Clearly, the law is either not being enforced, or it is being ignored, or the article is wrong.
If the law does not require front plates, then it should be amended.
Please comment.
Either they do not slow down or they do not give way and in some cases the driver might be using a mobile phone.
I have a video camera mounted to my handlebars and in some cases I would like to report the incident.
(Yes, I know, but I'd prefer not to have one on my helmet AND to have to turn my head round )
However, reporting is impossible as the majority of the AVs do not display registration plates on the front of the vehicle.
(All of them do display a rear plate).
To get registration details, I would need a second camera.
The same problem would apply to a car with a dashcam trying to record.
A short trip on major roads also shows that the majority of AVs do not have front number plates, so it is not just that owners think they are exempt because of short road use.
If the law requires the display at the front, there is clearly a misconception by tractor owners and dealers.
This article in Farmer's Weekly from 2013 covers my point
https://www.fwi.co.uk/machinery/5-point ... -machinery
As you will see, it states that,
'How many licence plates do you need on a tractor?
According to the small print in the regs, you need to have one on both sides at the front of the tractor, as well as at the back of the cab.
However, almost all tractors just have a rear one, which suggests that there is something of gap out there between theory and practice.'
However, the law as written seems unclear:
The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, Section 8
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/20010561_en.pdf
Section 8 (2) uses the word OR between (a) and (b) and seems to imply that only a rear plate is needed.
(2) A registration plate must be fixed on the vehicle in a vertical position or, where that is
not possible, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable—
(a) on both sides of the vehicles, so that the characters of the mark are easily
distinguishable from both sides of the vehicle, or
(b) on the rear of the vehicle, so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable
from behind the vehicle, or
(c) where the vehicle is towing a trailer or trailers and the plate is not fixed on the sides
of the vehicle, on the trailer or the rearmost trailer (as the case may be) so that the
characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from behind the trailer
Clearly, the law is either not being enforced, or it is being ignored, or the article is wrong.
If the law does not require front plates, then it should be amended.
Please comment.
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Welcome
Jonathan
Jonathan
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Looks like a journalist has got it wrong. That won’t be the first time.
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Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Yes, possibly, but what is your opinion please.
Is a law change needed?
Is a law change needed?
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
The current law is probably as good as you’re going to get the working life of a tractor often means it’s difficult to keep any legislation in good order. Motorbikes don’t have front licence plates either.
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Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Would it be possible to turn the bike round after the vehicle has passed so that you can film the rear numberplate?cyc1m1k wrote: ↑8 Jul 2022, 5:50pm As a keen cyclist using country lanes, I sometimes have a problem with agricultural vehicles (AVs) approaching me.
Either they do not slow down or they do not give way and in some cases the driver might be using a mobile phone.
I have a video camera mounted to my handlebars and in some cases I would like to report the incident.
(Yes, I know, but I'd prefer not to have one on my helmet AND to have to turn my head round )
However, reporting is impossible as the majority of the AVs do not display registration plates on the front of the vehicle.
(All of them do display a rear plate).
To get registration details, I would need a second camera.
The same problem would apply to a car with a dashcam trying to record.
Thanks
Jonathan
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Jonathan, Near impossible. Long gone round a bend or into the distance by the time I have stopped shaking and done that on a narrow road.
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Thanks
Jonathan
Jonathan
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Paulatic, sorry but the working life of an average tractor is 4,000 hours plus, usage on average is 100 to 200 hours a year, so life is 20 years. Some models will go for 10,000 hours.
A motorbike does not have plates on the front, true, but it rarely occupies the whole width of a narrow road and thus normally does not cause a problem.
And before someone says it, a cycle has no plates but also causes very little problem.
You imply that there is no need for a law change, in which case why should cars and hgvs have to carry front and rear plates?
A motorbike does not have plates on the front, true, but it rarely occupies the whole width of a narrow road and thus normally does not cause a problem.
And before someone says it, a cycle has no plates but also causes very little problem.
You imply that there is no need for a law change, in which case why should cars and hgvs have to carry front and rear plates?
-
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Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
For anybody wanting clarity about the current reg plate legislation it's here
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/contents
Within that context, "agricultural machines" are here (along with the reliable promotion exam standby the good old "works truck.")
(With my apologies for not being able to preserve the formatting)
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/contents
Within that context, "agricultural machines" are here (along with the reliable promotion exam standby the good old "works truck.")
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/200 ... gulation/8Fixing of registration plates: works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines
8.—(1) This regulation applies to works trucks, road rollers and agricultural machines.
(2) A registration plate must be fixed on the vehicle in a vertical position or, where that is not possible, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable—
(a )on both sides of the vehicles, so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from both sides of the vehicle, or
(b) on the rear of the vehicle, so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from behind the vehicle, or
(c) where the vehicle is towing a trailer or trailers and the plate is not fixed on the sides of the vehicle, on the trailer or the rearmost trailer (as the case may be) so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from behind the trailer.
(3) Where the towing vehicle is an agricultural machine, a plate fixed on the trailer may, instead of displaying the registration mark of the towing vehicle, display the mark of any other agricultural machine kept by the keeper of the towing vehicle.
(With my apologies for not being able to preserve the formatting)
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Thanks thirdcrank,
However, you have just repeated part of my first top of topic post.
My point is the the final 'or' at then of 8 (2) a (and for that matter the or at the end of 8 (2) b)
In either case I think this should be and 'and' not 'or'.
The 'or' can be interpreted as instead of.
So, (c) can be the 'or' case so that a tractor need not display plates at all if there is a plate on the trailer.
Then (3) modifies that further so that we could have a tractor with no plates towing a trailer with a plate not belonging to that tractor.
Or have I missed something?
However, you have just repeated part of my first top of topic post.
My point is the the final 'or' at then of 8 (2) a (and for that matter the or at the end of 8 (2) b)
In either case I think this should be and 'and' not 'or'.
The 'or' can be interpreted as instead of.
So, (c) can be the 'or' case so that a tractor need not display plates at all if there is a plate on the trailer.
Then (3) modifies that further so that we could have a tractor with no plates towing a trailer with a plate not belonging to that tractor.
Or have I missed something?
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Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
I thought I had linked to the online - ie up-to-date version of the regs, rather than a pdf which might have been superseded at any time since it was published
My layman's interpretation is that for an agricultural machine, which would normally include a tractor, a reg plate at the back is compliant.
In a roundabout sort of way, I think that was exactly what was intended. In road traffic law more generally a vehicle includes a "Trailer drawn thereby" ie no need to mention it separately so doing so just seems to add brass knobs on.. (Bear in mind that this isn't "road traffic law more generally" but registration and licensing.)
My layman's interpretation is that for an agricultural machine, which would normally include a tractor, a reg plate at the back is compliant.
In a roundabout sort of way, I think that was exactly what was intended. In road traffic law more generally a vehicle includes a "Trailer drawn thereby" ie no need to mention it separately so doing so just seems to add brass knobs on.. (Bear in mind that this isn't "road traffic law more generally" but registration and licensing.)
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Interesting! Do they actually mean sides not front and back? I don't think I've ever seen reg plates on the sides of a vehicle (but then I've never been looking for them there).(a )on both sides of the vehicles, so that the characters of the mark are easily distinguishable from both sides of the vehicle, or
As for motorcycles, in quite a few countries they do require front plates in addition to rear. Usually fixed just above or below the headlight. Not the old British "pedestrian slicer" type!
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Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
Sticking with my point about the definition of a vehicle including its trailer(s), without sight of these regulations I'd have wrongly assumed that the correct reg for the towing vehicle had to be displayed an the back of the last trailer. For agricultural machines, it appears that's not so; the reg of another agricultural machine kept by the keeper of the towing vehicle will do. That probably gives an idea how relaxed the legislators were about reg plates on agricultural machines.
Re: Agricultural Vehicles Registration Plates
No I was hoping to suggest any further changes I can think of will be impractical throughout a whole range of vehicles classed as a tractor.cyc1m1k wrote: ↑9 Jul 2022, 10:58am Paulatic, sorry but the working life of an average tractor is 4,000 hours plus, usage on average is 100 to 200 hours a year, so life is 20 years. Some models will go for 10,000 hours.
A motorbike does not have plates on the front, true, but it rarely occupies the whole width of a narrow road and thus normally does not cause a problem.
And before someone says it, a cycle has no plates but also causes very little problem.
You imply that there is no need for a law change, in which case why should cars and hgvs have to carry front and rear plates?
I’ve no idea where you get this avg hour business from or what use it’s going to be but it doesn’t sound very real.
Any changes you might like will need to start with the manufacturers and incorporated at the design stage. I’ve a 44yo tractor and still has remains of a number plate on the back of the cab. Looking at the front any plate would restrict cooling or restrict vision. Anything on the side of the bonnet would not be vertical. Would your camera pick it up ?
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