Sad but true.
There again, “Unashamed Knavery,” seems to fit quite well.
I hope you have saved up for the impending fines when you get stopped, it isnt if, but you will get stopped sooner or later… The Gendarmerie were busy yesterday on the A 28/A10 with UK reg cars and no GB stickers or GB with the star circle on the number plate.
How do you know they were?
Because i drove down from Abbeville and saw them wheeling them in, and at a petrol station was talking to one of the drivers. He was one of 4 pulled in for no GB sticker and got done for GB in the euro circle.
Had these plates on both my motorhome and car now for a number of years - been followed by numerous Gendarms on numerous roads on numerous occasions - not a flicker of bother by them. Even had the usual stop and check patrol on our local roundabout - where they look very closely at you as you drive slowly past - and no reaction.
They have more important things to worry about…
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I am sure they do. They are pretty laid back here as well. They know their sheep.
I passed a Gendarme on the A29 on Saturday without a hitch - though I had a GB sticker and I was doing exactly (as measured by the satnav, not the speedo) 130kph 
Yes but the rules only changed in the last few weeks!
Good boy Billy 
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Yes I’ve noticed the satnav is more accurate than the speedometer (as compared with those roadside speed checkers).
Speedometers, by law, cannot indicate a lower road speed than actual - I think the UK tolerance is 0 - +10%
The most accurate will be with new rubber - as the tyres wear the indicated speed for a given road speed will increase. Tyre diameter, therefore circumference reduces, hence more revolutions needed to cover a set distance, hence more tyre RPM for a given road speed - speedometers are just that, in fact, wheel RPM meters albeit calibrated in MPH.
Satnavs are clearly not fooled by such shenanigans, though they have their own sources of error.
Oh I know that Tory - but, technically, my plates have not conformed for years with even the previous legislation because they are UK plates with a French department identifier added.
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Chipping Sodbury’s was as good …
Sorry to have to ask, but why do you do that if you know it’s wrong?
While having tyres changed at the local Peugeot garage, I wandered across the road to the specialist car-body shop, which I know is an approved fabricator of number plates.
Lady in the office summoned The Boss (we’ve been friends for years… he tends our classics from time to time.)
He confirmed various thoughts expressed throughout this thread…
New Vehicle French Registrations = modern number plates - must have (some) departmental info on the right…
Err… some modern plates seem to be showing a blank RHS… ???
NO, Stella… that section cannot/must not be left blank !!
But… but… folk report seeing modern plates with blank RHS
Ah, that is because they are “replacement plates” for an old-style immatriculation which already has a department within its numbers…
but… you will see that the country identifying F and circle of stars is on the LHS… which the original (old) plates did not carry.
As I went to leave… he called me back.
Stella… from 1st January 2021 it has been illegal to have stickers anywhere on the numberplate…
Warn your friends… check your own plates… folk have been using them for some years and it’s been tolerated… but not any more!
I am now stepping back from this discussion…
as I am sure some folk will confirm that they’ve had no CT/police/whatever problems with stickers on their number plates… BUT… you have all been warned…
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I like it. I see it as one of those little acts of rebellion against faceless bureaucracy and bland monoculture that assert our individuality. Why does anybody personalise anything? - and not everything that breaks the rules is ‘wrong’, is it? What about graffiti? - wouldn’t you love to see a Banksy appear on your private property, so you could sell your shed wall for £millions?
You profiting from art Geof, I need to lie down.
Only if Banksy wants you to though of course. The story of the stolen Banksy from Saltdean Lido that he refused to authenticate rendering it effectively worthless (in official channels anyway) still makes me chuckle heartily. Say what you like about Banksy but this was certainly his good deed of the day. The only thing that could have made it better would have been had he insisted that the only way it would be authenticated was if it was donated to the CIC which has been campaigning and fundraising for a good decade to restore and ‘save’ the Lido.
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I live in Corsica - 2A - and there’s been a big discussion on tourists (those that come over in their own French registered cars) sticking a 2A or 2B sticker on their plaques so that it is not obvious they are tourists! It’s even illegal! Weird.
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