Very dark tinted number plates - is this a new "thing"?

[Haggisman]

In the last couple of months I've seen quite a few cars with VERY dark tinted number plates (to the point where they are barely readable).

Surely this is a) not legal, and b) so blatant that it's just asking to be pulled over

Here's an example of what I'm talking about:



Surely when it gets to the point you're tinting it that dark, you might as well just not bother having the plate on there?

 

[Haggisman]

a strong Traffic Unit magnet.

It's just going to get you pulled infinitely and be a nuisance.

This is what I'm thinking... so it (subjectively) makes your car look 0.05% better and every time you drive it you're going to waste 20 minutes apologising to a traffic officer and ending up with a £60 fine? Seems totally worthwhile

On the plus side, the cars I've seen these plates on look like they're probably driven by "interesting" characters anyway, so surely they'd want to avoid police attention, not draw it to themselves?!

 

[Haggisman]

It's to get around speed cameras probably.

Well, yeah I can see how a £60 fine for invalid plates is better than £100 + points for speeding, but then why not just take the plates off completely?

 

[Haggisman]

Taking plates off is more blatant with no excuses and probably has other penalties involved.

Apparently not, a quick google suggests that the penalty is the same

Edit: Interesting: http://www.nopenaltypoints.co.uk/number-plate-offences-punishments.html

Suggests that deliberately altering the plates could be construed as perverting the course of justice... In which case as above "they fell off" is surely a better excuse than "I deliberately stuck a black tint over the top"?

Scenetards.

Of course the example would be an Audi...

Well... the other cars I've seen it on have both been Audis as well