UK stickers abroad

[RichardHelen262]

We have been in Spain and France for 4 weeks up to now, and have had several people as if we are from Ukraine and many look and point.
I think if we had been from Ukraine they would have adopted us.
This morning a french couple couldn’t understand why we had Ukraine plates when we were from GB

 

[tidewatcher]

Exactly the same happened to us last year though without the backdrop of the present awfulness. Explaining the reason is not easy, at one point I had a small group of curious locals around me while I drew maps of Great Britain and United Kingdom. To be honest by the end I was as confused as they were.

 

[alcam]

Exactly the same happened to us last year though without the backdrop of the present awfulness. Explaining the reason is not easy, at one point I had a small group of curious locals around me while I drew maps of Great Britain and United Kingdom. To be honest by the end I was as confused as they were.

Having been fined 40€ in Spain a few years ago for not having a GB sticker I have a UK one . Cannot see any reason for the law .

 

[witzend]

Wasn't Macron to blame ? that would probably be explanation enough for the French

 

[wildebus]

Having been fined 40€ in Spain a few years ago for not having a GB sticker I have a UK one . Cannot see any reason for the law .

Well ... if you came from Northern Ireland and been invisible for so many years you might have a different opinion? For me, it is something that should never have needed to change as should have been "UK" to start with

 

[alcam]

Well ... if you came from Northern Ireland and been invisible for so many years you might have a different opinion? For me, it is something that should never have needed to change as should have been "UK" to start with

My point is not having any national sticker does not affect safety , driving ability etc
It is a pointless , unnecessary piece of legislation .
If people want to display their nationality on their vehicle absolutely fine

 

[Colinc]

We are always mistaken for Ukraine too. Took off the big UK sticker and put on the new stickers over the numberplate (a little union jack and UK). These are a bit more discrete and legal in most places (although not Spain I believe). I prefer not to be too loud about nationality as not always a positive response.

 

[Colinc]

My point is not having any national sticker does not affect safety , driving ability etc
It is a pointless , unnecessary piece of legislation .
If people want to display their nationality on their vehicle absolutely fine

Traceability must improve driving standards. Mind you I saw a lot of speeding Brits on the autoroute heading for the rugby in Paris.

 

[Stanski]

Depending on the future of the country, historically I liked Great Britain as a name as it proffers a pride, the change to UK, suggests United, but with the different nationalistic desires, uncertain if either is correct, possibly we could have been more inventive and lets say became:
ESWI - EnglandScotlandWalesIreland.
or
WRNS - Would rather not say.

 

[GMJ]

I didn't get asked about the UK sticker on our recent trip to Spain but I get asked all the time about this....

 

[alcam]

Traceability must improve driving standards. Mind you I saw a lot of speeding Brits on the autoroute heading for the rugby in Paris.

Can't really see how traceability is affected or how it could possibly affect driving standards

 

[Norfolk NewBoy]

I felt safer in Spain driving my own "GB" plated car than I did in Italy with a local hire car: that could be down to Italian driving standards, being on the "wrong" side of the gearstick or other drivers realising that I might not be familiar with my surroundings.

Gordon

 

[alcam]

I felt safer in Spain driving my own "GB" plated car than I did in Italy with a local hire car: that could be down to Italian driving standards, being on the "wrong" side of the gearstick or other drivers realising that I might not be familiar with my surroundings.

Gordon

Understand what you're saying but all vehicles have to display their national sign . LHD and RHD .
Italian drivers are , indeed , something else . Never forget the guy in Syracuse preparing to set off putting his laptop on the steering wheel

 

[Colinc]

It may also warn you about the other drivers too. Having come up through Italy last year we remarked on how much better the driving was on the German autobahns. Shortly after a car tailgated very close as we were overtaking someone else. After we pulled over and let him past we saw the “I” on the numberplate. Yes I think Italy worst. But Rumanian and French pretty bad too. And then again most big cities anywhere ….. UK drive too fast.

 

[Wooie1958]

We have been in Spain and France for 4 weeks up to now, and have had several people as if we are from Ukraine and many look and point.
I think if we had been from Ukraine they would have adopted us.
This morning a french couple couldn’t understand why we had Ukraine plates when we were from GB

Did they think you was Ukrainian after you spoke to them

Even i sometimes stuggle to understand Yorkshironion and i`m only just the other side of the great divide

 

[Linda]

Depending on the future of the country, historically I liked Great Britain as a name as it proffers a pride, the change to UK, suggests United, but with the different nationalistic desires, uncertain if either is correct, possibly we could have been more inventive and lets say became:
ESWI - EnglandScotlandWalesIreland.
or
WRNS - Would rather not say.

Did they think you was Ukrainian after you spoke to them

Even i sometimes stuggle to understand Yorkshironion and i`m only just the other side of the great divide

We haven’t been asked about UK badge until reaching France. Couldn’t work out why we were being asked if we speak English……. I explained why we are no longer GB but it didn't make much sense to them (nor me!) Ukraine is UA.

 

[r4dent]

My point is not having any national sticker does not affect safety , driving ability etc
It is a pointless , unnecessary piece of legislation .

If a foreigner crashes into your vehicle and drives away with everything is recorded on your dash cam.
The legislation that tells the Police which country to make enquiries about the registration plate is pointless and unnecessary !

I disagree.

 

[alcam]

If a foreigner crashes into your vehicle and drives away with everything is recorded on your dash cam.
The legislation that tells the Police which country to make enquiries about the registration plate is pointless and unnecessary !

I disagree.

So the registration number of the vehicle doesn't tell them where you're from ?
I disagree
If that's ok ?

 

[TeamRienza]

I live in N. Ireland. Our registration numbers are unlike anything in GB. Generally our reg plates do not carry a designated blue tab with GB as this would ‘offend’ a large percentage of the population. Since we are not part of GB, I have never put a sticker bearing that legend on my van. I put NI stickers on the back which confuses the Dutch who seemingly cannot tell an L from an I. This is further complicated by our carrying Irish passports (with UK backups), so I have and IRL sticker on the back beside the NI one.
Now that we appear to be part of the United Kingdom of GB and NI, I finally put a UK stick on the back last year. The authorities can make of all that what they will.

Davy

 

[witzend]

Vehicle registration plates of Ukraine - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org