Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello,
As I use my Traveller to commute regularly to work - only to discover that the large shared carpark at work is changing from a fob operated barrier to ANPR camera operated barrier (my registration number is on there system) but the camera cannot read the silver letters on black background) - so looks like I’m going to have to get a modern front plate!
Others had a similar experience?
Kind regards.

I'd start by telling the operator/employer to abandon/reverse the change until they make their system fit for purpose, ie to read all legally compliant number plates.

Slightly off tangent (apologies to OP) but if a small flatbed lorry carrying a car exceeds the speed limit on a motorway, for example, as the ANPR system is seeing two quite different number plates, what would happen? Two intended prosecutions? None? One, picked at random?

On the plus side I understand that "speed cameras" cannot recognise our old number plates either!

Taken from Wikipedia:

If an ANPR system cannot read the plate, it can flag the image for attention, with the human operators looking to see if they are able to identify the alphanumerics.

So, alfie austin, you - potentially - just gave someone employment because the car park will have to employ someone to watch out and log your car each time, just think! your own anti-theft, private security officer paid for by someone else

Also, the same wikipedia page said that only the very early systems from the 80's couldn't read old style number plates, so maybe it's not an issue?

Myrtles Man wrote: ↑Thu Dec 04, 2025 7:20 pm Slightly off tangent (apologies to OP) but if a small flatbed lorry carrying a car exceeds the speed limit on a motorway, for example, as the ANPR system is seeing two quite different number plates, what would happen? Two intended prosecutions? None? One, picked at random?

It would read the front plate, so truck only.

Ah, I see. Are they all traffic-facing then? Must admit I was under the impression that they nabbed you after you had passed underneath them.

No, they're not all front facing - it's actually funny this thread was posted after I'd watched a YT video about ANPR cameras now being used at box junctions to automatically fine anyone stopping in one.

In the case of the one talked about in the video, the camera was at the start of the box junction facing forward to capture anyone stopping within it (so rear plates) and blocking emergency vehicles (which was the point of the box junction) getting through.

I had to put in my reg number into the parking pay machine at the local car park and the machine asked me if the number was correct as it could not find it on the system.

The cameras on the Mersey Gateway bridge recognise black and silver plates so no chance of getting away with the toll.

The increasing number of speed camera locations is one of the reasons I finally got my speedometer working properly, instead of the needle wildly swinging back and forth 360 degrees at top speed. The needle was only being stopped from swinging further by the little stop pin!

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:17 am The increasing number of speed camera locations is one of the reasons I finally got my speedometer working properly, instead of the needle wildly swinging back and forth 360 degrees at top speed. The needle was only being stopped from swinging further by the little stop pin!

Those digital signs that show the actual speed are useful to check the speedo is reasonably accurate.

Stephen

Stansted Airport parking ANPR was OK with silver on black plates. London ULEZ etc is OK with old style mplates. As Mike wrote above, the machine for your car park should cope with all legal number plates.

svenedin wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:35 am

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:17 am The increasing number of speed camera locations is one of the reasons I finally got my speedometer working properly, instead of the needle wildly swinging back and forth 360 degrees at top speed. The needle was only being stopped from swinging further by the little stop pin!

Those digital signs that show the actual speed are useful to check the speedo is reasonably accurate.

Stephen

Yes, and before I got the speedo working properly I used them to help me estimate my speed elsewhere by listening to the engine tone!

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:17 am The increasing number of speed camera locations is one of the reasons I finally got my speedometer working properly, instead of the needle wildly swinging back and forth 360 degrees at top speed. The needle was only being stopped from swinging further by the little stop pin!

My swinging speedo needle eventually decided to perform complete rotations of the dial. Initially it just strummed the stop pin; but after a few musical seconds the pin gave up and broke off!

svenedin wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:35 am

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 9:17 am The increasing number of speed camera locations is one of the reasons I finally got my speedometer working properly, instead of the needle wildly swinging back and forth 360 degrees at top speed. The needle was only being stopped from swinging further by the little stop pin!

Those digital signs that show the actual speed are useful to check the speedo is reasonably accurate.

Stephen

Ever noticed how those roads signs always display a lower speed just as you pass them? I assume it's due to the trigonometry of the detection method.
Wouldn't It be good if someone invented a dashboard device that determined your speedometer accuracy using signals from orbiting satellites

mike1864 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 10:57 am Wouldn't It be good if someone invented a dashboard device that determined your speedometer accuracy using signals from orbiting satellites

Oooh! That's a great idea - it could be callled a .... Globally Positioned Speedometer

Not all ANPR are equal. There's been quite a few at private car parks which don't recognize my Saab 9000 plate. It's on the modern black and white but the systems seem confused with it being an M reg. Just saying a modern plate won't necessarily fix your issue.

I replaced the modern reflective plates on my Traveller with "age-correct" flat silver on black. But a few weeks later I noticed that at night, in certain lighting, they were unreadable, just appearing as uniform grey rectangles. I got a refund from the supplier, but it was never clear whether they were deliberately marketing unreadable plates. (I'd not specified them as such, nor paid a premium). I'm just glad I spotted the problem before the police did!

I went for expensive, polished aluminium Ace style plates for mine.

It took literally no time at all for the polished aluminium to turn white and pitted.
(I did ask the company for advice on how to get them back to how they were when purchased, but never got a response).

So, mine are probably highly visible since they're now white letters on black.