Red vehicle licence plates

Usually see them attached to bike carriers on the backs of cars. Just wondering if anyone knows why they’re red rather than white. Curious that’s all.

It’s the 3rd plate, precisely to be used for bike carriers because bikes cover the rear plate of the car.

It’s not mentioned anywhere, but I assume it’s a different color to minimize the opportunities to misuse. The red plate should be in the same car as the white ones, otherwise not valid.

Not should but must be. I worry about ours as it is loose in the holder on the rack. I don’t think it will fall off but worry that someone might nick it.

Yes, that makes sense Axa. Could get nicked to be used on a stolen car later if they were white.

Also to stop people using it on two of their cars at the same time.

I always wonder why they chose black numbers on red though, it’s very hard to read them.

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The red plate is optional, you are still allowed to move the normal rear car plate to the bike carrier if you prefer. It just makes it easier.

The red plate has no value of its own, the car still has to have the two white ones. If you hand in the white plates you can keep the red, if you lose the red plate you don’t have to declare it.

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Friend went to a car wash before driving to the UK. At the Basel border he was stopped by the French. He had no front number plate and would not let him pass.

He drove home despondent and flew to his appointment in the UK, having tried unsuccessfully to get a replacement plate and re-register the car. The front plate was at the car wash where the brushes had removed it…

The red plate is handy as you can just leave it on the bike rack. Also costs next to nothing (around 20 or 30 francs) for the convenience.

30f in VD (including shipping).

CHF 15 in Zug (+ CHF20 for shipping etc) TIS.

You want to make sure it’s accepted in the countries on your route.

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If you’re driving in any country not on this list in a car with Swiss plates, you’re either brave or stupid, or both.

Nice!

I’ve never bothered about anything beyond Italy, but just realized that the coverage is larger than any wish to driver for longer distances.

C’mon. Would the police in Slovakia give you a ticket for using a secure bike rack with one of the red (and black) plates? It’s much more likely they would ticket you if you didn’t have one and they couldn’t see the one attached to the car.