The Student Room Group

Trouble reading number plates, yellow & black

I just came off a lesson, I found out I can't read yellow & black number plates when Im the required distance away (20.5 meters) away (I wear glassess). The whole thing just looks like a blur. However, I found when im a little further away than the required distance; I can easily read a white number plate with black letters. I had my eyes checked and tested last November 2005. I had new glasses, and a complete check, so i asummed everything was fine. Has anyone ever had this prob before, and if so what did you do about it?
Reply 1
go to an optician and ask their advice.

Seriously though, if you can't read a black on yellow plate from 20.5m then you really ought to get your eyes checked out (maybe by a different optician to the ones you normally use). 20.5m isn't really that far when you're driving a car at 30+ mph.
Plus you should have had them checked before you started driving lessons... or has it just come on suddenly?
Reply 3
lil_lee
Plus you should have had them checked before you started driving lessons... or has it just come on suddenly?



I have them every year. last time was only a few months ago.
get it checked out because if you cant read it then thy wont let you sit a test
Reply 5
Hayley_2k4
I have them every year. last time was only a few months ago.

On my first lesson, the instructor asked me to read a number plate from the required distance away. Did your instructor not do this?
Reply 6
glance
On my first lesson, the instructor asked me to read a number plate from the required distance away. Did your instructor not do this?



No, hes only mentioned it now because Ive got a test coming up
yea mine just assumed i would be able to read it!!
Reply 8
I had the same problem, but I could just about read back plates without glasses from 20.5m, and relatively easily read front plates from about 23m.

However, with the nerves of the test, and my luck, all the cars around had driven in forwards, and I got a back plate, and consequently failed my test. A quick trip to the opticians solved that problem, and I passed 5 weeks later :biggrin:


I would recommend getting your eyes tested, possibly at a different opticians - and mention that you can't read back plates. With my glasses, I can read either from about 30 - 35m. The lack of contrast between yellow and black (compared to white & black) does make reading the back plates harder.