Silly rule

[bladez]

What do you all think of the rule that you have to display an L plate on your res liance and car drivers do not :(

[Ixion]

??? Explain ??? The rules about L plates are exactly the same for bikes and cars, except that bikes do not have to display the front one.

[bladez]

??? Explain ??? The rules about L plates are exactly the same for bikes and cars, except that bikes do not have to display the front one.
the rule is that you do not have to display a L plate if you are in a cage on your res as you have proved that you can drive but on a bike you are still classed as a learner and have to display as i got done on my res and got a ticket for not displaying an L plate this was 3 years ago so my point is that why have to seprate rules unless the rules have changed since then :doh:

[scumdog]

Had to display one in cages waaayy back in the early 70's until you got your Full.

[Ixion]

If you had a restricted MOTORCYCLE license and got a ticket , on the bike, for not displaying an L plate, then you got swindled and should complain loudly and bitterly. There is no such law or requirement.


From the LTSA website
Learner licence conditions

1. You must not ride a motorcycle with an engine capacity greater than 250cc.
2. You must not go faster than 70 km/h on the open road.
3. You must not ride between 10 pm and 5 am.
4. You must not carry a passenger.
5. When you're riding, you must always have a learner ('L') plate attached to your motorcycle's rear number plate. You can obtain 'L' plates from Land Transport New Zealand's driver licensing agents:
......
Restricted licence conditions

1. You must not ride between 10 pm and 5 am.
2. You cannot carry a passenger.
3. You must not ride a motorcycle with an engine capacity greater than 250cc.



Once you have a restricted, you can biff the L plate. But note that it must be a restricted FOR A MOTORCYCLE. Restricted car licence and learner motorcycle licence (classes 1R and 6L or even 1 full and 6L) you must still display the plate. But it is exactly the same for car licences (and in reverse - full bike licence and learner car licence, must still display an L plate in the cage)

[WINJA]

Had to display one in cages waaayy back in the early 70's until you got your Full.
AND NO DRIVERS LICENCE BACK THEN COST YOU $30 , THOSE WERE THE DAYS

[Ixion]

Had to display one in cages waaayy back in the early 70's until you got your Full.

Don't think they had "Restricted" back then ? You got a provisional (5/-) and then went straight to full. 'Twas a long time ago - I seem to remember when I learnt there was no rule about L plates. Then some dork brought one in. And, in an abberant moment of sanity, a few years later the government scrapped it, because there were so many cars running around where Mum or Dad found it easier to leave the L plate permanetly fixed, rather than putting it on and off each time Junior had a lesson. Until some further years later the bureaucrats recovered and passed the present silly law. I see that the "permanent L plate" is starting to reappear- maybe sanity will again prevail, but I'm not going to be holding my breath

[gamgee]

mmm might have to get an L plate for the zx6r, just to piss them off, but first i have to get my full licence, and then a zx6r

[Ivan]

mmm might have to get an L plate for the zx6r, just to piss them off, but first i have to get my full licence, and then a zx6r


Put on a bright yellow plate with the fingers being shown that will teach em lmao.

[myvice]

L-plates on 4WD's, caus you would want to learn in one of them!
On a vaguely related subject...
Talking with a work college about the restriction for bikes, started thinking about it a bit and worked out that your average 250 4 has aprox 30 hp (usually more), and wet weight with rider in full gear you might hit 300 kg (probably less).
10kg per hp, not great but not too bad, not too many cars out there that can boast that.
Average car with driver and other rubbish about 2000 kg. So 200hp.
How many newbe's with $40,000+ to spend on a car?

You only have your L-plate on for 30 minutes anyway…

[bugjuice]

L plate I can understand and think both cars and bikes should display.
It's the cc and speed restriction that bikes have that cars don't, is what I disagree with. The 70kph restriction should be scrapped, and cage learners should be restricted to cc/bhp/vehicle size while learning..

Daddie's V8 SUV/commadore/HSV/Falcon/whateverelse is not the ideal car to learn in..

[Karma]

See normally I wouldn't mind the L plate thing... anywhere other than New Zealand... and specifically Auckland.

If you spot a learner in the UK you hang back, and give them plenty of room, but in NZ it seems the opposite holds true...

A large number of Kiwis can't drive as it is, but an L plate seems to give them license to act nuts.

I had more incidents with car drivers whist I borrowed my bros GN250 with an L plate than in five months of riding the ZX4R

[bugjuice]

i never rode with my L plate on. I just felt like a target.
sad, cos it should indicate to give the rider/driver room for errors etc.. but nope.. that's too hard

[Karma]

Well I've never had to either... did DAS in the UK so never really was a learner as such... but my bro uses his L plate...

Suppose if anything it's good practice for avoiding all the pricks who are gonna try and kill you at some point during your ride...

[Skyryder]

So what happens if you have a full licence and ride a bike with L plates and it's bigger than 250cc. Is that against the law?

Skyryder

[Karma]

Well I never got pulled up for it, but can't see it being illegal... would have just said I was borrowing the bike, which was true.

[Gremlin]

So what happens if you have a full licence and ride a bike with L plates?
Rayza did that for a bit of fun, and to err... see how strong the sticky tape was :crazy:

I think I read somewhere here it was illegal. But really, why would you ride with an L plate if you didn't need to??

He probably couldn't fit the plate into his tiny boot.

[Skyryder]

But really, why would you ride with an L plate if you didn't need to??

Just to see the look of dissapointment on Mr Plod's face. I know my sense of humour's not everyones cup of tea, but I like it.

So any definitive answer to this.

Skyryder

[Gremlin]

Just to see the look of dissapointment on Mr Plod's face. I know my sense of humour's not everyones cup of tea, but I like it.
ummm.... so you want to get pulled out of traffic, delayed, and then the cop potentially finds something else to nab you on??

Or am I the only that might have the odd compliance issue?? :whistle:

[Skyryder]

ummm.... so you want to get pulled out of traffic, delayed, and then the cop potentially finds something else to nab you on??

Or am I the only that might have the odd compliance issue?? :whistle:

When I'm out riding I've got all day to get there and back so getting pulled out of traffic is not a problem. Got warrent, rego etc. As for finding something else...............that's the interesting bit. A little sting with media cooperation comes to mind. Know some TV types who may be interested. Will give this some thought.

Skyryder

[Deviant Esq]

Well, at least three Learner licence rules suck major buttcheek. The "must wear L plate" rule, while a good idea, seems to insite "homicidal maniac" tendancies in other road users, causing them to aim for you rather than around you. It also comes into play when breaking the next two licence conditions:

A: "Must not exceed 70km/h." This is more likely to get you killed than keep you safe. All manner of things from Mums in RAV4s to boy racers to bigger 4WDs and trucks go past you, making you fear for your bacon. So you go whatever the posted limit is, whether that be 80km/h or 100km/h. And without your L plate, you're not advertising that you're breaking a licence condition.

B: "Must not ride after 10pm and before 5am." Why the [BLEEP] not?!? We're adults (mostly), and in winter, what difference in daylight does 11pm make to 8pm? Hmm? Nothing. Except, later at night, there is far less traffic on the road, meaning you're far less likely to be involved in a traffic tangle. And without your L plate, you're not advertising that you're breaking a licence condition.

So these three are routinely ignored (most of the time) by myself. Sure, I don't want to pay fines. But I'd rather pay fines than pay with my life!

[Ixion]

I never understood the hours restriction. A "must not ride at night" I could sort of understand for a learner. But the hours specified don't fit that. And , in fact, 2am is a LOT safer than 10pm. I think it was really just the Mrs Grundy syndrome. Nothing to do with safety at all. After all, if the rules didn't have the L plate rule, and the 70kph one, and the curfew, how many people would just stay forever on a Learners? If you are just commuting and don't want a big bike, no point in going for restricted/full. And that means no income for bureaucrats. Also, they know that most learners will be young. And most bureaucrats are old. Very very very old. And it gives them the shits to think of young people out late . "What are they doing ???? " they think - and then get jealous!

[terbang]

Good points there so what do you cops out there think about these rules, do they work and how as a collective (bikers) can we, if need be, get them changed to make the transition to motorcycles smother and safer..?

[scumdog]

Good points there so what do you cops out there think about these rules, do they work and how as a collective (bikers) can we, if need be, get them changed to make the transition to motorcycles smother and safer..?

Dunno, I'lllet you know the next (first) time I pull over a bike on 'L' plates.

I feel it was a blanket cover thing with the target being young car drivers - THEY I can see being better off not driving around at 3.a.m. with a car load of equally spoty faced juvenile mates in a drunken state.

I don't know how you WOULD lobby gov't to get that law changed but I've got no problem with just an engine (or H.P.) limit for L platers.

Down here I haven't seen/heard of any problems from other motorists for anybody driving/riding with L plates (except peer pressure shit like Loser plate and other puerile stuff)

[Rosie]

After all, if the rules didn't have the L plate rule, and the 70kph one, and the curfew, how many people would just stay forever on a Learners?
Learners licences eventually expire. I got my learners licence in the mail last week, and I only have until the end of 2014 to go for my restricted. Better start practising.
Sending out a bright blue licence with LEARNER written on it in huge letters to someone who already has a car licence, and a nice letter saying "Now you're allowed to drive on the road! Make sure you get lots of practise!" encourages you to get rid of the stoopid condescending learner licence as quickly as possible. Seriously, if a nice police officer pulls me over in the car and asks for my licence, what will they notice first? The bright blue LEARNER sign, or the small writing at the bottom saying 1, 2, 6L ?

[Devil]

Seriously, if a nice police officer pulls me over in the car and asks for my licence, what will they notice first? The bright blue LEARNER sign, or the small writing at the bottom saying 1, 2, 6L ?
Hah, yeah, I had my full car before the learner bike. I was surprised to say the least when I saw my shiny new licence had learner plastered all over it.

Caused a moment of confusion once when I was pulled over in the car (had a passenger, late at night) and the officer asked to see my licence. Upon spotting the blue card he immediately started questioning my drunken passenger about their licence.

[TygerTung]

Learners licences eventually expire. I got my learners licence in the mail last week, and I only have until the end of 2014 to go for my restricted. Better start practising.
Sending out a bright blue licence with LEARNER written on it in huge letters to someone who already has a car licence, and a nice letter saying "Now you're allowed to drive on the road! Make sure you get lots of practise!" encourages you to get rid of the stoopid condescending learner licence as quickly as possible. Seriously, if a nice police officer pulls me over in the car and asks for my licence, what will they notice first? The bright blue LEARNER sign, or the small writing at the bottom saying 1, 2, 6L ?

Haha you get the same letter when you get your licence back after being disqualified, it's rather amusing.