PDA

View Full Version : L plates on the motorway?



Coyote
8th December 2004, 17:00
When your on your learners, your restricted to 70kph. How come I see some guys with L plates on the motorway? Madcat said to me that the police ignore most L plates cause they reckon the 70 law is stupid. Is this right?

sAsLEX
8th December 2004, 17:12
staying at 70 on the motorway is down right dangerous and I never did, mind you my L plate had fallen off most of the time :o

rodgerd
8th December 2004, 17:14
When your on your learners, your restricted to 70kph. How come I see some guys with L plates on the motorway?
Because it's legal to do 70 on the motorway, so long as you keep left unless passing (fat chance!).

Riff Raff
8th December 2004, 17:17
staying at 70 on the motorway is down right dangerous and I never did, mind you my L plate had fallen off most of the time :o
Mine fell off too, then miraculously reappeared when it was time to do my restricted!

Storm
8th December 2004, 17:24
S'funny that, mine did the same. Must have been some shoddy glue :whistle:

jase
8th December 2004, 17:31
70kph is way to slow for the motorway, either go faster or stay of the motorway till you get you restricted.

カワサキキド
8th December 2004, 19:09
Whats an L plate?

Ms Piggy
8th December 2004, 19:54
When your on your learners, your restricted to 70kph. How come I see some guys with L plates on the motorway? Madcat said to me that the police ignore most L plates cause they reckon the 70 law is stupid. Is this right?
In my experience - YES.

I've ridden on the MW and had a cop behind me as I pass a truck with my L plate flapping.

カワサキキド
8th December 2004, 20:29
Your bike doesn't look like a learners bike, so I wouldn't even wear the L plate.
I never did, except for the restricted test.

If you want to remove the 250 stickers I recomend using a Caramel Wheel, it peels them off really quickly without scratching the paint of leaving that stickey residue.

marty
8th December 2004, 20:59
i cut the 'replica' stickers off my aprilia without any heat or anything - the decals should just come off, any residue will come off with meths.

and wtf is a caramel wheel?

marty
8th December 2004, 21:01
and here's a little idea. pop rivet a broken corner of yellow plastic onto your plate. if you get stopped, then 'it was there when i last looked, officer....'

avgas
8th December 2004, 21:02
"i had an L plate but it broke off on a post, officer" as i pointed down to the yellow corner peice attached to the plate.
same post must have bend my licence plate too ;)
by doing (less than) 70ks on the motorway arent u breaking another law that says you cant be lower than 25ks below the speed limit. Its that law they introduced to stop sunday drivers or something. Mabey it didnt go through, i dont know - i only seem to find out laws when i break em :finger:

カワサキキド
8th December 2004, 21:46
A what?? Caramel wheel.. isnt that a biscuit? That would leave loads o sticky stuff.. not to mention crumbs on the seat.

Seriously.. Heat gun gently waved in general direction of decal whilst carefully peeling off .. works perfectly. (dont use a hairdryer)

No sticky stuff but definitly a lot of crumbs, and theres nothing wrong with a hairdryer used carefully.

onearmedbandit
8th December 2004, 23:15
I don't think there is a law regarding slow speed, remember the posted speed limit is the max allowable, not the recommended speed. (ie- no law requiring you to travel at a certain minimum speed). I think you can be ticketed however for not yielding to traffic behind.

Hitcher
9th December 2004, 08:05
Having spoken with a couple of HPs on this matter, as long as you don't do anything to give them an excuse to stop you, they won't pull over an L-plate wearing bike on the motorway.

However, based on personal experience, take your L-plate off if you plan to do a lot of motorway or open road riding. Bikes get little respect from dickheads in cages at the best of times and the sight of an L-plate on the back of a bike seems to excite some of the more small penised ones. I have had some extraordinarily frightening experiences being followed by such arseholes and have been even more terrified by the sight of the living braindead flirting potentially fatally with Mrs H.

Take your L-plates off. But remember to put them back on when you go to sit your restricted...

Coyote
9th December 2004, 08:40
Whats the worst that can happen if you are caught without the L plate?

Coyote
9th December 2004, 08:43
Also, why are we restricted to 70kph. I went to 120 yesterday and there was no problem.

rodgerd
9th December 2004, 08:59
Whats the worst that can happen if you are caught without the L plate?

They can make you spend months more on a learner's license. There are also fines and demerits, but the added time was what concerned me.

It would probably disqualify you from a CBTA, too.

Stinger
9th December 2004, 09:01
Whats the worst that can happen if you are caught without the L plate?

A $400 fine for the lack of L-plate, and a speeding ticket if you do 100k on the motorway. I was pulled over on my learners without an L plate and let off for this, the cop was very reasonable.

Coyote
9th December 2004, 09:06
I should just wait 6 months. I dont want to lose my licence/be stuck on my learners

Coyote
9th December 2004, 10:23
Its if you are travelling LESS THAN 40 km/h below the posted limit AND at the same time holding traffic up behind you,you can be fined for obstructing traffic.
Damn, there goes one of my excuses

JohnBoy
9th December 2004, 11:21
The only speed restrictions i thought (except for trucks) existed were on the main motorways such as wellington urban motorway (bottom of gorge to terrace tunnel). i think they are set at a min speed of 100km/h, but on your average mway its anything goes.

dont forget you can get demerits for breach of licence conditions! be very careful

ZorsT
9th December 2004, 16:00
Its 60 demerits for no L(oser) plate and speeding the 30k's over. If you wernt doing anything else wrong, why would the cop have a reason to pull you over anyway?

crashe
9th December 2004, 16:38
All I can suggest is to all you sport bike and cruiser riders on a L-Plate license that dont want to be seen with a L-Plate, is to attach the plastic L-plate thing onto your rego.... and then snap it off. :scooter:

Sportbikes - Make sure that some of the yellow plastic remains and then put the rest of the yellow L-Plate plastic under your seat.... so that when you get stopped by a police officer you can say that when you went to get on your bike that you found it on the ground as some twat broke it off.... at least you will still have it on the bike with you... ok its not visable....

Cruisers - Dont have anywhere to put it under a seat, like sportbikes do....
so attach a small bag to the back of the bike on the pillion seat... and put it in there... use the same story....

Gee I hope that the police officers bikers on here dont go telling it to all the other coppers out there..

But make sure that you always have it with you...

Oh yeah and when you go for your restricted go and buy a new plate to go on your bike.. or drill another hole through your excisiting L-Plate and reattach it.

But personally I think that the L-Plate should be seen... :yeah:

bear
15th December 2004, 19:15
Could not having an L-plate when required void your insurance?

Hitcher
15th December 2004, 19:45
Could not having an L-plate when required void your insurance?
You could always argue that it broke off when Pamela Pinhead drove over the top of you in her Pajero...

Jonty
19th December 2004, 16:49
:2guns: L Plate? Never heard of one.

GN1NiteStnd
8th March 2005, 09:05
Yeah 70 is way too slow and dangerous on the motorway. People keep on passing me on the left!

bear
8th March 2005, 09:15
Yeah 70 is way too slow and dangerous on the motorway. People keep on passing me on the left!

If you're only going 70 kph shouldn't you be in the left lane?

T.I.E
8th March 2005, 09:18
i had a "L" plate but it fell off. and took the bloodly licence plate with it too. and rego and warrent. there is only so much you can attatch to a few small screws :confused:

so never bothered to get another "L" plate. till the restricted licence. as i had forgotten to have one before the test. and had to pay a smaller fee to re sit the test ahhhh shite. :baby:

FlyingDutchMan
8th March 2005, 10:32
Could not having an L-plate when required void your insurance?

Only if the lack of it being visible was a contributing factor of the accident... which is probably never. You're more likely to be run over if you have one then if you don't.

madboy
8th March 2005, 12:16
Funny, I never bothered with an L plate on my FZR400 when I was on a learners. And when it came time to do the CBTA courses I got an exemption from the LTSA to use it "for riding to the course, completing the course, and riding home from the course".

I gather that the FZRs looked similar between the 250/400/600 and was there a 750 too? So I don't think any of the cops looked twice... and on the occasions they did it sure as hell wasn't for lack of an L plate!

GN1NiteStnd
9th March 2005, 14:23
Its also a drag if your following a mate on a motorcycle as often they are not too keen in slowing down for you. They get really impatient!!!

GN1NiteStnd
9th March 2005, 14:25
If you're only going 70 kph shouldn't you be in the left lane?

they were passing me using the parking lane. it wasnt an offical motorway just a 100km area. either way its dangerous.

Rainbow Wizard
9th March 2005, 17:13
Its 60 demerits for no L(oser) plate and speeding the 30k's over. If you wernt doing anything else wrong, why would the cop have a reason to pull you over anyway?
The story continues GoodAndSuchLike:
découvrir seulement que la nappe était réellement une poupée
gonflable qui avait été peinte comme le plaid, et cela j'avais renversé la crème sur mes haggis. :banana:

NC
9th March 2005, 17:14
L Plate?

.........

sAsLEX
9th March 2005, 17:18
Funny, I never bothered with an L plate on my FZR400 when I was on a learners. And when it came time to do the CBTA courses I got an exemption from the LTSA to use it "for riding to the course, completing the course, and riding home from the course".

I gather that the FZRs looked similar between the 250/400/600 and was there a 750 too? So I don't think any of the cops looked twice... and on the occasions they did it sure as hell wasn't for lack of an L plate!

my vfr250 has no idication anywhere on it except stamped on the side of the engine kinda up and hidden that it is REALLY A 250!!!

Even the registration has no mention of 400, but why would it? its a 250

NC
9th March 2005, 17:20
my vfr250 has no idication anywhere on it except stamped on the side of the engine kinda up and hidden that it is REALLY A 250!!!

Even the registration has no mention of 400, but why would it? its a 250
Heh...




The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

Coyote
9th March 2005, 17:43
L plates don't help your aerodynamics, they slow your bike down to 70kph

gamgee
9th March 2005, 18:31
hehe got the old sr250 up to 120 :banana: the other day... on a downhill... with a tail wind lol :spudbooge

John
9th March 2005, 18:43
Personally, I think "L" plates are a serious hazard - I often was tailgated dangerously tailgated or attempting to cut you off.
I will tell the cop to - and will pay the fine I'd preferr to be alive and broke.

Jeremy
9th March 2005, 19:16
Well in Auckland if your doing 70km/h on the motorway at any point your doing pretty well anway.

John
9th March 2005, 19:21
Well in Auckland if your doing 70km/h on the motorway at any point your doing pretty well anway.

Yea, I'm not a hardbreed northlander - being down to aucks 3 times on my bike - lived in auckland most of my life.

100kph on the motorway is no problem

Only time you do 70 is when your filtering at peak :wari:

sAsLEX
9th March 2005, 20:17
Heh...






grunt



The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

2_SL0
11th March 2005, 11:44
L plates are perfectly legal on the motorway, however riding along at 70kmh just isnt safe on the motorway. :spudbooge

NC
11th March 2005, 16:50
grunt



The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.
Nooorh!

ok, I brought the VFR cause it was 250 size so I could look inconspicuous :)

250learna
22nd March 2005, 00:31
im no expert on this kinda stuff, but i somehow think that by setting the limit at 70 they might be trying to discourage us to use the motorway and other high speed roads until we are experianced enough to move off our learners... and join the rest of the speed demons... :Police:

but it never stoped me going on the motorway, or doing 100ish... :whistle:

Krusti
22nd March 2005, 05:38
My son refuses to put an L plate on his RS250. He reckons if Aprilia found out he had one they would come and seize it!

Krusti
22nd March 2005, 05:51
We did notice tho that L plates cause cagers to try intimidating learners....happened a number of times to junior untill we took the plate off.

Some people seem to think it is fun to try and kill newbe road riders!

Jase W
14th April 2005, 22:45
I never used an L plate because i did alot of open road riding. Would rather be riding hassel-free at 100 than be tailgated etc and put in danger at 70. Andrew at roadsafe lent me an l-plate for the cbta course so that was sweet as :2thumbsup

Now im on my restricted so i dont have to worry! muahahaha :ride:

ricksta
23rd April 2005, 20:38
I used to have L plate on but then i lost it... got blown away i guess... then i put another one on but its just too embarrasing... especially when u cruise along the beach where all the boy racers are, they check u out at first and laughed at ya when u drive past becoz of the L plate, cars often tailgate me aswell...

I dont have it on anymore.... did 140km/h in 4th gear on my cbr the other day... didnt even redline it! :eek5: i wonder how fast i can go when i redline in 6th... :shit: what a great bike! :ride:

justsomeguy
23rd April 2005, 20:55
I used to have L plate on but then i lost it... got blown away i guess... then i put another one on but its just too embarrasing... especially when u cruise along the beach where all the boy racers are, they check u out at first and laughed at ya when u drive past becoz of the L plate, cars often tailgate me aswell...

I dont have it on anymore.... did 140km/h in 4th gear on my cbr the other day... didnt even redline it! :eek5: i wonder how fast i can go when i redline in 6th... :shit: what a great bike! :ride:

You'd probably knock the high side of 180 ... don't try it unless you are fully confident though.

Luckily my bike looks sort of big so most cops unless they know bikes will think it's a 400 or something. I only used my L- plate in my first week.

pommie girl
25th April 2005, 16:11
Used my L plate for 1 week before decided it was actually pretty much akin to declaring that all the dickhead cage drivers should perform dumbass driving manoeuvers around me i.e. overtaking me at 70kph in a 50kph zone (even though I was, ahem, doing 60).

Don't really see the point of it, to be honest. Just reattached for the restricted and that was that! Police didn't even look twice - after all, restricted riders also have to ride 250cc or lower!

gamgee
27th April 2005, 14:59
you mean are supposed to :devil2: i know a guy riding a cbr600 on his r licence

pommie girl
27th April 2005, 18:24
you mean are supposed to :devil2: i know a guy riding a cbr600 on his r licence
:msn-wink: Yeah.

Think the police are relatively fair over here - after all, I guess they figure the person you're gonna hurt the most if your ride like an idiot is yourself!!

Geez, I'd love to have a more powerful bike... maybe when I've saved up all my pennies.. :no:

Speedy
5th May 2005, 00:17
damin i hated my l plate, i only had it on 4 a week i had all the tailgateing etc and even had stuff chuked at me!!!. i took mine off and havent had 1 more prob not even cops its sweet , if and when sum 1 gets smart i just drop a gear an hello 140 lol. i think 70k is the most f*%*ed up law i ride the orwea-albany streatch of road every day never once been pulled up by police so dnt wry bout L plate just ride on and enjoy our lovely rain :D

N4CR
5th May 2005, 00:38
Speedy... same thing I used to think untill my 1.3k worth of ticket came through.. the bastard got me for everything possible... >70kmh and no L plate (after I truthfully and respectfully explained that people tailgated me etc and put me at risk :mad: ).
Next time its getting ripped off and I shall leave a little bit of yellow to prove it ;) Just as I already have 50 demerits in 2 months of riding is what puts me off doing such a thing... can't really risk it (another 25).

I might just do the leave it on during the week ('under' 60kmh all the time anyway) and have a ripped off part to put on in the weekend rides.

Brett
20th May 2005, 21:16
My dick plate is hidden conveniently behind my number plate. I too hate the way that drivers treat me on my bike. Thing is, it only feels fast up to 120 anyway. My car is way faster after 70kph..maybe replace the zxr250 with a zx6r.(once the chicken strips are well and truly gone).

GNR
21st May 2005, 10:16
why don't all the learner bike riders, (like me soon) write in something to somewhere sayin its more dangerous you wanker!

John
21st May 2005, 10:23
why don't all the learner bike riders, (like me soon) write in something to somewhere sayin its more dangerous you wanker!
Good luck remeber the purpose of the L plate is to learn, we arent really expected to be riding around every day on it for commuting - + they wouldnt care nor listen, thats democrazy for you

I ride to the speed limit, I'll take the fine, get my restricted when I get my bike back anyway.

placidfemme
21st May 2005, 12:46
Yeah thats true... I ride on the motorway everyday with my L-oser plate... I keep to the speed limit restrictions at night because I can't see the cop cars... but during the day I keep up with the traffic... illegal yes... less dangerous... yes.

I've had cars nearly hit me while trying to overtake me without even changing lanes because I was going 70kph and they wanted to go faster... and this was in the slow lane... I'd rather get a fine then die

crazylittleshit
21st May 2005, 12:50
When your on your learners, your restricted to 70kph. How come I see some guys with L plates on the motorway? Madcat said to me that the police ignore most L plates cause they reckon the 70 law is stupid. Is this right?
Put the L plate on the bike and snap it off this way if a cop pulls you you can claim that it must of just fallen off.
Remeber there not going to pull you for 100kph but if they do Just make the argument that it's extremly dodgy to ride at 70kph.
Most cops aren't complete tosses. :whistle:

stify
21st May 2005, 13:22
day one,new bike,friday 5.30pm southern m/way,L plate on,appy as larry
cruisen wit da traffic 90-100,hp pulls on puke on ramp headin south
so slow down to 80,van thats been tailgating me for 5 or so kms still there
cop pulls up along side van,see's me,pulls van ova for little chat,i'm still happy
as now sped up to 90-100 with the traffic flow,get to top of bombay hills,
hp that pulled ova van now pulling me ova(f knows how fast she had go to
catch up),looked ova bike/check licence/check for what eva they check 4
(i'm quite happy bout that)then tells me "you didn't here if from me,but if
u travel with the traffic-(up to 100kph)-we wont pull you over even if you have an L plate" then told me off for doing every thing by the book,and said
i should have pulled of m/way and used back roads.go figure,so went home
attached velcro tape to L plate and put plate in back jacket pocket,no more
problems
:ride:

John
21st May 2005, 13:26
day one,new bike,friday 5.30pm southern m/way,L plate on,appy as larry
cruisen wit da traffic 90-100,hp pulls on puke on ramp headin south
so slow down to 80,van thats been tailgating me for 5 or so kms still there
cop pulls up along side van,see's me,pulls van ova for little chat,i'm still happy
as now sped up to 90-100 with the traffic flow,get to top of bombay hills,
hp that pulled ova van now pulling me ova(f knows how fast she had go to
catch up),looked ova bike/check licence/check for what eva they check 4
(i'm quite happy bout that)then tells me "you didn't here if from me,but if
u travel with the traffic-(up to 100kph)-we wont pull you over even if you have an L plate" then told me off for doing every thing by the book,and said
i should have pulled of m/way and used back roads.go figure,so went home
attached velcro tape to L plate and put plate in back jacket pocket,no more
problems
:ride:
I guess this was some years ago? pretty interesting though!

maybe
21st May 2005, 23:58
could be like me every now and then take the wifes 250 for a run to check all is okay so the bike might have learner sticker but have been riding for approx 30 years on my full licence.

Charlie
6th June 2005, 17:33
Yeah I'm a "learner" driver in Wellington. Is impossible to get to some places without getting on the Motorway. Started off responsible with the yellow plate and riding at 80 and it WAS bloody dangerous. Cars drivers have no patience, so as soon as they see that flash of yellow they sit on your tails so close its mad. They push until you let them through. Have since taken it off and now I get no pressure on the motorway and happily go with the flow of traffic at 100k. Am yet to be pulled over but I had a friend on a learners who was doing 100k. Got pulled over by a cop, no L plate and the 250 must have screamed learner license! The cop was pretty understanding of the ridiculous 70k rule and let him off with just a warning.
I like the "Officer it must have broken off" idea. Just 2 mths till I can get my restricted anyway, phew!

Coyote
6th June 2005, 17:52
I can get my restricted today, exactly 6 months ago I got my learners. Shame the CBR isn't working and has no warrant

SPman
6th June 2005, 21:24
An aquaintance - riding for a month and having trouble with her new GN stalling at lights. Cop pulls up - checks out licence - no L Plate - $400!
Pedantic Arsehole!

Jeremy
6th June 2005, 21:28
Ah but did they charge her with going 30km/h over the speed limit as well?

stify
7th June 2005, 12:43
I guess this was some years ago? pretty interesting though!

twas dec 03 and still cracks me up every time i see an L plate

GNR
7th June 2005, 17:56
i don't use l plates, i jsut drive like a normal person,