Is wearing a flouro vest and displaying an L plate asking for it?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Actually I also doubt that most cagers, who are not involved with motorcycles, aren't aware that a learner licenced rider is legally only allowed to ride at a top speed of 70kms/hour.

Most cagers don't know...

[Zuki lover]

Only if you wanta be gay,,,

[george formby]

I guess being easily seen & displaying your status as a learner may come across as an opportunity for some mirth & moronic action to the slow people who drive fast cars but anybody with half a brain would no doubt respect these attempts at safety. As already stated, ride in space & observe & control the road all around you. Somebody once told me to "ride big". I would think of wearing a high viz vest, even in my dotage, if they did'nt flap like startled crows, I,ve settled for a leather with big yellow stripes instead, questionable taste I know. If you are holding up traffic, just let them past at the first safe opportunity & indicate your intentions in plenty of time. I have to do this for plenty of bikes who catch me when I'm tootling along & a few cars. It's no drama.

[TOTO]

I always had my flouro vest and an L plate on when on my learners and always had a flouro on during my restricted.

I found most people to be tolerant to my mistakes, and I got away with many. Sure there were some pricks, but generally I was well happy with being visible noob

[kunoichi]

Don't know about the fluro vest, but with my L plate on i'v only ever been harassed once, and that was by a police officer going 86km in a 100km zone. Got a 400bux ticket for it too, but i wrote in for an appeal. hope they wave it.

I say the only time a fluro vest is really needed is if ur gunna ride through the outback in the middle of the night, where u know that u'v got little chance of being seen. The L plate is all good, just keep an eye out for cops who have nothing better to do with their time!

[george formby]

I always had my flouro vest and an L plate on when on my learners and always had a flouro on during my restricted.

I found most people to be tolerant to my mistakes, and I got away with many. Sure there were some pricks, but generally I was well happy with being visible noob

Good on ya, the better you can be seen the safer I reckon. A driver experiment in Europe years ago demonstrated that a driver may see a bike but the brain would not register it because they were looking for a car, headlight on improved things & bright helmet & clothes improved things further.
Their are none so blind as those who will not see. That's why you fit a big horn & loud pipes.

[Squiggles]

L plates nah,
My thoughts are that L platers tend to be newbies, realising how vulnerable they are out there on a bike, they notice bad driving more and tend to put it down to the plate... (bar seeing more silly overtaking thanks to the speed differential if they obey that law). If you think it makes you more vulnerable...
Too many ditch the l plate because they think it looks dorky, then justify it with claims of additional danger.

[Tink]

Don't know about the fluro vest, but with my L plate on i'v only ever been harassed once, and that was by a police officer going 86km in a 100km zone. Got a 400bux ticket for it too, but i wrote in for an appeal. hope they wave it.

I say the only time a fluro vest is really needed is if ur gunna ride through the outback in the middle of the night, where u know that u'v got little chance of being seen. The L plate is all good, just keep an eye out for cops who have nothing better to do with their time!

I ride with my L plate, and over that time, I have had no problems, cars have been patient, mind you the man is 10 metres behind me hogging the road, so they can't get past. I rode about 80 - 85km today (I know wrong) but the traffic was so bad behind me, and no where to pull over safely... this to me was a safer option than going 70km, and being harrassed...$400 for a ticket is a joke. Was he having a bad hair day!!!!

Has no one ever partitioned Land transport (govt) to have the 70km in a 100km zone lifted to 85 or more.... I can imagine how hard it is to only ride on 70km roads, you would never get anywhere...... and why is there no questions in the driving licence questionnaire for drivers about motorbikes... mmm!!!

[gsx katana]

It is up to you if you wanta wear it.... but not for me

[magicmonkey]

I have an L plate, displayed to embrace the dorkiness that is in me!

I've not been on the road long but I've had varying reactions from car drivers, one guy quite deliberately sheilded me from the traffic behind him on my first day out as I was having a bit of a wobbly few moments, I'm sure he must have been a biker stuck in a cage though! Drivers are drivers, if they're going to be arsehole then there's nothing you can do to stop them, it's all good though, just the way the world spins...

[Mandy]

I usually have my sweet L plate on when I'm riding around town. The ultimate combo of the L plate and people knowing I'm a chick (pony tail sticking out from under my helmet) usually makes people keep a little bit of distance behind me. I haven't had any abuse for going slow around roundabouts or just being a generally average rider. That might just be because Palmerston North drivers in general are pretty bad.

I usually take my L plate off if I'm going into go over 70km. Just about needed that spare pair of undies when I got overtaken by a truck and trailer trying to go 70km on the open road. If they are going to make learners go 70km they need to make sure you can pull over at any time!

[snuffles]

I wonder, do car drivers see flouro vests and L plates as some kind of challenge? Do they go out of their way to scare/harass riders with these items? If you think so, then why do you think that is?

Please share your views and experiences, especially if you feel that other road users treat you differently if you are wearing a flouro vest and displaying an L plate...

I think the L Plate is dangerous, but i wear a Fluro vest for commuting, never under estimate the value of a day glow vest........saved my bacon many a time

[kunoichi]

I ride with my L plate, and over that time, I have had no problems, cars have been patient, mind you the man is 10 metres behind me hogging the road, so they can't get past. I rode about 80 - 85km today (I know wrong) but the traffic was so bad behind me, and no where to pull over safely... this to me was a safer option than going 70km, and being harrassed...$400 for a ticket is a joke. Was he having a bad hair day!!!!

Has no one ever partitioned Land transport (govt) to have the 70km in a 100km zone lifted to 85 or more.... I can imagine how hard it is to only ride on 70km roads, you would never get anywhere...... and why is there no questions in the driving licence questionnaire for drivers about motorbikes... mmm!!!

Yip it's a fucked up rule and most ppl agree. Anyways wrote in an appeal and got the infringement waivered. If any u guys end up in the same situation, get a hold of Partrik. he helped me out big time.

[Tink]

Yip it's a fucked up rule and most ppl agree. Anyways wrote in an appeal and got the infringement waivered. If any u guys end up in the same situation, get a hold of Partrik. he helped me out big time.

What did ya do to get caught?... and there is no harm in appealing... some rules are made to broken, and this one is... I think learners should be 1 month at 70km, in areas at 70km, and then after that open it to 100km... after that, still on the learners tho if they must.

[tcpdump]

Yip it's a fucked up rule and most ppl agree. Anyways wrote in an appeal and got the infringement waivered. If any u guys end up in the same situation, get a hold of Partrik. he helped me out big time.

Please give us more details, I read the story about how you got caught but it would be good to know how to fight against the fine. I assume you also didn't get the demerit points?

Thanks.

EDIT: I wonder if you get caught without the L plate and "speeding" (of course, under 100km/h) you can also make an appeal.