$400 for no "L" plate?

[jetboy]

Well I got a ticket yesterday for not displaying an L plate - $400!!! Is this normal or am I getting ripped off?

How the hell do they justify $400? I have a license, bike's up to scratch etc.

I take responsibility for not displaying a plate, but this seems a bit excessive to me.

[Ixion]

Standard fine for breach of licence conditions. Also 25 demerits , to really make your day.

[zeocen]

If you wore an L plate it would've cost you $0.

Welcome to common sense.

[FlangMasterJ]

Did they pull you over?

Were you doing something to bring yourself to their attention?

[JimO]

there is enough threads on here from people saying they wont use a L plate.....everybody has been warned

[jetboy]

As I said I take responsibility for my actions and will pay the fine - I am questioning the amount of the fine. Considering a speeding fine is $120 and if you run a red light the fine is $150...surely a "No L Plate" fine would be lower than a colossal $400?! I don't see the sense in that.

I was turning into the street I live in when he pulled me. I was meeting a mate at mine (also not displaying an L plate) and he happened to ride past me/the cop as he was writing out my ticket, and parked at my house. The cop finished with me, pulled in behind my mate and gave him a $400 ticket too!

Again, I take responsibility for my actions, I just feel the consequences are a little high all things considered.

[Ixion]

It's the same fine for all licence breaches

Not wearing glasses if that's on your licence
Carrying a passenger on a L/R
Exceeding 70kph on a 6L
Not having a supervisor on a 1L
After hours on a L/R
No L plate on an L

Others too.

Not specific to bikes, or to Learners. You can get a breach of licence conditions fine on a full.

[red mermaid]

The fines are set by Parliament and the Police have no input to them.

[jetboy]

Thanks for the list Ixion!

I guess this is just a very expensive lesson

[White trash]

Yeah it does seem a bit harsh, but the lawmakers have really decided to crack down hard on breach of licence conditions offenders, hence the huge rise in the fine coupled with the demerit point tax.

They've got to get nastily tough and show no tolerance to the boy racers to stop them killing each other and unfortunately, aren't interested in hearing excuses.

I feel partly to blame. I spent 12 years on my learner licence. Breaching the conditions carried I think a $150 fine, that's it. People, myself included, took the micky for too long. Some 18 year old punks out there have over $30K racked up in fines.

[CookMySock]

It's the same fine for all licence breaches

...
Carrying a passenger on a L/R

My understanding is, it was $800 for pillion or L/R.

Steve

[Ixion]

Nope .

[steve_t]

I was wondering a while back, when the cop sticks your plate in their computer thingy and see the details of the bike, can they see whether the registered owner is on their 6L, 6R, or 6? Scumdog? Anyone?

[Ixion]

Not from your plate. They can from your licence . And a smart cop might run the registered owner's licence details even if he hasn't yet stopped you.

If the registered owner is on an L licence and no L plate showing, worth stopping (from his PoV). Might be the owner loaned the bike to a full licence holder - or not.

Savvy cops may also stop a "small" bike on spec, to check licence .I got stopped a couple of times on L'il Ratty, one cop (fairly friendly guy) admitted that he just stopped me because I was riding "a little bike, so I thought you might have been a learner".

[jim.cox]

I was wondering a while back, when the cop sticks your plate in their computer thingy and see the details of the bike, can they see whether the registered owner is on their 6L, 6R, or 6? Scumdog? Anyone?

Doing a QVR on a plate will give the owner's name

Usually then do a QP on the name to get the licence details