L plate - should I? Do you?

[skelstar]

You're only on your learners for 6 months, so what's the big deal?

The theory for me is that i ride on the motorway every day and over the HILL on the weekends and I have had a couple of very close calls because, i believe, I had a learner plate on. others will confirm this. and drawing attention to yourself riding at 100km/h (safer speed) on the motorway with a big yellow sign saying otherwise on the back of your bike is just silly.

[nudemetalz]

Ok, I see your point. To be honest I never had one on my own bike, just on the work one. How long have you been on your learners for now and when are you getting your restricted?

[Sniper]

I never owned an L plate. And Im a good model rider

[Pancakes]

I nearly took mine off then on the way home that day got pulled for splitting. (Gap closed out so I oulled in in front of an undie cop). Got $150-00 tax for the splitting and he said he would have done me for no L plate if I didn't have it. Said he doesn't care about the 70k thing and people that get snapped for 70k+ in their learners are normally doing something else dumb (other than 70k+) but less tangible so the cop chooses to do them for that. I have gotten a bit lax with splitting and cops too and if you look like your in control they seem to leave you alone. Oh, and I've never noticed someone deliberatly being a dick cos of the L plate (but I have cycled heaps and I'm used to how cars are to 2 wheelers normally). Good lauck with what ever you do and a lesson. Yesterday a car (mum and the kids) turned right into the road I was going to turn left into. I nearly gapped it to beat her so she didn't ruin my favourite corners but refrained and there was acop just around the bend. I rolled past "all Mr nice guy" and then she pulled into the next driveway and I still had the road to myself. Just having a cruise even when you don't want to (I know it's hard) may mean you get to ride again tomorrow.

[TraD_MaN]

i ride with my L plate all the time i dont wana get snapped for no L plate and plus i got jack all bike skills im a newbie newbie but on the open rode i travel at the speedlimit because im sick of nealy getting taken out or droven off the road by these dumb arse cage drivers, grrr they get me mad! well some of them

[sunhuntin]

i wear the l plate, minus one corner....cut that off after mum noticed she couldnt see my indicator my first day on the road and she followed me [and what a trip that was ]
on the open road, i stuck to the 70 rule once, and never again. now she settles in nicely at just over 100, and even then i still get run off the road at times. i ride well within my lane, rarely overtake and dont do anything to attract attention as far as i know.

as for the l plate being a target...id agree with that. the number of cars i have right up my exhaust coming down the hill...even tapping the brakes to flash my light doesnt make them back off. grrrrr...sometimes feel like having a huge l plate patch made up and putting it on my jacket....then theyd have to see it. but then itd likely make it worse

[mdb]

What is the point of an L plate (i.e. why do you 'have' to have one)?
I only put one on my bike (years ago now), when I went to get my restricted. It came off before I left the testing depot!

[Storm]

S' a funny thing, a lot of them do that. Must be a manufacturing fault

[sunhuntin]

What is the point of an L plate (i.e. why do you 'have' to have one)?
I only put one on my bike (years ago now), when I went to get my restricted. It came off before I left the testing depot!

thats a good question...and the answer is so the idiot drivers whove been on the road for years can aim for learners and teach them how to be idiot drivers to, by tailgating, cutting off, passing when its not safe and all that good shit

[Aitch]

IThe way I see it, yes, I am breaking a rule, but I have a reason. Obeying the 70 = suicide. I reckon I could level with the officer and explain my reasoning calmly and hopefully he would understand.

If I get pulled over on a learner license with no L plate, then there is no excuse I can see (except for the "broke off" - which I'm sure all cops know by now).

As many have said before in other threads, if a cop is having a bad day and wants to hit you with something, then he will most likely find something anyway.

just hope he's filled his quota for the week....

[burnzup]

Acting on good advice I didn't put an L plate on my bike. I got spotted having a bit of bother starting the bike. The cop wasn't interested in my difficulties and fined me $400 for not displaying one. An expensive lesson. I go on the motorway - averaging 100-110 kms and haven't been stopped. It seems to be OK if you keep up with the other traffic and ride safely.

[spada]

Nothing really to worry about as long as you don't do any thing stupid. I went the whole time on my learners with no L plate and going 100 on the motorway and the like. Then one day when I was two days from my test I decided to uder take some cars at the lights. Bad move as the was a cop in a side road. Out come the lights on goes the siren. That will be $800 thanks. "aye what! why?" no L plate and going faster then a seventy. Moral of the story. As long as ya not stupid on the bike and give the cops no reason to pull you over you should be fine.

[roks]

I'll be using an L Plate, at least for awhile, as a way of letting drivers know that I'm a newbie to motorbike riding. It may accidentally fall off once I am more capable and comfy making the change from a car to a bike

[motorbyclist]

while on my learners my L plate got stolen so i only put a new one on for the test... i kept off the motorways, but did get up around 100 on my road as that was the limit


what's with all the L plate threads?

[captain_andrey]

I have my L plate but its one of those laminated paper ones. Its cello taped under my license plate and at high speed it bends to almost horizontal and you cant actually see it until you are right behind me.

Ive had no problem going with the flow on motorways (which can be up to 120km/h on wellington motorway)

I think if you dont do anything stupid you are quite safe going full speed with L plate.

I did have a few problems with cars trying to race me etc but nothing major. (Some 50 year old guy in a Porsche boxer )