Holiday time copper attention and L plates

[korowetere]

OK, I've been riding twice a day every day for the last week and it's going great . Very enjoyable stuff for a newbie. First time in city traffic yesterday went without a hitch.

Tomorrow I'm heading down to the Bay of Plenty for New Years then after that to Coromandel for a few, and I'd kinda like to take the bike instead of the cage. What's stopping me is the damn 70km/h speed restriction on learners, (with requisite "L" plate).

So, couple questions:

- how much attention are bikers drawing from Mr Plod this holiday season (i.e. chances of being pulled over for no reason and busted for no L-plate)?

- Would it be better to take the risk cruising at 100km/h with the L plate on, or take it off?

[Swoop]

Said "L" plate might get broken off...
But luckily you locate it and have it in your bag. "When you get where you are going" you might be able to find enough tools to re-affix the plate to your bike...
Be careful on the roads.... the nutters are out in force well-and-truly!!!

[The Stranger:Me]

I rode around on my learners license for a year and never even got noticed. I never wore an L plate until the day i did my restrcited license and i never stuck to the stupid 100km/h rule either!!!

[froggyfrenchman]

if the L plate "breaks" off.... leaving a little bit of yellow plastic around the bolt, you have the defence that it was there when you left..

[sunhuntin]

i use the plate, only cos i cant afford a fine for no plate on top of a fine for speeding [ie, over 70km]
however, due to the new plate not having holes to attach it properly like the old one did, the l is barely there. its missing the right hand corner due to it blocking the indicator, and the bottom left one seems to have been sucked onto the tyre numerous times and now has a nice curve to it! i got a new one [got left at work] but havent had time to attach it.
when im on the open road, i ride as hard and as fast as the bike will let me. i move over when there is room and its safe to do so to let cars past, and i dont ride all over the show either. havent been looked at twice yet [though i do slow down near the weigh station!]

[madboy]

when im on the open road, i ride as hard and as fast as the bike will let me.

Me too. I haven't been stopped yet.

I agree with "breaking" the L plate off. Easily explainable. Face it, 70k on the open road you're creating a road hazard. You don't want cars passing you, trust me. That's dangerous. And you definitely don't want pissed off cars passing you. Go with the flow, that's the safest way.

Aside from when I've been speeding, I've never had a cop take any interest in me...

[inlinefour]

if the L plate "breaks" off.... leaving a little bit of yellow plastic around the bolt, you have the defence that it was there when you left..

That used to happen to me alot on the trail bike. Would pop a wheelie (offroad of course ) and the L plate would depart the number plate. Would get stopped by the local magpies who knew me and get a warning to put another on it. Just used to take me awhile to get another one

[Cookie]

I never used the L Plate but I usually travel during rush hour when most of the constabulary are busy doing other things. Mind you, I keep a low profile on the road and always have the attitude that if I get busted, "them's the breaks".

I would not go and write a "I was doing stupid stuff and the cops got me " thread about it if I got done.

That said, I have my Restricted letter from Passrite now so off to get my restricted as soon as possible

[speights_bud]

Hmm... all i do is leave the L-plate on and travel at 100km, ive passed cops, followed them, and had them follow me, seems that as long as you are not doing anything too stupid you should get away with it(well i still have a clean record). Assuming the cops aint in one of those moods.

My L-Plate is jammed a small way under the number plate to hold the top and bottom is held in place by the red rear reflector. if you can manage an arrangment something like this then go for it, makes it a bit more un-noticable. I didn't have any choice though there was nowhere else to mount it.

Good luck and happy riding

[Wasp]

Well i just got back from camping out the back of martinborough and i rode well over 100km/h with the L-plate on and only saw 1 or 2 cops (there and back).

when mine snapped clean down the middle i thought of leaving it like that or taking more of it off.

[ducatilover]

i commuted 140km each day for half a year, through palmy and through alot of country, saw cops every day and never got pulled, i never used an l-plate on the gn and it would be plain crazy putting one on the bros. i must say i'm not the most adherent to the speed limit on a hot sunny day through the country and have had a finger waved at me and thats all