$400 fine for no "L" plate

**inlinefour** · 16th February 2006, 16:35

Originally Posted by SPman

Yep, son of friends of mine got hit with that one...he "annoyed" a Senior Sergent by having a "boy racer" type , really tidy, clean car (this young guy is a perfectionist, his car was just really tidy), and accellerating to 50k at more than .00002G. No other reason. Defended in court, the cop changed his story 3 times, the kid had several witnesses to say his driving was inoffensive (and knowing him, I would believe him), people before him were getting hit with $400 fines for drunk driving...he gets hit with $600 !
He sold the car, bought a van (He's an apprentice chippie) and now has no respect at all for any law enforcement agency or enforcer.when,beforehand, he held them in reasonable respect.He thinks they are all a pack of cunts!
Yeah - how to win hearts and minds , eh........
The people policing it are the public face of the law. If a few are cunts, then that is how the public perceive ALL of them!

Then the Police complain that the public have lost respect for them. have the Police no common sense or what? Aunty Helen's nana brigade...

**TygerTung** · 16th February 2006, 17:16

I have never displayed my L plate on my bike and never will, except for when I go for my restricted.

In my opinion displaying it is just asking for trouble, c*nts try to run you off the road, you'll get targetted if you're riding after ten or with pillion or over 70k

Not a good idea, and I think the fine is far too high, it isn't a safety issue, why do you only get a fine of $150 for not stopping at a stop sign or going through a red light, that could kill somebody, you ain't killing anyone with a bloody loser plate though do ya? And I'm not being mean about calling it a loser plate either, I'm on my loser licence myself.

**knee_scraper** · 16th February 2006, 17:48

As you can imagine its not easy to take all at once. My intention in buying a bike was not just for transport but because I love riding. After owning my first bike for a couple of weeks I felt comfortable at just cruising down the motorway at 100kmh although, this is illegal. So why don't I have an 'L' plate? Because its uncool? no... I hardly care what people think. Could anyone and has anyone stayed below 70kmh for 6 months on their learners? I know I can't. I would get depressed. So that's why I don't have an 'L' plate, it just attracts attention to a capable rider.

Anyway. I'm going to do my best at writing a letter however, my gut feeling is that i'm going to have to pay this and that's fine, its the law and I broke it.

I don't want something like this to happen to anyone else on here so, my lesson and advice to all other learners is to do either one of threee things... Put an 'L' plate on and stick below 70kmh, otherwise leave the 'L' plate off and for goodness sake, don't go above the speed limit. Last of all, wait until you get a 600 then walk all over those freaking commadores

**inlinefour** · 16th February 2006, 17:55

Originally Posted by WINJA

THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME IN COURT GOT A $30 FINE AND AN ANGER MANAGEMENT COURSE FOR RANDOMLY PUNCHING ABOUT 10 PEOPLE ON THE STREET , ONE OF THEM WAS A 40ISH YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO WAS OUT SHOPPING , SHE LOST A TOOTH , AND YOU THINK ITS SIMPLE AS THAT , THAT FUCKER SHOULDA GOT JAIL CAUSE THATS THE MAXIMUM FOR ASSAULT , SO WHAT RIGHT OR REASON WOULD A PIG HAVE FOR HANDING OUT A $400 FINE FOR NO L PLATE , HAVE YOU FUCKWITS ALL LOST YOUR SENSE OF FAIRNESS .
FUCK YEAH DO A RUNNER NEXT TIME

its criminal some of these wet bus tickets that get handed down by the justice system. yet they feel justified for an excessive fine for no L plate?

**Skyryder** · 16th February 2006, 18:18

Have not read all the posts but at the risk of repeating someone................

What we have here is a cop unwilling to exercise his/her discretianary powers, with the result that one biker and a learner at that is now contemplating doing a runner that not only puts his life at risk but others all so. On top of that said biker now has a low esteem of the police and all that they stand for. Now in a black and white world............this guy broke the law, got caught, end of story. But when you consider his attitude now who is the winner. Ceratinly not the police. Certainly not the biker. And certainly not the general public. This is not a student thing but the cavelier attitude of youth.........and who here has not had that at some time or another in their life. The law allows the police some discretian in discharging their duties. What's it going to take for this to happen?

Skyryder

Skyryder

**Jamezo** · 16th February 2006, 18:30

Originally Posted by knee_scraper

Your right Devil. It's the law. If i'm frustrated then I obviously have a lesson to be learned. I could have prevented the fine by having an L plate but I didn't.
I was stopped heading up toward the Rimataka's.

Anyway, sorry to make such a post. I will take it like a man, end of story.

I guess its hard to enjoy my bike on my learners.

Nah, it's fine. I find my plate rather dashing, attached sexily with tape.

Take a ride with me some time, you'll have better luck. I haven't even seen a cop on my bike yet (and I'm FARKEN lucky of that!!!! lol)

**Ixion** · 16th February 2006, 18:31

This is a good point. Mr knee_scraper has been ticketed. What what good has that achieved? Even if Mr knee_scraper henceforth amends his wicked ways and puts a L plate on, will he be any better off? Any safer ? Will any other road user be better off for seeing Mr knee_scraper's L plate? Or any safer? What actual PURPOSE is this silly law supposed to serve? One can see the logic of speed limits even if one does not agree with them. But what logic is there in the L plate? It does not contirbute to the safety of the learner (rather the reverse). And if it be argued that it is intended as a warning to other road users ("look out, incompetant person here"), then there seems no reason to put them on motorbikes, which are hardly likely to be hazardous to others. And, remember, a motorcyclist must PASS a test to demonstrate competance BEFORE he may put up his L plate and set out on the road. He is not a complete novice as the learner car driver may be. Can anyone put forward a justification for the L plate? Does this law have any point at all?

**Jamezo** · 16th February 2006, 18:40

Originally Posted by Scoots Magoo

When I'm driving after 10pm (with full license holder in the side seat) I take the L-plates off. And since it's dark they can't see what I look like. My driving's good enough so that they don't go "wtf is that prat doing? Must be drunk! Arrest time!"

Yeah, I'm a rebel. Never been pulled up yeah.

This one time, I found some money on the street, and didn't hand it it.

That's called stealing, yeah.

(private joke lol???)

**Smorg** · 16th February 2006, 18:44

Never wore an L plate....pulled over plenty of times i think when you get done for speeding they forget about everything else......so remember kids always speed if you only want one fine at a time

**Jamezo** · 16th February 2006, 18:46

Originally Posted by Ixion

This is a good point. Mr knee_scraper has been ticketed. What what good has that achieved? Even if Mr knee_scraper henceforth amends his wicked ways and puts a L plate on, will he be any better off? Any safer ? Will any other road user be better off for seeing Mr knee_scraper's L plate? Or any safer? What actual PURPOSE is this silly law supposed to serve? One can see the logic of speed limits even if one does not agree with them. But what logic is there in the L plate? It does not contirbute to the safety of the learner (rather the reverse). And if it be argued that it is intended as a warning to other road users ("look out, incompetant person here"), then there seems no reason to put them on motorbikes, which are hardly likely to be hazardous to others. And, remember, a motorcyclist must PASS a test to demonstrate competance BEFORE he may put up his L plate and set out on the road. He is not a complete novice as the learner car driver may be. Can anyone put forward a justification for the L plate? Does this law have any point at all?

Of course. The purpose of the humble L-plate is to make it easier for police to enforce the learner license restrictions, theoretically making everybody safer!!! Don't you feel happy?

Perhaps in some twisted way not having a plate makes it safer, as it encourages people not to get caught, or else they get slapped with the uber-fine?

Of course that hinges on whether said motorcyclists definition of "not getting caught" involves not breaking the rules in the first place, or doing teh runner....

**Indoo** · 16th February 2006, 18:53

Originally Posted by Skyryder

another in their life. The law allows the police some discretian in discharging their duties. What's it going to take for this to happen?

Skyryder

Skyryder

Yeh because no cops use discretion. Hell even in this forum which is pretty onesided theres a number of threads about people being let off tickets, having speeds marked down or just being given warnings.

He was speeding on his learners and breaching his conditions because he thinks hes a capable biker after just a few months on the road. That cop didn't use his discretion to let him off, maybe hes been to a few too many bike fatals, maybe the guy had a bad attitude or maybe he just didn't believe that the circumstances warranted him letting this guy off. Who knows, certainly none of us do.

Judging all cops on this guys version of what happened is a bit stupid and ignores the fact that the vast majority of Police do use a hell of alot of discretion in day to day duties. Hell a significant proportion of the public that the Police deal with are 'cunt's, imagine if cops used the same logic some winners on here do.

**MSTRS:Me** · 16th February 2006, 19:03

Originally Posted by inlinefour

its criminal some of these wet bus tickets that get handed down by the justice system. yet they feel justified for an excessive fine for no L plate?

Yeah, well someone has to pay the salaries of all involved in the 'justice' system

**Leong** · 16th February 2006, 19:26

Originally Posted by Skyryder

Have not read all the posts but at the risk of repeating someone................

What we have here is a cop unwilling to exercise his/her discretianary powers, with the result that one biker and a learner at that is now contemplating doing a runner that not only puts his life at risk but others all so. On top of that said biker now has a low esteem of the police and all that they stand for. Now in a black and white world............this guy broke the law, got caught, end of story. But when you consider his attitude now who is the winner. Ceratinly not the police. Certainly not the biker. And certainly not the general public.

Agreed, and having read (quickly) thru the posts, I don't think it was said before!!

**Skyryder** · 16th February 2006, 19:56

Originally Posted by Indoo

He was speeding on his learners and breaching his conditions because he thinks hes a capable biker after just a few months on the road. That cop didn't use his discretion to let him off, maybe hes been to a few too many bike fatals, maybe the guy had a bad attitude or maybe he just didn't believe that the circumstances warranted him letting this guy off. Who knows, certainly none of us do.

Then the points that you raise have no validity and as such why mention them.

The display of learner plates is not a safety issue and as such the $400 fine in no ways enhances the bikers riding ability. It's a punishment end of story. The speeding fine is another matter that tells him to slow down. That my save his life. It seems to me that discreation could have been used with the L plate issue and who knows it may have achieved the same purpose. It wasn't and now we have a biker contemplating doing a runner next time. I don't know about you but the cops that have handed me out tickets, and I have not had many in all my days of motoring, have never used their discretion. But then I have always accepted the rules. $400 fine that's theft.

Skyryder