L plates - which offence is worse?

[Jantar]

The 70kph rule is there to keep learners off the open road. If your going to do it, tuck the L plate up as to not attract any undue attention.
Doing 70 in a 100 zone is a very bad idea.

Speightsbud is right about the fines..

So what you are saying is that unless you live in a city then you shouldn't learn to ride a motorbike?

[mazz1972]

You never know, there is always a slim possibility that the powers that be could see sense and increase the 70kmph limit for L-platers to a more sensible speed.....then again hell could probably freeze over, and thaw, before that happens.

If you were driving a car at 70kmph, and holding up traffic in doing so, would you be ticketed?

Speights makes a very good point – no L plate – no insurance. Can’t say that had occurred to me.

Buster and Hellraiser also make a very good point – the speed restriction is there to keep learners off the motorways. I take that to mean state highways as well. That’s all very well if you are somewhere like Auck and there are various other routes. Where I live I will have to ride on the state highway if I want to get to another town, as there is only one route.

Does anyone know if there any groups actively petitioning for the 70kmph restriction to be lifted? If so I would like to add my support. Or has this already been actively campaigned for and gotten nowhere?

Like others have said, my riding instructor also agrees that 70kmph is an insane speed to ride on a highway/motorway, but did actually stop short of saying not to do it.

As for the L-plate, I’ll be leaving it on till I get my restricted . But I wont be sticking to the 70kmph if it’s clearly not safe to do so. Will just have to see what happens if I get pulled up for speeding!

[quickbuck]

When I had my L plates, I used to attach it by two key rings to the bottom of the number plate (it was a black one, and had holes in the bottom). This way I could tuck it up behind the numberplate, and pull it out if stopped.
I got away with, "my dad rides the bike too, and I forfot to pull the plate down officer" on a couple of occasions. The thing was, even if I did pull it down, you could only see the L plate if the bike was stationary.
As for the 70 limit, yes it is there as the learning is supposed to be done in town. Then move to faster stuff when you have a few k's under your belt.

Not saying I agree with it though.

[apteryx_haasti]

[QUOTE=Hellraiser] tell you to get OFF the m/way.

QUOTE]

And I would say - how the hell am I meant to get to work then? Since from where I live there is no choice at all, and to get to work I HAVE to ride on the m-way! There is actually no non-motorway route from the Hutt Valley to Wgtn.

EDIT - PS - passed a cop on the way into town Weds morning. I was going at about 85 and did not slow down. Cop was behind me for a fair way and I stuck at 80-85. If cop hadn't been there I would have gone 90-100 as per usual.

I'm not against a restricted speed for learners, I just think it should be higher than 70 kph, like 90 or something, so that you aren't a danger if you do have to go on the motorway. It's not always an option to stay off the m/way and/or open road...

[sunhuntin]

what id like to know is whether it is legal or not to stick an l plate on if you are going to new territory but have a full license? im still on my learners, and plan to go around new zealand. now, if i were to get my full before i go, would i be able to put the plate back on when riding in auckland [still on 250cc] i asked the guy that me my learners, and he said illegal. but im thinking, better to have an l plate and let others know i might mess up than to leave it off and have those around expect me to know what im doing. im ok around town and local roads, but auckland i havent been there in well over 10 years and wasnt driving at the time! same goes for south island.

apteryx, yeh. last time i went down your way, the lights just before mungavin exit [heading to porirua] i had a cop behind me. was going to wind it up then noticed the lights on top. think i was going about 80-90k and they actually overtook and kept going...and it must have been over 100k they were driving at. havent actually ridden the hutt valley road, but plan to soon. lovely stretch too.

[quickbuck]

Don't know if it is leagal to put an L plate on if you have your full, but I have seen a 'Busa with one at the Brass Monkey a few years back.

[Drum]

The way I see it, an L plate doesnt make you any less likely to make a "newbie" mistake. The intention of those who force you to wear the plate must think that because you are wearing it then other motorists will be more tolerant and give you more space. If this is not the effect (and anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that it isnt), then there is little point to such a requirement.

[COP_B8]

If they both have the same weight ($400 and 25 points) then surely this persuades us learners that it does not pay to wear your L plate

Or riding a larger than 250cc bike at more than 70km outside the 'learners hours' with no motorbike license results in a $400 fine with no demerits then it persuades people to not bother getting a mbike licence

[scumdog]

Somebody lend me a 'L' plate for my 1450cc T-Sport and I'll put it on and let you know how I fare.

BTW I don't live anywhere near the Dorkland loony-bin so the result may not be accurate representation.

[scumdog]

Or riding a larger than 250cc bike at more than 70km outside the 'learners hours' with no motorbike license results in a $400 fine with no demerits then it persuades people to not bother getting a mbike licence

No, it makes those that can't 'get with the programme' for a few months think it's not worth it.
Sort of like commiting suicide because you can't wait until you're 18 to get your gun licence.

Harden up, life is not always the way YOU think it should be.

[WarlockNZ]

Heres the low down ... i had this same conversation with my father .. hes been riding since before i was born and has been in law enforcment for the same length of time ... his advice to me was this .. on an official basis .. "it's 6 months ... suck it up!!" .. cops cant turn a blind eye to a breach of the law, they have to do their job .. not to mention the insurance thing if you crash while riding outside the conditions of your license .. bottom line i quess ... is that if you are stopped .. and it will happen ... just like falling off .. and your riding outside the conditions of your license ... you can expect to feel the hurt. .. 40k over the 70k limit is an instant loss and the fines do down from there .. on a more personal note ... i've been stopped twice(at check points) and ony had my warrent and rego checked .. if your not being stupid ... there is no reason to pull you over!!

[clint640]

This came up a while back. Nobody that I know of has ever been ticketed for doing between 70 & 100km/h on the open road while showing an L plate & not doing anything else wrong.

Way back when I was on my L plate, before the $400 fines, I got pulled up at a random check, the officer didn't give a rats arse that I had obviously been cruising along with the rest of the traffic at 100km/h but I did get a warning for no L plate (which had, er, fallen off.. ) & later a letter telling me to wait another 3 months before doing my restricted, which didn't really bother me at all 'cos I didn't own a 250 I could do it on at that point...

Cheers
Clint

[knight rider]

Ooooh MY GOD we have someone with a brain cell ....... lol

You hit the nail on the head. If you turned to me and said "but constanoon i was just traveling at the same speed as the cars cause it would be dangerous to do 70km" i'd give you a $400 fine and tell you to get OFF the m/way.

Cause as stated the limit is there so you don't use the m/ways hence when you do your restricted test there's no open road riding.

so if you have no other way of getting to work & have to use your bike & the motorway to get to work you'd have to push it?

I always displayed my L plate when I had my learners (except the day it broke off) I always did 100km on the motorway too. There was no way I was gonna risk having a car ram me from behind while it's doing 100km. So to make myself safer I was gonna do 100kms aswell. If a car rammed me from behind when i was doing 70km I knew I'd be in hospital the same day (if not worse). I felt safer traveling at 100km. I knew it was wrong but when you feel your at risk of being rammed what else do you do?

I think the 70km rule is the dumbest road rule i've ever heard. to sit the learner licence you would have had to complete a basic handling skills course in which an intructor assists you to say yes or no if you can/cannot ride a motorbike. so if you can ride a motorbike why can't we ride at 100kms? it's only 30kms more than 70kms. When you get your restricted you then have to learn to ride (legaly) at 100km.

Sorry but I think it sux poos

[9cents]

Ooooh MY GOD we have someone with a brain cell ....... lol

You hit the nail on the head. If you turned to me and said "but constanoon i was just traveling at the same speed as the cars cause it would be dangerous to do 70km" i'd give you a $400 fine and tell you to get OFF the m/way.

Cause as stated the limit is there so you don't use the m/ways hence when you do your restricted test there's no open road riding.

So I have to move house to learn to ride a bike? O_o

My driveway takes me into a 100km zone, maybe those who don't live in town are supposed to just sit at home never riding untill they can sit their restricted and somehow pass with their amazing armchair riding skills.

The 70km rule is second only in stupidity to the 10pm curfew, they serve no real purpose and are not there for safety reasons.

[McJim]

The powers that be decided they didn't want learners on the motorway but didn't have the common decency to front up and say "Motorway out of bounds on a Learner Licence" Instead they came up with another half arsed law that is more dangerous than safe.
I say we get maybe 300 Learner Riders with L Plates on the motorway and drive from Greenlane to Takapuna and back again continuously for a day at 70kph to prove a point.