Enforcement on Learners???

[Ghost Lemur]

yup, 6 months on your learners, then another 18 on a restricted license.

And half those for over 25s.... yay.

[riffer]

yup, 6 months on your learners, then another 18 on a restricted license.

Ouch. I'm sure it wasn't 18 months on restricted when I was 17. Must have forgotten about that.

[Blakamin]

And half those for over 25s.... yay.

Actually, learners is still 6 months if you're over 25
I had to do it!

[Ghost Lemur]

Actually, learners is still 6 months if you're over 25
I had to do it!

Yeah, but the ristricted goes for 18 months to 6. So it sort of evens out.

[Ms Piggy]

I think you got that backwards.

Car drivers just do the scratchy/aural test, while bikers have to pass a Basic Skills and Handling certificate before they can even book the scratchy test.

Oh yeah! I forgot about the BHS test I shouldn't forget b/c I was pretty traumatised for months after I passed mine!

Just dont go in a 100kmh zone.... = no getting passed by trucks. It is like driving/riding at night. Sometimes you think you need to do it, but more often than not there are other ways around it.

Ummmmm - PT how the hell are you meant to become a better rider if you can't ride on the open road?

[White trash]

Ummmmm - PT how the hell are you meant to become a better rider if you can't ride on the open road?

By practicing wheelies in the pub car park. Duh.

[badlieutenant]

I'm on my restricted at the moment (due to sit the full test on the 20th).

I think the engine size restriction is a good one...I wish I could get a bigger bike now...but it's probably a good thing that I can't. I took a mates 750 gixxer out for a blat, OMG it was fast!!! I don't need that kinda power, I'd rather push my 250 as hard as I can and master that before moving up.

The hour restriction is a pain, I'm 27 and I now have a curfew again

When I was on the learners, the L-Plate was never attached (except when I sat the restricted test...it was then promptly removed).

The 70Kph IMHO is simply dangerous, other road users expect traffic to be traveling at 100Kph and most probably expect bikes to be going faster still.

When I first started riding I only rode 1-up, now I'm quite happy carrying a pillion, I've gone for a frang over the takas with my wife on the back and had a great time...sure the stopping takes a little longer and cornering feels different but you have to get used to it at some stage. I've even got away have the wife on the back when I got pulled over for speeding..."she's aloud on the back cause she's my wife" I couldn't believe that line worked

Maybe it's because I'm getting old but the rules are a bit of a pain. Although thinking back to when I was 15, if I had got a bike back then these rules would have helped keep me alive.

id have to disagree on the cc rating restriction, I think it should be a total power output and power/weight restriction. I used to ride a xj600 on my learners and got pulled up for it by a cop. I explained to him that a gsxr250 would leave my bike for dead both in top speed and acceleration. I also pointed out my main use of the bike, which was long distance riding (bay of islands to wellington) which would kill a 250 fast, and he was good about it and even agreed that it was a silly law and told me to have a good day and take it easy. Actually He was driving one of the new holdens at the time and I ended up have a look at the new engine and finding out how fast they could go etc.

[Stevo]

I guess it comes down to not drawing too much attention to oneself while on the learners. I rarely exceed 110kph in areas or at times when the cops are in abundance. My theory being that without my L plate they are not exactly going to pull me up for doing 110 or less.

ummmmmm...... Also I think all of my demerits that I have accrued in my cage, has a factor here as I have very few to play with!!

The funniest thing while being on my learners was the Mrs being caught by Mr Policeman doing 126 catching up to me doing 111 on the wee 250........ She just said to him, Lucky you caught me then cos I am way nicer than my bf woulda been. (Cos of demerits automatic loss of licence for me it woulda been)hahahahaaha

[Lou Girardin]

If the cops really wanted to enforce learner laws, they'd be outside schools at 3.00PM.
I don't think it's high priority for them.

[Motu]

A loooooooooooonnnnnnnggggggg time ago the L label was the rego label,if you were a learner when you paid for your rego,you got an L label.My brother had less riding time than me,but as he had a full car license he had a full rego label too.So I got a ticket for riding his bike which had no L label.Unfortunatly it was in Orewa and I had to go to court on the shore to plead guilty,I was 17 at the time and it was an interesting experiance - watching high paid lawyers pleading faulty speedos and such as the reason for speeding.One of these lawyers was a fat greasy haired dude wearing a black suit like he was an undertaker - his name was David Lange,and was to resurface a few years later.

[spudchucka]

And if the cops see you with 1 on they will think you are a law abiding rider and are more likely to leave you alone. Trust me.

Thats how I look at it.

[spudchucka]

I think we're pretty lucky in NZ. I have heard horror stories (and some have appeared on this site) about cops in other countries who are absolutely paranoid about bikes. They seem to go out of their way to stick it to us. I've been lucky so far. Never had a speeding ticket of any sort, bike or car. I reckon the trick is in watching the conditions, and not doing stupid things in the wrong place. BUT, a lot has just been plain luck!

I believe in the old saying "look where you want to go". If you always do that you just might see more than a corner that's tighter than you think. You also just might see that white car or van tucked in behind a bush!

That is exactly the method I've used to stay ticket free since about age 17.

[spudchucka]

So what is the police line on a fully licenced rider stopped for doing 100km/hr on a bike displaying a Learner plate.

Is that an offence? Exceeding 70km/hr while displaying L plate?

Not a problem. Its the persons licence that is important, not the fact that an L plate is displayed on the bike.

[spudchucka]

If the cops really wanted to enforce learner laws, they'd be outside schools at 3.00PM.
I don't think it's high priority for them.

I guess you don't hang around schools too much these days to actually be able to back that up (unless of course there is some dirty secret you are'nt telling us about). Schools are easy pickings for licence breaches and cops do patrol them especially when complaints are received about hormone charged love sick boy racers doing skids etc to impress the girls.

Its not a high priority but when need arises they are policed hard.

[Posh Tourer :P]

Ummmmm - PT how the hell are you meant to become a better rider if you can't ride on the open road?

This thing called a 50kmh zone. It will teach you roadcraft because you are going to be around lots of other cars. Only for 6 months too. Once you have become used to traffic, you can then get a restricted and do 100kmh, and deal with 1)motorway traffic and 2)learning how to ride round corners well (something that not many people really need to do, it is more of a choice).

Why is it such an issue??? For the first 6 months you learn one aspect, and then the next 18months you learn another?

There's more to being a good rider than being able to go fast on an open road.

I dont understand your point :spudwhat: (illustrated for the smiley generation)