Dispensation from the graduated licensing system

[Tank]

I thought that I would drop a note to all outlining my experience applying for dispensation from the graduated licensing system.

I am currently on my learners (have been for 2.5 months), have a reasonably clean licence (although far from perfect), I am aged mid thirties and was looking for a cruiser.

I had a really good call with the people at LTNZ who were REALLY helpful. I got some additional info from them that will help others who are thinking of applying.

1. If you are a young -un don’t bother unless you are really big or tall, they have too many young people in accidents, and as such look at these a lot harder – you really have to have a good reason – otherwise you will be declined.
2. If you are looking for a bike with a “Z” in the model you will be declined regardless of age, reason, whatever – so don’t even try.

I wrote in saying a 250 on the open road was silly. They wrote back asking me how much time I spend in 100kph zones, why can’t I use a car (that I had previously), and what am I looking for, and what experience do I have (being that I have been riding 2.5 months).

I emailed them my answers (see below):

Make, Model and registration of current bike?
I ride a Suzuki GN250 registration #ABC!@#

Make, Model and registration of the bike I am looking to purchase?
I have not as yet identified the exact bike that I wish to purchase as I am unable to test ride them on my current licence. I have however spoken to numerous suppliers and biking mentors about this and they are unanimous in their recommendation of a mid-size cruiser bike. I have no intention of purchasing a sports bike or the like. Examples would be a Suzuki C50 or M50.

If I am successful in this application is it possible to get dispensation to test ride before having the licence ‘linked’ to the specific bike I am approved to purchase?

What travel options did I have prior to my class 6 licence and why cannot I use this now?
Prior to my class 6 licence I had a car of my own, but I have since sold this (Ferrari #ABC!@#). As such my bike is my only form of transport.

My wife has a car (another Ferrari #ABC!@#) but she uses this for her work and the children, and this is rarely available to me. There is also a Nissan registered to my name (a Porsche #ABC!@#) – however this is my sons and he no longer lives at home. As such I have no access to this car either.

Photo of me on my current bike:

Please find following.

[insert pic of Brad Pitt]

Photo of me on the bike that I wish to purchase?
I am unable to provide this immediately as this bike has not as yet been identified. I could either find the bike I wish to purchase and send you a picture for your approval, or I could take a picture of each of the bikes that could be on my ‘shopping list’ – please let me know which you would prefer.

Evidence of riding experience?
I had passed my learners whilst on the UK approximately 7 years ago (I cannot find a copy sorry). In New Zealand I ride every day as this is my primary form of transport. I also attend a mentor group where more experience riders provide training Wednesday evenings for approximately 2.5 hours (BIG UPS TO BIG DOG AND CO). For clarification this is not a group that just rides around town – we have a dedicated area (large carpark) where we have lessons / training on items such as emergency braking, counter steering, bike maintenance, riding in wet, general safety etc).

Other than that – I am a daily rider, with the majority of my riding done on the open road.

Estimated amount of time I ride on open road (100kph zones) and reasons why?
I ride in 100 KPH zones almost every day. To and from my office does not generally require riding in 100KPH zones, but all most other actions do.
Examples:
• I ride on the Northern Motorway (and over the harbour bridge) for meetings / training / shopping approximately twice a week. (as an aside such a small bike on the harbour bridge is dangerous when windy)
• I rode in Rodney district approximately 4 times a week for at least an hour to meet friends etc.
• I ride 5 hours return approximately every 3rd weekend to Cambridge and back to visit family (I cannot take the car as my immediate family generally do not come down for this.)
• We live at the very top of the East Coast Bays – as such a large percentage of ‘general life’ trips require riding on the motorway




They confirmed that I will be granted dispensation in the following:
• I will be given dispensation for date XX to test ride bikes upto 800cc as long as it does not have a “Z” in the model.
• Once I have selected a bike I will be given dispensation for that bike only
• I am then allowed to sit my full licence (ONE TIME ONLY) – if I pass I no longer have to have learners or restricted restrictions – I go directly to my full licence - Do no pass go, do not collect $200 – sweeeeet
o However if I fail I have to remain under the constraints of the learners / restricted with the exception of the larger bike dispensation.

All in all they were very helpful, professional and a pleasure to deal with. They are not fools, so I would not try to ‘get one past them’, but, if you have a serious and reasonable case to put forward they are extremely helpful.

- Tank

[discotex]

They confirmed that I will be granted dispensation in the following:
• I will be given dispensation for date XX to test ride bikes upto 800cc as long as it does not have a “Z” in the model.

Hehe off to test ride a gixxer 600 then eh? No Z in the model!

• I am then allowed to sit my full licence (ONE TIME ONLY) – if I pass I no longer have to have learners or restricted restrictions – I go directly to my full licence - Do no pass go, do not collect $200 – sweeeeet

Wow that's pretty handy. Once you pass you could ditch the cruiser if you wanted I assume? Pity you didn't post this 8 months ago as I commute 3-5 days a week from the bays to the city and I'm knocking on 30. Only 5 weeks till I can sit my full so kinda pointless now tho.

[Sanx]

So ... bike can't have a 'Z' in the model. So a CBR600RR, CBR1000RR, Hayabusa and any GSX-R is fine - but you can't go any buy yourself a road-legal DR-Z400 trail bike.

New Zealand Gavernment at its finest!

(but thanks for the info - not much use to me personally, but others will find it invaluable)

[Tank]

I should clarify - they gave the "Z" as an example - They did say that they look very closley at the bike that you select - Im pretty sure the examples you gave would also be on the "NO" list as well.

And as for being the government at their finest - well - they seem to take each application on a case by case basis and try to be fair and responsible - sounds like good government to me.

[Geeman]

Well, I have to disagree - started typing out my negative experiences with LTSA licensing (both on behalf of clients and for my licence) before realising it would become a novel. In my experience LTSA staff below senior management level are rule bound, lack common sense and refuse to consider the spirit/purpose of the rules if it means being required to use some judgement.

I recently spent approx 4 hours being transferred from one staff member to their supervisor, to their supervisor etc. with no sense from any of them until finally getting hold of a senior manager who finally put a stop to the charade and forced a sensible outcome.

My experiences with the LTSA have confirmed that call centres only make people angry, and that NZ is becoming more and more bureaucratic with power-drunk idiots having control over our lives.

[discotex]

I recently spent approx 4 hours being transferred from one staff member to their supervisor, to their supervisor etc. with no sense from any of them until finally getting hold of a senior manager who finally put a stop to the charade and forced a sensible outcome.

I had a similar experience with LTNZ recently. When I did my restricted the AA closed early and the instructor just said "just sign this and you'll be sweet". Of course it wasn't sweet and so I didn't get my plastic license. After going and getting my photo taken and all that crap they did send it out.

Only problem is that my license is now dated 2.5 weeks after when I passed the test. So when my license arrives I ring up LTNZ to check I'll still be able to do my test 3 months after my restricted test. Yep that's ok they say. We understand it wasn't your fault.

So 2.5 months later and a dude smashes me off my bike 3 weeks out from my theoretical test date and writes it of. So as you can imagine I'm pretty keen to get my full so I can just buy a big bike and have wheels again. Getting my full in mid december would be a real pain. Would make it hard to pick a new bike this side of xmas!

Ring LTNZ to book my test. Story has changed. Cow (and man she was) on the end of the line has no sympathy for my situation and tells me I'll have to wait till mid december to do my test. When I ask if there's someone I can appeal to she says "you could apply for an exemption but you'll probably be denied and that'll take 20 days".

At one point she even confirmed that the person I spoke to last time had told me it was ok and then said "I'll take that up with them but mid dec still stands".

After half an hour of going around in circles with this woman and having her check with her supervisor I thanked her for being so unhelpful and hung up.

Having worked around callcentres in the distant past I did what anyone should do when they get an answer they don't like. I called back to try my luck again. Fortunately I got someone helpful this time who took down the whole story and went and had a chat with their senior people. The senior person then talked to me for a bit and went to see what the could do.

Much to my surprise when they came back and agreed to back-date the issue of my restricted because my application wasn't done correctly because of the AA not because I just turned up late or whatever.

I'll be pissed if I fail the test tomorrow

[Storm]

Best of luck mate, and be sure to show the unhelpful sod your gleaming fresh license once you have it

[deanohit]

Thanks for the info Tank.
Jeez, they better not be too strict on that 'Z' thing. I'm onto my restricted in January and will be buying a DRZ400E mid-year if I can get an exemption. I mean c'mon, the DRZ has less than 40hp, while any of the 250/4s produces 45hp, not that I would want one!

[Tank]

The "Z" thing was just an example. If you chat with them as long as the bike is listed in the "bad" list you should be ok. The exemption team only consist of 4 or 5 staff as as long as you keep onside with them its a pretty easy and painless exercise.

I actually commented how they were so helpful and not what I was expecting. Her comment was that being such a small them that they wanted to ensure that they had a good name.

[deanohit]

Cheers for that man.

[davereid]

http://www.transport.tas.gov.au/__da...cheme_LAMS.pdf has a list of bikes appoved for learners in Tassie. They are going away from the cc rating idea, accepting that power to weight is far more important.

I completely agree. My wife is learning to ride. I'd rather she learned on an 883 sportster than an NSR250.

[offrd]

My application just got declined.

I told them I already bought a BMW F650 as a 250 was way to small to be safe for someone my size and that I had to ride to work in a 100 km zone.(note BMW F650 legal learners bike in Australia)

You have been eligible to sit your restricted since July 1992, (Yes well no point as I got my car restricted and sold my bike at that time many years ago.. Rode off road for many years, rode on road too but on loaned bikes...)

Sorry riding a 250 is an inconvenience. as you have told us you have already been riding a bike outside your cc size and exceeding your speed limit (70 km) your application is declined.

You can apply to the district court within 28 days to appeal.

So watch what you tell them!

Pic safe highway riding over blind brow of hill on a heavily travelled road by logging trucks going both ways..

NZ has some bullshit rules!

All I needed was the cc restriction lifted so I could sit my restricted etc, Not like I bought a bike with any serious power! hell a TZR250 has more power! But is illegal to ride on a learners in Australia.. Oh well... Off to find a rental bike to sit the licence!

Go figure

[Livvy]

Great information Tank, thanks for sharing... Now I'm just wondering if I could apply for an exemption & a quick bounce to a full licence...! Haha. How many of us could, do you think, now you've spread around what they've said to you?

They could soon be in for a lot of paperwork to process I think!

[YLWDUC]

How did the exemption go in the end Tank? You said that they've exempted you from the 250cc rule of the Learner license, but no others, so how does the 70km/hr affect you and have they also exempted that one so you can travel on the open road? I'm glad that there are people out there who won't put up with our crappy licensing rules.

On another note, if anyone out there is a Learner/Restricted Rider who's done their defensive driving course back in the dark ages (on their car license), it may be worth applying for an exemption on the time limit to stay on your restricted.

The licensing rules say nothing about having to sit the defensive driving course while you hold a class 6 license. As the DDC is a theory course it applies to both motobikes and cars. I applied for an exemption to reduce the restricted time and got it.

[Tank]

How did the exemption go in the end Tank? You said that they've exempted you from the 250cc rule of the Learner license, but no others, so how does the 70km/hr affect you and have they also exempted that one so you can travel on the open road? I'm glad that there are people out there who won't put up with our crappy licensing rules.

It went well - in the post you will see that they allowed me to go directly to my full license also - so I did this so now I have no restrictions at all. So I can ride at 100km, dont have to be home by 10, can cary a pillion, and can ride pissed out of my tree.


OK - possibly not the last one.