Stung by quota-filling bitch on my noob plate

[Mom]

I was in the right hand lane just past the Haywards hill lights doing 90-110 the whole time had just shifted to the left lane past the typical merging chaos at that intersection and then about 100 meters on saw a black car changing lanes behind and then the lights. Pretty sure there was nothing apart from a big L on my bike that would have caused her to look twice.

I'm pretty sure I was on my best behaviour throughout the ride and I'm really a bit of a nanna. I rarely even lane split on my way from Upper Hutt to Welly for work.

Now that is a worry. Read jrandoms advice. PM him, he is VERY good at assisting with letters to authorities.

Seems you got a hormonally challenged female cop, on a really bad day, just after she woke to find the goldfish (her baby) she has had for 10 years had died, the morning after her boyfriend rooted her best mate and her boss had warned her not to come back to station without one fucking unreasonable ticket in her book or else!

Shit it was a chick cop eh? Imagine a bloke with those problems, he would have thrown more than a book at you

[Mom]

This is how I see it. Only time I know of learners "getting the learn" is when they have been dickheads attracting attention to themselves.

In this case, maybe you just struck a newbie who was "advised" by her supervisor to write this one out on ya....

I would write in. 400 great reasons to give it a go. If ya don't ask, ya don't get....

Edit - was typing while you answered as above Lurch... Feel free to PM if ya wish

But, but, but, you are a copper! You are the enemy

[Patrick]

Keep ya friends close, but keep ya enemies closer...? (Or some saying like that...)

[Ixion]

I got my bike license 39 years ago whe there was no such thoing as graduated licenses, mind you I only had a 125 bsa bantam when i got my license top speed 35 mph (<60kmh)

Ha. Noob. *MY* 125cc Bantam did 61mph. Timed.

[DarkLord]

Agreed.....stupid law. When I was on my L's I wore L plates twice....once on my first big ride (it blew off) and the next time was when I did my restricted test.

I passed plenty of cops when I was on my L's and had them behind me and everything, I just rode safely and carefully, within the speed limits and I never got pulled up.

However, if you do get pulled up and are on your L's with no plates, it is a hefty fine (even worse if you get pulled up for speeding!) so only do it if that is a risk you are willing to take.

[Tank]

For what it is worth (too late I know),

If you ride on the open road a lot you can get exemption to bypass the remaining "L" and restricted and go directly to your full.

LTNZ offered it to me (I didnt ask) when I went to my other exemption - their reasoning is that they think 70km in a 100km area is dangerous and they dont want you doing it.

Search my post for a full write up.

[davereid]

This one has to be worth a letter to police !

I mean, the LTSA won't let you on the motorway on a Moped as you can't keep up with the flow of traffic.

Here they are giving you a ticket 'cos you could keep up !

Good luck

[racefactory]

People worry about the constabulary and L plates far too much .

What you need to do is simply attach the L plate to the bit that holds your wof certificate, then when you want to go on highway you simply fold the plate behind the gap at the rear of the number plate. That way you still have L plate and it can be activated in a second if need be. Of course ont op of that, if you still need it you can say 'ah fudge i forgot to fold it down from when my brother last used the bike'.

[slimjim]

time to allow L plate to fall off...

[HungusMaximist]

Man, you guys need to think out the box a bit!

When I got my learners in OZ, I had my L plate for a month or two but the fucken thing kept flying off. So, what I decide was ditch the whole L plate and keep a spare one in my rear pack and If I ever did get pulled over or licence check just pull out the "Oh shit officer, it's been the 4th time that thing has flown off or so I always keep a spare in my pack".

Trust me, it will work but don't blame me if it doesn't!

[portokiwi]

Feel you mate. lots of good advice has been given. Its up to you now.

[Mystic13]

personally i'd write in. If that fails I'd go to court on it. Firstly there is no limit on car learners. Secondly it is dangerous to other road users when you have one vehilce travelling slowly. Thirdly it's dangerous to yourself when you run the possibility of having someone behind you becoming very upset and potentially taking you off your bike. I see a judge being far more forgiving and the dangers of comply8ing with the law on this specific road far outway the law.

Having said that I assume you were in the 100k speed zone. If you were passing other vehicles then that may not help your case.

Riding from the Hutt you have little choice but to use the motorway. Apply for an exemption.

My understanding is the NZTA (they merged and renamed the LTSA a few weeks back) can only support the law as it stands and would expect to see you ride at 70kmph. If you did that I'd ride in the right hand wheel track.

Now a sign on the back of your bike with big enough wording that read
"Sorry"
"Licence Restriction"
"can only do 70kmph"
"in 100kmph zone".

Instead of complaining about the law someone needs to organise a lobby of the right people to get this changed asap. Especially as they are considering a law change to the learners bike sizes.

Most riders I know ignored it. Try going on a ride into the country side and staying at 70kmph.

[Lurch]

Thanks to everyone for their input, a letter will definitely be going out soon.

[FruitLooPs]

Thats some epic bad luck, I got pulled up by the fuzz once only.

On my way into town to work nightshift at midnight. My RG's baffling is all but gone by now so its loud as hell, was just getting off the lights near christs college and a dog unit drove past did a u-turn ad nabbed me.

I explained myself, and that the bike is small so it makes a lot of noise to get anywhere - I had no L plate on he noted I was outside my hours and wanted a reason, said it was for work literally 500m up the road from where I was pulled up. Told me to be on my way and get restricted asap. No worries

[Brooke]

I guess you just gotta weight up the pro's and con's. I don't "wear" my L plate on my bike coz firstly I think they are stupid and secondly I don't want to get run over by a truck who's pissed at me for going slow (wouldn't exactly want to get passed by him either!) So I have my plate under my seat (I still don't really know why) and I travel and 100km/ph and know that if I get pulled for a licence check I just have to accept the consequences. They'd give me the same fine anyway for breaking the rules of my licence.

I feel safer anyway, 70km/ph is just a death warrant on a bike