Motorway, open road and harbour bridge?

[BoristheBiter]

I rode once at 70 on the motorway and would never do it again.
cars are so close behind you that if you fart they know what you had for breakfast.
I cut a yellow strip off and stuck it on the plate, got stopped once at a checkpoint and told them it must have fell off, got told to put it on again.
Like said above just get off the L plate as soon as possable.

[peasea]

No one has to come to an internet to get this information. Its in the license books. The thing is the interpretation is not too clear.

I think the idea of keeping to 70 km was to keep learners off the motorway (which is rather silly) ...

There's a fair bit of ambiguity in the NZ road rules, don't envy newbies. That 70kph thing is b/s for Aucklanders, it's just not safe in many areas to pootle along at 70. Screw it; go with the flow.

[Love my Bonnie]

Once I was confident, I never stuck to the 70k limit.
I agree with everyone that is saying that if you dont draw attention to yourself, the cops will leave you alone.

DON"T take your L plate off, I wish i could have had a flashing neon L plate when I was learning.
It lets others on the road know why you may stall or do something silly (as we all did when we were learning).

[BoristheBiter]

Once I was confident, I never stuck to the 70k limit.
I agree with everyone that is saying that if you dont draw attention to yourself, the cops will leave you alone.

DON"T take your L plate off, I wish i could have had a flashing neon L plate when I was learning.
It lets others on the road know why you may stall or do something silly (as we all did when we were learning).

Agreed, i had been riding for about 10 years on dirt before i got my learners so i had the confidence.
But yes if i didn't, i don't think i would have went on the motorway

[p.dath]

Hi guys:

I just got my bike yesterday and I'm still on a leaner's plate at this moment. I just wonder am I allowed to get on the motorway, the harbor bridge or even the open road? Since I only can go up to 70ks a hour. Could anybody give me some advice, because I want to go to the north shore during the weekend!
Thanks

You are not allowed to impede the flow of traffic. So if the traffic is moving at 100Km/h, you are not allowed on those roads. If you know there is traffic congestion, then you can.

[Swoop]

The bridge is an 80kmh zone, so the difference is minimal if wearing an L-plate.
Ride to the conditions and dominate your lane by using the right hand wheel track.

You are not allowed to impede the flow of traffic. So if the traffic is moving at 100Km/h, you are not allowed on those roads.

Rubbish. Small scooters are about the only thing not allowed on the motorway as they have to be capable of sustained motorway speeds.

[p.dath]

The bridge is an 80kmh zone, so the difference is minimal if wearing an L-plate.
Ride to the conditions and dominate your lane by using the right hand wheel track.


Rubbish. Small scooters are about the only thing not allowed on the motorway as they have to be capable of sustained motorway speeds.

Impeding the flow of traffic is around $150 fine and is covered in "Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999". You can read about it in the Wiki:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/wiki/Offences_and_Penalties

[RUSS]

When you get on the motorway from Fanshaw Street the speed limit is 70km/h due to the roadworks. When you get to the bridge the speed limit is 80km/h and remains 80 until past Stafford Road exit and before Onewa Road exit. You don't need to worry about a ticket because if you get one it's because you are speeding regardless of licence class.

[peasea]

You are not allowed to impede the flow of traffic. So if the traffic is moving at 100Km/h, you are not allowed on those roads. If you know there is traffic congestion, then you can.

And what happens when it suddenly clears and you go with the flow to avoid impeding the flow of traffic? Instant offence, ka-ching.

[sleemanj]

Never ride without your L plate. Its a license condition, and you will be-insured if you crash in breach of your licence.

Assuming you meant to say "you will not be insured", then you are wrong wrong, wronger than a wrong thing.

Not having a WOF does not void your insurance.
Not having a current vehicle licence (Reg) does not void your insurance.
Not having an L-Plate does not void your insurance.
...

Insurance Law reform Act 1977 makes it clear that to deny a claim the reason must be directly relevant to the reason for the claim. If you get rear ended, or even have an off, not having an L-Plate attached to your bike is exceedingly unlikely to be in any way relevant to the claim.

[davereid]

Assuming you meant to say "you will not be insured", then you are wrong wrong, wronger than a wrong thing.

Not having a WOF does not void your insurance.
Not having a current vehicle licence (Reg) does not void your insurance.
Not having an L-Plate does not void your insurance.
...

Insurance Law reform Act 1977 makes it clear that to deny a claim the reason must be directly relevant to the reason for the claim. If you get rear ended, or even have an off, not having an L-Plate attached to your bike is exceedingly unlikely to be in any way relevant to the claim.

No you are wrong. Riding without an L plate (if one is a condition of your licence), means you don't have a licence.

And riding without a licence is directly relevant to your insurance.

Unlicensed drivers are not insured.


So you are wrong. Wronger than a wrong thing.

[sleemanj]

No you are wrong. Riding without an L plate (if one is a condition of your licence), means you don't have a licence.

And riding without a licence is directly relevant to your insurance.

Unlicensed drivers are not insured.

Care to provide a reference for your statement, a reference which superceeds the law?

"the insured shall not be disentitled to be indemnified by the
insurer by reason only of such provisions of the contract of
insurance if the insured proves on the balance of probability
that the loss in respect of which the insured seeks to be
indemnified was not caused or contributed to by the happening
of such events or the existence of such circumstances."

Insurance Law Reform Act 1977

If we took your line davereid then an insurer could say "no I won't pay out because you didn't have an L-plate" and get away with it even if the rider said "oh, somebody must have stolen it and I didn't notice" because the insurer says "doesn't matter, no l-plate no licence no insurance".

In my opinion the Insurance Law Reform Act 1977 precludes this precisely because an L-Plate satisfies this clause - "not caused or contributed to by the happening of such events or the existence of such circumstances" which prevents the insurer denying the claim on that basis.

[davereid]

Care to provide a reference for your statement, a reference which superceeds the law?

"the insured shall not be disentitled to be indemnified by the
insurer by reason only of such provisions of the contract of
insurance if the insured proves on the balance of probability
that the loss in respect of which the insured seeks to be
indemnified was not caused or contributed to by the happening
of such events or the existence of such circumstances."

Insurance Law Reform Act 1977

If we took your line davereid then an insurer could say "no I won't pay out because you didn't have an L-plate" and get away with it even if the rider said "oh, somebody must have stolen it and I didn't notice" because the insurer says "doesn't matter, no l-plate no licence no insurance".

In my opinion the Insurance Law Reform Act 1977 precludes this precisely because an L-Plate satisfies this clause - "not caused or contributed to by the happening of such events or the existence of such circumstances" which prevents the insurer denying the claim on that basis.

If you are in breach of your licence conditions you are unlicensed.

Care to quote a law which makes an insurer pay out for an unlicensed driver ? Being unlicensed is absolutely a contributing factor in an at fault accident.

Why not ring your insurer and ask ? Make sure the insurers representative understands that you will be riding unlicensed. He or She may not be aware that no L plate makes you unlicensed, but the insurance assessor will be. The same applies to an at-fault accident if you are drunk. The accident may have been caused by a road defect, vehicle defect, not the alcohol.

But you are still uninsured.

It is NOT the same as having a blown light bulb, or no current rego. The assessor may not notice you are supposed to have the L plate on, he may notice and not care. But if he does, you have just given him a get-out-of jail free card.

[Sentox]

If you are in breach of your licence conditions you are unlicensed.

Care to quote a law which makes an insurer pay out for an unlicensed driver ? Being unlicensed is absolutely a contributing factor in an at fault accident.

Why not ring your insurer and ask ? Make sure the insurers representative understands that you will be riding unlicensed. He or She may not be aware that no L plate makes you unlicensed, but the insurance assessor will be. The same applies to an at-fault accident if you are drunk. The accident may have been caused by a road defect, vehicle defect, not the alcohol.

But you are still uninsured.

It is NOT the same as having a blown light bulb, or no current rego. The assessor may not notice you are supposed to have the L plate on, he may notice and not care. But if he does, you have just given him a get-out-of jail free card.

Question remains then: what happens if someone steals the plate while you're parked, or it comes off in the accident and can't be found? Tough luck, no insurance?

[firefighter]

There is so much mis-guided, wrong and downright stupid fucken advice in this thread it should be put straight into P.D.

Yes, you can ride on the fucken motorway. Period. Riding at 70KPH on the motorway is not an offence.


Interestingly, when I checked the road code for this, I came across this little gem;

Safe riding on motorways

When riding on a motorway:

keep left, unless you are passing WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some real good advice there from the road code.......

Also there's some shit in the law changes section about texting or making calls while riding, i'm not joking. It says it must be hands free now......good to know?!

Goes to show, motorcycles are so far down the give a shit list, I dunno why BRONZ bothers, big ups to them, but obviously the system is'nt interested.
watch for exit signs
get into the correct exit lane in plenty of time
signal for at least three seconds before you change lanes
you must not stop your vehicle, except in an emergency
you must not make a U-turn
you must not stop to let down or pick up passengers
if you miss your exit, don't stop and reverse - instead, drive on to the next exit.