Number Plates & the boys in blue !!
 

I got "pulled over" by a patrol car this afternoon........(riding sensibly & within the speed limits). "your number plate is not of the required size". Plod produced a rule & details of the required number plate size for motorcycles. The letters on your plate are 2 & 1/8" high, when it should be 2 & 1/2" high !!! (9.525mm too short). Definately something for crime watch then (OK all the letters & numbers, were on the same line, instead of being in two parts). Plod gave me form 664/documents & rectification......."if i catch you again -- £30 fine OK".

Ohh well.....didn't even look at the DP termi 57mm system :lol:

You have been warned....

Chris

Same happened to me a couple of years back chris.
Only my numbers were 1/8", yes one eighth of an inch, too small - and I got a twenty quid fine! Lost a little bit of respect for the traffic dept after that one.

So, if it's illegal, why whine when you are caught?

Lets face it .... part of this is bravado and done to antagonise .....

You got a producer .... so what!!

because it's not a big enough deal to waste 20 minutes of public time and cost me 20 quid when 1/8th of a inch doesn't show any intent to break the law :mad:
Then the cheif constable says they're under-resourced.
so quit tellin me not to winge.

soap box time over.... happy again :)

[Edited on 24-3-2004 by Moderator]

You could just put a normal number plate on it, then they wouldn't stop you. Then you wouldn't have to waste everyone elses time posting your whinge ......:lol:

And anyway, I was refering to Chris .... you don't think they pulled you over for riding a ugly bike , do you ?

[Edited on 24-3-2004 by the phantom pieman]

[Edited on 24-3-2004 by Moderator]

sorry pieman, must be my time of the month.

Well Mr Pieman.....as the old saying goes: "my bike = your face"

:lol:

me too mine was a 1/4" to small didnt help maters me saying he should be out catching real criminals he went over the bike like a rash trying to find something wrong with it and then they wonder why we call them PIGS or worst.

:mad::mad::mad:

They are only doing a job...And jumping through the hoops that the goverment ask them to.
If you worked in the public sector then you'd know...You have targets to work to.
AND as a school Ma'am...I always say "if you do something unkind to someone they will do it back"...
What did you expect roadrunner???
You'd have probably ended up with a converstaion about how nice your bike was and an apology as he gave you a producer....

Sorry Chris, even I'm not that ugly !!! Maybe in the wrong light, granted .... but at least my mum and dad didn't try and revamp me after a year!!!! :lol::lol::lol:

I wrote a considerable response to this, but, as i often do to threads like this, chose not to post it.

KB is correct, and i do say quite often its not doing it, its getting caught doing it! Once caught things can go a variety of ways....

I was going to tell a story about, as a result of being able to read a rear number plate today, two males are in custody for a series of 10 yes 10 Robberies.
During the course of these robberies the victims have been subjected to a variety of vicious assaults.
If they were your loved ones, youd want the PIGS to have caught them by whatever means....
Now i dont for one moment make a comparison of the people involved in my or your point, mearly the fact that you need to be able to read a plate!

People within the law enforcement agencies have a job to do.

The rules-they don't make,just enforce.If you want to break the law,when you know what it is,take the consequences.I do,with my small number plate,50mm Termis and dark visor,plus the "making progress"speeds.I will whinge when caught,but know the rules and choose to play the game.The police like most government agencies are under resourced,stopped from doing the job that they want to do by desk bound government officials only wanting statistics.Give them a break.You really DON'T want to know what the real criminals are like that they DO catch.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Jasp

we all take risks and dont think about when we do get away with it, just when we get caught. the world would be a sorry state with out the laws but there are more serious offences which they could be dealing with.
any way my number plate is in my coat and it just fell off. ;) honest!

Well said Jasp. When you see and hear of some of the **** they have to deal with you'll think differently about the guys doing the job.

It's never our fault is it?

Our society has imported the pathetic US mentality that if anything goes wrong in our lives we no longer accept our own responsibilities, we just look around for people to point fingers at.

We've adopted the sort of thinking that rules are not for us personally, they're for all the others, and we throw a strop if we actually get taken to task over anything.

I'm with Jasper, it's a question of choice. I've chosen to have loud cans, I've chosen to put my 5 digit VIN on a plate that is no longer legal in terms of overall size, even though the font is a legal one, and I make the choice to break speed limits or not every time I ride.

If I exercise that freedom of choice, I shouldn't be surprised if plod exercise their right to pull me.

Actually Alan, I hate to be pedantic but I heard a rumour today that Tone's trip has been sponsored by Shell! (I'm not joking by the way).

Well KB Iwish I had your faith in the boys in blue but first had experiences tell a very very different story I won't go into details as this is not the place.

:mad::mad:

It has nothing to do with faith...
They do a flippin good job as well as put up with the crap the government shell out so that they are "performing" to their targets and giving"value added", taking the bad mouthing that they always do from motorbikers/motorists and teenage ponces that flount the law coz they think it's a wheeze...
Yes we all know that there are some idiots that strut about in a uniform and I am sorry if you met some of them but...
When a six year old sits across a table from me and tells me what their Dad did to them last night and then tells me not to tell anyone then I like to think that when it is reported and out of my hands that some decent ,hardworking, sensitive police officer is going to interview that little one with the same amount of empathy and respect as I gave to Him/her.
It's not just about your number plate...
If we let off number plates we might as well let off dodgy lights, and if we let off dodgy lights we might as well not bother with MOT's and if we don't bother with MOT's then we might as well not bother with insurance...get my point!
Off soap box...

Wow that has touched a nerve. You have your point view and I have mine.

OH MY GOD! I just read my reply!
It did touch a nerve didn't it!
Apology...Just back from parents evening and not had a glass of wine yet!
Me thinks i need a chill pill!
Soz again...Hard and difficult day!
Lisax

If Only I had The Choice
 

Guys n Gals
Reading all the "posts" made me smile because here in Switzerland we do not have a choice. We cannot make the plate ourselves - neither can the garage/dealer. And you do not have a choice of selecting your own number or buying a so called "personal" registration.

It goes like this: the vehicle registration office (one in each of the 26 Kantones that make up the Swiss Federation) issues you with your number plate. A shinny reflective alu job inc hologram, the swiss flag and the flag of the Kantone. Then they send you a large bill for the said plate.

Now if you are silly enough to move from one Kantone to another then you have to surrender your old plate (you'll be charge a recycling fee) and buy your new one (yes the number will be different) so you wiull have to notify your insurance company who may well increase the premium depending on where you are now living (if your lucky they may and do reduce it).

Finally failure to do any of the above or modify the plate in any way will result in a very very heavy fine.

Postscript - you can hand in your plate if you take the bike off the road in winter and they'll give you a rebate (so will the insurance company) - but remember you will have to go and stand in-line for your new plate etc etc when the sun shines again and you want to get out on the bike. So most folk don't go for the rebate scheme. :lol:

So have fun with your plates - I cann't ::(

I think the Swiss system is great and very easy to police. Should be adopted here. If you do not renew your insurance or pay your "road tax" the police are empowered to take your plates, therefore everyone on the road is completely legal.

When i lived there a few years ago you could also share plates between vehicles, so you did not have to pay twice, although there was a small premium for the facility.

When it comes to minor motoring offences I say play the Police at their own game. I have a black rat sticker on my bike and I have already been let off with a nod for a small plate........