Non standard front plate

Archives of Posts to the NZ MX5 List back in 2003
Gary Morrison
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:24 pm
Location: Wellington

Non standard front plate

Post by Gary Morrison » Sat Jul 26, 2003 11:04 am

Just a followup on my recent infringement notice.

This stated:

"Failing to display a front reg plate (authorised). Compliance Offered 14
days."

I went to the local Community Police Station (Centre?) and had the only person
there note the correctly fitted plate. She was obviously not a "sworn" member
of the force, but an admin person, and her comment was "its all a bit silly
isn't it? those plates are too big for the front of the car". She filled out
an internal Police memo, took a photocopy of the infringement notice (and I
obtained a photocopy of her memo - can't be too careful when they might just
lose track of it).

I thought that was the end of the matter. However a couple of weeks later I
got a reminder notice, the pink one that you've probably all had at times.
Gee, their system doesn't work! Of course you cannot simply telephone someone
to have the matter resolved, they hide behind a PO Box, and a fax number. So I
faxed them, requesting the notice be cancelled.

Yesterday I got the standard letter "In considersation of all the
circumstances surrounding this incident it has been decided that no further
action will be taken." (All in capital letters)

So, next time you are stopped for a non-standard plate, be nice, ask for the
Compliance option, and see how you go.

Gary

pjenkins

Non standard front plate

Post by pjenkins » Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:04 am

Garry,
Does it help if you carry the original in the boot?
Pete

pjenkins

Non standard front plate

Post by pjenkins » Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:04 am

Garry,
Does it help if you carry the original in the boot?
Pete

lou Girardin

Non standard front plate

Post by lou Girardin » Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:40 am

Depends on whether the cop has done his quota or not!

lou Girardin

Non standard front plate

Post by lou Girardin » Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:40 am

Depends on whether the cop has done his quota or not!

Gary Morrison
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:24 pm
Location: Wellington

Non standard front plate

Post by Gary Morrison » Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:50 am

Hi Pete,

Actually I did have the original in the boot, and it may have helped with the
compliance offer. Although he took my word it was there and didn't look.

Gary


On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 09:04:44 +1200, pjenkins@sptyres.com.au wrote:


Garry,
Does it help if you carry the original in the boot?
Pete

jeff

Non standard front plate

Post by jeff » Mon Jul 28, 2003 11:53 am

it does if you're trying on the "it fell off" excuse !

although it also helps if you're not young and
boy-racerish :p The officer did knowingly mutter
something about similar aesthetically demanding
Ferrari and Jaguar owners...

--- pjenkins@sptyres.com.au wrote:
[...]

jeff

Non standard front plate

Post by jeff » Mon Jul 28, 2003 11:53 am

it does if you're trying on the "it fell off" excuse !

although it also helps if you're not young and
boy-racerish :p The officer did knowingly mutter
something about similar aesthetically demanding
Ferrari and Jaguar owners...

--- pjenkins@sptyres.com.au wrote:
[...]

Annalisa Quinn

Non standard front plate

Post by Annalisa Quinn » Mon Jul 28, 2003 6:23 pm

Did try that!!!
Talk about mean.
Made me go into the local police station and prove that I had removed the
stick on and reinstalled the " legal one".

Annalisa Quinn

Non standard front plate

Post by Annalisa Quinn » Mon Jul 28, 2003 6:23 pm

Did try that!!!
Talk about mean.
Made me go into the local police station and prove that I had removed the
stick on and reinstalled the " legal one".

Chic & Morven

Non standard front plate

Post by Chic & Morven » Mon Jul 28, 2003 6:26 pm

I think the fine might be less if you actually have the plate with you,
but I'm not sure. It's $200 for not properly displaying the original
plate on the front of the car, but Morven got stopped once and the
policeman said it was $600 or something like that. Morven didn't know the
plate was under the seat so she couldn't show him it. I don't know how
she got out of it, but she did (as usual). Chic On Mon, 28 Jul 2003
09:04:44 +1200, pjenkins@sptyres.com.au wrote: > >Garry, >Does it help if
you carry the original in the boot? >Pete > > --
Chic & Morven, us@lynchz.com on 07/28/2003

Chic & Morven

Non standard front plate

Post by Chic & Morven » Mon Jul 28, 2003 6:26 pm

I think the fine might be less if you actually have the plate with you,
but I'm not sure. It's $200 for not properly displaying the original
plate on the front of the car, but Morven got stopped once and the
policeman said it was $600 or something like that. Morven didn't know the
plate was under the seat so she couldn't show him it. I don't know how
she got out of it, but she did (as usual). Chic On Mon, 28 Jul 2003
09:04:44 +1200, pjenkins@sptyres.com.au wrote: > >Garry, >Does it help if
you carry the original in the boot? >Pete > > --
Chic & Morven, us@lynchz.com on 07/28/2003

Martin Harms

Non standard front plate

Post by Martin Harms » Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:08 pm

A lawyer in Auckland told me in 2000 there is no actual
law/bylaw/regulation in NZ requiring anyone to display a licence plate
at the front of the car. Fullstop.

If a cop stops you and claims it costs: $ 200, or $ 600, or whatever for
a "non regulation" plate he is fishing.
If you accept his claim, you have pleaded guilty, and are liable to pay
whatever fine you accept. If you do not admit to anything the NZ Police
have to convince a Judge that you have broken a law. The outcome will
very likely be nothing at all. As someone previously reported here.
That's how NZ law works. If you admit to an accusation by the cops you
have pleaded guilty and have to pay the fine. If you don't admit to
anything THEY have to convince a judge. That's why cops start with: "Do
you know why I stopped you?" when you have been speeding. Say:"No, I
don't" It's fun. Try it sometime.

I have had a stick on front licence plate on the front since 1998. It
was made by a professional signwriter using reflective white background
(exactly as normal plate) with a black surround line, (exactly as
normal) and using exactly the same Typeface and spacing as on a normal
plate. The only comment I've ever had from cops was: Now that's
excellent, that's how they all should be.

Martin Harms

Non standard front plate

Post by Martin Harms » Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:08 pm

A lawyer in Auckland told me in 2000 there is no actual
law/bylaw/regulation in NZ requiring anyone to display a licence plate
at the front of the car. Fullstop.

If a cop stops you and claims it costs: $ 200, or $ 600, or whatever for
a "non regulation" plate he is fishing.
If you accept his claim, you have pleaded guilty, and are liable to pay
whatever fine you accept. If you do not admit to anything the NZ Police
have to convince a Judge that you have broken a law. The outcome will
very likely be nothing at all. As someone previously reported here.
That's how NZ law works. If you admit to an accusation by the cops you
have pleaded guilty and have to pay the fine. If you don't admit to
anything THEY have to convince a judge. That's why cops start with: "Do
you know why I stopped you?" when you have been speeding. Say:"No, I
don't" It's fun. Try it sometime.

I have had a stick on front licence plate on the front since 1998. It
was made by a professional signwriter using reflective white background
(exactly as normal plate) with a black surround line, (exactly as
normal) and using exactly the same Typeface and spacing as on a normal
plate. The only comment I've ever had from cops was: Now that's
excellent, that's how they all should be.

Jennie James

Non Standard front plate

Post by Jennie James » Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:28 pm

Wish I'd kept the correspondence with LTSA when my wife was getting her
personal plates a year ago! They emailed me a couple of pages of all the
regulations we'd break if we went for a stick-on front plate, plus some
potentially large fine. I get in enough scrapes with the law on my bike, and
we didn't want another law-breaker in the family, so standard plate it was!

Geoff James

Jennie James

Non Standard front plate

Post by Jennie James » Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:28 pm

Wish I'd kept the correspondence with LTSA when my wife was getting her
personal plates a year ago! They emailed me a couple of pages of all the
regulations we'd break if we went for a stick-on front plate, plus some
potentially large fine. I get in enough scrapes with the law on my bike, and
we didn't want another law-breaker in the family, so standard plate it was!

Geoff James

joanie
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 109
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 3:48 pm
Location: Paekakariki

Non standard front plate

Post by joanie » Mon Jul 28, 2003 11:05 pm

Martin
"The outcome will very likely be nothing at all. As someone previously
reported here."

Are you referring to the recent correspondence or something posted some
time ago. I have recently joined the list and would be interested in any
earlier notes on this subject. Apart from our MX5, our Alfa with no bumper
would look much better without that ugly big plate on the front so we have a
couple of cars to deal with!
Cheers Joan H

joanie
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 109
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 3:48 pm
Location: Paekakariki

Non standard front plate

Post by joanie » Mon Jul 28, 2003 11:05 pm

Martin
"The outcome will very likely be nothing at all. As someone previously
reported here."

Are you referring to the recent correspondence or something posted some
time ago. I have recently joined the list and would be interested in any
earlier notes on this subject. Apart from our MX5, our Alfa with no bumper
would look much better without that ugly big plate on the front so we have a
couple of cars to deal with!
Cheers Joan H

Martin Harms

Non standard front plate

Post by Martin Harms » Tue Jul 29, 2003 10:00 am

I read that only a day or two ago in this forum.

I am not advocating driving without a front licence plate or with a homemade
collection of Letraset letters and numbers. If someone tries to run me over on
a pedestrian crossing I want to know who they are! Mine looks exactly like a
standard plate - only it's vinyl.

Martin

Graham&Joan Hilder wrote:

[...]

Martin Harms

Non standard front plate

Post by Martin Harms » Tue Jul 29, 2003 10:00 am

I read that only a day or two ago in this forum.

I am not advocating driving without a front licence plate or with a homemade
collection of Letraset letters and numbers. If someone tries to run me over on
a pedestrian crossing I want to know who they are! Mine looks exactly like a
standard plate - only it's vinyl.

Martin

Graham&Joan Hilder wrote:

[...]

Gary Morrison
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:24 pm
Location: Wellington

Non standard front plate

Post by Gary Morrison » Tue Jul 29, 2003 10:46 am

Its one of those things... put on a smaller stick-on and then take the risk.
Ours was on for 7 years before my recent incident, and that was only because I
was doing 64 in a 50k area (on State Highway One mind you). If I hadn't been
pulled over for that I wouldn't have had the issue with the licence plate. I
had actually been pulled over a couple of weeks earlier at one of those safety
(seatbelt etc) inspections on the side of the road, but no mention of the
plate that time. I have a friend with an older Alfa GTV with a small stick-on.
He's not had any trouble in about 6 years or so.


On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 23:05:19 +1200, Graham&Joan Hilder wrote:

Martin
"The outcome will very likely be nothing at all. As someone previously
reported here."

Are you referring to the recent correspondence or something posted some
time ago. I have recently joined the list and would be interested in any
earlier notes on this subject. Apart from our MX5, our Alfa with no bumper
would look much better without that ugly big plate on the front so we have a
couple of cars to deal with!
Cheers Joan H

Gary Morrison
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:24 pm
Location: Wellington

Non standard front plate

Post by Gary Morrison » Tue Jul 29, 2003 1:09 pm

Hi Martin,

Is it the same size as a standard plate, or smaller?

Gary
\


On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 10:00:52 +1200, Martin Harms wrote:

I read that only a day or two ago in this forum.

I am not advocating driving without a front licence plate or with a homemade
collection of Letraset letters and numbers. If someone tries to run me over on
a pedestrian crossing I want to know who they are! Mine looks exactly like a
standard plate - only it's vinyl.

Martin

Graham&Joan Hilder wrote:

[...]

ross campbell

Non standard front plate

Post by ross campbell » Tue Jul 29, 2003 2:58 pm

I trim the edges off standard issue plate for the front so you end up with
a plate 300mmx80mm.This is a much nicer size and looks OK.You dont alter
the numbers or background and have had this on a number of my mx5s.I got
stopped once for speeding and was challenged about the cut down plate.I
told the cop that what was the difference between cutting down the plate or
having a number plate surround one as these obscure the edge of the
plate.He didnt have a answer for this so didnt ticket me.At the end of the
day if a cop needs to get his 3 contacts a hour he may pull you up. Ross.

ross campbell

Non standard front plate

Post by ross campbell » Tue Jul 29, 2003 2:58 pm

I trim the edges off standard issue plate for the front so you end up with
a plate 300mmx80mm.This is a much nicer size and looks OK.You dont alter
the numbers or background and have had this on a number of my mx5s.I got
stopped once for speeding and was challenged about the cut down plate.I
told the cop that what was the difference between cutting down the plate or
having a number plate surround one as these obscure the edge of the
plate.He didnt have a answer for this so didnt ticket me.At the end of the
day if a cop needs to get his 3 contacts a hour he may pull you up. Ross.

SLYDIT
Keep calm, Forum Moderator here.
Keep calm, Forum Moderator here.
Posts: 1610
Joined: Sun May 21, 2006 6:18 pm
Location: In the Garage.

Non standard front plate

Post by SLYDIT » Tue Jul 29, 2003 5:15 pm

My plate is the same letter size as a bike plate. they
cant really argue that it cant bee seen etc as its the
same as a bike. the white reflective background is
actually MORE reflective than a plate!!! its better
than a whole lot of HSVs cruising around here that
just have a silver letter stuck straight to the body with no back ground.
Jo was pulled over at a check point and was told in
no uncertain terms that it was illegal, she replied in
her most innocent voice "oh is it" she didnt get a
fine,they noticed it only because it was alot brighter
than the other cars plates coming towards them.
RED '90 TURBO.
SCARING PRIUS DRIVERS SINCE 2002

Locked

Return to “2003”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests