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Assinine Ticket

5K views 69 replies 33 participants last post by  Spike 
#1 ·
I got a 196.00 ticket for an "improperly mounted licence plate". My plate is a little bent, where the Beautiful British Columbia is written, so I can mount it directly to the underside of the seat unit. The plate is completely visible, but according to Dudley Do-Right, it is illegal because I don't have it lighted and I am not using the OEM rear fender. I can understand the part about the light, but, having searched the Motor Vehicle Act website, I can't find anything on using the OEM mounting. It only states that you can't alter or distort any number or letter on your plate. Any advice on this would be appreciated.
 
G
#3 ·
he can have your bike go through an inspection for any type of modifications to OEM .Its lame ,but law

not an asinine ticket ,just an asinine cop trying to find something to do .

this is the biggest prob with giving police discretion ,sometimes they have sense and some times their head is stuffed up their ass reading police statues and codes.
 
#5 ·
Don't fall for that ticket, it's a total farce. I just went through the motor vehicle act sections concerning license plates and the regulations for mounting them. It says nothing about having part of the top bent. It says the plate has to be horizontal, mounted at the rear of the vehicle, and the plate number/sticker has to be visible. That's it.
http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/M/MotorVehicle/26_58/26_58_01.htm#section3.011

The info is right there, found it through ICBC's regulations/statutes library.
Don't pay that ticket, the cop is trying to scam you.

Dispute it and question the validity of the charge, ie; make them prove that what they are saying is true, they must show evidence.

The trick is, to question the officer at the scene. Don't be a prick, just ask questions. You have a right to fully understand what the cop is charging you with, and therefore, you have a right to make the bastard fully explain, and provide evidence to back what he's saying to you. If he can't explain, or refuses, he has no right to charge you. To be able to enforce their mandate, they must be able to explain it. So simply deflate his power-trip not by arguing, but by making him explain what the hell he is talking about.
 
#33 ·
#7 ·
he is very correct in what the regulations say about presentation of the licensing tag. alot of it is up to interpretation though. i'm not sure i'd be questioning the officer on site though seeing how quickly they can hand out VI's but i'd definately question him in a court of law. i think i'd take the ticket and give him a hearty wave and a "see you in court".
 
#10 ·
just google british columbia motor vehicle act, or follow the links above. on your ticket it will cite the act(s) or regulation (s) that are being broken, look em up, read it, and say to yourself "is my plate lit or not?" cuz apparently it wasnt, so your hooped.

i would say, throw a couple LED's on it, go to court say "i have rectified the issue" (show pictures or the actual bike) and ask nicely if the judge can drop the ticket. you may get off without paying it, just cuz you dont think its right doesnt mean its not illegal
 
#11 ·
Was it during the daytime or at night that you were stopped? If it was at night and he couldn't read the plate due to the lack of a licence plate night well, nuff said. If it was during the daytime and he singled you out because you didn't have a rear fender, wow, that officer is really studying his MVA Regs....
 
#13 ·
i got a ticket for similar bs. what got him and the judge to reduce it from 200 to 25$ was when i told them that i did both my skills test and my road test on the bike, and that before each test each representative of the motor vehicle branch did an inspection to ensure the bike was road-worthy.

this was true in my case.. but anyway you can at least argue that you did attempt to do your due diligence and that the bike was in this condition when you bought it. if they see that you at least made a reasonable effort to not be breaking the rules they might go soft.. worked for me.
 
#20 ·
If the "Beautiful British Columbia," portion of the plate was bent away from being visible, it's a righteous ticket. That is, it is technically an infraction of that section of the MVA Regulations.
For the moment I'm ignoring the unlit aspect.
I'm of the feeling this is an infraction of the Poultry Act, however, an alternative would have been to write a "fix it," order.
To write a ticket like this, you'd have to ignore all the new car dealers that choose to advertise by installing "license plate frames," that obscure the "british columbia," portion of the plate, the jurisdiction.
Ah, feels good to get my pet peeve out in the open.:)
 
#21 ·
I believe if we check the original statement, it was improperly mounted license plate that was the charge....I don't know how everyone started assuming that it was a tail light/license plate light issue.....Improperly mounted plate, specifically refers to the way the plate is mounted.
According to regulations, the plate was 'mounted' properly. The cop has no case. Fight it.
 
#22 ·
Its not "Dudley Do Right's" fault. Remember it is his job to inforce the law not create them. If your plate is not mounted correctly its the owners fault. Thats like people who question a police officers judgement when they are cought speeding. You sped, you got cought. If the law has been broken, one should be held responsible. Wheres the confusion?
 
#26 ·
OMFG! It is too dudley's fault. He's a dick, plain and simple, enforcing BS. If he wasn't such a flaming nerd that got beat down excessively and now has to powertrip there would be no ticket.

If there were no traffic pricks the world would be nicer. Dudley is a man with a lack of principles, a soulless goon.

The policing problem could be solved tomorrow if traffic cops were eliminated and forced to do real police work. Instead they do BS, and it takes a special person to volunteer for traffic detail.

He must really go home and feel proud of his fine harassment.

Fight this BS. Plain and simple. Make the man work for it, make it cost the government more than ticket, do not roll over and just pay it!
 
#25 ·
IMHO, Vince, yotta fight it (courtesously, of course). Just take snippets of the above noted arguable truths, throw 'm together to make for a defense. Can't hurt. ;)

:cool You might also replace the bulb in that very cool but very well-hidden light above your license plate and take a photo with the bulb LIT.:devillook

You're welcome.
:coffee
 
#30 · (Edited)
I'll admit that my future career is with the RCMP or the Abbotsford Police.
I will say that I am bias towards police.
Just because you see a police officer or his car parked at the local Tim Hortins most always say “Look, he’s got nothing better to do." It is a shame to give him/her a hard time for fitting in his one 15 minute break in a 12 hour shift.
The Police didn’t make the laws it is their job to enforce them. If you have a problem, instead of spouting off about how the RCMP are such "goons" contact your local mp or contact the Motor Vehicle Act and take it up with them.
As to your remark "do some real police work" enforcing traffic violations is real police work. It is by chance that that his post is in traffic patrol, which is not volunteer, and not in investigation.

You are misinformed when it comes to "lack of principles." In fact members of Police agencies have more morals, integrity, and principles that most of the general public.

It is easy to be pissed of when you get ticketed but it isn’t his fault to ticket you.

Either way hope things work out in your favor.
 
#41 ·
In fact members of Police agencies have more morals, integrity, and principles that most of the general public.

.
What an idiotic statement, totally false and taken out of your ass apparently.

Just for you to know there is higher percentage of convicted criminals in your beloved Police Force then among your disparaged "general public".

In some Police Departments they colloquially refer to citizens as GPA. Translation: General Public Assholes. This is an organization having "To Serve And Protect" motto.

To be a policeman is not a profession, trade or vocation. It's a character.
 
G
#32 ·
if it's for the license plate:

3.03 A number plate must be kept entirely unobstructed and free from dirt or foreign material, so that the numbers and letters on it may be plainly seen and read at all times and so that the numbers and letters may be accurately photographed using a speed monitoring device or traffic light safety device prescribed under section 83.1 of the Act.


meaning if the top part is bent back to mount, the entire plate is no longer unobstructed, as you can't see the top of the plate any longer.

what i do like is the previous section:

3.02 A number plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued.

the literal meaning to that is the plate has to be mounted either face up or face down. the actual meaning is the plate has to be mounted so the license number can be read properly from left to right. but that arguement might come in handy if you get nailed for having your plate bent up.

if it's for an improperly mounted tail light:

4.15 (1) A motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer must be equipped with 2 tail lamps, mounted on the rear of the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, that are capable of displaying only red light visible from a distance of 150 m to the rear on both sides of the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer at an angle of 45° from the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer.

(2) Despite subsection (1),

(a) a motorcycle may be equipped with only one tail lamp


meaning, if it's a recessed tail light in an undertail, chances are it can't be seen from the angle described, and therefore is illegal.
 
#36 ·
To be honest, I'm with you on this one "cop catcher", what's with all the cop love on a sport bike site. I thought they were the cats, we're the mice and never the two shall meet or agree. I mean respect your enemy and all, but I've had way too many tickets for ten to fifteen over in locations miles away from a school zone or any other "zone of caution" to extend them any more than that.
 
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