Got pulled over Friday night in my 04 Rodeo ute, officer wanted to know my I had a blue rear tail light which was fair enough but it was actually just a faded red park light bulb which I thought was pink not blue, so I politely said Oh, sorry, I'll replace that in the morning. He then proceeded to tell me my tow bar tongue was illegal & needed to be removed as it obscured my number plate! Only blocked the bottom 5mm of the centre 2 digits. He said "Boy racers like you are always trying to hide your number plates!" I.m nearly 40, and I'm driving a sign-written factory diesel Rodeo!
bjmh,
Jan 27, 1:39am
one of my customers got stopped in his diesel ute the other day,the cop was going to give a ticket for incorrectly displaying his R.U.C.My customer had brought another 5000kms of ruc ,but the old lot still had a couple of hundred kms left.Apparently you are not allowed to display the new sticker,till the old sticker runs out.Sounds a bit like your pedantic POLICE person.
sqidlie,
Jan 27, 1:47am
In fairness to the officer, he doesn't make the rules, just enforces them If that is what the rule book states, then what options does he have Change the rule not the cop
stevel_knievel,
Jan 27, 1:53am
So, he didn't give a ticket and gave a warning? Sounds fair.
m16d,
Jan 27, 1:53am
Yer. a while back I got a warning at a check point for displaying the new ruc before the old one had run out.
sqidlie,
Jan 27, 1:56am
I have never had to buy a RUC, but what is written on them about displaying them Surely the instructions will be there to see
mrgts4,
Jan 27, 2:04am
So you buy new RUC, then have to carry it on you and watch the odo until it clicks around, You then reach across the vehicle to slide new label into holder so you are legal again. Sound really safe. OR you could just buy RUC a few hudred kms early and just display them, its not like you are trying to rip the system off, infact they have your money before the kms run out.
swfc1867,
Jan 27, 2:16am
I find this interesting.
I've got a 2010 Mazda 3 and the tow ball obscures the 2 central numbers. There's nothing I can do about it except remove it and have always wondered if it was legal.
hamhonda,
Jan 27, 2:24am
I'm of the understanding that officially you're not allowed to block it but that would make thousands of towbars illegal, and considering the one on my ute is a factory Holden tow bar thats been fitted theres not much I can do about it, and sitting in a car behind looking out over the bonnet down on my plate its not covered at all, its only if you get down eye level with the tow ball that it obscures anything, but what really got me was him calling me a boy-racer haha
sqidlie,
Jan 27, 2:28am
Of course it makes sense to cover your number plates If or when your car gets stolen, make it harder to the cops to spot it as it drives around with the crims inside
elect70,
Jan 27, 2:29am
I had an ugly female cop stop me on desert rd doing 130k , raving on about speed kills & at your age should know better blah blah blah . i asked her if she had PMS , or wont the old man give it to ya anymore I thought she was going to really blow a gasket . . Breathalised me checked everything on the car but coulnt find anything else to ticket me for .
swfc1867,
Jan 27, 2:30am
I already have the perfect anti-theft device. young 'uns these days can't drive a manual!
sqidlie,
Jan 27, 2:31am
Time to arm the police
flitt,
Jan 27, 2:45am
I was in the supermarket the other day buying some green apples. The checkout girl tapped in some numbers and listed on the screen were red apples, which are more expensive. I said 'hey, those are green apples'. The checkout girl stroppily changed it to green apples and muttered something under her breath.
I was going to make a whole thread about this, but I suppose it fits in here just nicely.
bjmh,
Jan 27, 3:00am
hence the reason most factory fitted towbars have removable tongues. the old obscured number plate was a favourite for police about the same time as the essential red flag on your outboard.
bashfulbro,
Jan 27, 4:37am
Not only on outboards, but on anything that overhangs more than a metre.
morrisman1,
Jan 27, 4:50am
So if your RUC runs out while driving on the harbour bridge, or somewhere where you arent allowed to stop like a motorway, what is the procedure that the cop would follow. Which law would they ping you for - stopping illegally, or failing to display a current RUC. Be a good question to ask a judge!
macman26,
Jan 27, 4:53am
Back in my youth (in the mid 80's) I was pulled over in the old HR wagon.3 seated in front bench seat and 4 in back. 2 front seatbelts used no others fitted.Well this copper carries on about I'm exceeding the seating as shown on the vehicle compliance plate. I ask him where? He couldn't find one. I did mention the vehicle was too old to have one.
xs1100,
Jan 27, 6:30am
they only enforce if they cant get you for anything else mate got done 20 yrs ago for exactly this
dublo,
Jan 27, 7:14am
And then there was the recent story of the 1950s Rolls-Royce owner who was stopped on a busy Auckland motorway for displaying an illegal rear number plate - he had the square UK type for which the boot lid of several British cars was designed to take (3 letters above, 3 numbers below.) The cop must have considered it to be more dangerous than all the tailgaters, crawlers, non-indicating lane changers, speeders and inattentive drivers gawking at the incident and told him to remove it. I believe the car owner was given a ticket and was going to take the case to court but I didn't learn of the outcome. Apparently anything other than an official NZ-made plate is illegal. That means you can have only the 1964-1986 cast aluminium silver on black , the post 1986 reflective black on white (standard issue or personalised) or those longer European-style plates with space for snobby BMW or similar advertising.
socram,
Jan 27, 7:23am
"The law is an ass". However, when the law truly is an ass, any police officer worth their salt would not make it an issue. The authorities already have your cash in advance. End of.
I'd be happier if they chased outstanding fines where the guilty ones actually owe the money.
xs1100,
Jan 27, 7:49am
yes but them they cry hardship socram easier to pick on the hard working middle income type chances are they ll pay their fine without too much carryon
daryl14,
Jan 27, 8:12am
I heard they had a field day after the taupo cycle race pinging everyone who had bikes on the back of their cars for obscuring their plates.
sqidlie,
Jan 27, 8:22am
Police by all accounts are stopping you guys now because there's nothing wrong with your vehicles Oh that so naughty of them
esprit,
Jan 27, 10:40am
If your number plate is obscured by anything then the plate must be moved to somewhere it is not obscured, or a supplementary plate must be used in addition to the standard rear plate while the obscuration is present
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