Fined for using illegal bike carrier

[Tumbleweed]

they have this in aarto, which is in relation to your license disk and not your number plate. But even if interpreted as being a license plate just make sure your bike is more than 150mm away from the plate and there is nothing they can do.

1217 Vehicle whereon appeared within 150 mm of the licence number anything which was not a component part of the standard equipment or construction of that vehicle - Reg. 35(6)©(ii) I 250 0

 

 

This one is more pertitant to a number plate. And since your numberplate is "affixed" just fine, they dont actually have grounds to fine you either. 1230 Vehicle with a number plate of the said vehicle not affixed thereto in such a manner that the whole number plate was clearly visible - Reg. 35(7)(d) I 500 1

 

You wouldn't win in court using that argument.

 

 

 

Display of licence number

35.

(1) The licence number of a motor vehicle shall be displayed on a plate, to be referred to as a number plate and which complies with the standard specification SABS 1116: "Retro-reflective Registration Plates for Motor Vehicles", Part 2: "Registration plates (metal)" and Part 4: "Registration plates (plastics)".

(2) The number plate referred to in subregulation (1)--

1. shall bear a certification mark as shown in the Standard Specifications referred to in subregulation (1);
   
2. shall have a yellow or white retro-reflective surface;
   
3. shall have black, dark blue, dark red, dark brown or dark green letters and figures, but shall have only black letters and figures in the case of a yellow retro-reflective surface;
   
4. may have a logo or landscape if it appears on a white retro-reflective surface; and
   
5. shall be clearly legible and visible.
   

The only circumstance under which you would be excused from having something obscuring your rear plate would be if you were towing another vehicle.

 

There are myriad laws you could be fined forr regarding number plates, like the dude who posted the pic of his setup attached by cords could be fined because it is not "affixed...in such a manner that it is not easily detachable", or for some taller cars "any other motor vehicle, be affixed not higher than one comma five metres from ground level".

Edited May 2, 2012 by Tumbleweed
adding info

[geecee]

something else to consider. put its a pretty high limit. i dont think it'd really be an issue

 

but a vehicle cant exceed 4.3 m high in the case of peddle bicycles on the roof, or the load cant be greater than 1 and a half times the vehice height if its other goods

[WD7]

Maybe a dumb question, but does the consumer protection act apply to the selling of carriers in this case??

[ibruegge]

Maybe a dumb question, but does the consumer protection act apply to the selling of carriers in this case??

 

Maybe a dumb answer, but maybe the K53 booklet might give more answers.

Honestly, sometimes I think we simply need to take responsibility ourselves.

[Mr Giant]

R100 would have been the cheaper option!

[Tri-coach]

?

[koukie]

Common sense suggests that you look at your car after fitting a carrier to see if you can see the lights and number plate.

 

If either are blocked you make a plan.

[Ysterperd]

Bottomline - when you buy a car/trailer etc - you should know that your license plate should never be obscured. Easy pickings for the fuzz.

[covie]

Yet another common sense statement on the hub, the place with the least common scense in the universe ,

 

And although i agree that people should have common sense when it comes to these things, the reality is, that the guvment should rather waste their time and resources fining and impounding deathtraps that drive around our roads instead of assigning task teams to target general law obiding citizens.

 

Secondly, there actually might be a case since for example my one bike rack makes no provision for mounting a number plate, thule is selling an item that directly breaks the laws of this country and that my friends "is illegal". If someone had the cash and time to waste you could probably take them to court. But that would just be a waste,

 

Go spend the R50 bucks have another numberplate made up, or do what the rest of us do, ignore the fine till you get summonsed. I simply wish that goverment would prioritze "crime" and attack these from a priority level, but the sad reality is, that if you own a fancy bike and a fancy car you can afford to pay a fine, so you will get fined, if you drive a deathtrap with no lights, no numberplates you will get away with it becuase you can't afford to pay a fine.

 

Just another case of SA where those with money get targeted to make up funding and quota's of inept state departments.

Edited May 2, 2012 by covie