[Paolo5]

I was pulled over by a policeman yesterday and booked for "Use Class A vehicle with number plate obscured".

The gentleman who pulled me over said that he couldn't read my car's numberplate as the towball was in the way.
The whole towbar is a genuine Hyundai part.

I normally only have the tongue and towball installed when I am actually towing...but on this occasion there was no trailer involved! I had a towball cover installed....one of those dedicated black plastic Supercheap gizmos that prevents grease getting on your trouser leg when you brush against it.

I would have appreciated a warning from the said gentleman but was issued with a stiff fine instead. My crime was obviously of a more serious nature than speeding by 10-20km over the limit, as determined by the magnitude of the fine.

Ironically, he didn't instruct me to remove the tongue and ball then and there....so it couldn't have posed an enormous threat after all.

Has anyone else ever received such a fine?

[FatBoy]

Wow!!  That is steep.  I really think that the officer should have issued a warning, and instructed you to remove it there and then if it was such a problem.  However, rules are rules.  I always thought that the number plate was in an interesting position when the towbar was fitted.

[eye30]

If not directed to be removed then you could be stopped again just down the road!

If number plate in correct position and genuine hy tow bar and correctly fitted then surely hy need to be contacted to obtain their observations as to why plate obscured

I would be requesting hy to explain in writing fitted as per hy's specification and lodge appeal

[beerman]

I suspect the reason that the fine is so high is to discourage the use of the tow bar to avoid camera detection.

[Johnno]

I take that it is one of them removable one's that you can store way.

You know what hy are going to say, 'it should be removed when not in use'  that will be their get out clause so to speak

you could say that you was never informed about removing it and ask them as a good will gesture to pay towards the fine

[Doggie 1]

The fine is heavy and I agree a caution would be nice.
But this has been an offence for as long as I can remember (where I am) and was enforced long before speed cameras were even invented.
Anything that obscures a number plate is not allowed so yes, the actual tow ball needs to be removed when not in use if it blocks the view of the plate.

[Surferdude]

I agree with Doggie. It's always been a regulation and understandable given that the number plate is the only way people have of identifying the vehicle if it is involved in any kind of incident and decides to do a runner.
I'd be surprised if there wasn't some instruction somewhere in relation to removal of the tongue and ball in Hyundai's stuff.
But in any case, ignorance of the law is no excuse.
A warning should have been sufficient but I have a friend up here who was driving home from his stint at the local community radio station a couple of months ago doing everything legally because he saw the police car behind him.
But they pulled him up and booked him for the same offence.

[Phil №❶]

End of month / year, got to keep the revenue rolling in.

[Dazzler]

Ridiculous amount for such an "offence" I feel for you Paolo... I think it is bullshit when you see what others get away with! 

[CraigB]

 

[Doggie 1]

End of month / year, got to keep the revenue rolling in.

Ah, B.S.   

[cruiserfied]

Sorry about the bad news.
I agree that the fine is very steep. But also agree rules are rules.
Might be something you can fight in court with cops.
As Johnno said. It's only meant to be fitted when in use.

[beerman]

Ridiculous amount for such an "offence" I feel for you Paolo... I think it is bullshit when you see what others get away with! 

I'm sure we have all gotten aware with our fair share......Every now and again, even the most careful misses something and becomes 'that driver'.

[Dazzler]

True Beerman, true...

[Just Rick]

Sorry but I would have asked the Mother if he wanted to borrow my Reading glasses,yes as has been said it is an offence to obstruct the Plate view,but it is something that you don't often see it policed,this time of the year they should have streets of people pulled over for plate view obstruction,the amount of people I see with these fricking Bike rakes and three or sometimes more bikes on them,your lucky if you can make out their lights let alone their number plates.

I reckon the bloke must have missed out on a root the night before,I literally see hundreds if not thousands of cars a week,with towbars obstructing or partially obscuring their plates,I'm with Phil(revenue raising) sounds like the gentleman in question was simply a Prick

[Asterix]

A heavy fine, I must admit, but not able to read the number plate when the tongue is fitted is the reason you can only get a detachable towbar for the hatch. For the CW the number plate is mounted higher so no problem..

[Lakes]

Late but, sorry to read this.
Paolo5 if you have a clean record Driving, you could write a letter explaining your case. post with infringement notice.

they will get back to you.

on another note but a similar subject in the same state.
we have personalised number plates any colour combination you choose, sky is the limit just everything has a price tag.
well i've just about seen them all but i think the Black plate with metal flake dark gold is about hardest to read. not sure if it illuminates at night but i would expect so . well i saw a new BMW with that plate combination & a dark very dark tinted number plate cover it was near impossible to read.

[Johnno]

They're a bit stricter over here with No.plates. Lettering as to be to a certain height and spacing between them. front plates have to have black lettering on white reflective background, rears black on yellow and all have to have a kite mark and the plate itself as to be the right dimension but you have a option if you want a uk or eu symbol 

The ones on my beemer where illegal because the lettering was in italic

[Lakes]

Johnno , you have a lot of country's close to UK so you probably need positive ID.
here it's all one country with a lot of water around it.
you could possibly do a search & find NSW my Plates page & see for yourself black background dark gold lettering, harder to read.

[cruiserfied]

I saw one recently, silver with light blue letters quite difficult to read.

[Dazzler]

There is a downside to personalised plates.. With a number plate like DAZ001 I've had to stop chucking stuff out the windows and cutting people off at roundabouts.. Too easy to remember! 

[Hornet]

Paolo, I agree the penalty seems high however, you, like every motorist should be aware that penalties will follow any detected breach of the law.
The Officer was only doing his job, following orders to stamp out this, and no doubt other offences.
Such orders normally follow detailed research by police intelligence that would justify targeting obstructed number plates.

Unless we are aware of this research any comment about the penalty, the offence or criticism of the officer, is uninformed whinging. Paolo, just cop it sweet, remove the tow-ball, do not do it again and move on.

Before I was critical I would at least need to know,
1.  How many major crime investigations are hindered by hidden number plates on vehicles used committing crimes. (murder. armed robbery, assault, drug related and so on)
2.  How many minor and major traffic offences go unpunished because of this offence (hit and run accidents, speeding, reckless and dangerous driving an so on)
3.  How many lives could be saved if offenders were bought to justice and/or stopped offending

There are reasons why our Police officers target specific offences and every reason is based on the protection of the public generally.
There are reasons why detected offenders and others direct criticism towards Police and this is mostly based on ignorance of facts or pure hate for our Police.

 This year Queensland has the lowest number of fatal road accidents since 1952 and that has been the result of good policing  I hope our Queensland Police keep up this good work and continue to detect and penalise  offenders.

If anyone does not like it in Queensland, they are free to move to another State.

[Phil №❶]

Number plate colour, size, structure and plate dimensions all have to be listed in the Government Gazette before they are legal in the respective States of Australia. I used to have SWSWSW1  &  SWSWSW2 in SA, had to wait two weeks for the Govt to allow smaller character heights on the plates.

The Govt Gazette, must be a real interesting read 

[Dazzler]

What was the significance of those plates Phil?

[Phil №❶]

Personal motivation.

Cost a lot of money in SA, so I ditched 'em.

[Lakes]

Paolo, I agree the penalty seems high however, you, like every motorist should be aware that penalties will follow any detected breach of the law.
The Officer was only doing his job, following orders to stamp out this, and no doubt other offences.
Such orders normally follow detailed research by police intelligence that would justify targeting obstructed number plates.

Unless we are aware of this research any comment about the penalty, the offence or criticism of the officer, is uninformed whinging. Paolo, just cop it sweet, remove the tow-ball, do not do it again and move on.

Before I was critical I would at least need to know,
1.  How many major crime investigations are hindered by hidden number plates on vehicles used committing crimes. (murder. armed robbery, assault, drug related and so on)
2.  How many minor and major traffic offences go unpunished because of this offence (hit and run accidents, speeding, reckless and dangerous driving an so on)
3.  How many lives could be saved if offenders were bought to justice and/or stopped offending

There are reasons why our Police officers target specific offences and every reason is based on the protection of the public generally.
There are reasons why detected offenders and others direct criticism towards Police and this is mostly based on ignorance of facts or pure hate for our Police.

 This year Queensland has the lowest number of fatal road accidents since 1952 and that has been the result of good policing  I hope our Queensland Police keep up this good work and continue to detect and penalise  offenders.

If anyone does not like it in Queensland, they are free to move to another State.

Hornet that might all be true to,  i thought all police cars could pick up rego with scanners as you drive past.
only thing i could think of is tolling on motorways & speed cameras.
or the Cop needed to reach his quota $

[Surferdude]

John, I'm not sure all police cars are fitted with these NRCs yet.
But in any case, if the towbar is used to avoid tolls on road which I help pay for by paying tolls, or speeding fines, then I'm all for fining people who don't remove them.
Yeah, I know. I'm a grumpy old man.  But we see all sorts of laws broken on our roads every day. There are never going to be enough police to catch them all so they can only police what they see.

Whilst I agree a bit of leeway could have been allowed here, I'm prepared to leave that choice up to the police on the spot.

[Doggie 1]

Whilst I agree a bit of leeway could have been allowed here, I'm prepared to leave that choice up to the police on the spot.

 

[Dazzler]

I still feel for that offence over $400 is too much. Maybe $150 - $200 would be more realistic IMO

[Hornet]

Hornet that might all be true to,  i thought all police cars could pick up rego with scanners as you drive past.
only thing i could think of is tolling on motorways & speed cameras.
or the Cop needed to reach his quota $
 
In Queensland not all vehicles have yet been fitted with  number plate recognition and reading devices but it will not be long before they are . By issuing fines, at this time, for this offence it should reduce the number of people driving cars with the number plate obscured or partly obscured and that will make it easier for Police to receive all information about any vehicle their onboard scanner views
This modern technology allows police to know in quick time, the form of the owner of the vehicle and if the owner is a repeat offender, be it for speeding, UIL or any other matter like outstanding warrants or parole conditions. It makes the job easier and I see that as good.
And in answer to your thoughts, No police cars cannot recognise and read number plates with scanners as they drive past IF THE NUMBER PLATE IS OBSTRUCTED. This is no doubt the reason for increased concern and high penalty for the offence
Perhaps some may say "Big Brother Tactics" but if it means our naughty citizens are disciplined well so be it