Rear lights and number plate totally obscured by 4 bicycles.
Discussion
We came across a blocked road last night. The car in front of us on a very dark rural lane had hit a Fiat Panda which had turned out in front of them with all the rear lights completely blocked out by 4 cycles. Both cars badly damaged but fortunately only minor injuries were sustained.
I see bikes all the time in this area with bikes covering the plate and the rear lights. The police do nothing about it yet i was told to change my number plate because of a single incorrect space less than an inch wide (private plate). Speed cameras will not pick up these cars that block their plates, in the event of a serious crime the often needed registration number will not be visible to witnesses and of course the vital rear lights are now all but invisible.
The Police have told me they are not interested. It's time the law realised that this is 100 times more dangerous than a fractionally changed personal plate.
I see bikes all the time in this area with bikes covering the plate and the rear lights. The police do nothing about it yet i was told to change my number plate because of a single incorrect space less than an inch wide (private plate). Speed cameras will not pick up these cars that block their plates, in the event of a serious crime the often needed registration number will not be visible to witnesses and of course the vital rear lights are now all but invisible.
The Police have told me they are not interested. It's time the law realised that this is 100 times more dangerous than a fractionally changed personal plate.
Grindle said:
We came across a blocked road last night. The car in front of us on a very dark rural lane had hit a Fiat Panda which had turned out in front of them with all the rear lights completely blocked out by 4 cycles. Both cars badly damaged but fortunately only minor injuries were sustained.
I see bikes all the time in this area with bikes covering the plate and the rear lights. The police do nothing about it yet i was told to change my number plate because of a single incorrect space less than an inch wide (private plate). Speed cameras will not pick up these cars that block their plates, in the event of a serious crime the often needed registration number will not be visible to witnesses and of course the vital rear lights are now all but invisible.
The Police have told me they are not interested. It's time the law realised that this is 100 times more dangerous than a fractionally changed personal plate.
The police will get involved - I was pulled over once as the bike rack had slipped down the rear window slightly, and was partially obscuring the number plate - though not the lights - they just suggested I tightened the straps I see bikes all the time in this area with bikes covering the plate and the rear lights. The police do nothing about it yet i was told to change my number plate because of a single incorrect space less than an inch wide (private plate). Speed cameras will not pick up these cars that block their plates, in the event of a serious crime the often needed registration number will not be visible to witnesses and of course the vital rear lights are now all but invisible.
The Police have told me they are not interested. It's time the law realised that this is 100 times more dangerous than a fractionally changed personal plate.
I now have a rack which has a built in plate and lights...interesting question though is how did the second car not see the first car - presumably they had headlights switched on? If they need items to be illuminated to avoid hitting them, they won't do well with deer / pedestrians / foxes / badgers / the odd cow roaming the back lanes...
Their actual reply was ''contact the dvla'', to my astonishment. But it's good to know there are some police who will intervene. For me brake lights are the worst things to cover up, but we also have bright rear lamps for a very good reason and if my car's lights were completely out because of a wiring fault i'm sure they'd pull me over sharpish. Cars with loads of bikes blocking lights wouldn't pass an mot, i am sure.
Grindle said:
For me brake lights are the worst things to cover up, but we also have bright rear lamps for a very good reason and if my car's lights were completely out because of a wiring fault i'm sure they'd pull me over sharpish. Cars with loads of bikes blocking lights wouldn't pass an mot, i am sure.
Agree - they are important, but their absence is not a reason for the car behind to hit them! Perhaps too many drivers rely on brake lights to know when a car in front is slowing, rather than actually observing the car!As the bikes are sideways, they will have reflective parts on there as well which would have been rather obvious, lights or no lights.
I am not sure about the worries that some people have about visibility of plates and automatically assume people will do a runner after an accident or so just because their plates happened to have been obscured. If they were that way inclined, they would have had false plates anyway.
I am not sure about the worries that some people have about visibility of plates and automatically assume people will do a runner after an accident or so just because their plates happened to have been obscured. If they were that way inclined, they would have had false plates anyway.
People doing it properly either have a towbar mounted rack (which has lights and numberplate) or strap on a lighting bar.
But there will always be bodgers who are happy to spend loads on a fancy bike but won't spend anything on boring things like keeping their car legal as they carry their fancy bike.
It's the same mentality as acquiring a "premium" car then skipping the servicing and running the tyres down to the cords.
But there will always be bodgers who are happy to spend loads on a fancy bike but won't spend anything on boring things like keeping their car legal as they carry their fancy bike.
It's the same mentality as acquiring a "premium" car then skipping the servicing and running the tyres down to the cords.
donkmeister said:
People doing it properly... have a towbar mounted rack (which has lights and numberplate) or....
Exactly this, I have a towbar mounted rack carrying three bikes, all works perfect. I can't imagine anyone wanting to carry four bikes any other way.I think if I was following a car like that I'd be far more worried about the whole lot falling off than I would about not be able to see the lights.
Well TBPH i was pretty peeved when i was told to change my plates as they were illegal, which of course technically they were, by half an inch (the letter O moved a tiny amount to the right). YET number plates allowing speeding with no come back and making a car dangerous and far more difficult to see is let go all the time. We were at a cycle and walking hot spot recently and i saw a Honda CRV with all the lights and plate covered by bikes and the community police officer on duty said to me ''we have far worse things to worry about'' But my plate was worth worrying about it seems!
Grindle said:
Well TBPH i was pretty peeved when i was told to change my plates as they were illegal, which of course technically they were, by half an inch (the letter O moved a tiny amount to the right). YET number plates allowing speeding with no come back and making a car dangerous and far more difficult to see is let go all the time. We were at a cycle and walking hot spot recently and i saw a Honda CRV with all the lights and plate covered by bikes and the community police officer on duty said to me ''we have far worse things to worry about'' But my plate was worth worrying about it seems!
Were you given a ticket? Sounds like just advice to change it. I'd call that a win.OP, seems you have an axe to grind over your own plate issues.
Incidentally, whilst I do not condone what the Panda did in your OP, it's important to note that it was a temporary, inadvertent blocking of the plate. Whereas illegal spacing on a private plate is intended to be permanent, and most likely deliberate.
Incidentally, whilst I do not condone what the Panda did in your OP, it's important to note that it was a temporary, inadvertent blocking of the plate. Whereas illegal spacing on a private plate is intended to be permanent, and most likely deliberate.
oyster said:
Incidentally, whilst I do not condone what the Panda did in your OP, it's important to note that it was a temporary, inadvertent blocking of the plate. Whereas illegal spacing on a private plate is intended to be permanent, and most likely deliberate.
exactly - and that is good discernment in policing...when I was pulled over, I had been returning from an event where due to logistics I was taking a friends two boys back home as well - hence bikes I hadn't taken down... and a rack I borrowed, and where I wasn't aware that the straps would slip slightly... so their advice to tighten it was very apposite - and my 'transgression' (for which they could undoubtedly have booked me) was seen for what it was - unintentional and temporary - whereas a number plate wrongly spaced is deliberate and permanent...
Time for a laugh............. VW Passat - 17 reg - three expensive looking bikes on the roof. Enters beach car park despite drivers coming out tooting horns at him. Bug head drives on - through the height barrier and rips bikes right off the roof, bending frames, twisting roof rails and bike bars.
He looked really sick.
He looked really sick.
Grindle said:
Well TBPH i was pretty peeved when i was told to change my plates as they were illegal, which of course technically they were, by half an inch (the letter O moved a tiny amount to the right). YET number plates allowing speeding with no come back and making a car dangerous and far more difficult to see is let go all the time. We were at a cycle and walking hot spot recently and i saw a Honda CRV with all the lights and plate covered by bikes and the community police officer on duty said to me ''we have far worse things to worry about'' But my plate was worth worrying about it seems!
If you knew your plate was illegal why did you not change it? If it's only a inch and one letter then not sure why you would change the spacing anyway? I know it's a source of irritation but don't make it easy for them.grumpyscot said:
Time for a laugh............. VW Passat - 17 reg - three expensive looking bikes on the roof. Enters beach car park despite drivers coming out tooting horns at him. Bug head drives on - through the height barrier and rips bikes right off the roof, bending frames, twisting roof rails and bike bars.
He looked really sick.
And that’s funny because?He looked really sick.
Zigster said:
grumpyscot said:
Time for a laugh............. VW Passat - 17 reg - three expensive looking bikes on the roof. Enters beach car park despite drivers coming out tooting horns at him. Bug head drives on - through the height barrier and rips bikes right off the roof, bending frames, twisting roof rails and bike bars.
He looked really sick.
And that’s funny because?He looked really sick.
Hol said:
I always carry my MB on the roof, if I take it anywhere and im paranoid about making this mistake.
I do carry bikes on the roof of one of my cars (I have a tow-bar mounted rack on another car) and am equally paranoid. I have a sticker on the dash reminding me!I was more challenging why someone thought a person damaging (potentially) several thousand pounds of equipment was such a source of amusement.
I would be very annoyed if as you say the Police said to you that they were not interested in such a breach of regulation more so at night,if they did it may have been a unit beat officer.
You might have mis interpreted what they meant by it might not feature high on their list of priorities but if brought to there attention or seen then they would deal with it hopefully. If I was you and you happen to get his collar number and or name then ask to speak to his supervisor for words of advice. This is dangerous and there are offences depending on the circumstances that they are found in.
You might have mis interpreted what they meant by it might not feature high on their list of priorities but if brought to there attention or seen then they would deal with it hopefully. If I was you and you happen to get his collar number and or name then ask to speak to his supervisor for words of advice. This is dangerous and there are offences depending on the circumstances that they are found in.
NGee said:
donkmeister said:
People doing it properly... have a towbar mounted rack (which has lights and numberplate) or....
Exactly this, I have a towbar mounted rack carrying three bikes, all works perfect. I can't imagine anyone wanting to carry four bikes any other way.I think if I was following a car like that I'd be far more worried about the whole lot falling off than I would about not be able to see the lights.
Add in the fact that the bikes are rock solid when mounted, I felt a lot more comfortable going for the better model, rather than skimp on a cheaper rack. Knowing that they are stowed safely is a huge part too. I just wouldn't feel comfortable driving on a busy road, wondering if the bikes are going to fall off.
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