Dark Visors / Small Plates + Sensible Policing
Discussion
About time too:
www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2007/March/mar26-apr1/mar2907greenlightfordarkvisors/?&R=EPI-90160
www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2007/March/mar26-apr1/mar2907greenlightfordarkvisors/?&R=EPI-90160
Motorcycle News said:
Dark visors during daylight hours should not lead to prosecution, police have finally agreed.
The Motorcycle Enforcement Strategy for England, Wales and Northern Ireland says advice should be given only.
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) asked riders through MCN what the strategy should be before drawing it up. Common sense on dark visors was one of your biggest demands.
The strategy also says illegal number plates should not lead to prosecution unless they are unreadable from 20.5 metres – another area in which you urged common sense.
On illegal dark visors during the day the strategy recommends “advice only”. It adds: “If used during the hours of darkness or conditions of reduced visibility, consider prosecution… Only in cases where there is an obvious danger should prosecution be considered.“
With regard to small plates it says: “It has been decided not to focus on the technicalities of the size of the plate or font size to comply with current legislation, but to apply a simple test of legibility, based upon the standard eyesight test for riders and drivers.”
The strategy has immediate effect. David Griffin, head of motorcycle safety for ACPO, warned it was guidance only. He said: “It’s not immunity from prosecution.”
The Motorcycle Enforcement Strategy for England, Wales and Northern Ireland says advice should be given only.
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) asked riders through MCN what the strategy should be before drawing it up. Common sense on dark visors was one of your biggest demands.
The strategy also says illegal number plates should not lead to prosecution unless they are unreadable from 20.5 metres – another area in which you urged common sense.
On illegal dark visors during the day the strategy recommends “advice only”. It adds: “If used during the hours of darkness or conditions of reduced visibility, consider prosecution… Only in cases where there is an obvious danger should prosecution be considered.“
With regard to small plates it says: “It has been decided not to focus on the technicalities of the size of the plate or font size to comply with current legislation, but to apply a simple test of legibility, based upon the standard eyesight test for riders and drivers.”
The strategy has immediate effect. David Griffin, head of motorcycle safety for ACPO, warned it was guidance only. He said: “It’s not immunity from prosecution.”
I got waved past by a local car a week or so ago and also by an aerial festooned traffic car a couple of days ago. They both made room for me to overtake and I was wearing my black visor on both occasions. Frankly I think that all the police I've ever met take this kind of common sense for granted anyway and generally would rather be doing something else.
Shame though, now I need to something else to make me feel like I'm 'outside the law'... some kind of large spike on my lid maybe
Shame though, now I need to something else to make me feel like I'm 'outside the law'... some kind of large spike on my lid maybe
Edited by dern on Wednesday 18th April 16:25
In the 8 years i've been riding, i've never worn a clear visor in day light. It's never been an issue even when i've been stopped for riding slightly faster than the limit 
I've got an 8x6 plate with a sensible font, no logo. Again, i can't see the problem if the plate can be read from the standard eye test distance. I have seen a few DymoTape specials though, your asking to be stopped if it's really small.
I've got an 8x6 plate with a sensible font, no logo. Again, i can't see the problem if the plate can be read from the standard eye test distance. I have seen a few DymoTape specials though, your asking to be stopped if it's really small.
Quinny said:
They'll be allowing loud pipes next
Wish they bloody would. Can't beat the sound of a big bike being nailed through the gears on a race pipe
Wish they bloody would. Can't beat the sound of a big bike being nailed through the gears on a race pipe
You can already get a bike through an mot without the kite mark on the silencer now. They can fail it if it's got not for road use or is excessively loud in the tester's opinion.
TOPTON said:
don't mention sensible policing to the guy in MCN today. Caught in Wales for speeding (fair enough). Fined an extra £30 for not displaying road tax, it was in his pocket. Another £30 for a slightly wrong spaced number plate. Seems a bit harsh
Since some b'stard cut my disc off my bike, I carry mine in my wallet... Think I'd rather suffer a £30 fine than having to find a post office that's open, queue for 8 hours and pay £10 (or whatever it is) to get a replacement...and do this 2 or 3 times a year.
I've never had a problem with my iridium visor in daylight but i switch to a clear visor at night. Need to figure out a way of getting a "Reactolite" visor for my Arai 
Last MOT the guy looked at my pipes (oval twin outlet Blue Flames, both side of the bike, CBR11) and asked me "are they stamped *not for road use* anywhere?" and i replied in the negative. He promptly passed the bike and gave me an advisory for a slightly noisy exhaust.
Sensible chap i'd say
Last MOT the guy looked at my pipes (oval twin outlet Blue Flames, both side of the bike, CBR11) and asked me "are they stamped *not for road use* anywhere?" and i replied in the negative. He promptly passed the bike and gave me an advisory for a slightly noisy exhaust.
Sensible chap i'd say
hiccy said:
I caught some we runt trying to half inch mine hence the reason I display a copy.
Happened to me twice in the first year of having a bike, and at a cost of £7 per time replacement IIRC, I ended up not displaying til the end of the year.
Then someone recomended these to me www.secur-i-disc.co.uk/ and touch wood have had no issues. They can still be stolen obviously - but they are harder for average tax disc thief (namesly scooter boy) to apply to their machine, as it is stuck in the plastic casing.
ACPO or no ACPO, trust me, they still prosecute 
Having been denied access to the Speed Seminar, as "someone will come and get you", along with two other unfortunates, headed back.
Trafpol let me overtake at 68, then on come the blues and twos..
Result, a good chat about the guys ZZR1400, and the various merits of twins and inline 4s, and one HORT1 for a plate not matching the C&U regs. Ho hum, could have been worse. Interestingly, the nice trafpol said he wouldnt have been bothered by a dark visor, but small plates (mine's 4x3) are a personal bugbear. On goes the fullsize Fancyplates one tomorrow then.
Having been denied access to the Speed Seminar, as "someone will come and get you", along with two other unfortunates, headed back.
Trafpol let me overtake at 68, then on come the blues and twos..
Result, a good chat about the guys ZZR1400, and the various merits of twins and inline 4s, and one HORT1 for a plate not matching the C&U regs. Ho hum, could have been worse. Interestingly, the nice trafpol said he wouldnt have been bothered by a dark visor, but small plates (mine's 4x3) are a personal bugbear. On goes the fullsize Fancyplates one tomorrow then.
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