Sam
Race Dog
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2007
- Messages
- 790
- Reaction score
- 2
- Bike
- AJS (all models)
So, it appears that there were a couple of roadworthy blitz’s around the Western Cape yesterday.
I was stopped at one of these roadblocks on my roadbike. I didn't have a numberplate on this one for various reasons (other than the obvious. The massive plates that they insist on here ruins the look of this bike so much so that I can’t bear to subject it to one), so knew that I was in for a fine. Fair catch – I know that it’s illegal, so can’t really complain if I get caught. This is the second time in five years, so the odds do tend to encourage one to continue to travel sans the plate.
Anyway, about 6 of the cops (out of about 20 milling around at the roadblock) descended on me – the bike in question does tend to garner quite a bit of attention everywhere.
After seeing the usual look of disappointment on their porcine faces when I produced a valid license (quite a laugh actually – no cop has ever told me to take off my helmet to check if the license is actually mine….), I told them that the numberplate bracket had broken, and I knew that I was riding without a plate. I know I was in the wrong, so have no issue with being given a fine (which, ironically enough, is smaller than the fine for riding with a smaller plate……go figure).
Sorted. Not. There’s always one in a crowd……one of the orificers starts ranting and raving about the fact that there isn’t a numberplate bracket on the bike (I usually take the Ghandi line of resistance when dealing with the “law” these days, and don’t speak to them unless they ask me a direct question, so I wasn’t giving anyone attitude – passive resistance) His line of argument here is that if anything is removed from a vehicle after it has undergone a roadworthy inspection, the vehicle is no longer roadworthy (the bling car mag business in this country is in deeeeeppp kak then hey)
He then pounces on the fact that there isn’t a red reflector on the back of the bike (It was roadworthied sans the reflector originally, but fair point), at which point he tells me that he’s going to impound the vehicle because it isn’t roadworthy. (“you’ve gotta be fucken kidding me” runs through my mind – I just passed half of CT’s scrapyards “driving” on the N2, and you reckon this bike isn’t roadworthy.....?)
At this point, one or two of his colleagues are shaking their heads a little, giving eachother looks, and start drifting off. He burbles on for another couple of minutes (I’m not saying anything), and then proceeds to tear up my license disk. I’m now starting to get pissed. Eventually he issues a notice to discontinue use of vehicle – ie, basically rescinded the roadworthiness of the bike. No fine for the numberplate issued, however.
I now have to take the bike for a roadworthy, and purchase a new license disk. PITB.
Anyway – bottom line of this episode for me. No problem with a fine – as mentioned above, it’s a fair catch – do the crime, do the time, and I would have ridden away without a second though. He’s doing his job.
This other kak, though, leaves me with the thought of BS. This doos, clearly evenly balanced with a big chip on both shoulders, went out of his way to make as much kak as possible. I’m tempted to assign his behaviour to envy – nice bike, I’ll probably never be able to afford one, let’s be as much of a doos as possible.
He had a point about the reflector, but it wasn’t endangering other road users. A more even minded individual would have pointed it out, and told you to put one on….for your own safety (must admit, I’d never even noticed that it wasn’t there.), and would possibly have preserved a frission of respect.
I remember reading a post a while back about a beemer rider that was issued a fine in S/set West for not having a front numberplate - I wonder if this tosser is related.
Anyway, any cops out there wondering why you are referred to as pigs, orificers, and the like…….here’s your answer.
I was stopped at one of these roadblocks on my roadbike. I didn't have a numberplate on this one for various reasons (other than the obvious. The massive plates that they insist on here ruins the look of this bike so much so that I can’t bear to subject it to one), so knew that I was in for a fine. Fair catch – I know that it’s illegal, so can’t really complain if I get caught. This is the second time in five years, so the odds do tend to encourage one to continue to travel sans the plate.
Anyway, about 6 of the cops (out of about 20 milling around at the roadblock) descended on me – the bike in question does tend to garner quite a bit of attention everywhere.
After seeing the usual look of disappointment on their porcine faces when I produced a valid license (quite a laugh actually – no cop has ever told me to take off my helmet to check if the license is actually mine….), I told them that the numberplate bracket had broken, and I knew that I was riding without a plate. I know I was in the wrong, so have no issue with being given a fine (which, ironically enough, is smaller than the fine for riding with a smaller plate……go figure).
Sorted. Not. There’s always one in a crowd……one of the orificers starts ranting and raving about the fact that there isn’t a numberplate bracket on the bike (I usually take the Ghandi line of resistance when dealing with the “law” these days, and don’t speak to them unless they ask me a direct question, so I wasn’t giving anyone attitude – passive resistance) His line of argument here is that if anything is removed from a vehicle after it has undergone a roadworthy inspection, the vehicle is no longer roadworthy (the bling car mag business in this country is in deeeeeppp kak then hey)
He then pounces on the fact that there isn’t a red reflector on the back of the bike (It was roadworthied sans the reflector originally, but fair point), at which point he tells me that he’s going to impound the vehicle because it isn’t roadworthy. (“you’ve gotta be fucken kidding me” runs through my mind – I just passed half of CT’s scrapyards “driving” on the N2, and you reckon this bike isn’t roadworthy.....?)
At this point, one or two of his colleagues are shaking their heads a little, giving eachother looks, and start drifting off. He burbles on for another couple of minutes (I’m not saying anything), and then proceeds to tear up my license disk. I’m now starting to get pissed. Eventually he issues a notice to discontinue use of vehicle – ie, basically rescinded the roadworthiness of the bike. No fine for the numberplate issued, however.
I now have to take the bike for a roadworthy, and purchase a new license disk. PITB.
Anyway – bottom line of this episode for me. No problem with a fine – as mentioned above, it’s a fair catch – do the crime, do the time, and I would have ridden away without a second though. He’s doing his job.
This other kak, though, leaves me with the thought of BS. This doos, clearly evenly balanced with a big chip on both shoulders, went out of his way to make as much kak as possible. I’m tempted to assign his behaviour to envy – nice bike, I’ll probably never be able to afford one, let’s be as much of a doos as possible.
He had a point about the reflector, but it wasn’t endangering other road users. A more even minded individual would have pointed it out, and told you to put one on….for your own safety (must admit, I’d never even noticed that it wasn’t there.), and would possibly have preserved a frission of respect.
I remember reading a post a while back about a beemer rider that was issued a fine in S/set West for not having a front numberplate - I wonder if this tosser is related.
Anyway, any cops out there wondering why you are referred to as pigs, orificers, and the like…….here’s your answer.
