Exhaust and Number Plates - Police view

Originally Posted by shadowangel

... you need to be wearing a helmet ...(which if you are a Sikh and wearing a turban you are exempt from by the way)

Can't help but think that perhaps lid manufacturers are missing out on a previously untapped market here ... Aria Corsair Turban for sale anyone?

Perhaps the actual market isn't that big to be fair LOL (please see thread about the apparent lack of ethnic minority bikers).

About the plates thing ... and I haven't read every page of this thread so please forgive me if I'm repeating what someone else has already said ... but, I got talking to a guy at Chester Services a few weeks back. He turned up on a nice all black GSXR1000 with a rather small plate on. I asked him if he'd ever been pulled for that plate and he said, "Funny you should ask ... Copper said, 'personally he didn't have a problem with it, but', he said, 'let me put this scenario to you ... it's 4am, you hear a sound from your garage, but it's too late, and you just see your pride n joy whizzing off down the road. What do you do? ... You phone us, right? ... Now, there's our patrol car sat in a layby, when this black bike, fitting the description of a stolen bike, goes past (legal speed, not being an idiot, no reason to stop him). But, your plate is too small for the ANR (Automated Numberplate Recognition) to pick up a reg ... it's 4:30am ... are we gonna chase him? Nah! Now had your bike got a standard plate on ... ANR picks up reg, gets checked against reported stolen vehicles db and we get a warning on-screen within a matter of seconds that the bike is REPORTED STOLEN. Are we gonna chase it then? Bet your ass we are!' ...".

The guy wasn't given a rectification notice, he was told to now make his own "informed decision" ... which I'm assuming he chose to ignore their advice because he still had the tiny plate on it :P LOL

[Stu]

What's the point of a Police car chasing a GSXR1000? They going to catch it?
Small plate please.

Originally Posted by Stu

What's the point of a Police car chasing a GSXR1000? They going to catch it?
Small plate please.

Police in cars are NOT allowed to chase bikes....so that wouldnt happen anyway....Helicopter anyone?

Originally Posted by shadowangel

Police in cars are NOT allowed to chase bikes

They do. Example.

Originally Posted by sarah

They do. Example.

yeah officially thats what is termed as a 'SAFE FOLLOW' rofl, Not actually allowed to PURSUE a motorbike...Thems the rulez anyway

Originally Posted by shadowangel

yeah officially thats what is termed as a 'SAFE FOLLOW' rofl, Not actually allowed to PURSUE a motorbike...Thems the rulez anyway

What's the difference?

Originally Posted by sarah

What's the difference?

Ehrm, besides the fact that you are allowed to do a safe follow and not a pursuit of a bike......ummmm nothing !

Sorry if this info has already been posted, but I can't be bothered reading thru this whole thread.

My understanding from an MCN article at the time the plates, pipes and visors issue changed was that the law hasn't changed. The Association of Chief Police Ofiicers (ACPO) changed the guidelines to say that bikers shouldn't be prosecuted for small plates, tinted visors and loud exhausts, but they are still strictly speaking illegal. This is a guideline, much like the 10% plus 2mph guideline for speeding prosecutions, or not getting charged for possesion of small amounts of cannabis.

I suppose you could still get a notice to get it rectified and inspected by an MOT tester within 7 days though as that is not a prosecution.

Note that this is an ACPO guideline, not an ACPOS guideline, so it doesn't apply in Scotland, up here you can still expect a ticket.

Originally Posted by shadowangel

Ehrm, besides the fact that you are allowed to do a safe follow and not a pursuit of a bike......ummmm nothing !

Does a "safe" follow include using excessive speed? Or do they have to let you go?

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Does a "safe" follow include using excessive speed? Or do they have to let you go?

Nope it doesnt include speeds or driving that is dangerous or could put other road users in danger, thats when they have to call the helicopter if its getting away or set up a running roadblock.

Every pursuit has to be approved and monitored by the Control room inspector and if he calls stand down, the officer has to stand down.