Many cyclists arriving in Blenheim for the 2012 Grape Ride were stopped and ticketed ($150 fine) for driving with number plates obscured.
Under the law, it is mandatory that your registration plate (and lights) are legible and unobscured day or night. The 2011 regulation allows drivers to obtain supplementary registration plates that can be attached to objects such as bike racks that obscure permanent registration plates.
- Follow this link to order duplicate plates for $17.08
- DIY solution from KapitiCC member Matt Oliver
- $70 Off the shelf solution
Penalty for infringement is $150 however common practice as recently seen over the Graperide weekend is to issue the fine plus 20 demerit points. Note: If you get 100 or more demerit points within two years, you will be suspended from driving for three months.
One BikeManawatu member was let off with a warning because he has a “home made” number plate attached to the bike rack.