licence plate

[golarge]

Well I just got back from my non ride tonight. Moved my licence plate from my back wheel to my number plate and thru away my chainsaw carrier.
After having my plate in my back wheel for ever without a problem. after being checked about 5 times this summer without a problem, twice by the same guy, this same guy now says its a problem.
So I (nicely) said the main reason I have my plate in my wheel is so that I can carry my chainsaw to do trail maintenance. It will block the plate. His answer, don't care find a different way.
Diplomacy ends with the letter of the law. So that's it. The end of my rope. I will no longer be giving them the time of day. I will no longer try to reason with them. I will no longer be nice. I will no longer be going out on my bike to cut trees off of trails or build bridges. I have had it.

[giantjoe]

I feel your pain.

[Brass]

Sucks that they are being so rectally retentive with this.

I know a few people that have had the plate mounted on the front cut their brake line, I also know a few people that have scars on their thigh/leg from a plate mounted on the back cutting them during unplanned bike get-offs, myself included. For safety sake, I won't mount mine or my wife's plate in either location.

Is there an avenue for us to petition the new government to amend the law?

[Dobi]

Ken, that sucks to hear. I hate to see you hang up that saw as you have been such a force on the trails for as long as I can remember. There has to be a better way to get around this. We have had years of riding in Moab with no plates too and this year one of our group was pulled over and almost had a bike impounded. I have seen a massive fight in BC recently to go to a sticker based system vs a license plate for OHV's, perhaps we can push for something like that here?

In the meantime, I have a dakine builders pack you can borrow anytime I am not using it

[axel99]

Ken, really sad to hear a over zealous CO has pissed you off like this. Did you get his name? I wonder when they plan to force snowmobiles to have a tag on the front. If I get harassed for the location of my tag I will produce proof of registration and insurance and head for the nearest legal trail. If they attempt to tow my truck I wil call the RCMP and file a theft report. Time to take this BS to court and find out what happens. No RCMP office is going to show up because a CO doesn't like how my OHV tag is mounted. I am so disappointed with SRD and how they are just wasting some many resources and chance to really make a difference by enforcing laws that really protect and conserve public lands.

Time for a smoke break

[giantjoe]

I believe ESRD is not (directly) responsible for the COs. This is a Fish and Wildlife thing I believe. They have stepped in since ESRD has not had the funds to enforce at all recently. When I conversed with them, they definitely said they were not working for ESRD and their major interest is ensuring that we have registration and insurance.

[axel99]

Something seems a muck with this relation between ESRD and Fish and Wildlife. Again, I would like to see a presentation at a club event so we can be educated and avoid all this BS, with whats OK today may be illegal tomorrow. I suspect we will learn the CO's are posturing on this issue and just making themselves feel useful.

[porschev]

Section 18(3) of the OHV Regulations states, "The owner of an OHV must attach the licence plate ... securely to the front or rear of the OHV so that the plate is clearly visible." Thats it. There is nothing that states where on the front or back the plate must be afixed or from where it must be visible. The front wheel is at the front of the bike and it is a part of the bike like any other. A plate mounted as such is clearly visible thus it complies perfectly with the letter of the law. A plate mounted on a backpack worn by the rider does not comply with the wording of the law but it clearly complies with the spirit of the law which is to ensure that a vehicle being operated has a visible licence plate.
.

Josh & I also looked up the act after they wanted to seize his bike and we had only saw versions that require it attached and clearly visible, even the latest version of map compared to prior versions now says attached & visible, but nothing about the front and back. As I understand it, making a change to an act like this is a huge undertaking, seems strange, guess we'll have to move our plates...

Has anyone received a ticket for not having a plate on the front or back but did have it in the wheels or as I have mine on the muffler?

[blacksheep]

So whats wrong with mounting your license plate to the front number plate of your bike?

[blacksheep]

I mount mine above my headlight with out an issue. I'll reword my question. Why would you mount it in your spokes? I don't mount my plate to my trucks hub cap or rim....

[giantjoe]

So I (nicely) said the main reason I have my plate in my wheel is so that I can carry my chainsaw to do trail maintenance. It will block the plate. His answer, don't care find a different way.

The number plate won't fit with a chainsaw up there. And Ken uses his chainsaw a lot.

[Hendrix13]

Just mounted my plate on the front of my bike from where it was previously attached to my muffler. Took me maybe 5 minutes.

[golarge]

Hey big guy . I think what you meant to say was Ken used to carry his chainsaw a lot.

[diabolus42]

What's really disappointing is how they waste resources checking for registration while at the same time hunters are recklessly endangering our lives on the trail.

I was riding at McClean Creek a few weeks ago, and two officers were on the trail checking registration, while only a few hundred meters away a group of irresponsible people were firing a high powered rifle aimlessly into the forest, with no regard for the fact that there are hidden trails, that could very well have had riders on them, where they were blindly shooting. Many other times I've seen people with shotguns randomly shooting in locations where trails come out into clearings. I ride with my 5 year old and the fear I have of a stray bullet hitting him, or me, scares me to death.

Apparently public safety is less important than the opportunity for officers to hand out revenue-generating tickets..... extremely disturbing and beyond disappointing.