$318 Fine For A Dirty Number Plate !

[FATAZZ]

i wonder if you would've been pulled over if it was a holden v8 ute with mud all over it from a country ute show....

Not a chance,,,it's a Holden.

[saliya]

You will have the car tested for the exhaust, unfortunately anything which is not standard is a defect unless engineered.

I work as a cop so I am not simply talking out of my arse, there are alot of ppl that will tell you to fight it and all that sort of crap, many have no idea about law or

Hi Brenton,

thanks for your post. It's always good to see an officer of the law participate in a vehicle-enthusiast group.

Unfortunately, your information is incorrect with respect to the 'nonstandard-is-defect-unless-engineered' in NSW.

Seeing as you're a police officer, it's in all of our best interests that you're correctly-informed; hence my post.

I refer you to the RTA's Nov 07 revision of their 'Guidelines for light vehicle modifications', available on the RTA's website.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/dow...ns_nov_2007.pdf

"Owner-approvable" modifications need not be certified to be legal. The document lists kinds of modifications

that are owner-approvable. Airboxes, of course, are not one - but wheels/tyres and suspension (within limits) are.

Since lots of Skyline owners get pulled over/defected for these two things, they're worth mentioning in the

same paragraph...

I hope you take this post in the spirit it is intended; and that maybe you point a couple of your officer mates

to the correct information too (that will help all of us )

Regards,

Saliya

[mark_sudakov]

Unfortunately, your information is incorrect with respect to the 'nonstandard-is-defect-unless-engineered' in NSW.

This shows that the police dont know the rules, they just think they do. Why dont they just stick to speeding, drink driving, driving infringements

Edited April 26, 2008 by mark_sudakov

[Lachlan33]

Mate that sucks, fined for a dirty numberplate translates to "Im a jerk so heres a BS fine"

My only fine so far has been BS as well. I left my car runing outside a shop while i went inside to get milk. I was inside for 2 minutes, probably no less than 5-10 meters away from the car. $78 and 20 minutes of my time.

I have no problem with fines for speeding, drink driving and other reckless behaviour. But fines for a pod filter here, a BOV there, loud exhaust etc, I find to be nothing short of harassment.

Especially given the amount of sh!tbox cars out there with bald tyres, stuffed shocks/brakes etc driven by clueless grannies.

It also gives me the Sh!ts that the cops enforcing the 'law' half the time have no clue wtf they are on about.

[BHDave]

Hi Brenton,

thanks for your post. It's always good to see an officer of the law participate in a vehicle-enthusiast group.

Unfortunately, your information is incorrect with respect to the 'nonstandard-is-defect-unless-engineered' in NSW.

Seeing as you're a police officer, it's in all of our best interests that you're correctly-informed; hence my post.

I refer you to the RTA's Nov 07 revision of their 'Guidelines for light vehicle modifications', available on the RTA's website.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/dow...ns_nov_2007.pdf

"Owner-approvable" modifications need not be certified to be legal. The document lists kinds of modifications

that are owner-approvable. Airboxes, of course, are not one - but wheels/tyres and suspension (within limits) are.

Since lots of Skyline owners get pulled over/defected for these two things, they're worth mentioning in the

same paragraph...

I hope you take this post in the spirit it is intended; and that maybe you point a couple of your officer mates

to the correct information too (that will help all of us )

Regards,

Saliya

duck and cover mcgee, you are unfortunately the enemy to many people, despite seeming pretty reasonable, and they are looking to pull you up on any perceived error.

so saliya, and mark, where in the light vehicle mods guideline does it say you can install an aftermarket exhaust without emissions and engineers reports?

Or how about wheels seeing as it's your example, have you read the guidelines on the mods there. You may want to before jumping into an arguement with your interweb law degree. Do you have 7.5 inch wheels all round? i hope you do because any bigger requires engineering on a gtst. You don't by chance have 8inch fronts and 9 inch rears, thats pretty common? I really hope not as the 8 inch front requires certification and the 9 inch rear is outside of what even an engineer can certify. I won't go into offset, but would again suggest you have a read. How many people seriously get done for wheels, other than for having them out side the guards, or so big and chrome that the rolling diameter can't be maintained?

Rather than continue and turn this into a rant, i'll end with, get off your soap box and understand the limits of owner certifiable modifications. It is very very restricted. It is there to allow people to install things like sunroofs, up speced factory wheels, fog lights etc. It isn't there to let you install a front mount, pod filter, atmo bov, big exhaust. Those things all modify emmisions and do in fact require testing and engineers certification.

if you are lucky enough to get let off on any of them, lucky you. If you do get done then suck it up and get on with fixing it. Blue slipping a modded car isn't as easy as you'd think. Those guys DO know the regs.

[Duncan]

I don't see why people are pissed at someone getting a fine for dirty numberplate.

being able to read a numberplate is critical. How can a speed or red light camera work out which car it was. What if your car with a dirty number plate was stolen and a cop couldn't see it was a stolen car driving past them.

sounds pretty reasonable to me

[Shaun]

Its an opinion f**kstick.

Yeah, an uninformed opinion that costs poeple money. f**k you too.

[DECIM8]

I rekon you guys should ease up on the cops (including the ones in the thread) They go out every day and cop shit to "protect us" sure we dont really see it but no doubt they'd shoot a baddy down for you.

In light of it all, not everyone who owns a skyline is on these forums and most owners actually partake in illegal acts which is why the cops are always on our asses.

Now with comment to the RTA guidelines, It could be taken any way. There is no direct comments to tell a reader that emmision testing would be needed which is none other than the RTA's fault. To us however emission testing is useless because 90% of jap rides are not going to pass this test anyway (stock) and anything with higher flow has jack all chance (but it can be done.) Also inregards to the comments above, the GTST is allowed to have any parts which comes out on it, or its higher model i.e GTR just like you can bolt on SS mods onto a commonwhore with no worries. so yes 9" wheels are allowed as they are factory optioned on the gtr.

Now as I say this you are prob scrolling up the post up top which indicated otherwise, technically its true also. so who is right? Both are, thats why we are all screwed!

With what I think about your fine is, you wont get off as it is illegiable, and obviously due to the crap you had blowing out your cannon, hence why he wants you looked at.

Edited April 26, 2008 by DECIM8

[BHDave]

the GTST is allowed to have any parts which comes out on it, or its higher model i.e GTR just like you can bolt on SS mods onto a commonwhore with no worries. so yes 9" wheels are allowed as they are factory optioned on the gtr.

read the regs, you may have skimmed them but you obviously haven't read them, take particular note of the mention of the axle type. gtr and gtst do not share common axles....

You can do some mods, gtr front panels for instance, and be fine. But stick on the GTR wheels and you are stuffed. You aren't going to be asked to take an emissions test if you have a stock car either....

There's no point in sugar coating it, if a cop wants to defect you or me they could do it easily.

I'm not trying to preach, i'm not in a position to as i can guarantee my car is probably more detectable than 99% of street driven skylines on this forum, it's basically a registered track car. What i'm saying is don't accept the bullshit that you read on this forum as far as what is a legal mod and what is an illegal mod. The RTA website gives you the regs, read them. Be aware of what is legal and what is illegal, be aware of what a cop is going to look for when he pulls you over which is; pod, bov, too loud, too low. They are the 4 most common defects.

Despite the fact that my car is a rolling defect i have been let off. Why? because i have a stock air box, i have no bov, the car is just over legal height, and i was so f**king courteous i felt like throwing up. The exhaust at the time was easily over 90dB at idle, i have a fixed bucket, i have gauges on the dash, i have no back seat, i have aftermarket suspension arms, coilovers, ball joints, steering arms etc etc.

I cant be stuffed arguing about whats legal and illegal or interpretations. The information is available on the RTA website so go and read it. All i'm saying is be aware of where you stand and don't cry when you get done for one mod or another. If you were pinged for a stock bov then you have an arguement...

[D_I_F]

I don't see why people are pissed at someone getting a fine for dirty numberplate.

being able to read a numberplate is critical. How can a speed or red light camera work out which car it was. What if your car with a dirty number plate was stolen and a cop couldn't see it was a stolen car driving past them.

sounds pretty reasonable to me

Agreed! That's why I always keep mine clean

[saliya]

duck and cover mcgee, you are unfortunately the enemy to many people, despite seeming pretty reasonable, and they are looking to pull you up on any perceived error.

Hi BHDave,

Calm down

I'm guessing you mean "it's a tiny error, so let it slide because he's reasonable". While I'd agree that the OP seems to be very reasonable; I'd hardly call the statement "anything non-standard is a defect" a tiny error.

so saliya, and mark, where in the light vehicle mods guideline does it say you can install an aftermarket exhaust without emissions and engineers reports?

It doesn't. My exhaust is on my engineer's report; implying to me that it needs to be there.

Or how about wheels seeing as it's your example, have you read the guidelines on the mods there.

Yes. They're available at http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/dow.../vsi09_rev4.pdf

You may want to before jumping into an arguement with your interweb law degree. Do you have 7.5 inch wheels all round?

snipped. Not sure what the wheel size on my car has to do with my original post. My wheels are standard size; but I digress...

Rather than continue and turn this into a rant, i'll end with, get off your soap box and understand the limits of owner certifiable modifications. It is very very restricted. It is there to allow people to install things like sunroofs, up speced factory wheels, fog lights etc.

I understand the limits of owner-approvable modifications - they're described fairly well in the relevant documents. When in doubt, a person can speak to a Signatory to get a definitive answer.

It isn't there to let you install a front mount, pod filter, atmo bov, big exhaust. Those things all modify emmisions and do in fact require testing and engineers certification.

Correct. None of those things are listed as owner-approvable modifications as of Nov 07. Incidentally, neither are boat anchors, pool filtration equipment, clydesdale horses, surface-to-air missiles... the list of "what's not on the list" is a big one

I think you're missing my point, so I'll spell it out:

* The original poster stated "anything which is not standard is a defect unless engineered"

* The existence of the owner-approvable class of modifications refutes this statement - an owner-approvable modification is non-standard; yet it is also not an automatic defect.

The limits of owner-approvable modifications (i.e. what's on the list) don't matter for the purposes of that discussion.

OK?

FWIW: I think that if crap on your numberplate makes it illegible, you should be booked...

Regards,

Saliya

(P.S. I'm not even going to enter the discussion on people being defected for things which are actually legal; or _not_ defected for things which aren't)

[DaGr81]

ok now forget about the fine for a minute, where they have ticked "full inspection" does this mean the guy doing the blue slip will be going over every inch of the car?

Also an intercooler should be fine to pass through on the blue slip aye? I just gotta fix airbox and bov.... will the stock airbox fit back into position with an over the radiator type FMI?

[LozR33]

i jus got defected in brighton n they sent me 2 a blue slip station and epa.. i copped bout 12 defects n the only thing the blue slip station will look at is the defects on ur blue paper.. they will also take photos on th vehicle as u bring it in so u cant change it all back..The front mount they will not clear.. they will send u 2 epa, engineered or not u r gonna get done for the front mount n have to go to emissions, there is no way out of it unless u put ur standard one back on.. I have spent jus under 3000 on fixing my car 2 standard n still havent finished.. Another thin they done me for is my at, coz its an older car ur cat is most likey not gonna pass emissions, so if u wanna leave ur front n mount on, im guessin ur gonna need a new cat!! if u get ur front mo0unt engineered by the way, if a cop pulls u over he can still send u 2 emissions with an engineered front mount n even if u have a certficate to say that u passed emissions they can still send u back, coz there is no photo evidence of the front mount at emissons.. I have jus been through it all n still going through it, n i feel sorry 4 u!!

[msnismo]

ok now forget about the fine for a minute, where they have ticked "full inspection" does this mean the guy doing the blue slip will be going over every inch of the car?

Also an intercooler should be fine to pass through on the blue slip aye? I just gotta fix airbox and bov.... will the stock airbox fit back into position with an over the radiator type FMI?

really depends on whose doing the blueslip, some are by the book and some are lenient.... also be wary that when you clear the defect at the rta, they can randomly pull your car over their pits (then & there) to ensure whats on the blueslip is actually whats on/corrected on your vehicle........

Ive had a full inspection ticked before (S13) and the blueslip guy said this is a load of crap and just ticked it off...

[malcolm]

I don't see why people are pissed at someone getting a fine for dirty numberplate.

being able to read a numberplate is critical. How can a speed or red light camera work out which car it was. What if your car with a dirty number plate was stolen and a cop couldn't see it was a stolen car driving past them.

sounds pretty reasonable to me

DITTO !!

Funny how its only ever the people who's cars have defects are the ones who get fines for having defects - amazing !!

While everybody else who's cars dont have defects dont get fines for having defects !!

Its pretty clear to me who's got the defects and its not the cars !!

As i keep saying - it aint "rocket surgery" guys !!

If you really dont have the time to spend on your car to ensure that it complies in every way with what the law states you must do in order to join the rest of us on the road. Then sell your car & walk everywhere. Im sure that extra time itll take you to get places will help you realise that the time it takes to ensure that your car is defect free isnt such a long time after all.

Cheers malcolm

[msnismo]

Not all defects involve fines, alot of the time its officer discretion.. as per the 11ty other threads on defects.

Dirty numberplate.... fair call as per Duncan's post.

What I find a little harsh is :

While everybody else who's cars dont have defects dont get fines for having defects !!

Its pretty clear to me who's got the defects and its not the cars !!

As i keep saying - it aint "rocket surgery" guys !!

If you really dont have the time to spend on your car to ensure that it complies in every way with what the law states you must do in order to join the rest of us on the road. Then sell your car & walk everywhere. Im sure that extra time itll take you to get places will help you realise that the time it takes to ensure that your car is defect free isnt such a long time after all.

Plenty of us have spent lots of money modifying our cars and have engineered them, is yours? Does your car comply to the letter ? Not having a go but that was a pretty broad statement to make. Your engine bay isn't exactly stock so you too could possibly be defected one day. Police defect what they "think is illegal", it isn't always the case that they are correct. Engineers report or not, defects are still a possibility.

Can we leave the stabs out of half these threads. The guy got defected. He asked a question. No need to be rude. Just about had it with these posts, not saying that I haven't had a go in the past but I have tried not to be rude about it. Except maybe on one or two occasions in the past

Cheers,

Anna

Edit: It is hard sometimes to distinguish someone being rude, sarcastic etc or just a relevant statement on the interwebs.. tone of voice and facial expressions don't exist

[malcolm]

ok now forget about the fine for a minute, where they have ticked "full inspection" does this mean the guy doing the blue slip will be going over every inch of the car?

Also an intercooler should be fine to pass through on the blue slip aye? I just gotta fix airbox and bov.... will the stock airbox fit back into position with an over the radiator type FMI?

Hi there

Sounds to me that youre saying that a "full inspection" is a bad thing ?!

If your car is second hand and has been owned by somebody else how do you know that prior to you buying it the previous owner did something to it that could potentially make it dangerous or unsafe ?

If youre satisified that this isnt the case and youve done everything yourself to ensure that its ok well youve got nothing to worry about.

Isnt having a defect free car thats safe for you to drive and safe for other motorists a good thing ?

I think so !

Cheers malcolm

[malcolm]

Not all defects involve fines, alot of the time its officer discretion.. as per the 11ty other threads on defects.

Dirty numberplate.... fair call as per Duncan's post.

What I find a little harsh is :

Plenty of us have spent lots of money modifying our cars and have engineered them, is yours? Does your car comply to the letter ? Not having a go but that was a pretty broad statement to make. Your engine bay isn't exactly stock so you too could possibly be defected one day. Police defect what they "think is illegal", it isn't always the case that they are correct. Engineers report or not, defects are still a possibility.

Can we leave the stabs out of half these threads. The guy got defected. He asked a question. No need to be rude. Just about had it with these posts, not saying that I haven't had a go in the past but I have tried not to be rude about it. Except maybe on one or two occasions in the past

Cheers,

Anna

Edit: It is hard sometimes to distinguish someone being rude, sarcastic etc or just a relevant statement on the interwebs.. tone of voice and facial expressions don't exist

Hi there

Never meant to be rude - so sorry to that

I went to great lenghts while building my car to learn what it was i had to do to ensure that it complied 100 %. I was simply pointing out that if you take the time to to educate yourself on what will defect your car and you still dont bother to do anything about it then dont go blaming the car or police.

It seems that trying to get away with having a defect is ok !?

Yes I have had my car checked and have been stopped by the police - no defects.

The odd defect is sadly given wrongly but 99.99% are because thats exactly whats there.

Cheers malcolm

[edit] I took my car in and volunteered it for a "full" inspection just to make sure.

Edited April 27, 2008 by malcolm

[DaGr81]

so there is absolutely no chance that my front mount will pass the blue slip? even if everything else is standard...exhaust, air filter, bov (which is what i got done for)

anyone here passed a blue slip with a frount mount on?

[DECIM8]

Why couldnt you pass with a front mount with stock return pipes? Thats legal.. however it needs to retain the stock reo bar which most often than not needs to be trimmed to fit the FMIC..

If you have had to drill holes etc then your screwed, you wont pass unless you weld up the hold or I guess rivet a covser on (not sure if that will pass) and then stick a smic on.