Legality of P-Plate holders over reverse light

andrewts · 30-07-2007, 08:33 AM

Hellooooo

As my brother is a P-Plater and I am about to become an L-Plater my mum and I decided i would be more practical to use a P/L Plate holder, the type you screw in behind the number plate.

Now in NSW we have the new laws regarding the display of Plates, and how they have to be on the outside of the car, so my brother had used clear packing tape to stick his P-Plate to the outside of the window, the same place as it would have been on the inside. It is fully visible, but being on the back window, it blocks some view. He preaches that it doesn't, but I'm not convinced as can see it in the mirror.

Now we got some P-Plate holders, and they are the type you can bend so they stick out over the rear boot garnish/applique. Problem being with this however, is that it blocks the rear reverse light. The other one works fine, and there is a bit of light coming from the 1cm underneath the P-Plate that is not blocked. It is fine when you are backing, I have looked, the light is just a bit duller on the left.

My brother is a bit cynical and too stubborn to accept that it would be alright, and so he is going to stick his plate back onto the window with tape, which means it is going to leave a mess which is as visible as the damn P-Plate on the back window, and we are going to have to spend a shedload of money on replacing this tape, because I'll have to do 120 hours of driving.

So I was wondering, is there anybody who can direct me to a clause or at least confirm my suspicions that this is legal?

Keepleft · 30-07-2007, 09:30 AM

Whilst in theory one should not mask any lamp;-

Use the P Plate holder - you should be fine. I suggest, where it masks a reverse light, that it block the driver side one.

REM, when a car has a single reverse light AND rear fog - the reverse light is located on the left, so you can consider that side as the 'primary' reverse.

Do not mask stop/tail/reflex reflector portion.

This issue highlights one of the problems with cars bearing US/JAP-spec, old AUS standard width number plate surrounds, damned ugly and useless too.

When in doubt; 131 873.

Riksta · 30-07-2007, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewts

Now in NSW we have the new laws regarding the display of Plates, and how they have to be on the outside of the car

If I attached mine to the outside many years ago I would have been constantly paranoid of them falling off and me not noticing.

Mine were those holy-ones that stick on the inside of the window that you could sort of "see through" when you looked in the mirror, I always knew it was there though

How come you have to have it on the outside? Won't people without them who get pulled over just use the "it must have fallen off" excuse?

King Nothing · 30-07-2007, 10:12 AM

New laws say we have to display them on the outside. Police were complaining that they couldnt see them on the inside. But I drive down to wollongong every day, I've already lost 2!

: Cant wait till march, get off these stupid P plates.

Nostalgia · 30-07-2007, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Nothing

New laws say we have to display them on the outside. Police were complaining that they couldnt see them on the inside. But I drive down to wollongong every day, I've already lost 2!

: Cant wait till march, get off these stupid P plates.

Maybe if they stop building cars out of TupperWare, the plates would have something to cling to. "BRING BACK THE STEEL".

bodes-sh · 30-07-2007, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EAadam

Maybe if they stop building cars out of TupperWare, the plates would have something to cling to. "BRING BACK THE STEEL".

strange, considering there's plenty of metal on the back of a ba for a magnetic plate to 'cling' to

HLC · 30-07-2007, 09:33 PM

if you are worried about using p plates, use the screw holes in them and screw the plate to your number plate.

or use a p plate holder and a cable tie to secure it to the holder.

too many idiots steal the magnetic plates or the normal plates if they arnt secured to your car.

and i had a p plate holder on my ED blocking one of the reverse lights. i never had any dramas because of it!

andrewts · 30-07-2007, 04:11 PM

Thanks for the info guys.

I'm not sure we are able to put the holder on the right, as that means it would be upside down and the plate would fall out, and also it blocks the key hole for the boot (which we sort of use because the keypad only works when the planets align).

He'll probably still place it back, but at least I will put my L-Plates there. I'll give the RTA a bell and see what they say on the matter.

Cheers.

VSSII · 30-07-2007, 07:11 PM

It's not really a new law or regulation. The cops who do the enforcing just didn't enforce them to the letter of the law. Thought there were bigger fish to fry. They have always needed to be displayed conspicuously but sometimes a blind eye was turned. End result? The RTA made themselves a little more specific!