D*ck Swing! Need your opinions/thoughts

[M13]

I went for a cruise with a big group of people this past Saturday to Cypress Mountain. Everything was smooth, nice breezy sunny afternoon, the drive up the mountain was enjoyable and considerate to sightseers and hiker/bikers.

Then a white S2K (not from out group) VTAKKK'd up the hills and ****** up everything. I had my passenger side window closed and as he passed by our group our ears rang for minutes.

Then at the top of the hill people parked for a photo session / talk until a ghost car Dodge Charger told us to leave immediately. The white S2K had caused three separate complaint calls.

So back down we go...

At the bottom of the hill we were greeted with a surprise. Three West Van cruisers had created a road block.

I was in the middle of the pack. Most people were taken through a basic plate/license match and records of any previous tickets. Two cars were pulled off for not having a front plate.

I had a front plate, proper license and no history of wreckless driving so I figured it'd be an easy one. My turn came to talk to the officers and I had all my papers/license ready, until the cop decided to make it a bit interesting.

Officer: "Your front plate is bent, so you have to bend it back now"
(My front plate is trimmed .5" on top and bottom for where the holes were. It still clearly shows the 6 digit plate number and "Beautiful British Columbia" on it.)

Me: "I can't bend it sir, it's been trimmed."

Officer: "Ok, pull over there *points at other cars pulled over for no front license plate* and wait, you have committed a provincial offence"

Me: "Alright..."


-Minutes pass as the cops pull over a couple other cars for no front plates.-






Officer: " Your car will be impounded immediately as it is not suitable to be on the roads"

Me: "Why is that?"

Officer: " The plates are properties of British Columbia, you cannot modify them in any way, your car is illegal, therefore it must be towed away until you mount proper front license plate on."

Me: "Officer, I have a front plate on and I did not know that it was illegal to trim my front plate. It still clearly shows all the information. I went through three road blocks in the last 4 months and have never been asked about my front license plate, sir."(I added that last "sir" w/o any attitude, no matter how much I wanted to)

Officer: "I do not just make up the provincial motor acts on the spot, get out of the car."

Me: "Alright, but first I want to speak to my friends (waiting for me 20 feet away) to arrange a ride to my house. I find it ridiculous that people without a front plate got a ticket and were free to go, while I am forced to surrender my car 45 KM away from my house. If I wanted to be resisting the law, I would not have taken the time and effort to mount a front plate. I clearly did not know that it would be that much of a serious offence to trim the edges of my front license plate."

Officer: "... well, it's your responsibility as a driver to know these laws, I will be back"

*goes away for 10 minutes, talks to other cops, takes his sweet ass time*


Officer: " Here, I talked to my supervisor and I do not want to wait for the tow truck to show up. I am cutting you a deal, I am issuing a "NO FRONT LICENSE PLATE" ticket, which is $109.00 sign here. *I sign*

Now here is the other part of the deal, you must get a proper plate for your car tomorrow, and come to my office after 7 PM tomorrow (Sunday). I know you live in Coquitlam (My license says Coquitlam as my address as I lived there before, but it has a revised address for Maple Ridge attached to the back of the license) but you MUST come show me that you have a plate on by tomorrow. If you don't, I will find you and tow your car at any times."

Me: "Ok, thank you, I will do that."



--------------------------------


I never got a written order to come show him my plate, so I never did waste an hour and half of my life on Sunday just to show him the new plate ziptied to my bumper which I got yesterday.



When I told this story to a few people they were surprised. I have gotten a written order to mount a front license plate last year, which is the reason for me to have this cut up plate on the front. I followed the order and got it resolved. However this time, I did not get an written order which I did not sign. Purely verbal, so I ignored it as the request to drive out to West Vancouver from Mission is ridiculous, just to show him my front plate mounted on my bumper.

The purpose of the thread is to guage on your opinion on whether this cop's threat to tow my car away for having a trimmed front plate, then ending up issuing a no front license plate ticket when I clearly had a front license plate that is visible and secure.

I appreciate your time.

[bignate]

maybe his wife stopped putting out. Sounds like a power tripping douche to me.

[Bee-RSkyline]

The ticket will likely get thrown out in court if you fight it.

As for towing your car. Legally he has no evidence to do so, however it doesn't mean he won't try.
I received a written warning for a headlight bulb that was out, was supposed to go to the station within 14 days. Fixed the problem, and never went. Still haven't had any problems.

[M13]

Yes, I was very respectful, gave him the superiority feeling. I was very logical in my choice of words and I think it played out well, because I was at his mercy when he wanted to tow my car.

I am disputing the ticket, I have 35 witnesses that witnessed me having a front plate.
I'm more angry because he told me to "drive all the way to West Vancouver and show me your proper plate mounted on the car in person after 7PM Sunday, I do not care if you live in Coquitlam or Maple Ridge." I never got a written order/notice, therefore did not go.

BTW, he put down my old address on the ticket, when I have a proper re-issued address attachment on the back of the license. DOH! nut

I almost feel like filing in a complaint because the trouble-maker S2K could not produce a proof of insurance nor had a front plate.

The same cop told him: "You have a choice between a front plate ticket or a failure to produce insurance ticket"

Why didn't he go balls to the walls like he did to me and tow his car and take him away for no proof of insurance?

I have his business card, therefore full name and officer number(badge number?)

[Oakville]

Sounds like someone went and shoved their d*ck between his cheeks, both sets.

As for cutting the plates, I would assume that its the same as like defacing government property, like drilling holes in coins and ****.

I know a lot of people that bend or cut, Ive even seen someone here with everything cut other than the digits, they left like 3 inches of the plate.

[Daryl @ RightDrive]

That sounds like a load of crock! How on earth is a trimmed license plate worse than no license plate? I guess he just really didn't like the looks of you.
As for going to show him your front plate, I don't think there is really anything he can do. If he shows up with a tow truck at your house how is he going to tow your car with the proper plate affixed?

[bignate]

anybody find it odd we pay $85 for those flimsy pieces of metal (plates) but the government still owns them? Oh and then another $80 for the sticker, does the govt own that too?

To add to what Daryl said, I dont believe he would have any grounds to tow the car off your property either.

[GTR--J]

What a lame day.....did you tell the cop about the s2k?

[M13]

That sounds like a load of crock! How on earth is a trimmed license plate worse than no license plate? I guess he just really didn't like the looks of you.
As for going to show him your front plate, I don't think there is really anything he can do. If he shows up with a tow truck at your house how is he going to tow your car with the proper plate affixed?

He wrote down my old address on the ticket when the new address was attached (issued by ICBC) on the back of my license.

If he does show, which he won't, he will show up to my old house 25 KM away from my current address.

PS: I am cool with RCMP officers, I have been helped by Maple Ridge officers and respect them as they have never created an issue for me.

It's the private cops: ie: VPD, West Van, New West and Port Moody that have caused me some headaches in the past.

My plate looked like this:






Some random pix from the cruise/meet:






MMM EVO X...









Then the heat score white S2K without front plate nor proof of insurance who got off free from the cops.



BTW I was the only RHD there and it's funny how I was the only one who was hasseled the most.

[Oakville]

BTW I was the only RHD there and it's funny how I was the only one who was hasseled the most.

I kind of figured that was the case.

"man deez guyz is racist!"

[mcfly]

If I do end up moving to bc i'm keeping my cars alberta plated for eternity.

At the end of the day though yes he could have towed your car, at least in alberta if you cut you plate up it can work that way.

[MR666]

Tell the cop to F off

1) The plate is not the property of the Provice of
BC. It is the property of ICBC. Which is a corperation or entity un to itself.

2) If ICBC or an agent of ICBC says that the plate is fine and doesn't require replacing then you don't have to replace it.

3) I had just bought a new car and drove off the lot, back home up north. On the way I hit a deer that was already dead on the road and tore up my 4 hour old new plate. I asked an agent of ICBC if it needed to be replaed and he said no, as you can still read the info clearly. 18 years later and stopped many many times for speeding and what not. Every time the cops look at it and ask. I tell them and thats that. no tickets no fuss.

If ICBC says it is OK then F**k the cops. See them in court and counter file for costs and losses due to their stupidity. If people keep asking for compensation in court every time the cops show their stupidity. The cops would have to smarten up.

2 weeks ago I just looked this all up. Look it up for yourself.

[MR666]

Ask the retard where it says the dimensions of a licence plate in the act or the reg's. I'll have to look it up again but I don't remember it even saying the plate can't be modified?

[MR666]

Under the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations, your car can only be impounded if you are prohibited from driving or lack a licence or ICBC has a impound order on the car. If for any reason you are left stranded by the cops who are doing the impound, he must find or supply you with transportation. He cannot just leave you there. If you have childern in the car with you and he illeagally impounds the car then he is in serious s**t and you can really rake himand his CO for it. You also have the right to have a review of the impoundment. You are entitled to full restitution for all fees, charges, transportion and any losses due to the impoundment which includes lost wages or overtime days you couldn't work, daycare and taxies. The list is really long and you could get thousands of dollars in restitution if your creative, for your illeagal seizure of your car. That would tune them up !

The motor vehicle act states the plates need to be mounted as per the Act Regulations

They state one plate on front and back with a decal and valid insurance.
The plate must be mounted horizontally.
The plate can not have altered numbers or figures
The plate must be kept clean so it can be read.
The plate must be plainly seen and readable at all times

Powers of a Peace Officer, can only remove the car from the road by reason of mechanical, structural or other defect making the car unsafe for use on the road. or over the weight limit or doesn't meet the manufactures specifications

Plus 26.06 my favorite
Proof of, "that the violation took place shall be proof beyond a reasonable doubt."

My advise to everyone is to print out sections of the act and the regs, high lite things and keep them in the car glove box. Oh, and the inspection certificates (VI) are always valid and don't expire for vehicles 3500 kg and down. You don't need to have an inspection every year like some VPD think !

Another one too, just because the plate is damaged or mutilated (cut down) doesn't mean they must be replaced. ICBC must replace them if you make an application for a replacement but if you don't make one then your not forced to replace them. Nowhere can I find the specifications for the dimensions for a plate. Again if an ICBC agent, who is representing ICBC says the plate is OK then who are the cops to tell ICBC what to do their property.

[M13]

Thank you!

I am disputing the ticket and planning to make the cop look like an ass.

1. This ticket says I had no plate, however I had a front license plate.

2. If he brings up the fact my plate was cut, I will bring up the fact that he threatened to tow my car away w/o any reasons on why it should be.

3. I will bring up this document you posted above and shove it.


PS: #222 from West Vancouver police department.