Side plate ticket!

  • Hoz
    February 3, 2011 1:51 AM PST

    Has anyone recieved a ticket in NY for riding with a side plate? Has anyone recieved a ticket in NY with the new HD's that come with the side plate? Did you fight the ticket, did you win or lose, I am fighting a ticket now and would like to collet info so I can fight it. If anyone has one the ticket would love to know how and why.


    Thanks
    HOZ
    • Moderator
    • 19034 posts
    February 3, 2011 2:43 AM PST
    I am going to assume that if it is factory it is legal. Harley Inc. would have done the research. We have a couple Lawyer business members here. Give them a shout.
  • February 3, 2011 3:35 AM PST
    Have to agree with Rex...from the pics I can't see what the issue might be. Check with the legal beagles.
  • February 3, 2011 3:44 AM PST
    Is your plate mounted vertical? My friend rides a hardtail custom and he got pulled over for having the plate vertical. He had to rotate it back to have the ticket signed off. Were in California btw. Did you ask the Policeman if he was bored ? Good luck bro
  • Hoz
    February 3, 2011 12:25 PM PST
    My plate is not factory but it is the same setup as above for the new HD which are factory. It is Horizontal and the COP was a man on a mission he was giving a car a ticket when right after he went for me.
    • Moderator
    • 19034 posts
    February 4, 2011 12:17 AM PST
    Based on what you said then it looks like one of those things we have to put up with. That is, decide if the possibility of winning the fight is worth the effort.
  • Hoz
    February 4, 2011 12:52 AM PST
    Rex, that is true but every fight should be worth the effor for every fight not fought win or lose is an advancement for the other side.
    • 58 posts
    February 4, 2011 1:05 AM PST
    I think what you are wanting / trying to say is.... if we don't fight they win. If we do fight and lose, at least we fought. We can't win if we don't fight. Freedom isn't free, but it is worth fighting for!!!!
    • Moderator
    • 19034 posts
    February 4, 2011 1:20 AM PST
    I understand, and that was mostly my philosophy for many years. But time has taught me that my energies are sometimes better spent elsewhere.
  • February 4, 2011 2:41 AM PST
    I'm thinking "choose your battles" too... I would pick mitigation. Go in and show the judge what this was all about. Be polite and dress respectfully for HIS court. I would just explain what you did, that you are not a lawyer but it seems wrong to have to pay a fine for something you bought from the factory that way. Then I would ask that it be reduced to a warning if it's really a violation, or dismiss if it didn't meet the language of the law. By the way, don't try to dis the cop in front of the judge. Technically cops are "officers of the court". Most judges do not find disrespecting the officer all that acceptable.

    When it comes to passing judgement on cops, keep in mind that if they ever take down a REAL bad guy for some chippy infraction, they might lose the evidence if they have NEVER stopped or ticketed anyone else for that specific infraction. You can thank the Supreme Court for that one. So, new cops who know this often will enforce laws that seem chippy to you and me so that when they do catch Dahmer or Manson on a bike with a side-ways license plate they won't be ridiculed by the public for loosing the case. Tough game they play!
  • July 22, 2012 3:09 AM PDT
    http://www.dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv529b.pdf />
    I know this is probably too late, but I might visit and was curious, this is all I could find about NY's required equipment for motorcycles. If it still matters it would be helpful to know what statute you were cited under so I can read the language.

    Mike
    • 1855 posts
    July 22, 2012 3:44 AM PDT
    There is NO law in N.Y. state that says you cannot have a side license plate. There is the thing regarding illumination of the plate. And btw, I grew up in N.Y. 30 years ago I was informed by the DMV that I could no longer drive in N.Y. and that if I ever got caught for any moving violation again I would go straight to jail. The thing about N.Y. is fk N.Y.
    I love the country side but N.Y. gov't sucks, sucks, sucks. Taxes are too high. All taxes are too high. Ban this, ban that, ban this. I'd just move if I were you. LOL

    Peace
  • July 22, 2012 5:01 AM PDT
    Thing is over there you cant have a stand up argue with the cops...lol...they are likely to shoot you or at least taze your a$$...lol...

    Over HERE we immediately argue with them and either they are right or wrong and if you believe them to be wrong you argue as hard as you can and if they see your point they back down and on you go.....

    I CAN reccomend arguing with cops here in UK even if you are in the wrong.....START with politeness!!! Very Important!!! But then as they open their mouths they can often say something wrong-and frequently do with me- then I pounce on them with FACTS, cops dont know law, I DO!!! (I had a girlfriend who is a lawyer, and yes, she is Jewish...lol...)
  • July 22, 2012 6:41 AM PDT
    NY is always looking for ways to take in more money, They're probably hoping you don't fight it and just pay the fine.
  • July 22, 2012 11:19 AM PDT
    My son is a NY police officer and there is definitely no law in NY about the plate having to hang horizontal.

    Every vehicle enforcement ticket needs to be written for a violation of a specific code and since there is no code for a vertical hanging license plate the ticket was most likely written for improper display of your license plate and it may have been for something other than the vertical. It could have been for not having a light on it, the plate being too low (less than 12" from the ground) or the plate being cover with dirt so that ALL numbers and letters could not be clearly read.
    • 823 posts
    July 22, 2012 1:09 PM PDT
    I sure as hell ain't paying any fines for a factory mount tag. My wide glide is that way. I keep it folded in and haven't had any problems. Maybe things are different out here. I think some of the cops are afraid to pull us over unless they have a very good reason. Lots of wide open country and no witnesses..............
  • November 26, 2013 5:20 AM PST
    I see the problem in your pic. it's not the side mount it's there is no tag on the mount! LOL