Rego problem - police took number plates

mattcosa · 13-12-2007, 12:15 AM

Hey there - need some advice or comments;
The old man is coming home one night and a cop pulls him over, random breath test.

Now the old guy is 54, not snappy guy, happy to help - even though its 10pm at night, and he's been up since 6am concreting finishing the job because people want it done before Christmas.

First of all he runs the number plates (that’s all cool), then tells him "you haven’t paid the rego and I'm confiscating the number plates, you cannot drive this vehicle". After explaining it was paid, because he had no receipt the cop then gets a screwdriver out, pulls off both number plates and says here’s a $600 fine.

Now he cannot drive his truck (carrying all the equipment for work) which pretty much means he can’t work.

FFS – seriously, now he has to borrow a car and go and hire a trailer (at his expense) to go to work because F’n VicRoads can’t get it F’n right. Jobs got to be done before COB Christmas.

Who here carries a receipt for their rego in their car?

And what kind of right’s does he have here?

jonk · 13-12-2007, 01:13 AM

Cops in SA can look up whether you've paid recently or not. They don't take plates here. Read that some Vics were getting the fines rescinded/cancelled after going to court.

RapidBF · 13-12-2007, 06:28 AM

Did he have the current rego sticker on? What state are you in...? My mum was pulled up for a random breath test and her rego had been paid, but the new sticker was still sitting on the kitchen table. The cop who pulled her over just gave her a warning and told her to get it on ASAP. I can't see your dad having to pay the fine if he can find a receipt and prove the rego was paid before the fine was issued.. Im by far no expert on it though.

Racecraft · 13-12-2007, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattcosa

Who here carries a receipt for their rego in their car?

And what kind of right’s does he have here?

I always carry the receipt in the glovebox until the new sticker turns up.

cenithx · 13-12-2007, 06:39 AM

I got pulled up in the gf's laser the 3 days after the old rego sticker had expired. I had the new sticker at home but hadn't put it on. I got fined $450 for driving "without a valid registration sticker", and $500-odd for driving "unregistered vehicle" (the latter obviously got dropped but he gave the fine anyway "in case i was lying" he said).. even though i'm 99.9999999999% sure they can look up whether you've paid it in NSW as well.

Glad to see they're out catching criminals with my tax dollars.

pertuan · 13-12-2007, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattcosa

Who here carries a receipt for their rego in their car?

Absolutely no one I know even has a receipt for their Rego. Everyone pays online using B-pay or a bank transfer. You don't get a receipt with that. You'd only get a transaction number.

sgt_doofey · 13-12-2007, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pertuan

You'd only get a transaction number.

That's proof of payment. Print it out and chuck it in the glove box.

scoupedy · 13-12-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racecraft

I always carry the receipt in the glovebox until the new sticker turns up.

This is required or they will screw you over

I was working in 'the Gong' with a QLD rego car and licence they would have RBT's on the corner of my street (near colesterol corner) all the time i would pretend i was trying to avoid the RBT to tease the cops, They would chase me and breatho me and get nothing, check my licence find that the date on the front was expired and say "your licence is expired' i told them to check the back (in QLd they can just add a sticker to the back), Then they would get excited 'well your rego has expired' my response ' no officer here is the reciept'....did this nearly everytime...Why? you ask because i would get breath tested 3-4 times they had the RBT set up there and wouldn't wave me through after the first time (driving Landau) a real pain in the ***

fmc351 · 13-12-2007, 10:40 AM

If youve only paid in the last day or so and use Bpay or internet transfer, then they may not be able to find out if youve paid as it may not have transferred to the system yet.

And if you have the sticker, but dont put it on, thats why youll get the fine, you could have it on the car. They cant fine if you havent received the sticker.

BA_Turbs · 13-12-2007, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoupedy

This is required or they will screw you over

How is stopping people from driving unregistered cars 'screwing you over'?

If the plates were siezed then it means the rego is not just expired, but it is also cancelled. VicRoads takes up to three months to cancel plates, but a minimum of 30 days. This means you old man's truck has been expired for some time. Police do not have the authority to allow you to drive an unregistered vehicle, regardless of how many tools are in the back or for any other reason. Also, when VicPol do a car check it quries the VicRoads database directly, so if there is an error, it lays with VicRoads, not the police.

**GasoLane** · 13-12-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA_Turbs

How is stopping people from driving unregistered cars 'screwing you over'?

Now thats twisting a statement! What scoupedy said was that if a reciept is not carried they will check everything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA_Turbs

Also, when VicPol do a car check it quries the VicRoads database directly, so if there is an error, it lays with VicRoads, not the police.

Unless the Vicroads Computer is down, or the Vic Police database is down, or the police gave the wrong number to radio op.

In either case the driver of the vehicle is usually told why the plates are being removed, ie:rego cancelled/expired on XX/XX/XXXX date

GoldCoastGTP · 13-12-2007, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cenithx

Glad to see they're out catching criminals with my tax dollars.

You drive an unregistered and uninsured car you are a criminal
END OF DISCUSSION

plext · 13-12-2007, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldCoastGTP

You drive an unregistered and uninsured car you are a criminal
END OF DISCUSSION

A criminal?

Last time I looked is was not a criminal offence but rather a misdemeanor.

Let's keep some perspective shall we gentlemen and refrain from zealotry. The thread starter is in need of advice and it'd be a shame to see this locked and people banned before he got it.

Sourbastard · 13-12-2007, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldCoastGTP

You drive an unregistered and uninsured car you are a criminal
END OF DISCUSSION

non display of a registration sticker does not void registration nor insurance. The OP clearly said the sticker was sitting at home. Id be more careful using the criminal tag.

BA_Turbs · 13-12-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Unless the Vicroads Computer is down, or the Vic Police database is down, or the police gave the wrong number to radio op.

Police do car checks via a terminal in the car, rarely by radio. Also, do you think that the police doing the check would be smart enough to work out if they were checking the right rego?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

In either case the driver of the vehicle is usually told why the plates are being removed, ie:rego cancelled/expired on XX/XX/XXXX date

He was told why the plates were taken. It was because the vehicle was unregisterd. As far as date of cancellation that can't be checked on the roadside. If the owner of the vehicle wants to know what date the rego expired, look at the label that should be on the windscreen.

I'm not looking for an arguement here, I just can't understand what the issue is with what occurred. Its common practice with unregistered and cancelled regos.

BA_Turbs · 13-12-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattcosa

And what kind of right’s does he have here?

He needs to find his proof of payment, including the date payment was made, and show it to the police who wrote the ticket. The fine will be withdrawn.

Easy as!

**GasoLane** · 13-12-2007, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA_Turbs

Police do car checks via a terminal in the car, rarely by radio. Also, do you think that the police doing the check would be smart enough to work out if they were checking the right rego?

ALL cars have such a terminal?

You've never listened to a scanner have you, they're human AND they make mistakes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA_Turbs

As far as date of cancellation that can't be checked on the roadside.

Thats when they get onto the radio room who CAN check all the details
I assume that you've had experience with the 'terminal' system.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA_Turbs

I'm not looking for an arguement here, I just can't understand what the issue is with what occurred. Its common practice with unregistered and cancelled regos.

I dont now about Vic but it's NOT common practice to pull the plates here in NSW. The usual result from driving unregistered is to make you lock and leave the car where it is untill rego requirements are fulfilled

nugget378 · 13-12-2007, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA_Turbs

He needs to find his proof of payment, including the date payment was made, and show it to the police who wrote the ticket. The fine will be withdrawn.

Easy as!

I always thought the officer
who gives you a ticket had the responsibility to provide proof..

cuz · 13-12-2007, 03:30 PM

Same thing happened to my brother when he last visited here.
They confiscated the plates and stickered the car, MY CAR!!!
Anyway 18 months later and all at my expense, Vicroads admit liability and I get to pay for a new set of plates.

And as for this little comment:

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldCoastGTP

You drive an unregistered and uninsured car you are a criminal
END OF DISCUSSION

If thats your view on criminals, most people who innocently and unknowingly break a law, are criminals. There goes 99% of the population.....

XR06T · 13-12-2007, 03:38 PM

never heard of plates being taken before!!

if he has paid the rego it should show up on their computer without a doubt. have heard of people having paid the rego, but not put the sticker up, and being pulled over by the police. no fine, just a reminder the sticker must be put up..

whats so special about the sticker anyway? if you've paid your rego, then you've paid it and thats that!!

outback_ute · 13-12-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattcosa

Hey there - need some advice or comments;

Contact the Transport minister, a few weeks ago Neil Mitchell had the minister on 3AW and many callers with a similar story. I think they were going to refund fines etc, I only caught the end of it so I'm not sure on all the details.

Vicroads have been known to stuff up in this area, it happened to a girl at work about six months ago. She went to get into her car one morning to drive to work, and noticed the rego plates were missing. On ringing the police, they said they had taken them as the car was unregistered, according to Vicroads computer. She had to get a RWC and re-register the car.

If you can go through your bank records and prove to Vicroads that you paid the rego money to them, hopefully they will be able to sort it out.

SDKC · 13-12-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattcosa

And what kind of right’s does he have here?

Driving an unregistered vehicle is a strict liability offence under the (Victorian) Road Safety Act 1986 Section 7. This means that it is the responsiibility of the driver of the vehicle to know that the vehicle he is driving is currently registered. If the member took the plates from the car it means that the registration was cancelled. This means that the registration has not been paid in the last 3 months.

Now, you may not believe this, but not all people that are intercepted tell the truth. I'm not saying on this occasion that the truth was not told, however according to the information in front of us, the rego is cancelled and an unregistered vehicle is being used on a highway. This means take the plates and the driver can no longer use the vehicle on a highway.

If your Dad can take his proof of payment to Vic Roads, not the copper that issued the ticket then the fine will be removed. I don't know how the plates work. Plates that are seized by us go back to Vic Roads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldCoastGTP

You drive an unregistered and uninsured car you are a criminal
END OF DISCUSSION

I think that is a bit harsh to say, however an offence has been committed on the information provided at the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Unless the Vicroads Computer is down, or the Vic Police database is down, or the police gave the wrong number to radio op.

I don't understand this comment, if VicRoads was down or the Police database was down we wouldn't be able to get a result whether it is registered or not. If we gave the wrong number, then the wrong type of car would "probably" come up. I would then ask to confirm the reg if I was looking at a Holden and the reg for a Ford came back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

In either case the driver of the vehicle is usually told why the plates are being removed, ie:rego cancelled/expired on XX/XX/XXXX date

As stated somewhere in this post, he was told why the plates were being removed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by plext

A criminal?

Last time I looked is was not a criminal offence but rather a misdemeanor.

I didn't see what state you were from, but in Victoria there is no such thing as a misdemeanor. That is a U.S. term. It is a traffic offence however, a summary offence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLine

ALL cars have such a terminal?

All Victorian Patrol Units have a Mobile Data Terminal and it provides us with all of the relevant information. We get what the "radio room" as you call it, gets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLine

You've never listened to a scanner have you, they're human AND they make mistakes.

Yes, we are human and do make mistakes, that is why if something funny comes up we re-check and confirm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLine

I assume that you've had experience with the 'terminal' system.

I have, use it everyday, well 10 days out of 14.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nugget378

I always thought the officer
who gives you a ticket had the responsibility to provide proof..

With most traffic offences yes, but unregistered is strict liability eg owner onus.

I hope this does help mattcosa.

gozza · 13-12-2007, 05:15 PM

This does not help the OP but,

I had a mate with an unregistered vehicle and he had personalised plates on it.

The car was sitting out the front of his block of units as that was the only space available for the units - Unfortunately the space was technically classified as council property (or something along those lines) and some random police officer confiscated his plates without warning. then they lost them LOL - He got them back eventually

Hunter · 13-12-2007, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pertuan

Absolutely no one I know even has a receipt for their Rego. Everyone pays online using B-pay or a bank transfer. You don't get a receipt with that. You'd only get a transaction number.

This is right. I pay mine electronically and never get an actual receipt.

The cops have the ability to check if a car is currently rego'd - I hear it on the scanner all the time. They basically just radio the plate details to base and get them to check it out.

Sounds like the cop wanted to be a pr*ck or there was a stuff up at the roads dept (highly likely given the mountains of red tape that live in those places).

Ralliart · 13-12-2007, 08:18 PM

id laugh if the cop tired to do to a car that had security screws and they could't get them off they would be funny

:

nugget378 · 13-12-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDKC

With most traffic offences yes, but unregistered is strict liability eg owner onus.

I hope this does help mattcosa.

Would you say DUI is also strict liability?

fmc351 · 13-12-2007, 08:24 PM

Nice responses SDKC

Quote:

Originally Posted by plext

A criminal?

Last time I looked is was not a criminal offence but rather a misdemeanor.

Let's keep some perspective shall we gentlemen and refrain from zealotry. The thread starter is in need of advice and it'd be a shame to see this locked and people banned before he got it.

Not in reference to the OP, additionally so as its Qld and not Vic, but traffic laws are part of the Criminal Code in Qld, so technically, it is a criminal offence in Qld.

SDKC · 13-12-2007, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nugget378

Would you say DUI is also strict liability?

In NSW don't know.

In Victoria onus is on police to prove drink driving. That is why you do a Preliminary Breath Test and then if the driver blows positive on that, request that the driver return to a police station for an Evidentiary Breath Test. Then if you receive a positive result from that, proven.

SDKC · 13-12-2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gozza

This does not help the OP but,

I had a mate with an unregistered vehicle and he had personalised plates on it.

The car was sitting out the front of his block of units as that was the only space available for the units - Unfortunately the space was technically classified as council property (or something along those lines) and some random police officer confiscated his plates without warning. then they lost them LOL - He got them back eventually

In Victoria, the definition of a highway is a road or road related area. A nature strip (I assume that is where the car was parked) is a road related area.

You cannot own or use an unregistered vehicle on a highway. So if the plates are cancelled (whether they a personalised or not) they can be seized by police and returned to Vic Roads.

NB: This is Victoria, I did notice you were from QLD. So I don't know.

UNR8D · 01-01-2008, 04:30 PM

in qld you OWN the plates so they cant take them if they are personalised.

had a similar thing happen but with drivers licance error, well computer error once found that i was in the clear it was all reinstated but took 6 months for an appology and a further 18 months for compensation for thier own stuff up.