Fined 1st Time Riding

[unhappy]

I was in Jervis Bay (NSW) over the Australia Day long weekend and my friend turned up with his Pocket Rocket. I went around a carpark once on it and a cop pulled up in an unmarked car. He must have been alerted by someone because it was not more than 3 minutes after the engine started that he drove in.

My friend got for letting someone else ride unregistered vehicle
I got Use uninsured vehicle, use unregistered vehicle on road, and unlicensed rider.

I found this forum looking for information on pocket rockets because it was quite a shock getting $1300+ in fines for literally 20s of playing around on what I thought was a toy. I did a search for 'fined' here and read everything I could as well as most of the RTA website over the past day.

I think pocket rockets are fun (from what little time I spent on it) and the fines disproportionate to the offences but don't want to cause any arguments here.

My question is, since a pocket rocket isn't a motor cycle how could I get fined for not being a licensed rider? (I have a full car license)

Also, would it be worthwhile pleading for leniency in court or in writing? Just my bad luck and ignorance, but I really had no idea.

[chatty]

That is bad luck but that happens when u ride on the road unfortunatlly. if it was me i think i would just take the fine i cant see a juge being lieaniant on u the cop was well within his rights.

[land_speed]

oh poo, now all the tree hugger bible lickers are going to come on saying that riding on the road is dangerous and all the baby squirrels near you were killed.

one thing i don't agree with is 'a pocket rocket isn't a motorcycle'.
hmm, two wheels, motor, what the hell did you think it was? you don't have a bike licence, and you were riding a bike on the road without one. therefore you=unlicenced rider.
i agree with the fines being disproportionate to the crime, $1300 for a bit of fun when they could be out catching child molesters or pulling over pplaters like they usually do.

[khai2298]

i thought anything under 50cc cannot be consitered and vehicle therefor cant be fined for driving without a license

[Pocket Wog]

Originally Posted by khai2298

i thought anything under 50cc cannot be consitered and vehicle therefor cant be fined for driving without a license

Yeh thats what the cop told me,then 3 days later i had a fine in the mail reguardless

[khai2298]

then appeal it becuase if ur getting a fine for rideing a unregistered vehicle and without a license that cant be right they are false fines

[land_speed]

Originally Posted by khai2298

i thought anything under 50cc cannot be consitered and vehicle therefor cant be fined for driving without a license

that's not true.
anything with a motor over 200w (which even rules out the slowest cags) cannot be ridden without a licence. they are considered a vehicle, only problem is the don't even come close to meeting safety requirements so you can't register them. this makes riding them anywhere other than private property illegal.

[Squeeby]

For any motorcycle with a 50 cc or less engine you only need a car license. So you can ride a REGISTERED scooter on your car license. But seeing as you're unable to register a pocket bike because they don't meet road safety standards or something you get fined for riding them on the road.

[unhappy]

I thought it had to have 200w to be considered a vehicle. 50cc to be considered registerable and then taller than 90cm to the seat to be considered a motorcycle. From what I read my guess was that as long as you had a general driving license it was ok to ride them (private property), not necessarily a motorbike license. So now I'm a little confused.

I can't find the 50cc rule anywhere.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registrati...kes/index.html
There it says 90cm. Otherwise it's considered a mini bike or

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/usingroads/bicycle/index.html
motorised recreational device (200w)

I agree it looks like a motorcycle, but no way would I consider riding it on the freeway with real vehicles. The cop said he had trouble with those bikes in the area so they were probably cracking down on them.

[unhappy]

Originally Posted by Squeeby

For any motorcycle with a 50 cc or less engine you only need a car license. So you can ride a REGISTERED scooter on your car license. But seeing as you're unable to register a pocket bike because they don't meet road safety standards or something you get fined for riding them on the road.

So you mean they're classed as a motor cycle? Because my fine is for 'unlicensed rider' not totally unlicensed.