Number Plate Height cont.

migra · Senior Member

Number Plate Height cont.

madaboutled · Guru

Was discussing this issue with someone else just today. Apparently the 1300mm rule is being inforced because Red Light & other traffic cameras are focused below 1300mm and its not just NSW, Qld coppers are also targeting high number plate issues with similar fines.

migra · Senior Member

It appears that most caravan manufacturers are located in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia and it appears they do not care their product does not comply.

In NSW, to my knowledge there is only one caravan manufacturer and their product appears to comply.

I feel sorry for the driver, because of his lack of knowledge, when the manufacturer should be held responsible or at least the dealer who is registering the caravan.

The NSW compliance officer advised it was up to the various states to do their own inspections. They also advised this issue was rising to the surface because the number of phone calls they are receiving on this issue.

Next time your in a caravan park or free camping just walk around and see how many are not compliant. A lot of the owners don't care but will scream when they get booked.

the RMS at Dubbo and Parkes in NSW have commented that they get abused when they pull a caravan over and issue a defect, I am not defending them, it is not their fault, they are the ones that have to police the regulation.

I have had caravaners say "they don't care........I will wait until I get booked"......what an attitude !!!!, disbelief

I can't change attitudes but hope I save some bugger from getting booked.

Woody n Sue · Guru

have had caravaners say "they don't care........I will wait until I get booked"......what an attitude !!!!, disbelief

Probably the same ones who don't care how much traffic is held up behind them
I say let em get booked then if that's there attitude you can't help stupid

Kendo · Senior Member

A recent thread on the same subject cause me to drop in to the caravan dealer we are buying our new van from. I checked a similar van to ours and the number plate height was a lot higher than 1.3mt. I spoke to them and sent an email with the relevant ADR rule (from the other thread) and they were only too happy to make the change to have our van comply.

I wonder what happens when some one has an off road van with a large exit angled rear end? I would imagine 1.3mt would easily be exceeded and you wouldn't have anything to hang a number plate off? confuse

NeilandRaine · Guru

Interested to read that inspections will now be done by heavy vehicles inspectors in NSW. We have had the van inspected in Qld and the NT. The bloke in Qld was more interested in gas certification and the NT bloke thought the dimensions of the van as most important. Just wondering if this will make a difference to getting a road worthy interstate.
Also as to the height of the number plate in NSW in relation to speed and red light cameras, the (only a couple of times) I have been done by a camera was front on. Vic can catch you going but the plate height isn't an issue there

The Bear · Veteran Member

This subject has been on the boil for some time now, I would like to know what the relevant car and caravan clubs doing to protect their members as the fault with complying with the rules is not the doing of the person who buy a van from a "reputable dealer" but the manufactures
Bear

Murraman · Senior Member

Does this apply to front number plate, Why I ask is we have a coaster and I have the front number plate mounted on the mesh windscreen protector at the lowest point. Last rego I asked the mechanic if he had an issue legally with mounting it their.

His answer was no as he has nothing in his regulations governing it on the front, But if they want the plate fixed at below 1300mm for in car plate recognition then it would be looking at plates on the front as well as the back wouldn't it?

When we bought the Coaster in QLD the number plate was in the same place.

Cheers Allan

Phillipn · Guru

Murraman wrote:
Does this apply to front number plate, Why I ask is we have a coaster and I have the front number plate mounted on the mesh windscreen protector at the lowest point. Last rego I asked the mechanic if he had an issue legally with mounting it their.

His answer was no as he has nothing in his regulations governing it on the front, But if they want the plate fixed at below 1300mm for in car plate recognition then it would be looking at plates on the front as well as the back wouldn't it?

When we bought the Coaster in QLD the number plate was in the same place.

Cheers Allan

The same rule applies to the front number plate. Read the ADR. 1300 mm is the max height.

dogbox · Guru

NeilandRaine wrote:
Interested to read that inspections will now be done by heavy vehicles inspectors in NSW. We have had the van inspected in Qld and the NT. The bloke in Qld was more interested in gas certification and the NT bloke thought the dimensions of the van as most important. Just wondering if this will make a difference to getting a road worthy interstate.
Also as to the height of the number plate in NSW in relation to speed and red light cameras, the (only a couple of times) I have been done by a camera was front on. Vic can catch you going but the plate height isn't an issue there

each inspector or police officer will have his own area of expertise(for want of a better phrase) that he/she focuses on so when more become aware of this issue there will be more enforcement

migra · Senior Member

This number plate law isa national law and each state inspectors are responssible for the inspection.

The RMS in NSW are aware some inspectors are not enforcing the rules and they will state to talk to the inspectors.

We wait and see !!!!!

One vehicle inspector has already defected 3 caravans that came in for rego inspection, they abused him and said they have been inspected before and not a problem....he refused to issue a certificate and sent them on their way, little did they know he registered the defect on his computer which will appear when they get an inspection else where. Stuff them he said !!!!

Murraman · Senior Member

Thanks for the info I'll re locate the plate and have a talk to the Mechanic as he obviously has no idea of the rules. I would have it a guess that a lot of Mechanics issuing a pink slip in NSW are not aware of the rules and should have been given this info from RMS.
Cheers Allan

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

This topic has certainly been given considerable airing, since the NRMA article brought it to popular notice some months ago.

This is the ADR from which each State draws its VSB (the 1,300mm applies to front and rear of vehicle, and rear of trailer (caravan) -

Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 61/02 Vehicle Markings) 2005

https://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2009C00568

9. REGISTRATION PLATES AND LABEL HOLDERS

9.1. Registration Plates

9.1.1. All Vehicles other than L-Group Vehicles and TA category trailers having an overall width not exceeding 980 mm:

9.1.1.1. provision must be made for mounting a registration plate (as shown in Figure 1) to be affixed to the rear of the vehicle so that no part of such plate is more than 1,300 mm from the ground.

9.1.1.2. provision must be made for mounting a registration plate (as shown in Figure 1) to be affixed to the front of the motor vehicle forward of and parallel to the front Axle so that no part of such registration plate is more than 1,300 mm from the ground.

9.1.1.3. no part of a vehicle, including its standard equipment, regular production options or Equipment must be so located as to obscure any part of the registration plate(s).

From my own observations of vans I now check at least 70% I have seen are non-compliant - irrespective of the State of Registration. cry

cheers - John

migra · Senior Member

Bear

Last month I wrote to the Caravan & Motorhome Magazine advising them of the number plate regulation as "Fred Wright" who is the editor at large of the magazine and was shown in the magazine towing a Crusader brand caravan which the number plate appeared to be above the 1300mm requirement and as of today NO REPLY has been received from him.

his magazine should print and advise caravan owners of this issue, maybe they could lose advertising income from the manufacturers if he prints that a number of caravan manufacturers are supplying caravans in breach of the regulations.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

Hey Migra. I emailed the same magazine about 6 months ago asking when they intended to publish it on-line for those of us who spend a fair (or all) part of the year on the road.

Never heard back from them............

Wont be renewing my subscription with them when it finally expires. I think it has also gone to "the dogs" at bit - fewer genuine articles and lots of reviews about all the "fabulous" Australian made RVs (yeah - right) that are only advertorials. Even the tech articles now push the writers business and guess what - you really need that company right now or your RV or tow vehicle will need very expensive repairs.

Nope - its only a shadow of what it used to be

Felicia · Guru

After reading about the requirements on here and checking our van the number plate was above the 1300 mm. It is a 3 year old van so rang the manufacture and he said bring it in we will fix it at no cost. Bought it in Vic live in NSW, planning to travel that way in 3 months, just hope we don't get booked on the way.

Lynda

migra · Senior Member

Lynda

I am please you took the issue up with the seller and am more pleased they are going to make it compliant on your visit....just remember to get them to relocate the number plate light as well. I bet they do not think of that !!!!

I hope others react as you did.....the more people complain the manufacturers will get the message.....sell a caravan that complies to the regulations/law.

migra · Senior Member

Allan

don,t forget to relocate the number plate light with the number plate.

migra · Senior Member

Kendo

If you had not brought this to their attention they would have supplied you with a van that was defective....how many before you are defective and are they going to review their position now ????

migra · Senior Member

Bruce and Bev wrote:
Hey Migra. I emailed the same magazine about 6 months ago asking when they intended to publish it on-line for those of us who spend a fair (or all) part of the year on the road.

Never heard back from them............

Wont be renewing my subscription with them when it finally expires. I think it has also gone to "the dogs" at bit - fewer genuine articles and lots of reviews about all the "fabulous" Australian made RVs (yeah - right) that are only advertorials. Even the tech articles now push the writers business and guess what - you really need that company right now or your RV or tow vehicle will need very expensive repairs.

Nope - its only a shadow of what it used to be

Bruce

I will be taking this issue back to them for comment......will be interested.

i think they should write an article on compliance issues e.g. number plate height, overhang etc, weights and interview the inspectors .

Kendo · Senior Member

migra wrote:
Kendo
If you had not brought this to their attention they would have supplied you with a van that was defective....how many before you are defective and are they going to review their position now ????

Hey I was just happy I got no argument or "you don't know what your talking about" comment from the dealer.

Adelaide City Caravans were only too happy to pass on the information to the builder (Mind you I know the first thing I'll be checking when they call to tell me the van's ready to be picked up).

migra · Senior Member

Kendo wrote:
A recent thread on the same subject cause me to drop in to the caravan dealer we are buying our new van from. I checked a similar van to ours and the number plate height was a lot higher than 1.3mt. I spoke to them and sent an email with the relevant ADR rule (from the other thread) and they were only too happy to make the change to have our van comply.
I wonder what happens when some one has an off road van with a large exit angled rear end? I would imagine 1.3mt would easily be exceeded and you wouldn't have anything to hang a number plate off?

Kendo

If they relocate the number plate make sure the spare wheel does not breach the following;

Clause 61(2)(b) of Schedule 2 of the Regulation requires that a number-plate is not obscured, defaced or otherwise not legible.

Clause 61(2)(c) of Schedule 2 of the Regulation requires that a number-plate must be visible at a distance of 20 metres from it and within all the areas described by an arc extending at an angle 45°above the top of the number-plate and 45° forward of its edges.

Phillipn · Guru

migra wrote:
Bear
Last month I wrote to the Caravan & Motorhome Magazine advising them of the number plate regulation as "Fred Wright" who is the editor at large of the magazine and was shown in the magazine towing a Crusader brand caravan which the number plate appeared to be above the 1300mm requirement and as of today NO REPLY has been received from him.
his magazine should print and advise caravan owners of this issue, maybe they could lose advertising income from the manufacturers if he prints that a number of caravan manufacturers are supplying caravans in breach of the regulations.

I did the same, also no reply. Looks like C & M don`t want to know about the issue.

I checked out the C & M web site forum, their are a large number of posts on the forum regarding this issue.

-- Edited by Phillipn on Monday 27th of July 2015 08:58:54 AM

Bill B · Guru

C & M is printed overseas therefore it has a lead time of 3 - 4 months.

migra · Senior Member

Bill B wrote:
C & M is printed overseas therefore it has a lead time of 3 - 4 months.

Bill

I did not get a reply.......I have today sent another email asking them to publish the regulations and I have had confirmation that my email has been received, see below

Kathryn Thomas on Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:15:09 +1000

Jonathan Pullen on Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:15:09 +1000

Tim Ferrier on Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:15:09 +1000

Fred Wright CM on Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:15:09 +1000

Matt Smith on Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:15:09 +1000

Glenn Wright on Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:15:09 +1000

Await and see. !!!!!!

barrie · Guru

I have sent an email to New Age and they will convert my No plate to comply when the ruling is made clear .

greyhoundtom · Senior Member

barrie wrote:
I have sent an email to New Age and they will convert my No plate to comply when the ruling is made clear .

The regulation is not clear?

i was not aware that C/van manufacturers were waiting on a "ruling" before they would voluntarily comply with the required regulations.

migra · Senior Member

barrie wrote:
I have sent an email to New Age and they will convert my No plate to comply when the ruling is made clear .

Barrie,

(1) Ring the department (number supplied in my previous email) and speak to the compliance officer and ask him .....it is very clear to them. Give them the name of the caravan brand and tell the department that they will not do anything to correct this defect.

(2) Send New-Age an email requesting they take full responsibility if you are find !!!!

-- Edited by migra on Monday 27th of July 2015 06:40:24 PM