REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

RicePanda · 04-21-2014, 02:05 PM

I was pulled over for speeding last night and had forgotten to grab my N sign from my other car. I was charged for violating MVA 25(15) on top of MVA 146 and was ticketed for $247, but since they're both 3 point offenses, there'll be an additional $300 fee for me next year (unless I manage to somehow fuck up again within the next 8 months).

I'm an idiot for forgetting my N sign, but wanted to know if being charged with "Driving contrary to restrictions" - MVA 25(15) or "Failure to display L or N sign" - MVA Regulation 30.13 is purely at the discretion of the officer. Or should I have gotten charged for violating 30.13 instead of 25(15)? Are they two separate things and if so, could the officer also have added the MVA Regulation violation on top of the rest of the ticket?

Had my N for almost five years without any problems as I rarely speed and usually have the sign with me. $409 is a pretty good punishment for being too lazy to take the road test early and get rid of having to deal with the sign.

Tone Loc · 04-21-2014, 02:31 PM

Unrelated, but why would you keep your N for five years? Seems like a huge hassle that you really don't have to deal with, and now you are literally paying the price for not passing an easy (if you drive regularly and safely, that is) road test.

In my own and friends' experiences, you typically get charged with either or. Typically, the officer cannot charge you for both unless you didn't have your N AND were violating another restriction (such as not wearing corrective lenses, having extra passengers, etc.)

If you're free to take your Class 5 test now, I personally would do it within the next 30 days, then pay the fines as there's no real chance to win a dispute for either of your tickets, especially if you are truly guilty of both. AFAIK, having 2x 3-point offences in your N stage can and will get your license suspended by the OSMV, which means you will restart the N stage from the beginning once the suspension is up, PLUS another $250 to "re-instate" your license. Just my $0.02

RicePanda · 04-21-2014, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PARANOiA-R34

Unrelated, but why would you keep your N for five years?

I'm not exactly a smart man. But mostly also because I don't drink (at all) when I drive and I never have more than one passenger and don't see that part changing at all in my life, so the restrictions weren't really a problem for me.

However, after this incident, I'm just going to try to book the test while I'm paying the fines in person. I didn't intend on trying to dispute the tickets unless there were actual grounds to do so (if I were actually supposed to just get hit with the 30.13), just wanted to know what was up regarding the 30.13 and 25(15).

XplicitLuder · 04-21-2014, 08:37 PM

i got charged with 25(15) when i didnt have mine. im guessing its in descretion to the officer which one he gives you..but from what i heard they mostly stick to the 25(15)

zulutango · 04-21-2014, 08:38 PM

You were driving contrary to your restrictions....which are listed on your DL...including you to "clearly display your new driver sign". The other section is under the Regs and it is a failure to display your N. It is at the discretion of the Cop to decide which section to charge you with. I would pull the driving history and if I found no previous charges and a good attitude, then I usually charged under the Regs. If there was a history, specially a previous one dealing with the N, then I issued the 25(15) VT. Your punishment was for speeding and for not displaying the N. It was not for being lazy....except if you count not remembering to grab your N. Installing it inside your rear window removes that problem and allows you to be lazy if you like?

RicePanda · 04-22-2014, 01:50 AM

I'd put it in the rear window if I were driving the one car (or just leave it on the one car), but as I drive two separate cars throughout the week, I just slap it on the rear and take it with me when I am taking the other car. It just turns out that I failed that night.

zulutango · 04-22-2014, 06:02 AM

The N's are free at any Access Centre Treat yourself to one for each vehicle.....and don't get caught speeding.

Problem solved.

Spidey · 04-22-2014, 09:23 AM

Yo"ur N sign
N sign
In the novice stage, you’ll have a new, reflective green N sign to replace your red L. It works the same as the L did—you’ve got to put it on the back of your car while you’re driving.
Lost your N sign?
If you’ve lost your N sign, you can pick up a new one (for free) at any driver licensing office. (Please don’t make your own with duct tape. It’s very creative… but not actually allowed.)
If you can’t get a new N right away, download and print a temporary N sign (PDF). "

here you go ICBC | n-signcolor.pdf

RicePanda · 04-22-2014, 04:56 PM

Yeah, I know they're free, thanks for looking that up for me. Like I said, I've been fine for almost five years as I am a generally pretty good with having my sign, I didn't need to fix what wasn't broken. I'm not complaining about the tickets (which it seems that you might have assumed that I was), the only person to blame is myself and I accepted that as soon as I got the ticket.

I was just curious about the peculiarity of why there is a specific Reg violation and penalty when there seems to be a blanket Act that covers that Reg - and if the officer gets to decide what comes into play and when.

Again, for what it's worth, if I wasn't too lazy to book a road test when it was available to me many years ago, I wouldn't be having this discussion; so yes - technically (by a stretch) punished for being lazy and stupid as this could have easily been avoided in more ways than one. Yes, I'd still have a speeding ticket regardless, but I apparently wouldn't be facing losing my license for awhile.