I’m sure there isn’t a single rider among us who enjoys paying for motorcycle insurance. Whether it’s to protect yourself and your investment in case of a collision or just to stay on the right side of the law, most of us still, however reluctantly, pay it. There are some however, who either can’t afford or justify the cost, so they simply don’t. Playing the odds against the police getting wise or being able to catch them, it isn’t exactly a good strategy for the long-term.
According to Burnaby RCMP’s Twitter feed, a local motorcyclist got creative by doing some of his own arts and crafts. In a misguided scheme to save money on registration and insurance, he decided to use a coloured paper photocopy of a license plate instead of a real one. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go well.
His luck ran out while RCMP witnessed him riding on August 8th shortly after 11pm and ran his plates. In case you think it seems like a gamble worth trying, the 37-year-old was issued $983 in fines for not having valid insurance, no number plate, and on top of that – no driver’s license. In addition to the aforementioned fines, he will also be required to pay for impound and storage fees, adding insult to injury. That is in addition to the points associated with the charges which will no doubt jack up his insurance in the future, if he can ever get it.
The Burnaby RCMP account cited that, “This is quite possibly the most expensive paper plate of all time.” I hope it was a good ride while it lasted, buddy.
Non-Canadian (from North Dakota, so not that far off) question:
What’s the supposed benefit of provincial or public insurance companies?
Every time I read about Canadian insurance rates, I’m appalled and the near universal comments seem to be that these firms are very Soviet in dealings with their customers. What gives?
I’m temporarily in Southern Illinois with a basically year round riding climate and pay less than $700/year to insure a FJR1300 AND a Super Duke. Ok, it helps that I live in a small town and am knocking on 50 years old, but how much would a guy like me pay somewhere like Estevan, SK?
I ll never understand why ICBC didn’t follow Ontario and make full gear mandatory. I m tired of paying through the nose for the guy whom wipe it wearing Tshirt , flip flops and 1/2 helmet. 1/2 of riding plus dont wear much beyond a helmet , glove and maybe a jacket of clist. You well wipe it it’s just a matter time and chance.
Do you know how bad it is in BC? If you have a teenager, expect to pay $7000 a year. Working ppl struggling to make ends meet are handed a bill for thousands.
He was 37. Still. If he got away with it for a few years, he may have come out on top. ICBC’s rates are ridiculous though and the system seems antiquated. Classifying bikes in displacement categories when horsepower and torque varies wildly depending on how many cylinders and the age of the bike seems wrong to me. Maybe someone can correct me? Did they get it right, and is this how it’s done elsewhere?
The govt. doesn’t care. Motorcycles are seen as toys at best, a menace at worst by most people and it’s way easier to classify them by displacement than maintain a database of horsepower for different models so we’re treated like second class citizens.
The facts that we burn less fuel, likely contribute less to particulate emissions from tire and brake wear, and take less space on the road and in parking lots aren’t considered.