What's the purpose of the frontal identification on bikes in Singapore?

[robsalvv]

Hi Guys and gals,

 

Please excuse this outsider intrusion.

 

I'm a motorcycle advocate in Australia and the topic of front number plates is raring it's head again down here. Singapore is being touted as an example state that is leading the way in frontal identification so I thought I'd come to the source!

 

There are several drivers for FNP's in Australia, the main one getting press is in regards to speed camera enforcement, but there's also a big push for big brother like national automatic number plate recognition and tracking on the roads.

 

Anyway, I wanted to get a Singaporean rider's understanding on why Singapore has a frontal identification requirement. What's the history? It's almost unique in the world in that regard. FNP's haven't been a standard of bikes for over 20 years due to the design limitations imposed by a physical plate impacting on aerodynamic and steering stability, cooling, styling and other road user safety. Modern designs don't allow for them anymore.

 

If it's for camera enforcement, how well do the cameras pick up the tiny plate on the lower triple clamp under the headlight of cruisers (is the plate even visible with the headlight on?)? Or what about the vertical plate on the mudgaurd? (seems like that would readily fail to be identified by cameras) Or what about the curved sticker on the screen? (Are the stickers on the inside or outside of the screen?)

 

I tried the forum search but I seem to be asking a question that hasn't been asked before.

 

I hope this question isn't coming out of turn. I'm genuinely interested in your feedback.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Rob

[mechwira]

"Example state leading the way in frontal identification"? Thats a first, in a nation obsessed with firsts...

 

Lets talk the issue of a 'big brother' system capable of tracking your every move. frankly, we already have such a system, in the form of our Identity Cards. Each citizen upon reaching the age of 16 is issued such a card with a unique identification number, and this card and the corresponding number is used regularly in all sorts of things, from buying a pre-paid call card, to accessing governmental websites and even borrowing library books. so it has become a cultural norm for us to be 'tracked' in such a manner, plus the truth is it is nowhere near as intrusive as some sci-fi movies would lead you to believe. and thats not the only tracking device in our daily lives, just the most obvious and prevalent. So we're not overly bothered that our vehicle number plates can be tracked.

 

then about performance issues. we have laws on modification of vehicles so restrictive that the reduced aerodynamic ability from a number plate is frankly negligible. any biker/driver who really wants to improve vehicle performance to the extent of bending modification laws would not be bothered with the front number plate.

 

and finally, the effectiveness of catching a front number plate on camera. to clarify, vertical number plates affixed to front mud guards are not allowed for the very reason you just specified, that a camera will never capture that image from the front. rather, the plates need to be forward facing. as for whether a front facing plate will be effectively captured on camera, you'll have to ask our traffic police. one thing i can tell you, we know that if we ever experience a camera flash or trip a speed trap, a notice of traffic offence will undoubtedly arrive....

 

so there. we're not overly bothered with the front number plate. yes, some of us still hate it, but mostly due to aesthetic reasons only.

[AbangKau]

I don't think many Singaporeans are really bothered with the front number plates.

 

All vehicles in Singapore are required to display both front and back number plates. So motorcycles, as vehicles, are also required to display both plates, just like cars. Perhaps for standardisation or ease of identification?

 

Anyway, in Singapore, the effects of a front number plate on a motorcycle in terms of performance is at the most, negligible.

 

With congested city traffic, speed limits not exceeding 90kmph throughout the entire country, traffic lights along every stretch of roads, and dead strict draconian laws regarding vehicle modifications, a number plate would be the least of a rider's concerns.

[ooitn]

I believe Singapore not the first one and also not the only one with FNP...It should be a British rules, Lot of motor vehicle is already there since the colonial days...so its better you go check with Queen...

[livingthedream]

IM an Aussie living here. Always had bikes back home with no front plate. I always thought the reason though was safety. That sharp piece of metal/tin on the front could cause serious injury if you came off.

 

Here in Singapore most of us have stickers as our front plates on our front screens, as such its no big deal. Doesn't bother me a bit (we also dont have the same amount of speed cameras here though as Aust)

[robsalvv]

Thanks for the replies folks.

 

The argument being run here in Victoria is that speed is a killer and that if speed cameras can identify bikes from the front, then riders will slow down thus saving lives. The physics doesn't stack up however - which I'll leave for another day. Vicroads has already spent 8 years and a few million dollars trying to devise a frontal identification system good enough for the current speed camera system to capture reliably and they couldn't.

 

The issue has raised it's head again though from different authorities.

 

Ooitn, only Singapore and India have front number plates. The metal ones do come with inherent dangers for both riders and pedestrians and their size causes problems for motorcycle steering stability, aerodynamics and cooling efficiency. That's why the only genuine solution is a decal type.

 

I note from looking at the bike sales section Singapore has three styles of frontal id. Longitudinal vertical plates (which Mechwira says are no longer allowed), horizontal plates and the sticker. The sticker on the screen is one I wouldn't mind understanding more about. Is it a vinyl sticker? Inside the screen or outside? How long to they last? Are they damaging to the fairing gel coat or screen? Do they age under UV light?

 

A couple of other questions - have bikes always had frontal ID there? And how strongly are the Singaporean authorities focussed on policing speed with cameras?

 

 

Thanks in advance again.

[fx]

Vehicle licence plates are distinguishing marks of identification for registered vehicles on the road.

They are important in identifying vehicles for enforcement and emergency activities or other contingent conditions.

As such, it is incumbent upon the registered owner and driver to ensure that proper vehicle licence plates are displayed prominently on the front and rear of the vehicle at all times.

 

http://www.onemotoring.com.sg/publish/onemotoring/en/lta_information_guidelines/buy_a_new_vehicle/vehicle_licence_plate.html

 

ask the queen? steve mcqueen is it ooi? lol.. yeah doesnt bother me either..

if have good, can design different styles & materials.. (uv/non-uv/long/short/inside/outside/vertical/horizontal)

and if dont have also no problem just that have nothing to toy around with..(i like it 'dangerous'.. the retro metal stamp template ones) =p

my guess its more for identification purposes for eg. in emergency situations? and/or whatever is left of it in worse case scenario more than for cameras..

 

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7946999758_0aa7c13713_n.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8301/7946999158_5f7051e3e7_n.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8458/7947102700_7a4d724deb_n.jpg

[robsalvv]

Thanks for that link f/x. My searches did bring that page up, but it doesn't give any background context - it's all about the requirement, but I couldn't see a requirement about the material of the plate, especially the front plate. Where do you get your front stickers from?

 

 

Interesting you should bring up Steve McQueen - the bike he rode is a world apart from bikes of today, even similar naked bikes. But I guess you've brought it up because his old trumpy had a license plate and Steve was way cool. That's fine. He was cool. His bike IMO doesn't look at all cool with that plate though. Unfortunately, I'm no where near as cool as Steve so I need by bike to look reaaaalllly cool.

 

 

Seriously though, it looks like what you're saying is that Singapore's frontal ID is about visual identification rather than camera based speed enforcement. That's interesting.

 

Thanks for your reply.

[mechwira]

The sticker on the screen is one I wouldn't mind understanding more about. Is it a vinyl sticker? Inside the screen or outside? How long to they last? Are they damaging to the fairing gel coat or screen? Do they age under UV light?

 

A couple of other questions - have bikes always had frontal ID there? And how strongly are the Singaporean authorities focussed on policing speed with cameras?

 

 

Thanks in advance again.

 

i use a vinyl sticker type. i used to have a pic of it but i cant find it anymore.

 

it is a vinyl sticker of exactly the same size as the metal plate. it is pasted on the outside. i've had it for 5 years now without any damage to the sticker. the damage it causes is the same as any vinyl decal; i.e, the only problem is the glue residue if you try to remove it. i dont see any aging due to UV light, my bike gets plenty of sun and i dont see any discoloration of the black background or the white text.

 

yes bikes have always had frontal number plates.

 

we have our speed traps, both mobile and permanent ones. and they do catch speedsters. you have to understand one very important thing: the nature of our dense living environment means we rarely have opportunities to really do high speed blasts. if you hit 120kmh (about 80mph) you already stand out like a sore thumb, not because our road users meekly follow speed limits, but because there is really no room for it. which means most of the time we're forced to go at between 50kmh to 80kmh (30mph to 50mph) due to road and traffic conditions rather than speed traps. so when we see a new speed cam, we dont go all up in arms over it, coz chances are in the daytime at least, we'd be going at the speed limit anyway.

[Sonic]

There's a guy selling sticker license plate in this forum:

 

http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284172

 

Material is vinyl or similar. These stickers lasts like forever and never fades.

Frankly I don't think anyone in singapore bothers much about the front plate. It's been a part of the life here so long that no one cares/know of the reason for it anymore.

[PolarisX]

Frankly I don't think anyone in singapore bothers much about the front plate. It's been a part of the life here so long that no one cares/know of the reason for it anymore.

 

Well said, bro! Haha.. I completely agree with you!

[fatboypin]

It's something that has been with the system for eons, and has become so entrenched that it is almost a sacred cow to be gotten rid of.