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Police say I have a Problem Riding Quebec on Austraian plates Police say I have a Problem Riding Quebec on Austraian plates
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Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



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  #1  
Old 28 Jun 2015
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If your paperwork is in order, you have just got an ill informed officer
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  #2  
Old 28 Jun 2015
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Quote:
They delayed me two hours...5 cars!
What was it your mother used to tell you? More haste, less speed - to which you can add - less money. Bad luck, but at least you are philosophical about it.



By the sound of it, if they could have pinged you for riding without valid rego and insurance they would have, so you could likely keep on riding and just avoid the temptation to ride on median strips or footpaths or filtering too fast or whatever you were doing to merit a 350 dollar fine.

Quote:
They let me go but fined me $350.
Not exactly what I'd call being let go. Few thousand miles south and you could probably bargain that down a fair bit.
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  #3  
Old 28 Jun 2015
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They were emphatic that foreign rego isn't valid in Quebec and advised me to check each state rules for my journey in USA

I assume they are wrong but when you have 5 cars full of Police ( they kept arriving... It was bizarre) telling you you're riding illegally because you're on Australian plates it's rather disconcerting

Is it normal also to insist on Immediate payment? They wouldn't give my passport back till I paid them. Again I was surprised

By the way, I was my charming and humble self so it wasn't in any way my reaction that caused a counter reaction

I'm very confused and a bit concerned this will happen again as I have a long journey ahead
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Old 28 Jun 2015
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If you have a receipt that is properly filled out and signed by an identified officer then it might be they are able to insist on immediate payment. I've heard of French police insisting on immediate payment by foreigners and insisting they walk to the nearest ATM if they don't have cash.

I'm curious about the high fine. What was the 9 digit driving offence or file number.

Quebec does not list a beat policeman as one of the collecting entities. Can't find any reference to them being able to collect money on the side of the road but could be. If you haven't got an official receipt, you've probably been had.

Suggest you go to a local courthouse and speak to the clerk of the court or equivalent and check up on the traffic infraction and means of collection.
Quote:
CONTACT
The municipal courthouse concerned
Their contact information appears on the
Driving Record – Offences and Penalties
document issued by the SAAQ with the penalty notice
They may also be able to get information from a government department re legality of driving a foreign registered vehicle imported under a temporary vehicle Import Permit or whatever they gave you at customs when you imported the bike.

Or just drive on and chalk it up to experience.
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  #5  
Old 28 Jun 2015
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Canada is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. Basically, this means that as long as your foreign country plate is valid (so far as your home country is concerned) and as long as you are insured, you can drive in Canada with your foreign vehicle.

You do need to have a white oval sticker with your country code (probably AUS) on the back.

It is unheard of for police in Canada to collect a fine on the spot - absolutely unheard of. I think you have been scammed by the police who stopped you.

Michael
(Toronto, Canada)

PS: FWIW, I helped a UK traveller get his UK plated bike out of customs at the Toronto airport about 8 years ago - he was stopped within 15 minutes of getting on the road. The Ontario police officer insisted that the UK plate was not valid, but I insisted that it was. After about 30 minutes of conversation with headquarters, the police realized that it was valid.

The problem, I guess, is that Canada doesn't see many foreign-plated vehicles, other than USA vehicles.
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  #6  
Old 28 Jun 2015
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Here's a link to how the process for traffic offences (or, alleged traffic offenses) in the province of Quebec works. Note that the motorist is ALWAYS given a ticket, and can ALWAYS appear in court to contest the charge.

Contesting a Ticket - Quebec

Here is another link that might be useful for you: Code of ethics of Québec police officers

Finally, here's a link to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic that I referred to: 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic
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  #7  
Old 29 Jun 2015
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Thanks for this. If it happens again I'll really infuriate them by quoting the 1949 International convention!

One doesn't like to think the Canadian Police resort to scamming foreigners

You expect that in 3rd world countries not Canada so I hope you're wrong!!
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