My Yamaha Tricity scooter is due it’s WOF before I can reregister it. Last year I got it done at the local VTNZ, because there was someone there who did motorbikes. Easy. Unfortunately, in the interim this poor chap has had a crash and isn’t currently working. I rang the two VTNZ branches in Wellington, but neither have anyone currently working who do warrants for motorbikes. They said I’d have to go to either the Porirua or the Hutt branches. Trouble is, to get to either of those locations I’d have to go on the motorway – but because I don’t actually have a motorbike licence, I’m not allowed to go faster than 50 kph (the Tricity’s top speed is only around 70 anyway). OK I thought, no problem – plenty of places in the city can do warrants for motorbikes, so I went to one today. The mechanic was shaking his head before I’d even taken off my helmet. “Nah!” he said “We can’t do a warrant on that – it’s registered as a car – it’s got a car licence plate – you need to go to VTNZ”. I explained what I’d been told the day before, and he was clearly politely incredulous, but luckily for me, he offered to ring them and clear everything up. I could only hear his side of the conversation but it was comical. Essentially it was ‘this stupid woman thinks she’s got a motorbike, when clearly, as we both know, it’s actually a car.’ Thankfully for my sanity, they disagreed with him. ‘It may be registered as a car, but obviously it’s actually a motorbike. If you can’t do it, she’ll have to take it to our Porirua or Hutt branch. Simple! Thanks, bye…’ Fortunately for me, as I was beginning to think I’d have to take my chances with an unregistered bike for the foreseeable future, he took pity on me, and rang his friend who has a shop around the corner and is allowed to do warrants for both bikes and cars. He’s going to do it for me tomorrow. To make up for a week of real psychic trauma, I overheard the mechanic describe me to his friend on the phone as a ‘young lady’ so at least I’m not looking any older in appearance, even though I’m really feeling it on the inside.
