Hitch Mounted Bike Racks

I just finished reading your article on bicycle racks. I have often seen vehicles, as described, on the road, both here and all over North America, one of the problems seems to be enforcement, with so many sightings, there can't be any, this includes, dirty and or covered license plates, tail/rear lights, rear windows, rear view mirrors, inoperative lights, parking, running, head/tail lights signal lights.

When my wife and I first moved to the Comox Valley, there were numerous light/and other checks, carried on the roadside, on a pretty near daily basis, now there are none.

Another matter is, that people seem to think that, turning on a signal light, for a lane change, gives them the right away, and they cut off whatever traffic that may be in their way, when questioning this, and other items at the local RCMP station, I seem to get the same officer each time, and I'm given the same collective answer each time, as if he can't be bothered to investigate it "THERE IS NO FAST RULE FOR THIS SITUATION". This also includes, changing lanes, in both right and left turns, driving in the passing lane, although a sign states to "DRIVE IN RIGHT LANE EXCEPT TO PASS".

I occasionally carry five bicycles hung vertically from a rack mounted to the hitch receiver at the rear of our van. This rack is 70” wide (just under the full width of the vehicle) so that the bikes fully block both the tail lamps and the number plate.  I recall reading somewhere that, regardless of load, the rear lighting is required to be visible from 45-degrees in each direction, yet my rack came with no provision for mounting lights or a number plate. Alterations ensued, and it now features a light bar that mounts behind the bikes and includes side clearance lamps and an illuminated number plate holder.  It plugs into the van’s trailer socket and makes me fully compliant, but I am clearly in the minority.  

Moving the number plate back and forth is inconvenient, so I really wish that I could be issued a number plate that could be permanently installed on the rack (as for trailers) but alas I have been assured that this is impossible under the current legislation since the rack has no VIN to which the number plate could be assigned, and displaying a facsimile of my van’s number plate on the rack is also prohibited.  Perhaps at some point the regulations will be amended, making it easier to use a rear rack properly?

I have long wondered why these sorts of racks are legal to sell in the first place, given the obvious need for auxiliary lighting when in use or when in their folded position.  Other countries seem able to regulate them, and manufacturers offer compliant racks in those markets, but not here in Canada… I wish we did a better job, but it would take an enforcement drive to shine a light on the issue, and I don’t see the general driving public calling for such action… perhaps they are too busy texting to notice the need?