bagwell

I don't know if the cop was bored or what....but I was doing 38 in a 35 and he was coming towards me on his motorcycle on a two way road....he turned around passed another car and caught up to me (nevermind I speeded up to about 50 to make a green lite). Anyway, he pulls me over for JUST HAVING NO FRONT PLATE....I told him I had ordered a front bracket and I had just bought the car as my insurance indicated --he said he'd give me 30 days and if he sees me again, I'd get a ticket for it.

I've never heard of someone being pulled over for just no front plate....anyone else???????

I'm in Texas where a front plate is supposedly required but I've gone for years and many cars without running one....I just dislike front plates on sporty cars...and I refuse to drill my bumper(s).

Trexus

That'a a bummer. That cop must have been bored or needed to meet his quota. I've been running my car for 14 years without a front plate here in southern and northern California...

trukn1

Happens here in Md as well. Some states are pretty adamant about the front plate thing, and MD is one of them. Just gave him a LEGAL excuse to pull you over and from there the real fun could begin,,tint, exhaust, etc. This may or may not apply to the OP.

mmarshall

The subject of front plates and window tint, and how cops deal with them (or a lack of them), has been much-discussed on CL. Different cops seem to take different attitudes. That's because different motorists keep coming up with different excuses, some of them B.S. and some of them valid.

I don't think that either boredom or quota was the case here. If the cop wanted to issue tickets, in most jurisdictions, he or she can find enough speeders, DWIs, red-light/stop-sign runners, those driving without a license, or other scofflaws to keep them busy most of the time without a so-called "quota". They certainly wouldn't have to depend on clean-front-bumpers for it. This cop (apparantly) decided that he was just going to enforce the law, and not pass up something illegal when he saw it just because others might be doing it.

For several reasons, I personally don't like front-plate requirements either, but I realize why states have them, and their value for police tracking. If your car was stolen, for example (and the crook doesn't yank them off or change them), it can make it easier for police to spot.

nthach

Ditto - I spend a fair bit of time in San Francisco/Oakland/Richmond/Berkeley and I've haven't seen a cop hassle me for a front plate.

Blackraven

I came to visit America for the first time (April-May 2010) and I was shocked that some cars really don't have front number plates.

My visit covered California, Nevada and Utah and I was really surprised that there were cars that didn't have front plates at all. I was like woah and wondered: "I guess the police don't care......or rather didn't care at that time".

Another interesting thing was I actually approached one car and I couldn't feel any drill holes or whatever.

So yeah, I did some reading on this and now I seem to understand more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle...FRear_Mounting

With that said all I can say is:
If your area requires a front plate, then do it........unless you wanna get caught again.

Personally I hate to say it but I agree with mmarshall. The saying goes that hey you've been warned. If you ever get caught again, it's not my problem (or anyone else's).

Two cents

Lexmex

I live in a state with no front plates, Florida.

However, it was funny when I lived in Mexico where all Mexican states have front plates and regularly I'd have issues with cops on that particular issue. It was annoying enough that I had to get a 'constancia' which was a civil judge's order (for two states that I went in and out of) saying that I had a right to run one plate because my legal entity Florida only provided one plate. Even then, I'd hear officers tell me, "But I see the front plates on Texas and California cars." However, I knew many car amigos in Mexico City that did not like to run front plates for personal reasons (aesthetic or otherwise) and sometimes would or would not get hassled by the police.

My own cousin Carlos used to run no front plate where he lived, but since one of our relatives was the head of the local government delegation, the police never gave him any trouble.

JKN2000

Oh yeah... I'm here in Katy, TX.
I've been pulled over for no front license plate twice. Wasn't speeding... Would get waved over and get warnings for no front license plate. Got pulled over in my 99 GS300 and my 02 Corvette. And any corvette owner knows a license plate on the front is FUGLY... But I've learned and know to go ahead and do the front plate on my cars from now on, even though I don't like it.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

Moving from a state that issues 1 plate to a state that requires 2 makes it extra hard. I have gotten stopped twice for no front plate & 2 tickets. First time I was driving down Hollywood blvd. & CHP passed me in opposite direction he did a U-turn in traffic & drove down the center turn lane at double the speed limit to give me a ticket which cost me $75. Next time I was driving in west LA at 5:00 heavy traffic & a LAPD motorcycle cop was finishing giving a car a ticket & blocking traffic to let the car back in traffic. As my car got alongside his motorcycle he motions for me to pullover & writes me a ticket for no front plate $35. Both times I was driving my yellow Mustang conv. which may have had something to do with being selected. When citys here install redlight cameras they increase enforcement of front plate laws. CA issues 1 plate for car manufactuers & diplomatic consuls.

oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

It's hilarious how we (not directed to the OP) knowingly do ILLEGAL crap to our cars:

Lowering (in NY, not only is a front plate required, it has to be no less than 12 inches from the ground), tints, exhaust, music, etc

and are either too lazy to look up the what the rules are in the first place or just ignore them but then it's the cops fault for doing his/her job?

<VENOM>

If it was just a warning and it is a law then whats the problem, if you break a law you run the risk of getting caught I have been warned about my tint in NY and never removed it, then received a tint ticket in my brothers car, from a state trooper going into the mall, whatever it 90 bucks, I look at it as a BS tax.

votru

iTrader: (7)

Knock on wood as I don't mount front plate either as really kill the clean look. Not to encourage breaking the law here but chance very slim like you state for getting pull over for no front plate. Cop can you over for any reasons, it's just a luck of the draw like playing Russian roulette. Wish luck for you and me unless that cop live within your area .

IS-SV

Bagwell - In Texas can you have any active cop sign off on fix-it tickets like this?

In CA I have a family member/cop that will gladly signoff on this type of fix-it ticket (front plate or tint) for me.

MadMax96

I just picked up a used ES350 in Texas and drove it home - turns out it never had the front bracket installed (found it in the trunk).

Here in IL a front plate is required, but I'm going to see how long until I get bothered. I'm still on temp tags for now.

If they call me out on it, I'll put it on.. oh well.

link13

I've been driving without a front plate for many years in CA. The Veilside bumper on my car doesn't have a provision for a license plate bracket. My AE86 doesn't have a front plate either. I got stopped one night in that car many years ago and the officer asked if I knew I didn't have a front plate and I said yes. That was the end of the discussion.

CA residents should beware when parking at commericial airports. I know LAX issues tickets to cars parked in parking structures for no front plate. Other airports probably do this as well.