felixsc300

iTrader: (5)

For the lovely Californians, this is going to be a good read.

My friend borrowed my '03 G35 to pay a visit to the doctor, and upon his return to the car he discovered a ticket on the windshield. My G35 was cited for no front plate (NFP).

Now, usually people on the forums ***** about getting a NFP ticket when they don't have one. I'm *****ing because I got a ticket where there is a front plate on my car. It's mounted on the passenger-side of the vehicle, so it's completely visible to the meter maid who is walking along the sidewalk (parallel parking means your passenger side faces the sidewalk). Why the meter maid chose to write a citation for NFP, I do not know.

It is legal to bend the plate (according to the body shop and a search on Google), as long as the numbers are clearly visible. This was not my idea, my body shop did it for me when I had them paint and install the Nismo bumper, but I saw no reason to remove it.



That specific picture dates back to 9/26/2010, the night I picked it up from the body shop. It has been on the car since then.

But anyways, I hate San Francisco for this. I was born and raised here, but this just makes my blood boil. Any advice? Does anyone know if meter maids take a picture of the front of the car when they issue these kind of citations? What options do I have? Because I sure as hell am not paying the fine.

Thanks for letting me vent.

knihc2008

iTrader: (1)

How is the plate attached to the car? You can get cited for no front plate if the plate is not attached in some permanent manner (aka screws); thus, zip ties or tape will still get you a ticket.

LexFather

Longshot but maybe your bud took it off when he was driving and slapped it back on? We have no front plate in GA so I'm not much help.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

California law says this:

Quote:

5201. License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible, and so that the characters are upright and display from left to right, and shall be maintained in a condition so as to be clearly
legible.

Apparently whomever wrote the ticket didn't see your plate, so you're fighting the "clearly visible" aspect of this.

mmarshall

knihc2008 brings up a good point here. How is the plate mounted? I'm not sure about San Francisco's local law, but many FLP regulations require that it be mounted on a factory-bracket, though you can use a custom, personalized license-plate frame if you want. Factory-brackets are (usually) designed for the center of the front bumper.

IS-SV

Fix:

Have a police officer (preferably a family member or friend) sign off on the fix-it ticket, given they are more flexible in interpretation of vc and see the front plate as compliant.

But given the level of enforcement regarding missing front plates lately, I'm not surprised by this. A conventional mounting of front plate would be a better long-term solution to avoid future citations.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Not at all applicable in California. Click on the quote in my post for the complete text of the law.

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

The clicky doesn't work.

But...lookee right here:

Now, as I read it, you have a "product" installed that impairs the recognition of the plate information because it is on an angle and off center. Also, in the pic you gave as a reference, I cannot see tags for registration, which are supposed to be displayed at all times unless a cover is on the car, at which time the officer or meter maid may lift the cover so as to ensure the car is, in fact, registered. They can't very well pry off the bumper to see the tag, so you got a ticket.

As much as I'm sure you don't want to pay it, I don't think you're right on this one, mang. No tag = no registration. No registration = invalid plate. Invalid plate = NFP ticket.

Big Mack

knihc2008

iTrader: (1)

I mean I'm just quoting what my uncle (who owns a body shop), the cop (who pulled me over), and the other cop (who checked my car at the station) told me. Whatever the law says, their threshold for giving tickets is not mounted securely onto the front with screws = ticket. Zip ties = definite ticket possibility. Bending the tag and state portion probably didn't help the case.

That said, my front plate is now screwed onto the factory bracket and then taped onto the front end to avoid having holes in the front of my car.

bruce van

San Francisco meter maids are the worst. I avoid parking on the streets as much as possible when I'm there. I usually try to find a parking structure where I can avoid meter maids for that exact reason.

Sure it's more expensive and less convient to park in a structure, but you don't have to worry about feeding the stupid meter and risk getting a hugh fine.

I've lived in SF for a long time and don't miss the constant parking ticket taxes the city likes to impose in its citizens and visitors. SF hates cars.

RXSF

isnt the plate stuck there? as in you can remove it? so maybe you can go to court and tell them its been like that for 3 months

felixsc300

iTrader: (5)

The front plate is mounted by zipties to the mesh grille. I spoke with the manager of the body shop, and he says he has done the same thing to his RSX (bending it and ziptieing it to the lower grille). Police officers have told him the display of the plate is completely legal, and he cannot be cited for it.

I believe it is a fix-it ticket with a $25 'documentation fee', but I'm not exactly sure. The ticket itself is in my friend's possession.

I highly doubt this is possible. Too much of a hassle to cut some zipties, drive to the doctor and then the pharmacist, drive back to my house, and reinstall license plate using zipties. But I will not rule out this possibility.

We don't need tags/'registration' on the front license plate. California's registration stickers are affixed to the rear license plate only, and our registration placard is a sheet of paper that can be stored away in the glovebox or wallet until requested by a police officer. Therefore I'm not 'blocking' any 'tags' on my front plate. Thus my front plate is not invalid. Valid plate = front license plate present.

I agree. I watched a SF meter maid stand at a meter with two minutes left, and once the red dot started flashing he began writing the ticket. That was just -___-

Thanks for the feedback guys, its all very helpful insight. Keep it coming.

PhantomZX

You bent off the "California" portion. Doing so make it unclear as to which state the plate belongs to. In my opinion, you have obstructed the plate.

felixsc300

iTrader: (5)

Well, that I can see. However, the CA vehicle code does not explicitly state (no pun intended) the issuing state must be displayed. Source.

stick

Oh boy......

....as a cop in CA

No, you can not bend, modify, or do whatever to your plates that would hide the state, tabs, numbers/letters, or do anything that would mutilate the plate.

The parking maid probably did not see the plate, it is kind of low.

I'd say, just pay the small fine.....or....get some bolts, nuts, some kind of metal frame, and fashion a bracket that will mount through the mesh of your bumper.

If you fight it, you will lose. Sorry, but it is true. They will just think you put the plate on so you can fight the ticket.