ca993twin

Many of us in California don't mount a front license plate, even though it is required by law. It seems to be one of those laws that is ignored by almost everyone; owners of nice cars, and police alike. Several of us have been pulled over recently and the police mentioned that he noticed no front plate. He would then do a check for any srious violations, and upon finding none, would send us on our way, without a ticket for the front plate.

Some of you may have already put two & two together, but here's what I'm thinking... the police would prefer that we *don't* have that front plate, because the lack of the plate gives them the rationale to stop us for no other reason. Its like wearing a sign that says "Its OK to pull me over at any time, even if I'm not doing anything wrong".

This doesn't change my decision to not run a front plate (on any of my three cars), but some of you may want to toss these thoughts into your decision-making process. My buddy (with no front plate) just got pulled over for no reason (except he left a sports bar after the super-bowl), and had to do the breathalizer test. He passed without a problem. They probably could not have stopped him (legally) except that he had no front plate. Kinda leaves us wide open for this kind of stuff.

Anybody else have thoughts on this topic?

911

Steve,

I've never been an advocate of this law from the get-go. I will not put a front license plate on my C4S, but I do have to be careful when I drive it. Here in the South Bay, I don't think it will be a problem. However, I know there are certain cities that have the cameras in the intersections, and the police in these cities will be much more strict w/ this law.

Rich

JohnJL

I remember seeing a show on Discovery a few years ago when they tried (successfully!) to make a Corvette "Laser and Radar Invisible." Among many other more exotic techniques, they removed the front plate because it is a perfect reflector for the guns to aim at.

I don't run a plate for that reason. I have been pulled over in CT (a plate-required state) for a non-speeding issue and the cop didn't mention or ticket me for it.

Brent Spinks

Yup, no plate is instant probable cause for a stop in states where it is required by law. I still don't have one though

os993

I have my front license plate installed for the very reason that I don't want to give cops any reason to pull me over. I actually don't mind the look with the front plate - ain't that bad, really....

Heard cops can even give you a no front license plate ticket while parked..

Bottom line is I never had any problems when I drove the 993 and my truck without front plates, but now have fronts on both because I just don't want to give the police any reason to hassle me...

24FPS

wow... steve. you're "spot-on"

what's also amazing... is the fact your buddy passed a breathalizer test! (he's one out of 1000!) esp. coming out of a sports bar! geez, i'm sure if he was smelling heavy of "drink" or was a even a little dificult, the cops would have taken him in. (why? because they can ) ...

&... very valid point of the no front lic. plate issue. it is a "free invitation" to any officer.

something to consider also, it raises revenue for cities like santa monica! their infamous parking tickets & the "no front lic. penalty" of $50 w/o a fix-it-ticket & $20 w/ proof fee raises big bucks! hell, i've paid it @ least 3 times so far.

thx for the fyi!.

David in LA

Besides not giving an open invitation to be stopped, another good reason for having a front plate is if you are running a laser defuser. You want the police to aim the laser at your front plate where the defuser will be most effective...otherwise the laser will be targetted at the headlights or the windshield.

I also recall that someone on the 996TT board had rigged a spring to his front plate and mounted it under his bumper behind the grill - with the car stopped the plate would swing down and be visible, but at speed the plate would be pushed back under the bumper b/c of the wind turbulence.

mac993

I've recieved 3 (yes 3) "no front plate" tickets. One in the parking lot of the court house paying off another ticket!!! Another during the first week of owning my 993 while on a 2 lane backroad trying to pass 3 slower cars at once. The front car was a cop. oops!! He gave me a choice, a speeding ticket or no font plate ticket, guess which one I picked. So I guess I've been both lucky and unlucky. Needless to say I now have a plate on the front.

adsc4s

I don't have a front plate on either my C4S or TT but then, it was never supplied when I purchased the car. Even if it was, it wouldn't be on the front of my cars.

Eyal 951

You heard right, my brother just got one in a parking lot while he was in class. 10 bucks pays it off though. (if you pay it within a certain time, otherwise its 30)

He still doesn't run a front plate, and either do I.
~Eyal

Freier

Some great points mentioned here. A few months back I was cited twice in San Francisco. The first was because my parking meter had expired. The fine was $35. The second citation was for no front plate. The fine was $105. Not only was the fine significantly higher, the time marked on the ticket was 20 minutes after the first. The city definitely uses this as a means for revenue.
I don't run a front plate for aesthetic reasons. And as Dan (Mac993) mentioned, the officer may be kind enough to reduce a speeding citation for a no front plate violation.

fbfisher

Mac993, I would have thought your experience would have taught you to leave the plate off just in case another officer gives you a choice. By putting the plate on you remove the option.

I was parked at LAX in the terminal parking and got a ticket for no front plate, $25 on top of the $190 it cost to park there for three days.

Still no front plate, if fact I need bumper plugs.

mac993

I admit I got lucky once but I'd rather not give them another reason to pull me over. I already feel as if I'm pushing my luck with the tinted front windows.

fbfisher

Mac, use sun glasses, they are removable.

ON TIME

No front plate today or next year.