Am I a target for the meter maid?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 47
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From: Portland, OR
2002 C320
Am I a target for the meter maid?
I got a ticket a couple of weeks ago for parking without a front license plate. I didn't think meter maids had the authority to do that, but what could I do? There were two other cars parked very close to me that did not have front license plates, but I didn't see a ticket on their windshields (they could have picked up their tickets already, though). Anyway, so I gave in and installed a front plate to avoid any future hassle and today I get another ticket for expired tags. The thing is my tags don't expire until 2/2010. The ticket even says so (see attached). My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I think they're targeting my car. Either that or my tax money is going to pay some pretty stupid person.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR
2002 C320
No apologies necessary. Sorry if I wasted anyone's time by posting this, but I really can't stand the guilty until proven innocent BS we all have to go through. I mean, because some idiot makes a mistake, I have to take my time (and money) to fix the issue. It's the saying, "It's not your fault, but it's your problem. Also, never got this kind of hassle driving my Toyota with no front license plate and current tags... 
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,211
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
What my kid does is puts her license plate on her dashboard facing out the window. This meets CA vehicle codes as long as you are not driving it that way. So it gets past the meter maid problems (they do this where she lives in L.A.).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: San Diego, CA & San Jose, Costa Rica & Stuttgart, Germany
1959 220S / 1979 230 G / 2002 A210 AMG / 2003 C320 SC / 2004.5 C320 SS / 2005 ML350 SE / 2008 smart
I got a ticket a couple of weeks ago for parking without a front license plate. I didn't think meter maids had the authority to do that, but what could I do? There were two other cars parked very close to me that did not have front license plates, but I didn't see a ticket on their windshields (they could have picked up their tickets already, though). Anyway, so I gave in and installed a front plate to avoid any future hassle and today I get another ticket for expired tags. The thing is my tags don't expire until 2/2010. The ticket even says so (see attached). My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I think they're targeting my car. Either that or my tax money is going to pay some pretty stupid person.
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Super Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 546
Likes: 10
From: Cumberland, RI U.S.A.
2005 C230WZ SS Capri Blue/Ash
That's what I do as well. My car came from California, and never had the front plate bracket mounted,
despite what I believe that in CA it's required to have a front plate. Either way, the plate came in the trunk with the car, and has been sitting back there ever since.In RI, a front plate is required, so what I do is when driving in the big cities and more ****-police-prone areas, I'll place my plate between the dash and windshield, making sure it's not covering my VIN. I REFUSE to have someone drill 2 holes in my front bumper and mount this black plate bracket up front. Haven't had an issue so far.
Hopefully I won't but if I do get pulled over, I can always tell them I just got the bracket and am setting up an appointment to have the stealer mount it. Then, I may have to be forced to go with getting one of those mounts from gominigo that attaches to your front tow hook spot.
Cintoman
Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 167
Likes: 1
From: Dallas TX,USA
02 w203,85 w123
Texas as well
Yeah,they dont play that 'no front plate' here in Texas as well. Hell,when I had just bought the car & had the temporary paper plates, a Johnny Law had nothing better to do than whip his car around all frantically to get to me when he had passed me w/no front plate! A-hole kept going once he saw I had temp plates,but they're pretty damn vigilant here in Texas about that crap! 
Super Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 573
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W203
Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 87
Likes: 1
From: Gainesville, FL
Black 02' C230
I got a ticket a couple of weeks ago for parking without a front license plate. I didn't think meter maids had the authority to do that, but what could I do? There were two other cars parked very close to me that did not have front license plates, but I didn't see a ticket on their windshields (they could have picked up their tickets already, though). Anyway, so I gave in and installed a front plate to avoid any future hassle and today I get another ticket for expired tags. The thing is my tags don't expire until 2/2010. The ticket even says so (see attached). My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I think they're targeting my car. Either that or my tax money is going to pay some pretty stupid person.
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
97 J30\71 220 gas 4-speed
mbpc320, if they cited you for expired registration and it isn't, take it to court (if your afternoon's only worth forty bucks).
As for the front plate in California, if a vehicle's issued two (trailers, motorcycles and sometimes truck tractors get one), they must be permanently mounted with one in front and one on the rear. The dashboard doesn't cut it, and you are subject to a citation for it if it's on a public street, moving or not.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm
http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/streetlegal.html
As for the front plate in California, if a vehicle's issued two (trailers, motorcycles and sometimes truck tractors get one), they must be permanently mounted with one in front and one on the rear. The dashboard doesn't cut it, and you are subject to a citation for it if it's on a public street, moving or not.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm
http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/streetlegal.html
Super Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 546
Likes: 10
From: Cumberland, RI U.S.A.
2005 C230WZ SS Capri Blue/Ash
mbpc320, if they cited you for expired registration and it isn't, take it to court (if your afternoon's only worth forty bucks).
As for the front plate in California, if a vehicle's issued two (trailers, motorcycles and sometimes truck tractors get one), they must be permanently mounted with one in front and one on the rear. The dashboard doesn't cut it, and you are subject to a citation for it if it's on a public street, moving or not.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm
http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/streetlegal.html
As for the front plate in California, if a vehicle's issued two (trailers, motorcycles and sometimes truck tractors get one), they must be permanently mounted with one in front and one on the rear. The dashboard doesn't cut it, and you are subject to a citation for it if it's on a public street, moving or not.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11713_17.htm
http://www.chp.ca.gov/community/streetlegal.html
Cintoman
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
'05 C230K SS
No apologies necessary. Sorry if I wasted anyone's time by posting this, but I really can't stand the guilty until proven innocent BS we all have to go through. I mean, because some idiot makes a mistake, I have to take my time (and money) to fix the issue. It's the saying, "It's not your fault, but it's your problem. Also, never got this kind of hassle driving my Toyota with no front license plate and current tags...
I would do two things: (1) call the assistant city prosecutor who is handling your ticket, ask him/her to take 30 seconds to pull the file and actually look at the ticket, and request that he/she use the slightest bit of intelligence and agree to dismiss the ticket (make sure you get written/email confirmation of the dismissal, too); and (2) call Parking Enforcement or whatever section of the local PD that is responsible for issuing these tickets, ask to speak to the supervising officer, and inform him/her that he/she has either a complete idiot and/or a somewhat corrupt or unethical officer working for them. They should have a procedure for citizens to register formal complaints.
Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 132
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2002 c230k hb
I got a $5 parking ticket a couple months ago from the local borough near my gym. The lol part is that the person who wrote the ticket drew the MB emblem on the ticket because she couldn't figure out what kind of car it is. I took off the c230 and kompressor letting from the rear.
Super Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 546
Likes: 10
From: Cumberland, RI U.S.A.
2005 C230WZ SS Capri Blue/Ash
I got a $5 parking ticket a couple months ago from the local borough near my gym. The lol part is that the person who wrote the ticket drew the MB emblem on the ticket because she couldn't figure out what kind of car it is. I took off the c230 and kompressor letting from the rear.
Even with the badges (C230 and KOMPRESSOR), nowhere on our cars do they have the word "Mercedes-Benz" on it. I think that's the same thing with the newer Mazda's too. We have the triple-point star, Mazda has the stylized M symbol.Cintoman
Super Moderator Alumni
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,684
Likes: 12
From: West Los Angeles
Midnight Blue 2004.5 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan. 2002 w210 E320, 2009 w211 E350 Sport
Ditto. I learned the hard way, after getting a meter maid ticket. The difference with the meter maid ticket is it's not considered a "fix-it" ticket, just a fine. There's no language on the ticket that says the violation needs to be fixed.
Super Moderator Alumni
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,684
Likes: 12
From: West Los Angeles
Midnight Blue 2004.5 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan. 2002 w210 E320, 2009 w211 E350 Sport
I got a $5 parking ticket a couple months ago from the local borough near my gym. The lol part is that the person who wrote the ticket drew the MB emblem on the ticket because she couldn't figure out what kind of car it is. I took off the c230 and kompressor letting from the rear.
This is one of the funniest things I've ever heard! Shoot, makes me want to put on a BMW emblem or something else, just so a parking ticket can be argued every time!... Then again, I think I'll just make sure the meter's fed everytime I park (unless it's after 6pm or a Sunday, of course).
