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I added on the purchase of a bracket that will somehow keep the bumper from being drilled on my car when I took delivery last week. I haven't seen it yet so I may reject the idea but I hate the idea of drilling a bumper even more and love the idea of mounting something that could avoid that.
So far we haven't had the popo pull us over for lack of a front plate, I think I will keep it off until I do, cuz once they log you in you are gonna get pulled over all week long here in Chicago. I even parked at OHare and had the car pulled up tight to a cement barrier and they still ticketed me. Its 45 bucks where I live and for what its worth to them at the end of the month is easily worth their hassle.
I've had my Euro plate on for about 4-5 months so far in SoCal and haven't had any trouble! I've even had a few "encounters" with the police (ex: driving the opposite way past me, walking past the front of my car [and even in some cases, looking] and walking away) and I have yet to run into any trouble. Knock on wood though! Hope I don't get pulled over!
BTW, do you guys know if putting the plate where its sitting on the passenger side dash, but upright so it's right AGAINST the windshield when you park is considered legal?
In California, that's not legal. According to the California Vehicle Code 5201.a:
5201. (a) 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.
It's a minor equipment violation that has to be fixed/corrected then checked and written off by any officer. I think there's a $10 administrative charge though. ?? Or am I dating myself
Yup.. $10 'fix-it ticket' in California is what I remember it to be from 5-6 years ago (after getting a police officer to sign off on the ticket, of course).
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Originally Posted by johnc510
In California, that's not legal. According to the California Vehicle Code 5201.a:
5201. (a) 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.
Grr. That sucks. Thanks for the info. I'll have to think of something else for when I park on an area known to be ticket-happy.
Best route, if you have a large enough frontal air dam, would be to just somehow makeshift attach the plate to it while you're away, then take it off when you get back to the car.
If you don't want to have the front plate then move to a state or register the car in a state where it is not required. That is what I did.
I've heard of people moving away for work, relationships, or to start over. But this is the first I've heard of someone moving out of state so that they can legally drive with no front license plate.
I've heard of people moving away for work, relationships, or to start over. But this is the first I've heard of someone moving out of state so that they can legally drive with no front license plate.
Grr. That sucks. Thanks for the info. I'll have to think of something else for when I park on an area known to be ticket-happy.
Best route, if you have a large enough frontal air dam, would be to just somehow makeshift attach the plate to it while you're away, then take it off when you get back to the car.
Ok, so having the license plate visible in the right front passenger window.
Mounted securely, upright (leaning to match the window profile), probably actually meets the law. The license plate mounting requirements have been around for a long time, it is just that most police don't really enforce that kind of ticket for a front plate that often, unless they have nothing better to do or you pissed them off LOL. If you notice that the plates are supposed to be secure on the vehicle back and front, but it is okay to mount it in the Rear window, as long as it is clearly visible. Well at least that is what my Kin tell me, as I took off from CA a while back, but whenever I visit, I see people running no front plate, plate in the front window, back plate in the rear window a lot.
My W212 lives in NY(2 plate state) I will not put one on! No way in Hell I am putting holes in the bumper of my 19k miles E! They can live without it...
Ok, so having the license plate visible in the right front passenger window.
Mounted securely, upright (leaning to match the window profile), probably actually meets the law. The license plate mounting requirements have been around for a long time, it is just that most police don't really enforce that kind of ticket for a front plate that often, unless they have nothing better to do or you pissed them off LOL. If you notice that the plates are supposed to be secure on the vehicle back and front, but it is okay to mount it in the Rear window, as long as it is clearly visible. Well at least that is what my Kin tell me, as I took off from CA a while back, but whenever I visit, I see people running no front plate, plate in the front window, back plate in the rear window a lot.
At least the rear window mount should not be legal as the law says the plate must have a light, which the rear window mount does not have.
LOADED 08' C350 & 14' GLK-350 Diamond White (P1, MM, AMG Pkg, Ln Trkng, Htd Sts, Keylss Go)
one time i got a no front plate ticket... then i got a tint ticket, a "rear" tint ticket for covering up the 3rd brake light in my C (tinter didnt cut around it, but who the hell does), and a missing tag ticket (hadnt put on my new sticker that just came in the mail 4 days ago...
4 tickets, like 600 bucks, some were marked as non -correctable...
I added on the purchase of a bracket that will somehow keep the bumper from being drilled on my car when I took delivery last week. I haven't seen it yet so I may reject the idea but I hate the idea of drilling a bumper even more and love the idea of mounting something that could avoid that.
So far we haven't had the popo pull us over for lack of a front plate, I think I will keep it off until I do, cuz once they log you in you are gonna get pulled over all week long here in Chicago. I even parked at OHare and had the car pulled up tight to a cement barrier and they still ticketed me. Its 45 bucks where I live and for what its worth to them at the end of the month is easily worth their hassle.
Your rear plate is probably being read by surveillance cams and the nearest patrol car gets your ID and location. Big Brother is here, at least ion the big cities. Won't be long before they track your speed etc.from your ECU, take your pic, and mail you the ticket. No doubt some IT outfit is already pitching it to municipalities.
What happens after you're in the system for the fix-it ticket and you get pulled over again with no front plate? Big fine?
You could've probably asked in a new thread as opposed to resurrecting an almost 6 1/2 year old thread... but! Having said that, I believe the answer is an endless number of fix-it tickets. The fix-it tickets only turn into fines if you don't resolve the issue between when it's issued and when you appear in court for it. (In other words, fix it, pay the fine, then go to court.) If you never fix it then all your fix-it tickets turn into fines.
Your rear plate is probably being read by surveillance cams and the nearest patrol car gets your ID and location. Big Brother is here, at least ion the big cities. Won't be long before they track your speed etc.from your ECU, take your pic, and mail you the ticket. No doubt some IT outfit is already pitching it to municipalities.
This past Spring, the state of TEXAS outlawed the use of surveillance cameras to enforce RED LIGHT violations. This prohibition is state-wide. No more "take your pic, and mail you the ticket."
The argument was that red light cameras read rear license plates on cars only. They cannot prove who is driving the car. Only drivers may be cited for "moving violations." (Not cars).
And yes, you can still get a ticket for illegal parking, because a parked car does not commit a moving violation.
This past Spring, the state of TEXAS outlawed the use of surveillance cameras to enforce RED LIGHT violations. This prohibition is state-wide. No more "take your pic, and mail you the ticket."
The argument was that red light cameras read rear license plates on cars only. They cannot prove who is driving the car. Only drivers may be cited for "moving violations." (Not cars).
And yes, you can still get a ticket for illegal parking, because a parked car does not commit a moving violation.
In Illinois the car is the moving violation. They could give a crap who is behind the wheel. Red light cameras will never leave this state. Just the people.
In Illinois the car is the moving violation. They could give a crap who is behind the wheel. Red light cameras will never leave this state. Just the people.
In CA you can fight it, and if the judge is in a good mood he'll toss it. I've only ever gotten one and I didn't fight it because I was wrong, knew I was wrong, and paid my fine for it.
It's funny how we all have different perspectives. My '14 GL450 CPO was a leaser out of Palm Springs, CA. When I bought it the front plate bracket wasn't installed. So it cruised around Cali for 3 years without a front plate. TX is a 2 plate state. I never bother to have the front plate mounted. Last Nov I drove past a TX trooper parked on the shoulder. Shortly thereafter he pulled me over for not having a front plate, which he obviously spotted in his rearview mirror. He took my license and went back to his Tahoe. A few mins later he came back with a warning ticket for "operating a motor vehicle with no plates or one plate". He was able to scan the barcode on my license to get all that info to print on the ticket. I went straight to the dealer and had them mount the plate. Fast forward to May. After quite a struggle (another story), got my personalized U.S. Merchant Marine plate. Only 25 have been issued. So now of course, I am happy as a clam to have a front plate!
Also in TX, but bought my 2012 E550 used in Louisiana, which is a one plate state, so it does not have the nasty plate bracket screwed into the front bumper. No way I was going to damage my front bumper so I bought one of these plate holders that screw into the toe hook hole(Tow Hook Plate Mount). I can take it off when I go to the track and not have the front plate screwing up the airflow around the front of the car. Is it actually making a big difference in ET's? Of course not, but every little bit helps. Right?
02-28-2013, 07:01 AM
