Artistic Preservation

I took mine off due to looks and aerodynamics. How much are tickets?

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by boggtown

I took mine off due to looks and aerodynamics. How much are tickets?

Hi,

Here in MN, it's $50, but I've seen other states charge as much as $125.

Ironically, I was once out of town when a Snow Emergency was declared requiring all vehicles be off the streets for the Snow Plows. My Passport was on the street and was towed to an impound lot. When I picked it up, the Tow Co. had ripped the license plate holder off lifting the car. Honda didn't have one in stock, so I ordered it, paid a deposit and placed the plate on the dash, totally visible. I got a ticket while parked. Next day, while parked, another ticket. I called the City, explained what happened and why the plate wasn't properly mounted. They agreed to rip up only one of the two tickets. So, I sucessfully fought the other one in court on the premise that I had an order for the part, but through no fault of mine, hadn't received it so could not comply with the statute.

Also, check your state statutes. Here in MN, you don't need a Front Plate if you have Collector plates (25+ Yr. old car), Street Rod plates, etc. so I don't have a front one on my '71 240Z. 5 more years, and I can remove the one on my Esprit, 17 yrs. for the Boxster though...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[djomlas]

17 tickets so far, now i just leave it on and get on with it, its getting old here in chicago.
but then, im so pissed, my friend never had one on his e36 and never got pulled over.

they told me that they can charge you with some kind of homicide if the plate should fly off your windshield/dash and slice your passingers throat. wow

[Bob O]

Missouri is a "front plate state". I was stopped the other day by a road block set up by the Highway Patrol. I don't know about other states, but in Missouri, one doesn't really want to mess with the State guys. yes sir, no sir are appropriate responses to most of their questions! He said they had set up the block for a "safety" check..ummmm ok sir, whatever. He walked arouind the car, which is minus the required front plate, leaned over and asked for license and registration. oh dammmm i thought, the ONLY thing i can think of to bring this on is the front plate. I told him I would have to get out of the car to get the license, since it was in my wallet in my back pocket and I couldn't retreive it without getting out. Put his hand on the door, looked at me, and said.. have a nice day sir. whew... Thank you sir... I hope you catch whoever you're looking for.

I've been front plate-less for about a year and a half in the Boxster. Stopped a couple of times by local gendarmes (sp???), but never ticketed for anything!!! let alone no front plate. Stopped a couple of times by the state guys in various road blocks for who knows what, never ticketed or even suspected. lol. Either I'm very, very lucky, or they really don't give a hoot about the front plate. Now, I HAVE heard a couple of stories about the proverbial meter maids issuing tickets for front plates, but those are, at best, second hand, and somewhat suspect, given the source. Besides, if I ever DO get asked about it, its in the front trunk, behind the spare tire.... really it is. I'm waiting for the part to come in from the dealer so I can install it.

Bob

[dharrisonwu]

For those of you resisting the front plates, you really open yourself up to being pulled over. If your state requires it, like here in CA, you should really put it on. It's just not worth the hassle and the time. Why make yourself a target for tickets and probable cause?


Trust me - - in the most inconvenient of times, you will be pulled over when you normally would not. :troll:

I took mine off to wash it, and put it under my passenger seat. Its still there and if some cop asks me I can say " Oh, I took it off today when I washed my car and forgot to put it back on, its right here in the floorboard"

[NickCats]

Originally Posted by Bob O

Besides, if I ever DO get asked about it, its in the front trunk, behind the spare tire.... really it is. I'm waiting for the part to come in from the dealer so I can install it.

Bob,

Good one !

Illinois is also a front plate state. Mine is also in the front trunk in the pocket of the spare tire cover

I was planning on using the same excuse "waiting for the part to come in from the dealer", though with my luck I'd probably get a ticket anyway

Nick

[djomlas]

if u do get pulled over, and tell them that....it will not work with the illinois cop, especially at the end of the month, or if its a random safety stop check point kinda thing.
i was going trough a toll, and a freaking cop jumped in front of my car as i was paying, told me to pull over by the side and ticketed me...plate of course, and slick tires. then a few minutes later i was on CLT TV being asked why i was pulled over. BS

from then on i just put it on....

[Adam]

Originally Posted by djomlas

17 tickets so far, now i just leave it on and get on with it, its getting old here in chicago.
but then, im so pissed, my friend never had one on his e36 and never got pulled over.

they told me that they can charge you with some kind of homicide if the plate should fly off your windshield/dash and slice your passingers throat. wow

Wow, I live down state and they have hardly ever bothered me without a front plate in the last 3 yrs. A university cop stopped me twice in a month for not having a front plate, but he didn't ticket me. A state cop mentioned the lack of a front plate while he was was writing a speeding ticket and he said it will be noted and I better have it on there next time Fine, whatever a $50 ticket every blue moon is a drop in the bucket. It's a BS law and the cops know it.

[David N.]

I know there's no properly scientific way to measure among the people here (in different areas, different commutes, different driving styles), but reading Adam's reply and his car specs, all the sudden I started wondering how car color plays a role in your susceptibility to a front plate ticket (as it most likely does with other tickets).

I disagree though with the bs law accusation, having a front plate does seem like a valid law, for reasons of speed detection, registration confirmation, heck just confirmation from the front that you have plates at all. If I was a cop and saw a vehicle coming towards me with no plate, I would at least be wondering if it's got a rear plate a least, or if it's been totally deplated.

...which brings me to people who leave dealer plates on forever, ergo bypassing the ability to be identified by traffic cams and such. But maybe that's another thread in itself

-David

I am also running without a front plate. I am not planning to put it on anytime soon, either. Maybe that will change after my first ticket! Oh, well. We'll see.

[djomlas]

see i love the way the box looks w no front plate, but this kinda scares me. when i am coming back from my GFs house on daily bases, around midnight and later...i drive down a street with my radar detector on, and no joke on this street i see on daily bases at least 5-6 cops with radar guns hiding behind bushes, cemetery entrance and other retarted spots, just waiting to pull someone over for something couse in the suburbs thats all that they do...just pull u over and give u BS, so i just figured one less thing for them to pull me over for.

[RandallNeighbour]

I'm not putting mine back on, Jim... and you can't make me!!!! But you do provide good sound reasoning for having one on when it's required by law. I'm just gonna ignore it.

[KevinH1990]

I drove my Miata for three years here in Virginia without a front plate.

For some reason I feel like there is a big target painted on my Boxster so I haven't pressed my luck.